Since I just about finished my past character meme (except Rust from True Detective who I have writers block on), I decided to bring back a new (old) character meme to play
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7. I'd love her as a best friend. However after S6 as written, I'd be very wary of her. But I'd still want her on the side rather than against me.
8. Of course! See #1. Favorite.
9. I would and have hyped her to people that I've turned onto BtVS.
10. That's a complicated question. I think Willow is popular with casual and general viewers. She does well in general magazine polls or broader media. Among hard-core fandom, she has true-blue fans who I think concentrate on fanfiction. However, she has a lot of vocal, meta-writing haters that get reblogged and admired a lot and it makes Willow-hate very catchy. I think a number of trends drive the popularity of Willow-hate among hard-core fandom.
First, Willow did heinous shit in S6. However, fandom loves a lot of character who do heinous things. Moreover, Willow's actual murders strangely don't drive the hate. It's mostly centered on the mindwipes of Tara. IMO, current trends of social justice really focus on sexual agency. There's an anger that Willow's villain-redemption story didn't focus on the fandom's favorite issue- dub-consent or non-consent. Instead, it focused on murder/control of oneself as a global danger. Willow's S6-8 story is basically all about her crimes- but it doesn't zero in on the crime that fandom most wanted her head for.
Second, Willow-villain meta is facilely seductive. Someone way back established an outline that discussing Willow meant culling any detail from S1-6 and making it an argument on why Willow is EVVOL. In fact the more benign and tiny the example, the more a particular poster can feel proud that they found the teensiest most well-hidden clue. The green Easter egg in a bushy plant, the Afikomen hidden inside the piano (TRUE STORY OF MY CHILDHOOD). In this framework, Willow doesn't do anything admirable. To some fans, Willow can't even be just benignly human. Every detail of Willow just exists to support hate-meta.
Third, Willow is poorly served by being Buffy's best friend from beginning to end. Because everyone knows that 16-21 year old best friends have an obligation to secure their peer friends' financial futures or single-handedly stop a 20-person strong mutiny against their friends' military tactics. Also, teenage girls never fight. Who ever heard of such a monstrous thing? Teenage girls pay each other the ultimate compliment of STOICALLY REFUSING TO MISS their best friend's company and counsel when said best friend runs away or stands up their old best friend for a shiny new slayer friend or boyfriend. Good girls never feel or act betrayed/sad when their friend lies to them and they'd really have be a total bitch to wonder what the deceit says about their relationship.
I loved Willow from the start- but I got A LOT more hepped about her from seeing her hate in fandom. It's pretty powerful.
Don't get me started on the Willow hate. I once read meta that said Willow's evil started when she dared to think she was good enough to even have a crush on Xander.
8. Of course! See #1. Favorite.
9. I would and have hyped her to people that I've turned onto BtVS.
10. That's a complicated question. I think Willow is popular with casual and general viewers. She does well in general magazine polls or broader media. Among hard-core fandom, she has true-blue fans who I think concentrate on fanfiction. However, she has a lot of vocal, meta-writing haters that get reblogged and admired a lot and it makes Willow-hate very catchy. I think a number of trends drive the popularity of Willow-hate among hard-core fandom.
First, Willow did heinous shit in S6. However, fandom loves a lot of character who do heinous things. Moreover, Willow's actual murders strangely don't drive the hate. It's mostly centered on the mindwipes of Tara. IMO, current trends of social justice really focus on sexual agency. There's an anger that Willow's villain-redemption story didn't focus on the fandom's favorite issue- dub-consent or non-consent. Instead, it focused on murder/control of oneself as a global danger. Willow's S6-8 story is basically all about her crimes- but it doesn't zero in on the crime that fandom most wanted her head for.
Second, Willow-villain meta is facilely seductive. Someone way back established an outline that discussing Willow meant culling any detail from S1-6 and making it an argument on why Willow is EVVOL. In fact the more benign and tiny the example, the more a particular poster can feel proud that they found the teensiest most well-hidden clue. The green Easter egg in a bushy plant, the Afikomen hidden inside the piano (TRUE STORY OF MY CHILDHOOD). In this framework, Willow doesn't do anything admirable. To some fans, Willow can't even be just benignly human. Every detail of Willow just exists to support hate-meta.
Third, Willow is poorly served by being Buffy's best friend from beginning to end. Because everyone knows that 16-21 year old best friends have an obligation to secure their peer friends' financial futures or single-handedly stop a 20-person strong mutiny against their friends' military tactics. Also, teenage girls never fight. Who ever heard of such a monstrous thing? Teenage girls pay each other the ultimate compliment of STOICALLY REFUSING TO MISS their best friend's company and counsel when said best friend runs away or stands up their old best friend for a shiny new slayer friend or boyfriend. Good girls never feel or act betrayed/sad when their friend lies to them and they'd really have be a total bitch to wonder what the deceit says about their relationship.
I loved Willow from the start- but I got A LOT more hepped about her from seeing her hate in fandom. It's pretty powerful.
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Gabrielle
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