Comments | delta_mai: Buffy/Angel Rewatch: feminist nit-picking.

delta_mai

Buffy/Angel Rewatch: feminist nit-picking.

Apr 17, 2011 00:13

Ok. This isn't specific to any episode in particular, but rather the entire series. And this is something that's been bugging me since the start. Of course, it's just my feminist brain being pedantic, and it doesn't stop me from enjoying the show, but it's there and I felt I should post about it.

You see, there is a feeling in the show that ( Read more... )

rantish, fred is cute as a button, nit picking, willow is a badass witch, feminism, meta rambles, ats, tara is the sweetest, whedon, dawn is a cutie pie, anya rules this school, cordelia owns your soul, btvs, buffy is a bamf

Comments 8

findmeneverland April 17 2011, 00:50:45 UTC

I see your point, but don't necessarily think that just because someone dies makes them weak/not good enough or disregards the things they have contributed. In some ways their deaths can highlight what they brought to the other characters.

Other than that I mostly agree, and would write more if my brain hadn't melted into a pile of sludge from 7 hrs of awesome sex ed discussion today!

entwashian April 17 2011, 01:10:07 UTC

Your basic assumption, here, though, is that death = weakness. Which isn't always the case in the Whedonverse. Particularly in regard to Buffy at the end of season 5 and Anya in season 7. They chose to sacrifice themselves to protect others. I can't see this as weakness.

Buffy and Anya both explicitly eschewed more power in S7, too. Anya, when she realized that becoming a demon again was the wrong choice for her and wanted to be human again, and Buffy, when she refused the offer of demonic strength/power. Darla also ultimately chooses that she'd rather die of syphilis as human than be turned back into a vampire. The bulk of Willow's storyline in S6 & S7 covered the dangers of having too much power, which was also a good part of Faith's storyline throughout both series.

And I think the end of S7 clearly showed that Buffy wasn't better because she was the slayer... everyone ganged up on her, demoted her, and kicked her out of her own house. It was Buffy, the woman, who was right, who believed in herself, who persevered with her ( ... )

norwie2010 April 17 2011, 01:14:45 UTC

I have 2 thoughts on that - one general, and one specific ( ... )

staringiscaring April 17 2011, 04:11:04 UTC

I wonder what place Anne Steele, possibly the most heroic and grounded character in the verse, has in your theory.

noybusiness April 17 2011, 04:20:46 UTC

Ultimately, she is tamed by 2 men (Giles and Xander), who go on to repress her magical talents.

I'd call that a radical interpretation of the text.