Buffy & Faith - Yes Or No?

[Nikkolas]

I know it's been a pretty nice topic of fanfics and of some fans but I wonder what this forum thinks?

Do you think Buffy and Faith could ever be romantically involved? They share a unique dynamic with their flaws causing a lot of tension but they still are as close as two people can be and care for one another. I know a kiss isn't always a romantic thing but they've done that a few times as well.

I'm not a hormone-crazed guy who loves lesbians no matter what. I thought Willow's and Terra's relationship would be cheap and contrived but I had nothing to fear; a great storyline there. And I think the same could be done for these two. The groundwork is all there and if they came together, i think it be amazing.

But this is just my thoughts. I'm interested in what people here think.

[lee]

No. Really doubt it

[KingofCretins]

Well, on Buffy's side of the equation it's a lot more believable than it ever used to be. But by the same token, I'm pretty sure not so on Faith's. I gotta say, though, that the romantic subtext that Doug Petrie intentionally wrote in Season 3 did play, and it could work if they went for it. However, I doubt its anything there is any plan to do anything about, with Faith out of the picture for the foreseeable future.

Incidentally, this is probably a Jossverse -- Buffy forum topic rather than Misc.

[Nikkolas]

Well I think it says in the rules for the Character and Ships forum that fantasy ships that didn't actually happen should go here.

I've asked thsi question a few places and man it seems like there's quite an anti-Buffy/Faith group out there. They say the connections drawn between the two could be done for any two characters though I disagree. Life isn't a puzzle where only certain pieces will fit. To come to a conclusion, two different people can take the exact same piece and make it fit however they like.

However I feel there's more than enough pieces to lend backing to this pairing. Not that I think their relationship would be flawless. They might even break up. But I think they should at leas ttry it some point in the future.

[holypotatoes]

You know I never noticed much of the subtext until people kept bringing it up and I never thought Buffy had lesbian tendencies (notice how I'm using past tense ) but then all of a sudden in

Season 8 spoiler:

Spoiler:

S8 we get Buffy banging Satsu. WTF? I thought it came from nowhere.

In saying that though, if Buffy had gotten together with Faith, I could understand that one. I can see the subtext that other people have seen between these two so I don't think it would've been as OOC for her character as it is in S8 imo. As for ever actually seeing them get together, I'm going with no. I don't think it will happen nor do I really want to see it happen between the two of them. Leave it subtext.

[Matt]

If Buffy ever did get with Faith or just did it with her, I'd be incredibly surprised, I mean, how many times has Faith tried to kill Buffy now? I know she saved her quite a lot too, from Mr. Trick and others, I just don't see them having that kind of a connection, not now anyway. I mean with what's happened in season 8, Buffy's going to associate Faith with taking Giles away from her, so she's not really going to want much to do with her.

But saying that, the lesbian context is there, however Faith always struck me as a complete heterosexual, until 8.06-8.09 at least, which had some lesbian undertones. I suppose if Joss wanted that to happen between them then he could find a way to do it. I don't really want Buffy to have a gay relationship though, it'd be weird considering she's always seemed to have been interested only in guys. Maybe if they'd done a Marissa with her character and had her having a brief lesbian relationship in the show, then yeah, but they never did.

[Weredog]

Season Eight Discussion:

Spoiler:

I almost kinda wished that Faith took Satsu's place. I think in terms of storyline, it would've worked great. The two bonded instantly after "Faith, Hope, and Trick" until Faith's downfall later in the third season. Now that Faith is trying to redeem herself, what better way for her and Buffy to be comfortable with one another again by being, uh, comfortable with one another. I could've seen it.

[icecreamkiller]

I don't know. On the one hand, Buffy would be in a relationship with someone who knows what it's like, to a certain extent (arguably more than anyone else, at least), to be in her shoes - Faith knows what it's like to be a lone Slayer (as opposed to the new girls who only know what it's like being in a group of Slayers), and season 3 firmly established that Buffy takes immense pleasure in having that connection with someone. She'd also have someone to watch her back - Revelations and Orpheus showed us that Faith is willing to step into a dangerous fight to protect those she cares about (maybe season 3 Faith would have had more trouble, but I've no doubt this new, more mature Faith would be willing to risk her life for Buffy were they in a romantic relationship).

Faith would finally have the chance to connect with Buffy completely, a connection she sought in season 3 (even if it might have been simple friendship) but which turned out impossible due to Faith's reckless and unstable nature (which she seems to have gotten over for the most part). She'd have a loving, familiar figure, something we've already seen she craves. If Buffy were to open up to her, it would mean, for Faith, an enormous step in her quest for redemption, since it would mean that the person who she hurt the most was welcoming her into her life again.

And therein lies the problem. Could Buffy forgive Faith? Yes, I think so. If they were to coexist for a long period of time, I believe they could develop a friendship. It wouldn't be easy, but I think it's a plausible idea. However, we have the serious problem of Buffy having a superiority complex and Faith having an inferiority complex. They would both see Buffy as the Slayer Extraordinaire and Faith as the screwed up Slayer who abused her power and wreaked havoc in everyone's lives. Faith would constantly try to live up to Buffy's deeds and expectations and always feel as if she never manages to, while Buffy would definitely use Faith's past crimes as a weapon during any given heated argument - we've seen that Buffy isn't above hitting where it hurts when she argues with someone.

These wouldn't be mild problems easily worked out, they would be issues that would seriously damage the very core of the relationship. I believe that the writers could make it work if they ever decided to put Buffy and Faith in a relationship (extremely unlikely), but they'd be facing a difficult challenge.

[litzie]

I don't know. On the one hand, Buffy would be in a relationship with someone who knows what it's like, to a certain extent (arguably more than anyone else, at least), to be in her shoes - Faith knows what it's like to be a lone Slayer (as opposed to the new girls who only know what it's like being in a group of Slayers), and season 3 firmly established that Buffy takes immense pleasure in having that connection with someone. She'd also have someone to watch her back - Revelations and Orpheus showed us that Faith is willing to step into a dangerous fight to protect those she cares about (maybe season 3 Faith would have had more trouble, but I've no doubt this new, more mature Faith would be willing to risk her life for Buffy were they in a romantic relationship).

Faith would finally have the chance to connect with Buffy completely, a connection she sought in season 3 (even if it might have been simple friendship) but which turned out impossible due to Faith's reckless and unstable nature (which she seems to have gotten over for the most part). She'd have a loving, familiar figure, something we've already seen she craves. If Buffy were to open up to her, it would mean, for Faith, an enormous step in her quest for redemption, since it would mean that the person who she hurt the most was welcoming her into her life again.

And therein lies the problem. Could Buffy forgive Faith? Yes, I think so. If they were to coexist for a long period of time, I believe they could develop a friendship. It wouldn't be easy, but I think it's a plausible idea. However, we have the serious problem of Buffy having a superiority complex and Faith having an inferiority complex. They would both see Buffy as the Slayer Extraordinaire and Faith as the screwed up Slayer who abused her power and wreaked havoc in everyone's lives. Faith would constantly try to live up to Buffy's deeds and expectations and always feel as if she never manages to, while Buffy would definitely use Faith's past crimes as a weapon during any given heated argument - we've seen that Buffy isn't above hitting where it hurts when she argues with someone.

These wouldn't be mild problems easily worked out, they would be issues that would seriously damage the very core of the relationship. I believe that the writers could make it work if they ever decided to put Buffy and Faith in a relationship (extremely unlikely), but they'd be facing a difficult challenge.

Can I just say, what a well thought out post. Thanks for that.

I think that the issues you described above between Faith and Buffy are what would make a romantic relationship between them particularly interesting. In fact, it's what makes their platonic relationship so interesting. I would really like to see them on screen/panel together again in Season 8...they have such chemistry, I think it's a waste that they're not interacting much so far...

Spoiler:

aside from trying to kill each other by accident.

I would have loved to see Faith and Buffy get together, I think that would have been extremely interesting. But I think it's very unlikely that Joss will do two lesbian experiments for his straight female heroine, and to be honest, I don't really want to see that, keen as I am for the subtext and the Faith/Buffy slash.

[icecreamkiller]

Oh, don't get me wrong, I would have loved to see them in a relationship. Buffy/Faith is probably my favourite non-canon pairing. All I'm saying is that it would be difficult for the writers to pull it off while avoiding taking the characters down OOC lane (should have probably added that bit in my original post).