From madman in the basement to self-sacrificing champion

Stacey Abbott (1)

1 University of Roehampton, United Kingdom

Towards the end of Season 6 of , Spike undergoes an identity crisis and leaves Sunnydale in search of a solution. ‘Neither a monster nor a man', Spike yearns for reconciliation of his divided self. The answer comes in the form of the return of his soul. This article explores how the return of Spike's soul does not deliver a reconciled Spike but rather one which has been exponentially fragmented. In a show that prides itself on complex character development, Spike undergoes the most dramatic character arc of anyone on the series, taking place in one season in an almost schizophrenic fashion. Through close analysis of and narrative structure this article demonstrates how each of these personas is presented as distinct and explores how identity in this season is not defined by growth and evolution but rather the recognition that we are each made up of a multitude of selves.

Mots clés: Angel; Buffy; identity; mise-en-scène; narrative arc; narrative structure; schizophrenia; vampires with souls

Stacey Abbott. From madman in the basement to self-sacrificing champion. European Journal of Cultural Studies, 2005, 8 (3), pp.329-344. ⟨10.1177/1367549405054865⟩. ⟨hal-00571480⟩