We need to make distinctions when arguing the finale of The Gift.
First, there is the matter of simple plot mechanics: are the events of this episode logical in the context of all previous events in this particular work of fiction? IMO, the naysayers might have a point here. Despite all the hints indicating a primal, blood bond between the Slayer and the Key, there is absolutely no supporting evidence from previous episodes guaranteeing that Buffy's sacrifice will work. Does Buffy feel, with metaphysical certainty, that it will work? Yes. And that should be good enough. But for this viewer, it seemed like a bit of a stretch then... and it kind of still does now.
Which brings us to the second part of the equation--whether Joss punked out on the audience by not allowing Buffy to a) kill Dawn or b) watch Dawn make the sacrifice herself.
This one is easy: no, no, and HELL no.
As you and others stated above, the entire run of BtVS was about Buffy rejecting binary options and finding a new way. The "kill Dawn or the universe dies" argument is given straight up by Giles--which is a dead giveaway, storywise. Even though we love our man in tweed, he's a Watcher, and they're not known for their flexibility. Giles kills Ben because he knows Buffy won't. She's a hero. Heroes find a way to protect life, no matter how impossible it may seem at the time. The logistics of Buffy's sacrifice may be dubious in my eyes, but the act itself is entirely consistent with everything Joss has told us about Buffy Anne Summers as a person.
And, given that, the whole argument over Joss' "obligation" to his fandom in this case is rendered absurd, if it wasn't absurd already. If the artist makes the point he wants to make, then it's up to the reader/viewer to agree or disagree with the statement... period. If I may be blunt? He don't owe anyone shit.
I've been reading more and more incidents of angry nerds outright telling creators what they can or can't do: the outcry against the Ghostbusters reboot (which I actually enjoyed); and just recently, a group of Steven Universe fans chased one of the series writers off Twitter because their particular 'ship hadn't materialized (yet).
What the hell?
I realize that with the internet, it's possible to interact with the creators of your favorite shows in ways you never could have dreamed of before. But this kind of cyberbullying is destructive to the creativity we supposedly admire in our artists.
You can have your opinions. You can bitch about storylines. Hell, write fanfic if you can't get what you want in the actual series. (God knows, there's probably a billion Ghostbusters fanfics with the original crew and enough Peridot/Amethyst shipper fics to fill a galaxy.)
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2016-08-14 10:51 pm (UTC)First, there is the matter of simple plot mechanics: are the events of this episode logical in the context of all previous events in this particular work of fiction? IMO, the naysayers might have a point here. Despite all the hints indicating a primal, blood bond between the Slayer and the Key, there is absolutely no supporting evidence from previous episodes guaranteeing that Buffy's sacrifice will work. Does Buffy feel, with metaphysical certainty, that it will work? Yes. And that should be good enough. But for this viewer, it seemed like a bit of a stretch then... and it kind of still does now.
Which brings us to the second part of the equation--whether Joss punked out on the audience by not allowing Buffy to a) kill Dawn or b) watch Dawn make the sacrifice herself.
This one is easy: no, no, and HELL no.
As you and others stated above, the entire run of BtVS was about Buffy rejecting binary options and finding a new way. The "kill Dawn or the universe dies" argument is given straight up by Giles--which is a dead giveaway, storywise. Even though we love our man in tweed, he's a Watcher, and they're not known for their flexibility. Giles kills Ben because he knows Buffy won't. She's a hero. Heroes find a way to protect life, no matter how impossible it may seem at the time. The logistics of Buffy's sacrifice may be dubious in my eyes, but the act itself is entirely consistent with everything Joss has told us about Buffy Anne Summers as a person.
And, given that, the whole argument over Joss' "obligation" to his fandom in this case is rendered absurd, if it wasn't absurd already. If the artist makes the point he wants to make, then it's up to the reader/viewer to agree or disagree with the statement... period. If I may be blunt? He don't owe anyone shit.
I've been reading more and more incidents of angry nerds outright telling creators what they can or can't do: the outcry against the Ghostbusters reboot (which I actually enjoyed); and just recently, a group of Steven Universe fans chased one of the series writers off Twitter because their particular 'ship hadn't materialized (yet).
What the hell?
I realize that with the internet, it's possible to interact with the creators of your favorite shows in ways you never could have dreamed of before. But this kind of cyberbullying is destructive to the creativity we supposedly admire in our artists.
You can have your opinions. You can bitch about storylines. Hell, write fanfic if you can't get what you want in the actual series. (God knows, there's probably a billion Ghostbusters fanfics with the original crew and enough Peridot/Amethyst shipper fics to fill a galaxy.)
But let the storytellers work, people.
Come on.