30 Days of Buffy and Feminism Day 27

Day 27: Cutest Moment

So many things in Buffy are adorable.  But somehow I knew I was going to pick something from "Chosen", because somehow it feels mandatory.

The Buffy and Angel "Cookie" Exchange in "Chosen"

BUFFY (cont'd)
I'm well aware of my stellar history
with guys, and no, I don't see fat
grandchildren in the offing with
Spike, but... I don't think that
matters right now.
(thinks a moment)
You know, in the midst of all this...
insanity, couple things are actually
starting to make sense. And the guy
thing... He joins her, also leaning on the crypt.


BUFFY (cont'd)
You know, I've always figured there
was something wrong with me, 'cause
I never made it work. But maybe I'm
not supposed to. ANGEL
Because you're the Slayer?
BUFFY
Because... okay, I'm cookie dough,
okay?
ANGEL
Yet another curveball...
BUFFY
I'm not done baking yet. I'm not
finished becoming... whoever the hell
it is I'm gonna turn out to be. I've
been looking for someone to make me
feel whole, and maybe I just need to
be whole. I make it through this,
and the next thing, and the next...
maybe one day I turn around and
realize I'm ready. I'm cookies. And
then if I want someone to eat m --
or, to enjoy warm delicious cookie-
me, then that's fine. That'll be
then. When I'm done.
ANGEL
Any thoughts on who might enjoy... do
I have to go with the cookie analogy?
BUFFY
I don't really think that far ahead.
That's kind of the point.
ANGEL
I get it. A beat, and he hands her the amulet.


ANGEL (cont'd)
I'll start working on a second front.
Make sure I don't have to use it. A beat, his hands on hers, and he starts off.


BUFFY
Angel. I do. Sometimes... think
that far ahead. He stops, smiles a bit.

BUFFY (cont'd)
We both have our lives, but...
sometimes... ANGEL
Sometimes is something.
BUFFY
It'd be a long time coming. Years,
if ever. He walks backwards into the dark, smiling at her.

ANGEL
I ain't gettin' any older. He disappears into shadow. She watches him go. 

This is adorable for a number of reasons. 

First of all, I've written here before about how I hate pretty much all of Buffy's relationships throughout the series.  This whole conversation is an acknowledgement of how terrible Buffy's romantic history is.  She even takes Angel's idealism down a peg.  I think in some way, in his very haughty way, Angel thinks he was supposed to come save the world with her and then sweep her off her feet.  He's so territorial when they talk about Spike that you'd think they hadn't actually been broken up for FOUR YEARS.   

Also, I feel like this is kind of owning her mistakes and realizing that she doesn't need to repeat them because she doesn't need someone else.  Being single isn't necessarily a feminist choice, but recognizing that it's okay to be single when you feel it's the best choice for you definitely is.  And Angel acknowledges here that he's pretty cool with this.  

Buffy has a lot of inner strength and she's finally kind of coming into her own, truly, here.  And the cookies metaphor is really adorable. Angel's reaction to it, for as broody and haughty and full of himself as it is, is also pretty adorable.

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