Spike's Best Endgame Romance Was [SPOILER], Not Buffy

Spike was able to be vulnerable with this mysterious woman in ways he never could be with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, even at their closest.

Spike had a secret endgame romance outside his love for Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Audiences have argued for years whether Buffy's best romance was with Angel or Spike. But Spike's best romance may not have had the proper time to flourish before it crumbled before his very eyes.

The romance in question is unveiled in Spike: Into the Light by James Marsters, Derlis Santacruz, Andy Owens, and Dan Jackson. The graphic novel takes place around the beginning of the seventh season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Spike is doing some soul-searching — right after re-gaining his literal soul. It is then that he meets Dylan, whom he saves from getting attacked in an alley. As he walks Dylan home, they get better acquainted and become naturally smitten with each other. They become close enough that he even lets her call him William, a luxury few characters have had in the franchise.

Related: Buffy the Vampire Slayer Admits Spike's Accent Makes No Sense

The next night, the would-be couple meet again and wind up strolling through the streets all night getting to know each other — even though Spike deliberately leaves out the fact that he's a vampire. At sunrise, the two share a romantic kiss on their second date. However, the date and the graphic novel end with the two working together to save a heap of kids from a monster. It's then that Dylan discovers Spike is a vampire, and naturally, she runs off in horror.

What distinguishes Spike's short romance with Dylan from his more notable relationships with Buffy or even Drusilla is that he gets to unveil his more sensitive side. Spike hadn't really leaned into that side of himself since he was first turned into a vampire. Dylan did not spend two romantic evenings with Spike as much as she spent them with William the Bloody. Since donning his Billy Idol persona, Spike always owned up to fulfilling his more rebellious, chaotic qualities. As such, both Drusilla and Buffy are most attractive to that side of Spike. In Buffy's case, it was the bad-boy behavior that largely compelled her to start her initial fling with Spike.

While Spike does allow himself to be vulnerable with Buffy on rare occasions — especially after gaining his soul — he's at his most vulnerable with Dylan. Even when he isn't honest about being a vampire, he embraces a more sensitive persona in his relationship with Dylan. As much as Spike desired Buffy, he needed someone to soften his newfound soul. Dylan fills that role throughout this graphic novel. It's a shame that she couldn't get past the whole vampire thing (or at least being lied to about it) — but if she did get used to it, they might be perfect together. Yes, even more perfect than his union with Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Check out Spike: Into the Light, available now from Dark Horse Comics!

Joe Anthony Myrick (or JAM) is a comics writer who specializes in, of course, covering the big figureheads of the industry (Marvel and DC), as well as lesser-known indy parties and some personal favorites like BOOM! Studios.