(Poll) Buffy and Satsu
So, I'm curious. Both the opinions given in this poll have been stated often in the last few weeks; I'd like to get some idea of how the numbers stack up on either side. If you feel my poll questions are way too restrictive and arbitrary, by all means tell me so in the comments.
I'm asking about the sexual relationship between the two women, but I've worded the question to include the build-up to it and the aftermath once they broke up as well. Also, I'm not asking about whether you enjoyed reading the story, but whether you thought it was credible and played a part in the overall season arc, or if it was just pure fanservice.
When a few people have answered I'll edit this post to look at how the answers and the demographics correlate.
ETA: Updated Statistical analysis as of 19:50 on 4 May. I'll update again if and when more people answer the poll!
People who think the story was realistic include 43% of the women who are attracted to women, 67% of the heterosexual men, 33% of the other humans and 50% of the penguins.
No women who are attracted to women, no straight men, and no penguins thought the story was purely pandering to fanboys. 28% of the other humans thought it was.
(Everybody else went for the 'neither' option.).
Poll #1560142
Buffy and Satsu
Open to: All, detailed results viewable to: None, participants: 74
The interaction between Buffy and Satsu in Season 8 was:
| Believable and realistic, and appropriate to the plot and themes of the season. |
   31 (44.3%) |
| Shameless pandering to heterosexual men, with no credibility or artistic merit. |
| 11 (15.7%) |
| Neither of the above. |
| 28 (40.0%) |
Are you:
| A woman who is sexually attracted to women. |
| 13 (18.1%) |
| A heterosexual man. |
| 15 (20.8%) |
| Neither of the above. |
| 34 (47.2%) |
| A penguin. |
| 10 (13.9%) |
Do you know about their relationship through:
| Reading the comics. |
| 61 (84.7%) |
| Hearing about the comics from other people. |
| 10 (13.9%) |
| Neither of the above. |
| 1 (1.4%) |
I don't know enough about the comics to answer but I want to tick a box anyway.
That's a good insight. It did strike me as odd that Buffy would tell Satsu "It was one of the best nights of my life" right before breaking up with her - even if we accept that she was speaking in the heat of the moment rather than saying that it was literally the best night of her entire life.
Mind you, there certainly were plenty of other reasons for their relationship not to work: "She has the weight of the world on her slender shoulders. ... She's not like us. She's the general. We're the army. And that's never gonna change." Until she laid down her burden in 'Retreat', I don't think Buffy was capable of giving herself over entirely into a loving relationship with anyone... and I'm including Riley and Spike in that category as well as Satsu. I suspect that "I'm straight" was as much an excuse for Satsu's benefit as a reason.