And it serves her right too, doesn't it? :) Although I think it's mean of Willow not to tell her a bit more about what she herself is, because otherwise I reckon Gwen's going to think Willow is an alien herself, or something similar, and potentially tell Jack about her - although it's not that likely because Gwen would have to admit what she was doing, and that would be embarrassing!
Although I think it's mean of Willow not to tell her a bit more about what she herself is, because otherwise I reckon Gwen's going to think Willow is an alien herself, or something similar, and potentially tell Jack about her
I think, as you suggest, that Willow was probably counting on the embarrassment factor to stop Gwen spilling to Jack. An alternative would be to suppose that Buffy's people and Jack are already aware of each other, and that a formal letter of complaint from Rupert Giles to Captain Harkness about his new recruit's attempt to Retcon the Chief Occult Advisor to the Slayer Army will shortly be in the post. I shudder to think what being Admonished by Giles would be like. Jack would probably find death preferable.
I've been of the opinion for some time that Gwen's descent into The Crazy at the end of Series 1 was really rather interesting, and deserved a good look.
Yes, indeed. By "End of Days" she really does strike me as someone who, through gradual emotional erosion, has temporarily lost contact with her sanity, and her scenes in it are chillingly effective: think of that smile she directs at poor Tosh in the autopsy room over Rhys's body. It gives me the shivers whenever I see it...
The Gwen/Willow parallel hadn't occurred to me before, but now you point it out, yes, I am so seeing it.
The parallels do become compelling when one starts thinking about them. I hope to explore some other ones in Tech Support, once I get around to writing it. Memento was originally meant to be a scene in that fic, but the plot dynamics made it work better as a stand-alone.
Agree with arachnekallisti - what a great parallel between these characters.
Thank you! The comparison did turn out to be surprisingly illuminating. The more obvious counterpart for Willow in Torchwood, of course, is Toshiko: stratospheric intelligence in tandem with shyness and insecurity (although Tosh's tragedy was that she never really had the chance to achieve the confidence and self-respect which Willow, after a long struggle, eventually acquires). But the parallels with Gwen are intriguing, too. They are both people, I think, whose apparently uncomplicated niceness was assumed by others to be more robust and requiring less attention than was actually the case, with unsettling consequences.
Loved this! Loved Willow schooling Gwen, kindly but so firmly. But I especially loved how you retconned the hideous addict!Willow storyline from S6, and gave Willow the dignity of having learned the right lesson from her 'addiction'. (dammit, Marti!)
You do character dynamics through dialogue very well. :)
But I especially loved how you retconned the hideous addict!Willow storyline from S6
What I found particularly frustrating about that train-wreck was that it elbowed out a more subtle and complex account of Willow's fall from grace that could so easily have been there instead. The whole "addiction" silliness nixed a more fruitful line of thought: that power exacerbated the weaknesses in Willow (obsessiveness, high-handedness, insecurity) which she and others had previously tended to ignore rather than confront. This, I think, would have been much more interesting psychologically than a banal drugs allegory.
This, I think, would have been much more interesting psychologically than a banal drugs allegory.
Not only more interesting, but also in tune with Willow's character arc since S1. 'I, Robot', the 'de-lusting' spell, the 'my will be done' spell, etc., etc. The problem with that addict storyline was not only that it was banal, but that it completely and utterly missed the point of who Willow was. Gah!! Sorry, pet peeve, I'll shut up now. *runs away, muttering imprecations against Marti Noxon*
Love this fic, and post season seven Willow is the perfect character to put Gwen in her place. Gwen has a bit too much of a habit of doing whatever told, and not worrying about the consequences. She is a bit too willing to do whatever Jack wants, without questioning him and fics like this where other characters give her a lecture about the nature of what she is doing are excellent.
Thank you! I wanted to suggest both Gwen's flaws and her extenuating circumstances here. She can be both self-destructive and heedless of the consequences to her actions; on the other hand, Jack is not exactly a model employer in helping her to cope with her changed life. Willow did seem ideal to supply the necessary blend of rebuke and sympathy. Thanks again!
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I think, as you suggest, that Willow was probably counting on the embarrassment factor to stop Gwen spilling to Jack. An alternative would be to suppose that Buffy's people and Jack are already aware of each other, and that a formal letter of complaint from Rupert Giles to Captain Harkness about his new recruit's attempt to Retcon the Chief Occult Advisor to the Slayer Army will shortly be in the post. I shudder to think what being Admonished by Giles would be like. Jack would probably find death preferable.
Thank you for commenting!
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Yes, indeed. By "End of Days" she really does strike me as someone who, through gradual emotional erosion, has temporarily lost contact with her sanity, and her scenes in it are chillingly effective: think of that smile she directs at poor Tosh in the autopsy room over Rhys's body. It gives me the shivers whenever I see it...
The Gwen/Willow parallel hadn't occurred to me before, but now you point it out, yes, I am so seeing it.
The parallels do become compelling when one starts thinking about them. I hope to explore some other ones in Tech Support, once I get around to writing it. Memento was originally meant to be a scene in that fic, but the plot dynamics made it work better as a stand-alone.
I am glad that you enjoyed it!
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Agree with arachnekallisti - what a great parallel between these characters.
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Thank you! The comparison did turn out to be surprisingly illuminating. The more obvious counterpart for Willow in Torchwood, of course, is Toshiko: stratospheric intelligence in tandem with shyness and insecurity (although Tosh's tragedy was that she never really had the chance to achieve the confidence and self-respect which Willow, after a long struggle, eventually acquires). But the parallels with Gwen are intriguing, too. They are both people, I think, whose apparently uncomplicated niceness was assumed by others to be more robust and requiring less attention than was actually the case, with unsettling consequences.
Thanks again!
Reply
You do character dynamics through dialogue very well. :)
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But I especially loved how you retconned the hideous addict!Willow storyline from S6
What I found particularly frustrating about that train-wreck was that it elbowed out a more subtle and complex account of Willow's fall from grace that could so easily have been there instead. The whole "addiction" silliness nixed a more fruitful line of thought: that power exacerbated the weaknesses in Willow (obsessiveness, high-handedness, insecurity) which she and others had previously tended to ignore rather than confront. This, I think, would have been much more interesting psychologically than a banal drugs allegory.
Thank you again for commenting!
Reply
This, I think, would have been much more interesting psychologically than a banal drugs allegory.
Not only more interesting, but also in tune with Willow's character arc since S1. 'I, Robot', the 'de-lusting' spell, the 'my will be done' spell, etc., etc. The problem with that addict storyline was not only that it was banal, but that it completely and utterly missed the point of who Willow was. Gah!! Sorry, pet peeve, I'll shut up now. *runs away, muttering imprecations against Marti Noxon*
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