New Ships and Character Love

[angearia]

So I never really got Faith. Buffy's always been the character who I see the 'verse through, sometimes Spike, but pretty much always Buffy. So my sympathy wasn't really roused by Faith. I'd always viewed her as a potential threat to Buffy, someone too unstable to count on until her return in Season 7. But even then, I didn't connect with her

Comments

[debris4spike]

My younger brother said he "got" Faith, more than Buffy ... think it might have the the outfit she wore - LOL

[angearia]

LOL! I've always been strangely resistant to her sex appeal.

[stormwreath]

I only got interested in Spike because he tries hard to be a badboy but he's really not. He's a loser who thinks that pretending to be someone else is the answer

But doesn't that describe Faith perfectly as well? Deep inside is a scared little girl who wants to be loved, but she's been hidden by so many protective layers of defensiveness and attitude and aggression that nobody - except Angel, who has the patience of an immortal - was ever been able to get through to her.

[moscow_watcher]

We never laughed at Faith.

I did. In Dirty Girls, when she meets Buffy and Spike at the cemetery and can't figure out who's a bad guy and who's a good guy - I laugh every time I watch it.

The difference between Faith and Spike is that Joss couldn't allow himself the luxury to dig her too deep because she could easily prove to be more interesting than Buffy. The same thing that happened to Spike on AtS season 5: writers couldn't let him to eclipse Angel, so Spike has lost his complexity and became a "wacky neighbor" type of character.

But, I think that, in a way, Joss did a favor to Faith by telling too little about her. Every fan can develop her according to his/her expectations.

Some might find it hot, I find it boring and unrelatable.

Hm, interesting. I don't think I can relate to Faith. As well as to Spike. The characters I can easily relate to are Xander and Willow - normal people with relatable problems

[stormwreath]

I hope you're not identifying with Faith so much better now because yesterday you murdered a deputy mayor? :-)

It took me a while to really 'get' Faith on more than a superficial level, but she is a fascinating character. And you're right that she's very much like Spike:

1. Sarcastic.
2. Insightful.
3. Puts on a tough-guy act to hide the sensitive heart underneath.
4. Was evil, now wants to repent.
5. Has the hots for Buffy, but Buffy doesn't seem interested.

Plus, remember that one of the ideas being thrown around for a sequel to BtVS, before Eliza Dushku decided to do 'Tru Calling' instead, was "Spike and Faith riding around on a motorbike fighting evil"?

[angearia]

I hope you're not identifying with Faith so much better now because yesterday you murdered a deputy mayor? :-)

I'll never teeeeeeeeell!

They are very similar. Though I wonder if that wouldn't get old, them being so similar. I think that's why the Angel & Faith combo works so well, they're very alike but also very different.

[gabrielleabelle]

I have more love for Faith after my rewatch. She finally clicked for me. I don't think she'll ever be my favorite character, though that's mainly because she only has a limited run on the show so it makes it harder for me to be invested in her like I am with Buffy or Willow or Spike.

I'm hopelessly oblivious to Buffy/Faith, though. My slash goggles just don't work there. They're like sisters to me.

[angearia]

Agreed, she's not my fave because (Buffy and Spike firmly rule that post hardcore, baby) but she's swiftly growing in favor for me. And yeah, it's in large part to her limited story time. Though the time she did get - wowza.

I'm hopelessly oblivious to Buffy/Faith, though. My slash goggles just don't work there. They're like sisters to me.

I find that while I don't feel it much from Buffy's side, I can easily feel it from Faith's. Because she's so desperate for Buffy's love and is just naturally out there with her sexuality. They kinda bleed together. But honestly, I didn't really get it till I tried to write it.

[flake_sake]

might need to write OT3ness oneshot to get it out of my system*

Oh yes! Do that, I've had a Buffy/Spike/Faith thing in my head forever now and I never quite manage to pull it off. Would be wonderful to read some by you.

[angearia]

Oh really? You're on the same OT3 train? Sweeeeeeeet!

Did you ever see this amazing video Creep by bradcpu? It works wonderfully for our OT3. :D