When I did a re-watch some years ago, I found the exact moment when Buffy became 'my Buffy': Listening to Fear. It's the episode Buffy brings her mother home, before her operation. The moment that crystallised it was this:
JOYCE: Oh, tell him, Buffy. Tell him, okay? BUFFY: Look, Dr. Kriegel, we wanna go home.
It's the moment Buffy becomes the caretaker, even of her mother. It's a small moment, but that's when everything truly begins to settle on her shoulders. Next episode Riley leaves. Then the Council turn up, questioning her...
I am so in love with this post. I absolutely love it when you talk Buffy. Love. It.
I had similar feelings about early!Buffy--my heart definitely belongs to her from season 5 on. On the other hand, I never once related to Faith, not even a little. The one time I do relate to Buffy in the early seasons is when Faith shows up, because I'm so used to being the killjoy, the one who's trying to be responsible while someone else is winning over everybody by throwing responsibility out the window.
She’s hard. She’s cold. She doesn’t cry on her boyfriend’s shoulder enough. She has difficulty expressing love. She turns away from it. She strings along guys she has no intention of committing to. She has a superiority complex. She has an inferiority complex. She blows up at her friends rather than open up to them. She shuts the world out. She doesn’t want to live in it. She doesn’t see the point. She’s mentally ill. She can’t feel anything. She believes that what she does feel are weaknesses. She has anger issues. She’s not an extrovert. She can’t connect to people. She doesn’t deserve them.
She is still a motherfucking hero.THIS. Buffy can be as undesirable as all get out, but she still picks herself back up and goes out to fight monsters every night. I also find it hard to relate to chirpy early season Buffy, but I can see how that girl can grow into my later season love girl. I can even appreciate the Bangel relationship for fucking Buffy up enough so that I can relate to her - and that in itself is a miracle for me, because
( ... )
Oooh! I'm so excited that you're doing this meme! This is going to be wonderful! Awesome Buffy stuff to read daily (or daily-ish) for a WHOLE MONTH. Huzzah!
I know you're shocked that I am 100% with you on this post. My Buffy love grew in almost the exact same way. I liked her, but couldn't always relate to her early on. But I could relate to Faith. And strangely enough, when Faith came around, I started to be able to relate to Buffy more regularly (probably because Faith threw her into an existential crisis. I'm so predictable--as soon as someone doubts their value I feel the immediate and pressing need to rock them in my arms and assure them of their worth. It's no different with Buffy).
But. Sigh. My girl of the later seasons. I love her so.
Like I said to Lexi above, I am shocked by all of you guys' opinions. I find them shocking.
But I could relate to Faith.
OMG! You too?? We are rare creatures.
And strangely enough, when Faith came around, I started to be able to relate to Buffy more regularly (probably because Faith threw her into an existential crisis.
Huh, this is interesting. I did really sympathize with Buffy's desire to save Faith, but overall I just worried a lot more about Faith in that season. Apparently a character has to be a second away from going off the rails before they become MINE. :)
Heh. Yeah. I think I have an uncontrollable empathetic reaction to anyone who is like "I am alone! What good am I if no one loves me best of all?!" Yada yada. So, when Buffy's all threatened by Faith at first, I feel for her. Then when she sort of immerses herself in Faithiness, I continue to feel for her, because it reads to me as a search for identity and understanding and connection--at the cost of giving up a little of her own established identity.
But, yeah. Poor Faith. She's such a mess. That I can look past her gold pleather pants is a true testament to how much sympathy I have for her. True facts.
"I am alone! What good am I if no one loves me best of all?!"
Hee. Yeah, I have this insta-sympathy reaction too. I definitely identified with Buffy's initial insecurity about Faith, but then it's like... Dude. This girl is a hot mess. She's the one no one loves best, or at all. So, from that point I was mostly dreading that Buffy wouldn't be able to save her.
That I can look past her gold pleather pants is a true testament to how much sympathy I have for her.
LOL! I don't even remember these pants of which you speak of, but I'm simultaneously sure that they were shocking, and that Faith pulled them off. ;)
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When I did a re-watch some years ago, I found the exact moment when Buffy became 'my Buffy': Listening to Fear. It's the episode Buffy brings her mother home, before her operation. The moment that crystallised it was this:
JOYCE: Oh, tell him, Buffy. Tell him, okay?
BUFFY: Look, Dr. Kriegel, we wanna go home.
It's the moment Buffy becomes the caretaker, even of her mother. It's a small moment, but that's when everything truly begins to settle on her shoulders. Next episode Riley leaves. Then the Council turn up, questioning her...
Oh my Buffy. *hugs her tightly*
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I had similar feelings about early!Buffy--my heart definitely belongs to her from season 5 on. On the other hand, I never once related to Faith, not even a little. The one time I do relate to Buffy in the early seasons is when Faith shows up, because I'm so used to being the killjoy, the one who's trying to be responsible while someone else is winning over everybody by throwing responsibility out the window.
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lol, I actually relate to that too. I'm a weird amalgamation of both girls. It's weird.
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Preach.
Also that is one of my favorite parallel scenes in a world inhabited by parallel scenes. "Dead Things": some perfect business.
God, s6 Buffy really is my favorite. Never quite before, never quite after, but there? Those 22 episodes? Holy shit. Yes.
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"Dead Things": some perfect business.
Amen. And S6 Buffy is a fascinating creature, haters to the left.
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She is still a motherfucking hero.THIS. Buffy can be as undesirable as all get out, but she still picks herself back up and goes out to fight monsters every night. I also find it hard to relate to chirpy early season Buffy, but I can see how that girl can grow into my later season love girl. I can even appreciate the Bangel relationship for fucking Buffy up enough so that I can relate to her - and that in itself is a miracle for me, because ( ... )
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Hee, I really appreciate Bangel for the same reason!
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I know you're shocked that I am 100% with you on this post. My Buffy love grew in almost the exact same way. I liked her, but couldn't always relate to her early on. But I could relate to Faith. And strangely enough, when Faith came around, I started to be able to relate to Buffy more regularly (probably because Faith threw her into an existential crisis. I'm so predictable--as soon as someone doubts their value I feel the immediate and pressing need to rock them in my arms and assure them of their worth. It's no different with Buffy).
But. Sigh. My girl of the later seasons. I love her so.
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Like I said to Lexi above, I am shocked by all of you guys' opinions. I find them shocking.
But I could relate to Faith.
OMG! You too?? We are rare creatures.
And strangely enough, when Faith came around, I started to be able to relate to Buffy more regularly (probably because Faith threw her into an existential crisis.
Huh, this is interesting. I did really sympathize with Buffy's desire to save Faith, but overall I just worried a lot more about Faith in that season. Apparently a character has to be a second away from going off the rails before they become MINE. :)
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But, yeah. Poor Faith. She's such a mess. That I can look past her gold pleather pants is a true testament to how much sympathy I have for her. True facts.
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Hee. Yeah, I have this insta-sympathy reaction too. I definitely identified with Buffy's initial insecurity about Faith, but then it's like... Dude. This girl is a hot mess. She's the one no one loves best, or at all. So, from that point I was mostly dreading that Buffy wouldn't be able to save her.
That I can look past her gold pleather pants is a true testament to how much sympathy I have for her.
LOL! I don't even remember these pants of which you speak of, but I'm simultaneously sure that they were shocking, and that Faith pulled them off. ;)
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