I still think he'd be justified in killing Spike merely because he's a vampire.

Again, this doesn't add up in the Buffyverse.

Again, this doesn't add up in the Buffyverse.

Maybe the Buffyverse previous to season 6, but as far as I can see, anything goes now.

Edited to add: Sorry to be snippy. I'm just bitter at the direction the show has taken.

Spike did take the coat away from Wood - prick.

No he didn't. Wood never had the coat.

Revenge killing has never been shown as good in the Buffyverse. Warren's death wasn't horrific because he had a soul, it was horrific because it was torture and revenge and not in the service of protecting anyone.

I think Buffy would have been upset if she'd killed Warren to save someone immediate, because that's not quite her job, but it would have been very different.

Spike retaking his trophy? Perfectly understandable reaction. But then what happened? The edge she wanted, where has it gone? I'm disappointed in the narrative for letting that go, since I was not unhappy to be disturbed by Buffy demanding it, if that makes sense.

Nah, makes perfect sense.

I'm just bitter at the direction the show has taken.

Ditto.

For, me, Wood's desire for venegence is justified, but the method he wanted to take his vengence was not. Cordelia's desire for vengence against Xander was justfied, but the wish that Buffy had never come to Sunnydale, not so much. It is, for me, a difference between motive and method.

Wood did take the coat and then Spike took it back. I know I'm not wrong on this... It pissed me off so badly.

I'm not saying Wood's desire and attempt to kill Spike were not understandable. But there's a huge gulf between understandable (and even sympathetic) and justified.

Yes. This. There's a speech that Jack McCoy once gave in Law & Order that applies here. Somebody was going for a sympathy defense and kept talking about all the bad things the person they murdered had done to them and don't you understand why I did it?

McCoy's response was "yes, I understand. I sympathise with everything you've been through, and I even understand your need for vengeance. What I don't understand is where you picked up a knife and stabbed them to death."

Justification does not = excuse.

Edited to add: Sorry to be snippy. I'm just bitter at the direction the show has taken.

I think a lot of us are there, or near there. And allow me to add, I didn't say this to be snippty on my part, I just wanted to add my $0.02. So I hope I didn't offend.

Spike did take the coat away from Wood - prick.

No he didn't. Wood never had the coat.

My memory is really hazy, but I seem to remember a thing about Spike taking the coat back after Wood's attempted killing.

Is it maybe that Wood took the coat just before trying to kill Spike in the cross-room, and Spike just snatched it back before exiting?

Like a freaking well.

Aw, this makes me happy. Thanks!

Sean, no offense taken :) I will say that in regard to murdering humans, absolutely no justification. With vampires? Gets a little gray in that area, I think.