I'm talking about watching my lover die!
May. 30th, 2003 09:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
butterflyOr, musing on the Scoobies.
That Peacekeeper vid made me realize that now all four of our prime scoobies have had a lover die. Only Buffy gets to say good-bye.
We have four prime characters; people who have been with from the start of the show. Until Anya and Spike died, you could argue that Xander and Buffy weren't really part of the club, unless for Xander, you count Buffy, though as a 'loved one' not lover of course, in which case, he got see her dead twice and near death a third time and unless, for Buffy, you count going to hell as dying.
What does death mean on the show?
Buffy gets to come back - twice, but on Buffy, she's the only one who's come back from the dead. Fitting, since it is her show.
Very well, then. Unless you're Buffy, death means a loss. It's a closed chapter. A book that's not only been put away, but set on fire. Which would be the same thing it is in our world. Unless you're Buffy, of course.
So, in a way, it's a statement. This is over. End of this story, time to start a new one. And an ending is always linked to a beginning. So, my question now becomes: what do these deaths begin/change?
Jesse: The death of Jesse spurs the formation of the trio that is Buffy/Xander/Willow. His death pulled Xander to the mission of killing vamps and started Xander's hate for vamps. He was an immediate failure for Buffy but also illuminated her success, namely Willow.
Buffy (1): Begins the second Slayer line: second break in the basic mythology of the Slayer (the first being a vamp with a soul). Shows us that having two Slayers doesn't diminish the power of the line.
Jenny: Makes Buffy realize that her failure to kill Angel(us) is costing lives and allows her to be able to go after him with a shiny sword. And her death frees up Giles for Joyce in season three.
Kendra: End of Kendra, the start of Faith. Kendra was a marked contrast to Buffy, being much more rule-bound. Faith was a marked contrast to Buffy, being much less rule-bound. Kendra's death opened up the exploration of another side of Buffy's character.
Joyce: The big one. Joyce's death put Buffy in the place of Mom. Basically, first with Joyce's death, then with Giles' leaving, we lost the presence of any adult on the show (as a vampire (arrested adolescent metaphor), Spike doesn't count). Buffy used to be the one sneaking out, now she's the one looking after things.
Buffy (2): The prime things that Buffy loses after The Gift are hope and faith. Love has already symbolically died twice, and now Buffy uses all her remaining love, faith, and hope in closing the portal. This starts a darker Buffy, who has lost her faith in herself, her hope for the future, and her ability to show love.
Tara: Oz leaving devastated Willow. Tara getting mind-zapped made her go dark-eyed and revenge-bound. Tara dying was the third strike against Willow. Tara's death marked the end of Willow's innocence and the beginning of her exploration of herself. She's never really looked at herself before. "I'm very seldom naughty." The death of Tara seems to mark the beginning of dark!Willow, but that was the denial/bargaining/anger phase. When she finally accepted Willow's death, Willow also started to be honest with herself.
Jonathon: Jonathon was the perennial victim. There were two ways to go with Jonathon: joining the Scoobs or death. Because he'd outgrown the victim persona (He was still there in Superstar, because he was still wrapped up in what other people thought. It's only in Conversations with Dead People that he let that go.). Honestly, I have to agree with the choice to place Andrew with the Scoobies and to kill Jonathon. Jonathon finished his journey, while Andrew hadn't even realized that he was on one. Andrew had less baggage with the Scoobies personally, and Andrew had more to atone for. Doesn't mean that I didn't adore Jonathon though.
Anya: Before I saw Peacekeeper, I never realized that her death makes sense in the same way Tara's does: payment for resurrecting Buffy. Both of them reached closure before their death, both had reached their peace. Both of them were beloved of prime Scoobs. And she died as suddenly as Tara did. And, on a horribly untactful note, her death frees Xander. Because as long as she stuck around, so would he. Xander doesn't give up on people he loves, as long as they're around (distance works wonders, though).
Spike: Blah, blah, blah, big sacrifice. Blah, blah, blah, Ooo! Fire pretty. Apart from destroying Sunnydale (which was created for demons to feed on), Spike gave Buffy back her fire. He gave her back hope, faith, and love (though not necessarily romantic love). His death shows us that Buffy doesn't need him to give her fire any more: she's internalized it.
On a side note, I got my flashfiction challenge. Sounds interesting. Neither of them are usual pairings for me (though I'd have been surprised if I'd gotten B/X, as there really aren't too many of us 'shippers out there).
That Peacekeeper vid made me realize that now all four of our prime scoobies have had a lover die. Only Buffy gets to say good-bye.
We have four prime characters; people who have been with from the start of the show. Until Anya and Spike died, you could argue that Xander and Buffy weren't really part of the club, unless for Xander, you count Buffy, though as a 'loved one' not lover of course, in which case, he got see her dead twice and near death a third time and unless, for Buffy, you count going to hell as dying.
What does death mean on the show?
Buffy gets to come back - twice, but on Buffy, she's the only one who's come back from the dead. Fitting, since it is her show.
Very well, then. Unless you're Buffy, death means a loss. It's a closed chapter. A book that's not only been put away, but set on fire. Which would be the same thing it is in our world. Unless you're Buffy, of course.
So, in a way, it's a statement. This is over. End of this story, time to start a new one. And an ending is always linked to a beginning. So, my question now becomes: what do these deaths begin/change?
Jesse: The death of Jesse spurs the formation of the trio that is Buffy/Xander/Willow. His death pulled Xander to the mission of killing vamps and started Xander's hate for vamps. He was an immediate failure for Buffy but also illuminated her success, namely Willow.
Buffy (1): Begins the second Slayer line: second break in the basic mythology of the Slayer (the first being a vamp with a soul). Shows us that having two Slayers doesn't diminish the power of the line.
Jenny: Makes Buffy realize that her failure to kill Angel(us) is costing lives and allows her to be able to go after him with a shiny sword. And her death frees up Giles for Joyce in season three.
Kendra: End of Kendra, the start of Faith. Kendra was a marked contrast to Buffy, being much more rule-bound. Faith was a marked contrast to Buffy, being much less rule-bound. Kendra's death opened up the exploration of another side of Buffy's character.
Joyce: The big one. Joyce's death put Buffy in the place of Mom. Basically, first with Joyce's death, then with Giles' leaving, we lost the presence of any adult on the show (as a vampire (arrested adolescent metaphor), Spike doesn't count). Buffy used to be the one sneaking out, now she's the one looking after things.
Buffy (2): The prime things that Buffy loses after The Gift are hope and faith. Love has already symbolically died twice, and now Buffy uses all her remaining love, faith, and hope in closing the portal. This starts a darker Buffy, who has lost her faith in herself, her hope for the future, and her ability to show love.
Tara: Oz leaving devastated Willow. Tara getting mind-zapped made her go dark-eyed and revenge-bound. Tara dying was the third strike against Willow. Tara's death marked the end of Willow's innocence and the beginning of her exploration of herself. She's never really looked at herself before. "I'm very seldom naughty." The death of Tara seems to mark the beginning of dark!Willow, but that was the denial/bargaining/anger phase. When she finally accepted Willow's death, Willow also started to be honest with herself.
Jonathon: Jonathon was the perennial victim. There were two ways to go with Jonathon: joining the Scoobs or death. Because he'd outgrown the victim persona (He was still there in Superstar, because he was still wrapped up in what other people thought. It's only in Conversations with Dead People that he let that go.). Honestly, I have to agree with the choice to place Andrew with the Scoobies and to kill Jonathon. Jonathon finished his journey, while Andrew hadn't even realized that he was on one. Andrew had less baggage with the Scoobies personally, and Andrew had more to atone for. Doesn't mean that I didn't adore Jonathon though.
Anya: Before I saw Peacekeeper, I never realized that her death makes sense in the same way Tara's does: payment for resurrecting Buffy. Both of them reached closure before their death, both had reached their peace. Both of them were beloved of prime Scoobs. And she died as suddenly as Tara did. And, on a horribly untactful note, her death frees Xander. Because as long as she stuck around, so would he. Xander doesn't give up on people he loves, as long as they're around (distance works wonders, though).
Spike: Blah, blah, blah, big sacrifice. Blah, blah, blah, Ooo! Fire pretty. Apart from destroying Sunnydale (which was created for demons to feed on), Spike gave Buffy back her fire. He gave her back hope, faith, and love (though not necessarily romantic love). His death shows us that Buffy doesn't need him to give her fire any more: she's internalized it.
On a side note, I got my flashfiction challenge. Sounds interesting. Neither of them are usual pairings for me (though I'd have been surprised if I'd gotten B/X, as there really aren't too many of us 'shippers out there).
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2003-05-30 10:47 pm (UTC)Very lovely analysis of all the deaths, btw. Thanks for sharing it.
(no subject)
Date: 2003-05-30 11:03 pm (UTC)Big defining moment for Buffy, definitely. Worthy of many essays of its own.
(no subject)
Date: 2003-05-30 10:56 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-05-30 11:04 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2003-05-30 11:12 pm (UTC)When did they start being called Scoobies? I'm so curious.
(no subject)
Date: 2003-05-31 12:12 am (UTC)Re:
Date: 2003-05-31 01:38 am (UTC)Re:
Date: 2003-05-31 01:37 am (UTC)Great analysis, but what about...
Date: 2003-05-31 09:58 am (UTC)Also, Buffy being willing to kill her in GDII was an important point; the first time she planned - and went through - with using deathly force against a human being. (Faith surviving wasn't due to Buffy's lack of determination.)
Oh, and: Warren and Ben? Both Scoobie murders, after all.
Re: Great analysis, but what about...
Date: 2003-06-02 07:50 am (UTC)Real/Symbolic deaths?