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Post by William the Bloody on Jul 17, 2003 22:24:01 GMT -5
Let the discussion ensue!
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Post by Kerrie on Jul 19, 2003 16:15:40 GMT -5
Another great analysis by Spring. I liked the idea of power and responsibility in dealing with friends and family. It was something that Faith needed to learn and could only do so by experiencing it first hand - something she had only partially experienced with the Mayor, because Faith was employed by the Mayor and their relationship was curtailed?
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Post by Rob on Jul 20, 2003 0:47:34 GMT -5
I guess it should be obvious to anyone who's even taken a cursory glance at the stuff I write, but I have great compassion and affection for Faith.
Faith just wants to belong, yet she often refutes the Scoobies when they make the effort. She's been hurt one too many times. When a lasting relationship does develop, it's with the Mayor...because he recognizes her weaknesses and preys upom them. Does he legitimately care for Faith? Yes, I believe he does. However, he didn't earn Faith's loyalty by showing her kindness; he did it with manipulation. He took the hints she gave regarding her tragic upbringing and used them for his own ends.
I used to be rather critical of the writers when it came to the Gang's lack of identification with her. To her credit, Faith made a legitimate effort to establish herself within the group. Unfortunately she got caught up in the pre-existing Scooby conflict regarding Angel, and never really recovered a good relationship with the group as a whole at the same time. Her unofficial excommunication from the Scoobs occurs when she's briefly led astray by Gwendolyn Post, who is supposed to be on her side...and betrays her. Buffy makes a halfhearted effort to reach out to Faith...but it doesn't come off.
Of course Faith winds up rejecting most further efforts as well, most notably attempting to kill Xander on the bed they'd had sex on. In her mind, they'd all turned on her because of their steadfast loyalty to Buffy; at least that's how someone in Faith's shoes would always see it. She was never quite good enough. Never worth being loved and accepted.
I'll never forget Buffy's line in "Enemies:"
"I never realized you had so much rage in you."
I remember asking myself: Buffy, what the hell were you doing when she was talking to you all this time? Were you not paying attention o this girl crying out?
It seemed to me--at the time--that Xander and Willow should've been able to understand Faith to a degree, even if Buffy could not. Willow's parents were far from attentive, and Xander's were downright abusive. Of them all (at that time in the series), I had the hardest time understanding Xander's inability to recognize Faith's sense of estrangement from the others. Hell, "The Zeppo" was about that very subject. Xander finds his niche. I think he tries (very clumsily) to reach her in "Consequences," but he pins it all on the sex. The connection he speaks of actually goes a bit deeper than that. On some level he gets it...but he doesn't know how to express it.
The point of this remarkably long post is this: I've finally realized why they couldn't quite reach a level of understanding: they were 18 years old, for heaven's sake! In their childhoods, Xander had Willow and she him. Buffy had her Mom. Giles had a rather dysfunctional group in the Council, but they were supportive in their own way.
Faith had no one.
When genuine attempts were made to help Faith (Xander's effort, for example), she put up the wall that her life had built, and they generally took it at face value (with the extremely important exception of Angel; though he really doesn't come through for her until his LA period). Breaking through something like that is far too much to ask of teenagers who have their own myriad of issues.
It's rather sad, really. It's even sadder that more wasn't done between Faith and the Scoobs in Season Seven, after a few more years of experience were under their belts.
There is a wonderful person within Faith. One of straightforward manner and uncommon decency. Despite the horrors of her childhood, somehow the potential is there for Faith to be great...which says a lot about her strength of character.
I only wish we had a chance to see more of that journey.
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Post by Rob on Jul 20, 2003 0:53:56 GMT -5
Spring, your review is wonderful. Sorry I neglected to mention that in that last meandering post. Clearly your review sparked a lot of thoughts in me regarding her character. This episode is pretty darn Faith-centric.
I neglected to mention Spike in the last post because he wasn't around for the great majority of Faith's time in Sunnydale, but it should be pointed out that even William the Bloody had the undying loyalty and affection of his mother, something Faith never had.
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Post by SpringSummers on Jul 20, 2003 6:58:36 GMT -5
Another great analysis by Spring. I liked the idea of power and responsibility in dealing with friends and family. It was something that Faith needed to learn and could only do so by experiencing it first hand - something she had only partially experienced with the Mayor, because Faith was employed by the Mayor and their relationship was curtailed? Also - the Mayor being evil kinda made it hard for Faith to really learn good lessons from him. The Mayor did genuinely care for Faith . . . but his focus was on "ascending." He had no concern for her growth and did not understand her potential. I guess you could say they had a sort of twisted co-dependent thing going on . . . |
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Post by SpringSummers on Jul 20, 2003 7:00:50 GMT -5
Spring, your review is wonderful. Sorry I neglected to mention that in that last meandering post. Clearly your review sparked a lot of thoughts in me regarding her character. This episode is pretty darn Faith-centric. I neglected to mention Spike in the last post because he wasn't around for the great majority of Faith's time in Sunnydale, but it should be pointed out that even William the Bloody had the undying loyalty and affection of his mother, something Faith never had. I agree with both your posts re Faith's character and Spike at least having a good mother. Many deliberate parallels are set up between Spike & Faith - they are both about Buffy's darkside, and it's no coincidence that Season 7 showed us Buffy accepting both of them. |
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Post by Karen on Jul 20, 2003 20:21:12 GMT -5
I agree with both your posts re Faith's character and Spike at least having a good mother. Many deliberate parallels are set up between Spike & Faith - they are both about Buffy's darkside, and it's no coincidence that Season 7 showed us Buffy accepting both of them. And the flip side of the coin - both Faith and Spike accepting their goodside in Season 7. And now I'll go read your analysis, Spring - since I just noticed it had been posted! |
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Post by Kerrie on Jul 21, 2003 0:41:56 GMT -5
Also - the Mayor being evil kinda made it hard for Faith to really learn good lessons from him. The Mayor did genuinely care for Faith . . . but his focus was on "ascending." He had no concern for her growth and did not understand her potential. I guess you could say they had a sort of twisted co-dependent thing going on . . . Are you saying that the Mayor could not teach Faith the power and responsibility of having friends/family because he was evil (and therefore did not understand them himself), or because he was busy with the ascension? Or because he was evil and therefore did not understand Faith and so could not nurture her ability to understand the power and responsibility of friends/family? Or because the Mayor was evil he chose not to nurture Faith and thus keep her dependent on him (i.e. the Mayor, himself, did understand these things, but chose not share his knowledge). Or a mixture of all four? I think I better go before I come up with a fourth "evil" Mayor hypothesis.  |
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Post by SpringSummers on Jul 21, 2003 5:58:45 GMT -5
Are you saying that the Mayor could not teach Faith the power and responsibility of having friends/family because he was evil (and therefore did not understand them himself), or because he was busy with the ascension? Or because he was evil and therefore did not understand Faith and so could not nurture her ability to understand the power and responsibility of friends/family? Or because the Mayor was evil he chose not to nurture Faith and thus keep her dependent on him (i.e. the Mayor, himself, did understand these things, but chose not share his knowledge). Or a mixture of all four? I think I better go before I come up with a fourth "evil" Mayor hypothesis. Well, I think . . . uh, what was the question?  The Mayor may have been savvy enough to help Faith learn and grow, but he had no interest in doing it. So I'm not sure I'd say he didn't understand about power and responsibility and having family and friends, so much as he was evil and his purposes - to ascend and to keep Faith by his side - weren't served by Faith's growth. Notice how he tells Faith that now, without him, her days are numbered - he doesn't encourage her to find her way, or suggest that she might have the inner strength to go on, etc. His view of Faith is very limited. |
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Post by Patti - S'cubie Cutie on Jul 21, 2003 6:58:45 GMT -5
Just read your analysis of 'This Year's Girl' Spring and wanted to say how much I enjoyed it. This episode and the one following it are terrific, and I agree with your thoughts on the matter of Family in this ep and Faith's place in the world, or lack of it. The parallel between her and Spike, esp. in the scene where she is standing outside the window looking in, is so strong, and I couldn't help but feel the same compassion for her aloneness that I felt for Spike's.
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Post by S'ewing S'cubie on Jul 23, 2003 5:44:52 GMT -5
Okay, I'm behind as usual, but I finally got to read "This Year's Girl" analysis.
Well written and thought out as usual, Spring.
I've always felt sorry for Faith. How terrible to become "The Chosen One" only to have another one out there--who's better than you. Or at least, who's perceived as being better than you.
However, I believe that this episode (and the next one, "Who Are You") shows just how important Buffy's support system is in regard to her success as a Slayer. Buffy is NOT a better Slayer. she and Faith are equally matched. She's a LUCKIER Slayer.
Once Faith takes on Buffy's persona, we see a dramatic change in her behavior that takes place almost instantly. I've got a lot to say about that, but I'll save full discussion for that change until after Spring posts the next review, when it will be more appropriate.
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