Anyanka's action in Beneath You is a metaphor to a degree, just as Anyanka's action in Selfless is a metaphor, to a degree, for Buffy's own feelings. Not an absolute metaphor. I'm not saying Buffy is "actively" seeking vengeance here. I'm saying it is an emotional metaphor - which the writers have often done and is often done in television - where you will have another character not the lead, do an action that reflects the lead's own desires. Yes this is something that’s done in television and in other forms of storytelling. I simply don’t see that they’re doing it here or if they are how it fits with Buffy’s emotional development at this stage. She has been motivated by vengeance; against Faith in Graduation Day and again in Sanctuary or against the vamp ho in Into the Woods. But it seems to be a motivation that’s become less and less part of her repertoire over time. In S6 she has a generalized anger against the world, which she both holds in and directs against herself and takes out on Spike but I wouldn’t describe it as vengeance. Vengeance is more specific, more pointy. Also, now I think of it, when Buffy gets her vengeance on it always seems to be triggered by attacks on ‘her people’ not herself. Faith attacked Angel and then Joyce, the vamp ho was sucking on Riley. In early S7 there’s no-one who quite fits that vengeance triggering criterium. Spike attacked her personally and although it’s something that obviously affected her and made her very wary about him she’s never seemed to hate him for it or desire retribution. Anya is killing people she doesn’t know personally and Willow tried to destroy the world - it might have been different if she’d hurt Dawn in the process but it didn’t work out that way. Lack of specific motivation aside, what I think we’re seeing with Buffy in S7 is an emphasis on how being the Slayer has depersonalized her over time. In S2 she was less alone in her responsibilities. There was still Giles and the council (except I don’t think Joss thought up the Council until S3) and, although she hadn’t read it, a mystical handbook to go to. In S2 she could tell Kendra that her emotions made her stronger but by S7 she’s the sole representative of whatever it is she represents. She’s having to make the calls on who to slay as well as how to slay them and emotions are something she can no longer afford to indulge.
The law is far from impersonal. For this reason - it is made by and run by human beings. I’d draw a line between law as a concept and law as a practical reality. It’s the same with my own profession. Science is supposed to be objective but scientists are as driven by ambition, personal prejudice and cultural conditioning as anyone else. Hence idiocies like evolutionary psychology. But we know that. It doesn’t stop us trying to do it right.
Buffy's ability to love and show compassion is why she does not kill Anya, does not kill Spike, does not kill Angel. If she was as impersonal as you state above - Angel would be dust. Anya would be dead. And Willow would not be welcomed back into the fold. If it were impersonal - she would not have shared her power. Buffy doesn’t kill Anya because she proves herself to no longer be a threat and is no longer a threat after D’Hoffryn grants her wish. She doesn’t kill Spike because the chip and his general incompetence (ie the screw up with Adam) make him not a threat. She doesn’t kill Angel because he has a soul and proves it by killing Darla. She does kill him when there’s no other way to save the world. She fails to kill Angelus because of her emotional attachment to him and Jenny dies for it. She doesn’t initially welcome Willow back, she waits until Willow shows she’s not still on a world-flaying rampage and Willlow understands that Buffy has to think that way because it’s her job. I think she shares the power *because* it’s impersonal. It’s not a power that any one person can bear the responsibility for. ‘One girl in all the world,’ the whole premise of the show, is a fundamentally flawed system and this is the season that demonstrates that to the full.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2009-08-30 09:26 am (UTC)Yes this is something that’s done in television and in other forms of storytelling. I simply don’t see that they’re doing it here or if they are how it fits with Buffy’s emotional development at this stage. She has been motivated by vengeance; against Faith in Graduation Day and again in Sanctuary or against the vamp ho in Into the Woods. But it seems to be a motivation that’s become less and less part of her repertoire over time. In S6 she has a generalized anger against the world, which she both holds in and directs against herself and takes out on Spike but I wouldn’t describe it as vengeance. Vengeance is more specific, more pointy. Also, now I think of it, when Buffy gets her vengeance on it always seems to be triggered by attacks on ‘her people’ not herself. Faith attacked Angel and then Joyce, the vamp ho was sucking on Riley. In early S7 there’s no-one who quite fits that vengeance triggering criterium. Spike attacked her personally and although it’s something that obviously affected her and made her very wary about him she’s never seemed to hate him for it or desire retribution. Anya is killing people she doesn’t know personally and Willow tried to destroy the world - it might have been different if she’d hurt Dawn in the process but it didn’t work out that way. Lack of specific motivation aside, what I think we’re seeing with Buffy in S7 is an emphasis on how being the Slayer has depersonalized her over time. In S2 she was less alone in her responsibilities. There was still Giles and the council (except I don’t think Joss thought up the Council until S3) and, although she hadn’t read it, a mystical handbook to go to. In S2 she could tell Kendra that her emotions made her stronger but by S7 she’s the sole representative of whatever it is she represents. She’s having to make the calls on who to slay as well as how to slay them and emotions are something she can no longer afford to indulge.
The law is far from impersonal. For this reason - it is made by and run by human beings.
I’d draw a line between law as a concept and law as a practical reality. It’s the same with my own profession. Science is supposed to be objective but scientists are as driven by ambition, personal prejudice and cultural conditioning as anyone else. Hence idiocies like evolutionary psychology. But we know that. It doesn’t stop us trying to do it right.
Buffy's ability to love and show compassion is why she does not kill Anya, does not kill Spike, does not kill Angel. If she was as impersonal as you state above - Angel would be dust. Anya would be dead. And Willow would not be welcomed back into the fold. If it were impersonal - she would not have shared her power.
Buffy doesn’t kill Anya because she proves herself to no longer be a threat and is no longer a threat after D’Hoffryn grants her wish. She doesn’t kill Spike because the chip and his general incompetence (ie the screw up with Adam) make him not a threat. She doesn’t kill Angel because he has a soul and proves it by killing Darla. She does kill him when there’s no other way to save the world. She fails to kill Angelus because of her emotional attachment to him and Jenny dies for it. She doesn’t initially welcome Willow back, she waits until Willow shows she’s not still on a world-flaying rampage and Willlow understands that Buffy has to think that way because it’s her job. I think she shares the power *because* it’s impersonal. It’s not a power that any one person can bear the responsibility for. ‘One girl in all the world,’ the whole premise of the show, is a fundamentally flawed system and this is the season that demonstrates that to the full.