Comments | pocochina: you are all enablers who enable my terrible habits. NEVER, EVER STOP.

pocochina

you are all enablers who enable my terrible habits. NEVER, EVER STOP.

Oct 22, 2011 17:12

I think my Chosen thoughts are too sappy to be unlocked but ASK AND YOU SHALL RECEIVE.

( my power should be our power. )

feminism, btvs/ats, episode review

Comments 46

local_max October 22 2011, 21:52:53 UTC

YOU STAND UP

Gah, so much. Great, great post. I honestly should get some work done today and then I have to sleep. But more tomorrow. So, so very good.

local_max October 22 2011, 22:08:25 UTC

Haha, my comment is so stupid! But really, this is so lovely, I haven't words. TOMORROW I WILL THOUGH, JUST YOU WAIT

pocochina October 22 2011, 22:58:00 UTC

EXTOLLING OF MY VIRTUES IS NEVER STUPID. SO WE'RE CLEAR.

gabrielleabelle October 22 2011, 23:32:13 UTC

I'm pretty much in agreement with you on the empowerment spell. Well, except that I think the bodily autonomy issue is rather squicksome, and I can understand where the complaints come from.

But for me, it doesn't bother me. I get what the metaphor's doing.

I have other, execution-based, problems with Chosen, but I think it's the best possible ending for the series.

angearia October 23 2011, 00:50:35 UTC

Agreed. I have issues with the bodily-autonomy issue. But I get what the metaphor's doing.

pocochina October 23 2011, 04:40:17 UTC

That's fair. I tend to think of it as - the power is rightfully theirs, and so the violation was the initial blockage of their collective Slayerness in order to keep them isolated. So Buffy is righting the wrong, rather than moving in on them. If she didn't do anything, that would have enabled the continuing assault on their autonomy, not the other way around.

gabrielleabelle October 23 2011, 04:44:35 UTC

In my head canon, I feel the same way. I think the actual canon support for it is tenuous, though. Given the physical nature of the empowerment spell, I think something more concrete is needed to assuage my concerns.

Thread 5

ceciliaj October 22 2011, 23:37:13 UTC

GAH, I love this post so much! Especially the analogy to The Killer in Me, which I had never noticed before. I love your reading of the spell having two mommies (and a lady bff!), and I love the way you take seriously the spirit of the ending, which is to have faith that empowered ladies who can find each other will do amazing things, without immediately falling into the lady-doubting cynicism so prevalent in discussions of this ep. <3

pocochina October 23 2011, 04:43:44 UTC

YES YES YES. I am so uncomfortable with the insistence on delegitimizing the ending to the series that doesn't end with female self-sacrifice and nihilism and continuation of the cycle of violence, because OBVIOUSLY WOMEN DON'T REALLY WANT POWER, we shall assume it is FORCED on them AGAINST THEIR EVERY DESIRE, the POOR DEARS. I don't like it from Phyllis Schlafley, and I don't like it in fandom.

~rockin' my default icon always~ angearia October 23 2011, 00:43:54 UTC

I LOVE THIS. ♥ ♥ ♥

I especially love your points about mothers and the Guardians and how it demonstrates erasure of women, of their voice, history, writing, and work.

I do have a few thoughts that I was hoping would spark conversation. :)

Given a real, free choice, no one chooses not to be able to fight back.I guess it depends on what is "a real, free choice" but I feel like there are examples in history where women of the privileged class opposed acquiring women's rights outside the private sphere, opposed to challenging patriarchal oppression, because it would violate the sanctity of their control over the home. The American women who live in a greater degree of luxury and were against acquiring the vote because politics is corrupt and women are ~pure~ (power in purity ( ... )

this is why I love Spuffy angearia October 23 2011, 00:44:48 UTC

I have other reasons I love Chosen, too! That have to do with the reclamation of the demon in Spike, the demon trasgressing and denying the First Evil, of the bright light that channels through him, the soul power that was inspired by love of Buffy and enabled by her belief in his ability to be ~good~. Her belief in the redemption of the Other (the vampire reflection of the Slayer, the yin and yang) leads to the demonic Other, the Shadow self, being brought fully into the light. The division of demonized male villainy has been restored to humanity -- the oppressive reach of the patriarchy is beaten back. (I suppose it would've been better for Spike to return as human in this metaphor, though. Oh, how that would've burned Angel! Whose divisive nature symbolizes the destructive binary.) Buffy and Spike's hands join in cleansing fire as partners and equals and more-than-lovers. She loves him and he lets go -- after striving for years to POSSESS her, first as a kill-conquest, then as a fuck-conquest, then as a love-conquest, he ( ... )

Re: this is why I love Spuffy pocochina October 23 2011, 05:08:34 UTC

Her life is more important than his possession of her, the right for her to now go! and live her life is more important than the romantic glory of them dying together in each other's arms

YES. I love that. The best thing about BtVS - the absolute best - is that life goes on even after the big stuff. Because that's how you grow. You don't have to be devoured by love to show that it's real; I think it's more real if you survive to let it enrich you.

Re: this is why I love Spuffy angearia October 23 2011, 05:35:36 UTC

Even wanting to be devoured by love gives this image of how monstrous that would truly be. Myopic fixation leading to a disproportionately limited value system -- or overblown demonic metaphor. Instead, we contain multitudes.

Which, I mean obviously, the only way to truly defeat the dark is to lead a more balanced life.

Thread 11

blackfrancine October 23 2011, 01:01:00 UTC

I'm literally crying. Water is falling from my eyes ( ... )

pocochina October 23 2011, 05:03:21 UTC

( ... )

red_satin_doll October 7 2012, 00:21:28 UTC

Also, when I was reading this, it made me think of Graduation Day--how Buffy sends Joyce out of town because she wants her to be safe. And Joyce goes. I LOVE THAT DAWN DOESN'T. It's like Dawn will not accept weakness as a terminal condition. She's not going to allow Buffy to stand alone. The generational difference there, I think, is important. The younger generation that Dawn represents has to believe in her/their strength.

I haven't rewatched GD and forgotten about that, but that is just a brilliant connection.

And I love that Buffy accepts Dawn's decision to stay. Because it shows that Buffy, too, has grown in how she views the (non-Slayerized) women around her. She sees the strength in ALL women. In all people.

I have nothing to add except appreciation - your entire post is beautiful.