DOUBLES IN BTVS

[candleanfeather]

I haven't done much in term of BTVS study lately nor have I been much on LJ either, but here's a piece of meta that has been on my mind for quite some time. Hopefully, you'll find some interest in it.
As always, I'm sorry for my bad English and all the errors that could render this read painful.

As a mythic figure the Double or Doppelganger is

Comments

[local_max]

Good post! It's worth noting that many other characters have external-character doubles as well, just as Buffy does with Faith and Dawn and Spike:

GILES: As well as Ripper, there's also Ethan who recalls Ripper and manages to bring him out frequently. In season three he's frequently contrasted with Wesley, who is Giles

WILLOW: Warren is a contrast to Willow: insecure geek who gets off on power from magic and technology. (Willow is the only one who can repair Warren's Buffybot.) Warren/Katrina reflects both Buffy/Spike (in both directions) and Willow/Tara as well, and you can read Willow's destruction of Warren as a self-destruction.

ANYA: Halfrek is arguably a representation of Anya's affable but deadly demon side, and the thing that gets burned off when she chooses humanity in "Selfless."

BUFFY: So many doubles; she's being doubled constantly. Dru in "Surprise," Darla in season one (and in AtS, sometimes), Harmony (as Spike's replacement-Buffy), Anya in "Selfless," Cordy throughout the first few seasons (where she lives the "normal life" that Buffy desires, Xander arguably goes out with Cordy out as a Buffy replacement).

RILEY: Graham as light side (Graham has no problems with Buffy's strength--in "The I in Team" he congratulates her on beating the Initiative out); Forrest as dark side (angry, contemptuous of Buffy)

There are times when the Scooby gang is reflected as well: Buffy/Giles/Xander & Willow maps onto Riley/Walsh/Forrest & Graham, Buffy/Willow/Xander onto Warren/Jonathan/Andrew (though who is who is a bit ambiguous), and I think Glory and her minions do reflect Buffy and the Scoobies at the end of season five--Buffy, after all, threatens the Scoobies with death if they try to go against her (and go take Dawn), which is similar to Glory's mistreatment of her "minions."

[candleanfeather]

Your observations about Willow/Warren and Anya/Halfrek are excellent.

The writers in Btvs played with various meanings of doubles: with exterior characters the doubles are nearer to mirror images. I'm pretty sure there would be enough matter for a litterary study there.

Thank you for commenting.