I honestly don't know how anyone could even properly respond to this incredible essay on an incredible character. I have spent about two hours reading through this because I wanted to absorb it all, and it was the best two hours of my life. NGL, I got teary eyed in a couple of paragraphs, especially when you were talking about "You're Welcome." The work, the effort, the love, the analysis you put into this is...I don't think there's even a word for what it is! I kinda want to show this to Charisma Carpenter and Joss Whedon or David Greenwalt or someone involved with the show and any fan who ever questioned Cordelia's important role in AtS and her unbelievable character development and heroism and just be like "BAM! THIS is who she became! And it wasn't trite or Mary Sue or whatever the hell haters say about it, it just was. Cordelia fucking Chase is a saint bitches
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I think on some level this was a response to the dubious reactions I get when people find out that Cordelia is my favorite. "Cordelia's character arc is stupid" is such a meme in this fandom that a lot of people seem to take it for granted without taking the time to question the premise.
Being new to this fandom, I've never heard that, and I'm actually very thankful for it. It just shows that people aren't willing to understand her character, which sucks cuz she is brilliant!
Yeah I just remembered how new you are! It is just something that got tossed around a lot when the show was still fresh in everyone's minds. A lot of people weren't willing to accept Cordelia's character growth, and a lot of really angry B/A people said hateful things in an effort to protect their ship, etc. etc. I was never super involved in fandom but it wasn't hard to pick up on it even as a lurker.
I'm very, very new! Not even a year, but I'm kind of grateful for that because I got to enter the fandom and get to know the true fans. Plus, I got to read this!! WOot! LOL.
I just don't understand how people couldn't accept Cordelia's character growth. To me, it felt so natural with everything that they threw at her. Even from the beginning, before she lost all her money and was humbled, you saw hints of the person she would become. I don't know. But I do understand angry B/A shippers needing to demeen Cordy to help their ship, which is something I find quite despicable. If you were a true fan of your ship and believer of their OTP-ness, then you wouldn't need to put down another character or ship to support your point. But whatevs.
IKR! If you need to diss the guy's other girlfriend to prove that the one you prefer is better, you're doing it wrong.
And I agree, I've never found Cordy's arc to be anything but natural and flawless from BtVS 1 - AtS 3 and "You're Welcome". I think some people just wanted her to stay a bitchy sixteen year-old forever, which if anything is the unrealistic option.
some people just wanted her to stay a bitchy sixteen year-old forever, which if anything is the unrealistic option.
They want her to stay that way because it's easier to look down on her - that shallow girl whose "act" Angel would never fall for. But if she matures along with everyone else, becomes the woman she did become, then it really threatens their ship. So some - not all, because not every B/Aer is an unreasonable hater - have a vested interest in complaining about Saint Cordy. Angel fell for "Saint Cordy".
Yeah I mean I'm not even talking about shipper types necessarily. I think there's a definite contingent of BtVS fans who depend on Cordelia to be the bitch they can hate, probably because she initially represents the high school mean girl. That hits close to home for a lot of people, and some won't let her grow up and make up for it.
It's hard for me to divorce the Cordy-hate from the shipper aspect of B/A. It's so prevelant. But you're right. There are those that just don't care for her character, but they never really bothered me. They, at least, don't put anti-Cordelia Chase as a profile interest...that I've seen so far, lol, or spend time calling her names, questioning her growth and bashing Charisma Carpenter. There's no venom in their dislike, in public forums anyway, just a ridiculous inability to separate her from the mean girls in high school.
And they are usually the ones shipping Willow with Angel or Spike, so, again, shipper. :D
I always hear people wanted her to stay bitchy, but she always had that sass to her so I didn't feel like she became anything less, you know? She was still spicy to me.
They even throw those people a bone in 4.06 "Spin The Bottle" and do a whole episode of bitchy teen Cordelia. And it's funny, but... it's childish. Just like Head Boy Wesley and pothead Fred. I don't get why you'd want a character to remain a bitchy high school girl into her 20s.
I don't either. Sometimes, though, I do think it has to do with the fans of both shows. Buffy was a much younger show than Angel, which naturally led to younger fans, who I think couldn't really handle that change in character.
I guess, but I watched BtVS first and was a teenager then and still thought Cordelia grew and changed a lot like, within that series alone. So I guess I just don't understand why it's so hard for some people to accept.
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I think on some level this was a response to the dubious reactions I get when people find out that Cordelia is my favorite. "Cordelia's character arc is stupid" is such a meme in this fandom that a lot of people seem to take it for granted without taking the time to question the premise.
I'm so glad you enjoyed.
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I just don't understand how people couldn't accept Cordelia's character growth. To me, it felt so natural with everything that they threw at her. Even from the beginning, before she lost all her money and was humbled, you saw hints of the person she would become. I don't know. But I do understand angry B/A shippers needing to demeen Cordy to help their ship, which is something I find quite despicable. If you were a true fan of your ship and believer of their OTP-ness, then you wouldn't need to put down another character or ship to support your point. But whatevs.
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And I agree, I've never found Cordy's arc to be anything but natural and flawless from BtVS 1 - AtS 3 and "You're Welcome". I think some people just wanted her to stay a bitchy sixteen year-old forever, which if anything is the unrealistic option.
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They want her to stay that way because it's easier to look down on her - that shallow girl whose "act" Angel would never fall for. But if she matures along with everyone else, becomes the woman she did become, then it really threatens their ship. So some - not all, because not every B/Aer is an unreasonable hater - have a vested interest in complaining about Saint Cordy. Angel fell for "Saint Cordy".
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And they are usually the ones shipping Willow with Angel or Spike, so, again, shipper. :D
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what
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I always hear people wanted her to stay bitchy, but she always had that sass to her so I didn't feel like she became anything less, you know? She was still spicy to me.
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