Within the Jossverse Lilah is difficult because she's girl that does bad things and doesn't cry and sob for forgiveness over them. It's one thing to be Faith or Willow and kill people and then sob and spank your inner moppet for the rest of eternity, but to be a "bad girl" with no regret is very much the unforgivable sin in the Jossverse. That's why I think she is difficult. Though we *saw* Spike not show remorse and regret and yet he was on a "redemptive journey" though I think that has more to do with a lot of fangirl metanish where anyone blond and pretty with a penis can be redeemed.
Not that I think Lilah should have been redeemed because I just don't see that as interesting and we would have been again subjected to "a woman is changed through the love of a man" thing that is oh so prevalent with the bad girls of the 'verse. Faith, Darla, and Willow all found "redemption" through males (Angel, Xander, and Giles) and so these bad girls were tamed by the mighty penis or something? Redeeming Lilah I think does woobify her as I never saw anyone that wanted to change or be good so much as someone that wanted to survive, be on top.
So I'd probably say the first part of Lilah's difficultness is that she isn't sorry for her "sins". Within the 'verse it is difficult because Lilah wasn't going to change, or at least not to the extent that would have been required of her to be a "good guy". As far as the fandom at large it makes her difficult because the lack of "omg I AM SO SORRY *SOB*" and having a penis make her unpopular and unsympathetic to oh so very many. :|
*nod* ITA. Of course, I am again sort of like, "I don't know if I'd behave much differently in her circumstances" which is...a hard place, because I also think killing people is wrong, and helping steal babies, even annoying mystical brats? Wrong.
At the same time, I don't think she needs redemption in the Jossverse way. I would have liked to see Lilah realize all her quest for...whatever it is she really wanted...was kind of hurting her physically and wasn't really useful, and then gone from there without the tears of "I killed...some very bad people!" But that's neither here nor there, either.
Not that I think Lilah should have been redeemed because I just don't see that as interesting and we would have been again subjected to "a woman is changed through the love of a man" thing that is oh so prevalent with the bad girls of the 'verse. Faith, Darla, and Willow all found "redemption" through males (Angel, Xander, and Giles) and so these bad girls were tamed by the mighty penis or something? Redeeming Lilah I think does woobify her as I never saw anyone that wanted to change or be good so much as someone that wanted to survive, be on top.
So I'd probably say the first part of Lilah's difficultness is that she isn't sorry for her "sins". Within the 'verse it is difficult because Lilah wasn't going to change, or at least not to the extent that would have been required of her to be a "good guy". As far as the fandom at large it makes her difficult because the lack of "omg I AM SO SORRY *SOB*" and having a penis make her unpopular and unsympathetic to oh so very many. :|
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At the same time, I don't think she needs redemption in the Jossverse way. I would have liked to see Lilah realize all her quest for...whatever it is she really wanted...was kind of hurting her physically and wasn't really useful, and then gone from there without the tears of "I killed...some very bad people!" But that's neither here nor there, either.
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