Hee - I deleted a whole section I'd written on Willow - due to space constraints.
Agreed on the above.
Willow is interesting though. And you could make a valid argument that she's another classic example of narcissism. Her parents barely acknowledge her - and from what little we see in Gingerbread, they view her as a trophy or a validation of themselves. So, her family is narcissistic.
Also, Willow gets her self-worth from others. It's why she falls apart when OZ leaves her, and falls apart again when Tara leaves. It's also why she needs magic - because she feels like a 0 or loser without it.
But what distinguishes Willow from Cordelia and Harmony and Angel as well as Wes...is she does have some inner strength. She manages to survive without the magic and without Tara. And when she accesses the magic again in S7- she is provided with a choice, whether to become like Amy or for that matter Warren, or more like Tara.
Willow doesn't completely rely on external validation, any more than Xander or Spike do. They don't really want or desire center stage. Willow only takes center stage when she's either pushed there after Chosen, or out of grief - when she loses Tara. But it's temporary in each case. And they appear to be beaten down a lot, yet still stand without constant stroking. They aren't told they are chosen or destiny. Spike isn't cursed with soul. And Willow is good at the magic like the hacking, but she does seem to know who she is without the magic. She's not quite as lost.
In part it's the difference between the two genres...Angel's story is a dark one, it's about falling into the pit of despair and attempting, possibly futilely to rise above it. And like you stated so well above, Angel doesn't believe in himself, any more than Cordelia does. Their friends were never real or true. They just had "groupies". Angel never quite trusts those around him, any more than Cordy does. Both surround themselves with groupies or people who will stroke them. Angelus did this as well - with the Fanged Four (who were his groupies, he didn't love them or trust them, their purpose was to adore Angelus.)
Willow as lost as she seems at times - doesn't surround herself with groupies. She doesn't require Buffy's approval. Not really. Nor Tara's. Nor Giles. If she did, she may not have gone quite as off the rails. In some respects, I found her to be more complex than the characters on Angel - but that may just be my own preferences - since I know there are people online at this moment who felt the exact opposite.
Part of the reason Willow and Tara are doomed though, is well the same reason Willow and Oz were - Willow needed Tara and Oz's love, stroking, validation...and was petrified of losing it, but I don't think she trusted them completely. I think she was always afraid of their betrayal or desertion. And she couldn't quite be there for either OZ or Tara, without trying to control them in some way. Willow has major control issues - which has less to do with feelings of self-worth and more to do with trust.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2014-10-11 08:42 pm (UTC)Agreed on the above.
Willow is interesting though. And you could make a valid argument that she's another classic example of narcissism. Her parents barely acknowledge her - and from what little we see in Gingerbread, they view her as a trophy or a validation of themselves. So, her family is narcissistic.
Also, Willow gets her self-worth from others. It's why she falls apart when OZ leaves her, and falls apart again when Tara leaves. It's also why she needs magic - because she feels like a 0 or loser without it.
But what distinguishes Willow from Cordelia and Harmony and Angel as well as Wes...is she does have some inner strength. She manages to survive without the magic and without Tara. And when she accesses the magic again in S7- she is provided with a choice, whether to become like Amy or for that matter Warren, or more like Tara.
Willow doesn't completely rely on external validation, any more than Xander or Spike do. They don't really want or desire center stage. Willow only takes center stage when she's either pushed there after Chosen, or out of grief - when she loses Tara. But it's temporary in each case. And they appear to be beaten down a lot, yet still stand without constant stroking. They aren't told they are chosen or destiny.
Spike isn't cursed with soul. And Willow is good at the magic like the hacking, but she does seem to know who she is without the magic. She's not quite as lost.
In part it's the difference between the two genres...Angel's story is a dark one, it's about falling into the pit of despair and attempting, possibly futilely to rise above it. And like you stated so well above,
Angel doesn't believe in himself, any more than Cordelia does. Their friends were never real or true. They just had "groupies". Angel never quite trusts those around him, any more than Cordy does. Both surround themselves with groupies or people who will stroke them.
Angelus did this as well - with the Fanged Four (who were his groupies, he didn't love them or trust them, their purpose was to adore Angelus.)
Willow as lost as she seems at times - doesn't surround herself with groupies. She doesn't require Buffy's approval. Not really. Nor Tara's.
Nor Giles. If she did, she may not have gone quite as off the rails.
In some respects, I found her to be more complex than the characters on Angel - but that may just be my own preferences - since I know there are people online at this moment who felt the exact opposite.
Part of the reason Willow and Tara are doomed though, is well the same reason Willow and Oz were - Willow needed Tara and Oz's love, stroking, validation...and was petrified of losing it, but I don't think she trusted them completely. I think she was always afraid of their betrayal or desertion. And she couldn't quite be there for either OZ or Tara, without trying to control them in some way. Willow has major control issues - which has less to do with feelings of self-worth and more to do with trust.