Love Dares You, Part Two is the twelfth issue of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Ten comic book series. Written by Christos Gage and illustrated by Megan Levens, it was originally published on February 18, 2015, by Dark Horse Comics.
Synopsis[]
Buffy and her crew are on the cusp of some monumental relationship stuff, but entanglements are waylaid when they're forced to fight a new evil and the flesh homunculi he creates...[1]
Summary[]
Buffy and Spike part from their kiss. Spike is confused, and Buffy explains they had a relationship when he was soulless and she was in a dark place, but they never gave their current selves a shot. Spike says he was starting to get used to them being just friends after years of pining for her, and she only wanted him when he was a "naughty secret." Spike lists Xander when he began a relationship with Dawn, "mad god" Angel, and a girl as examples of Buffy always wanting what she couldn't have. He wonders who she will want when she gets bored of him, but Spike notices he went too far. Frowning at him, Buffy agrees it was a bad idea and leaves the cemetery. Alone, Spike calls himself a wanker.
In Xander and Spike's apartment, Xander agrees he is a moron. Spike argues that Xander gave Buffy the same speech in Tibet, but Xander explains he was in love with someone else, which is not Spike's case. Xander says Buffy broke her dysfunctional pattern to reach Spike out, but Spike only confirmed her fears of male abandonment at her moment of greatest vulnerability. Spike emphatically calls himself a wanker, but Xander says he is only damaged, and what he said about Buffy applies to him: Spike gravitates to women incapable of having a healthy relationship. Xander says love means risk, and the pain is worth even if that's all he will ever have with Dawn. Spike wants to go after Buffy, but Xander tells him to give her time to breath and not poke the bear more. Suddenly, the muscular Andrew jumps through the window and calls for the "Superfriends"'s help.
In Buffy, Willow, and Dawn's apartment, Andrew introduces Clive and Julie to the Scoobies and tells them about the flesh golem's attack in Oakland. Buffy mentions the goons in the cemetery, and Giles says they must stop the Sculptor before he becomes able to create an endless supply of homunculi from any dead flesh. Giles suggests they magically search for slaughterhouses and meatpacking, and Clive is excited to work with Willow. Spike and Dawn try to talk to Buffy, but she denies them and prepares to fight.
The Scoobies find and fight the flesh homunculi the Sculptor created in a meat factory. It engolfs Andrew, but he rips the creature from inside, and the Scoobies attack its pieces before it could merge again. The Sculptor disappears, but Willow intends to track him again. Clive and Julie compliment Andrew, who takes Clive in his arms and kisses him. Andrew says he didn't know he was gay, but he decided to look at himself and be honest with who he is. His body turns to its previous form, and Clive says he accomplished what the potion empowered him to do. Xander enthusiastically congratulates Andrew for coming out, but Andrew soon becomes embarrassed and excuses himself.
Spike goes to Buffy and begins to apologize, but she says he was right; she was being impulsive and it would be reckless to risk the friendship they worked so hard to build. Buffy thanks him for doing the right thing, but Spike says there's only one problem: he is in love with her. Kissing and holding each other, Spike opens his apartment's door with Buffy, their bodies hitting the walls and knocking the shelves down. On the other side of the wall, Dawn, Xander, and Giles hear the commotion. Giles expresses his frustration for the years of celibacy he is being condemned to, and he leaves after Xander and Dawn unsuccessfully try to console him.
Spike watches as Buffy sleeps on his bed, afraid she might not be there when he wakes up. He tells himself he is already the luckiest man and nothing could ruin this, and he closes his eyes. He sees a couple walking on the street, and Spike bites and kills them both. He wakes up and tries to convince himself it was just a dream, while Buffy continues to sleep by his side.
Continuity[]
- Buffy and Spike recall their relationship before he had a soul, which began in "Smashed" and ended in "As You Were."
- Spike reveals he is aware of Xander and Buffy's conversation in Retreat, Part Three and her sexual encounter with Satsu (Wolves at the Gate, Part One and Four).
- Spike mentions Angel's his sexual encounter with Buffy during the Twilight crisis in Twilight, Part Three.
- Buffy recalls her time as a Doublemeat Palace employee ("Doublemeat Palace").
- Buffy and Spike knocking into the walls in Xander and Spike's apartment mirrors their destructive first sexual encounter in "Smashed."
- Giles, Xander, and Dawn play Pimp Slap IV, the game first mentioned in New Rules, Part Three.
- Buffy and Spike have sex for the first time since "As You Were." It is the first time since after he got his soul ("Grave"), though it is implied they may have slept together in "Chosen" the night before the big fight in the Hellmouth.
- Spike admits to himself of being afraid to fall asleep because Buffy might not be there when he wakes up. Buffy herself had suffered the same fear with Angel ("Innocence") and Parker ("The Harsh Light of Day"). Riley was the first to be by her side the morning after ("The I in Team"), followed by Spike after they had sex in the abandoned house ("Wrecked").
- While Buffy is sleeping, Spike says, "Nothin' could ruin this," reminiscent to Buffy and Angel's dialog in "I Will Remember You."
- Spike's nightmare in which he feeds on a couple is reminiscent of Angel's nightmares in "Somnambulist": both ensouled and working on the good side, they are regardless haunted by visions of being turned back to their latent evil, bloodthirsty selves.
- The nature of Spike's nightmare will be explained by the presence of Archaeus in Relationship Status: Complicated, Part One.
Appearances[]
Individuals[]
- Angel (Only mentioned)
- Clive
- Drusilla (Only mentioned)
- Rupert Giles
- Alexander Harris
- Julie
- Harmony Kendall (Only mentioned)
- Mike (Only mentioned)
- Willow Rosenberg
- Satsu (Only mentioned)
- Sculptor
- Spike
- Buffy Summers
- Dawn Summers
- Andrew Wells
Organization and titles[]
- Doublemeat Palace (Only mentioned)
- Key
- Scooby Gang
- Slayer
- Witch
Species[]
- Demon
- Flesh golem (Only mentioned)
- Human
- Vampire
Locations[]
- Los Angeles (Only mentioned)
- Oakland (Only mentioned)
- San Francisco
- Tibet (Only mentioned)
Objects[]
- Asclepian vial (Only mentioned)
- Blood
- mʔ
- Pimp Slap IV (Only mentioned)
- Soul (Only mentioned)
Death count[]
- The Sculptor's homunculi, killed by the Scooby Gang.
- Unidentified couple, blood drained by Archaeus (in visions).
Behind the scenes[]
Production[]
- The tile Love Dares You is based on a verse from the song "Under Pressure."
Distribution[]
- Love Dares You, Part Two was the 136th best selling comic issue in its publishing month, with 15,840 sales in February 2015 at comic specialty stores.[2]
Collections[]
Pop culture references[]
- Andrew compares his abilities to the superhero Superman.
- Andrew mentions the Super Friends animated series.
- Dawn mentions the sitcom Three's Company.
- Xander mentions the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.
Gallery[]
Covers[]
Cover artwork[]
Preview[]
Quotes[]
| Spike: "You're already the luckiest man in the world. Just be bloody happy. Nothing could ruin this." |
References[]
- ↑ "Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 10 #12." Dark Horse Comics. Retrieved on September 15, 2017.
- ↑ "Top 300 Comics Actual--February 2015." ICv2, March 16, 2015.