Redemption Arc Syndrome, a fan problem

[infinitewhale]

Character does bad things --> Character is defeated by good guys --> Character reforms and comes/returns to the light --> We like Character now --> You know, Character had a point when they were evil --> And they weren't really that evil anyway, life isn't black and white --> It was totally good guy's fault all along --> Good guy was really the

Comments

[kikimay]

My literal first experience with the online Buffy fandom was all about how innocent and misunderstood was poor Spike and how Buffy, in the end, was responsible for all the evils in the series.

Literally. I can't forget this thing.

[sueworld2003]

I must have lived a sheltered life then, because when discussing the series I've never seen them say that. In certain fanfics, yes, but apart from that no.

[infinitewhale]

I have, though it usually includes the whole gang. If the Scoobs were just nicer, maybe Spike would have changed, yada, yada. Basically it's Harmony and Angel's argument in NFA.

Spike fans from my experience are better about it than most, though. Most at least accept Spike was evil. In most other cases, it literally boils down to main characters are the bad ones because they weren't good enough friends with Character.

[kikimay]

True. Spike's fans are, at least in my experience, more open to discuss their favorite character's flaws. (I've come to experience how ortodox are Bangel fans, especially, when you raise the doubt about their OTP)

The Italian fandom ... yeah. I mean, of course it changed from place to place, but the ficwriting process was incredibly focused on Angel and Spike, when I started following myself, and so they were the centre of attention and everything was from their POV, so to speak.

[infinitewhale]

It tends to go in waves with each circle having their own favorites and dislikes. Nothing wrong with that. What bothers me about it is they rewrite the show in order to support their opinions and call it interpretation. There is a point at which you're not talking about the show anymore, you know what I mean? If this didn't happen and that didn't happen and everyone is lying, you've probably crossed that point.

[itsnotmymind]

OMG, me too!

Well, I don't think it was a very first experience, but it was an early one. I was just stunned by the vile directed at Buffy. I hadn't seen any of the show. I thought, even if she really was that bad, this is disgusting!