Sure we love Giles, but why do we love Ripper? Let's elaborate...
Violence, but you know, politely:
Thanks to his Ripper past Giles can beat the bad boy drum. Take for example Dead Man's Party:
Snyder: Sorry, I'm not convinced.
[Giles holds Snyder up to the wall by the neck and smiles] Giles: Would you like me to convince you?
Nothing illegal, but you want to give him a big kiss before running away from his big Ripper self.
Shows Giles owns something other than Tweed:
In Band Candy Giles gets to trot around in a tight white t-shirt that's very Angel-esque. He also wears a hat he stole from a shop before beating up a cop. Yep, Giles, a man of style. Ripper, a man of gutts.
Giles has layers, like a parfait:
Has Giles been a Librarian forever? Was he born in tweed diapers? Gosh no! He is as deep as all the other character. Ripper being one of his thicker layers. Example:
Buffy: Giles at sixteen? Less 'together guy,' more 'bad-magic hates-the-world ticking-time-bomb guy.'
Yep, our Ripper was in a cult and if that doesn't say bad boy maybe the fact that he can hot wire cars (Dead Man's Party) will help say it better. See "layers": innosent baby to big bad time bomb to uber-stuffy librarian to moderatly cool unemployed guy.
Ripper, a lady's man
May we examen Giles love life? Let's. Giles has had relations with Jenny Calender, Joyce Summers (a direct result of his Ripper persona, Band Candy), and Olivia. Now how does a librarian get these women? A reasonable question justified by this exchange:
Willow: Well, it went fine until Angel showed up and told Buffy's mom that he
and Buffy had--well, you know, that...they had...you know...you do know, right? Giles: Oh, yes, sorry. Willow: Oh good, 'cause I just realized that being a librarian and all, you maybe didn't know. Giles: No, thank you. I got it.
It has obviously been his Ripper-Past that has put him on the path of women. Take for instance Wesley and his non-exsitant suave. Had Giles always been a Watcher he would have been as bad as Wes, a sorry sight.
So thank you Ripper, for making Giles the man his is today. The Buffyverse would be a sorry place without you.