Black Magic White Lies, chapter 10

[moscow_watcher]

Title: Black Magic White Lies
Chapter 10 - Xander Squirms. Xander Shoots. Well, He Mostly Squirms
Timeline: BtVS, alternate season 5
Genre: drama, mystery, action
Characters, pairing: general, Xander/Faith
Rating: R (for intense situations).
Summary: Xander thinks he has a little secret. He doesn't know that his little secret is a part of a big

Comments

[angearia]

I think when you take the characters into areas where they might seem unlikeable, you have to clearly detail the circumstances for their behavior. Like Buffy in Season 6 - lots of fans hated her character then, but there were others who felt completely at her side, understanding her pain. gabrielleabelle's recent meta on Buffy in Season 6 shows how well-established Buffy's POV and motivation is laid out. Some people just might not understand it.

I faced a similar worry, one I'm still not sure I really accomplished successfully. In TYSK, when I had Spike walk in on Buffy and Willow and 'freak out' on them - every one in the comments was all "whoa Spike overreacted - wth is wrong with him?" It made me worry I'd taken him too far. In my mind, I understood his motivation - he'd just been embarrassed by Christy in front of Connor (shame and pride). And Buffy hadn't really talked to him about anything. They were too busy basking and then imminent danger interrupted their reunion. Not much time to talk about anything. Spike with a soul is far more insecure than Spike without one - I think a soulless Spike would have gone after Buffy once he was corporeal in Season 5 - glory and sod all else. The glory of love, no less. So this amplifed insecurity in Spike plus his being publicly shamed in front of Connor who he's trying to be a role model for and then the bits of conversation that confirmed Buffy was keeping him a secret, that she'd run off to see him without telling anyone => overreaction. But I felt like after having Spike explode, I had to earn back that action in the next chapter to have the audience understand why. I worried that I'd had them completely lose sympathy for the characters - both Spike and Buffy (Spike for blowing up, Buffy for being too shocked to stand up for herself and then just accepting it and leaving).

I'm just happy to finally be at the point in the story where everyone can joyfully hate the Immortal and cheer on the heroes even though the heroes are flawed. It's so much easier to write the characters when they're trying to fix mistakes compared to when they're stupidly making mistakes.

The only thing I'll say about Buffy's character is that I think she's one of the most forgiving characters on the show. She can be most brutal to Cordy and Faith when they're actively needling her or even threatening those she loves, but when they're vulnerable she immediately puts aside her personal issues (she's a character who understands sacrifice so intrinsically that she does it without hesitation). She's there for them. On the flip side, do you remember that scene in Helpless when Cordy walked in on Buffy and Giles fighting in the library - Cordy and Buffy weren't really friends at the time but when Buffy asked for a ride, Cordy dropped everything and took Buffy home. I think with Faith, Buffy is more than just threatened and angry and jealous - there's also the connection, solidarity of spirit and compassion. But then it's easy for Buffy to be petty when she doesn't have Faith right in front of her - although it's often easier for Buffy to be compassionate until Faith is in front of her and Faith starts pushing her buttons. Recall This Year's Girl and one of the first things Buffy talks about was her concern at how scared Faith must be after waking up alone. Then in Who Are You? when Buffy's says the word "fun" while thinking about Faith and has the saddest look on her face - she'd understood Faith's struggle for identity finally. Think about the kiss on Faith's forehead in the hospital just after they'd fought to the death and Buffy gutted her. Underneath all the animosity, there's always a river of compassion and concern. They're sisters (heh, remove that metaphor for slashy readings of course).

Sorry to ramble! Feel free to ignore me. *hugs*

[moscow_watcher]

Ramble away, honey!

I've been lurking on Buffyforums, although I can't bring myself to join the debates. I can only say that it went a bit surreal. Thinking that Xander can't be the Big Bad of season 8 is regarded as "dismissive"? It's something new. (I also think that he can't be Twilight. Xander doesn't have that "bigbadness" in him, IMHO. Does it make me a Xander-basher? :)

I'm looking forward to the next chapter of TYSK. I think you've caught their confusion perfectly. They need a desperate situation to stop overthinking and overanalizing and to start acting.

As to Buffy and Faith in BMWL, my fingers are itching to type a long comment - but it would be extremely spoilery, so I'm shutting up.

[moscow_watcher]

they want Xander in a complicated storyline.

I understand it. I felt the same about Spike on AtS. *sighs*

The fact that many fans think Xander isn't complicated enough to be Twilight is what irks them.

I see. I don't think he's not complicated enough to be a Big Bad. I thing he's not bad enough for that. I just can't come up with a convincing motivation for Xander to turn evil.

Pity the writers weren't strongly invested in the character.

I think it's not about investment. It's rather about the type he represents. He has to be good because he represents the humanity. The downside is that he can't be complicated enought to want to end the world.

But I'd like to read (or see in the TV show) a big Xander storyline with so much complex.

Right now I'm reading nwhepcat's story
Another Door. Fascinating stuff. nwhepcat came up with an inventive premise - in You're Welcome Cordelia kissed Xander and passed him her visions - creating an interesting, complex psychological situation without turning Xander into an evil guy. It's a sequel of Keeper of the Book and it's definitely worth reading. Besides, right now it goes in the Spander direction... :)

[angearia]

I'm looking forward to the next chapter of TYSK.

Still working out some kinks before I post. Sadly, this week has been incredibly busy. It'd be so much easier if I weren't involved in other areas of fandom and were just writing. But instead we have the comics out this week, I'm running the usual Q&A and a writing challenge over at SlayAlive. I'm only now able to see some time for polishing the next chapter, so it should be very soon. I envy your being so far ahead that you're on your tight schedule. But in a Dickensian way, some of TYSK was greatly influenced by reader-feedback in the early stages of the story. And being aware of reader expectations is actually quite interesting from a writing standpoint.

I think you've caught their confusion perfectly.

That's lovely of you to say.

As to Buffy and Faith in BMWL, my fingers are itching to type a long comment - but it would be extremely spoilery, so I'm shutting up.

Hee! Looking forward to seeing it all unfold.