Five By Five - The Faith Club

[thricewise]

I thought that I would start a Faith club on here.

Seriously, amazing character, so many characteristics, a past which leaves questions open, the whole father daughter relationship with the mayor.

I put it to you that she had so many depths.

Official Member List:

1. thricewise
2. Cori
3. Paradise
4. ThePoet's<3
5. Cordelia_Chase
6. Dark Ages
7. Phoenix
8. buffyholic

[Cori]

I love Faith! Apart from Spike (who always comes first for me! ), she is my favourite character on BTVS, although I have to say that I like her even more on Ats, mostly because I think that Angel understands Faith much better than Buffy ever could and also because Faith's whole storyline (bad girl on the path of redemption) fits much better on Ats.

To get the Faith discussion going, allow me to quote from the book Sex and the Slayer from Lorna Jowett. There is a chapter called Bad Girls and naturally Faith features prominently in that chapter. The author sees Faith in much the same way I do so here goes:

The first indication that Faith is a bad girl is her unbridled sexuality ...

The Watcher's Guide Volume 2 describes Faith as "outrageous and visceral enough to make Buffy seem conservative by comparison".

...

Unlike Buffy and the other good girls, Faith does not restrict her sexual activity to long-term relationships. Instead she adopts a much more "masculine" independence, using sexual partners to satisfy her needs and then rejecting them and any emotional ties, as when she seduces and dismisses Xander in "Consequences".

...

Faith brings a similar appetite to the violent activity of Slaying, and she connects sex and Slaying ...
...

In contrast with Buffy, Faith is "bad" not because she participates in sex and violence but because she enjoys them.

...

It is the combination of Faith's exceptional power as a Slayer (force) and her desire to control her own destiny (be anything she wants) that makes Faith so menacing.

...

Her work for the Mayor undercuts her independence by presenting her as the perfect subordianate and compliant daughter to the Mayor's father figure.

So on the one hand, IMO Faith is a better feminist role model than Buffy because she is not afraid to want (be it sex, power or whatever). She enjoys sex and she is not ashamed of that. Women who want and who are so clear and uncompromising in the fact that they want (especially when it comes to sex) have always seemed menacing to some men.

On the other hand, Faith is a worse feminist role model than Buffy because as the author says she lets herself be controlled and ruled in by the Mayor, her father so to speak. She even calls him "sir" and he is clearly her boss. Faith thereby subjects herself to patriarchal society, something Buffy has never done (maybe a little bit when she was dating Angel ). Buffy was always (more or less) the boss in her life and I admire that about her.

So what do you all think about what the author of the Sex and the Slayer book writes about Faith? I'm curious.

[vampmogs]

Well I don't think Faith could ever be deemed a better feminist role model than Buffy based on the major fact that she turned evil and attempted to or did kill innocent people. That isn't something I see as role model quality, although I think Faith could indeed one day be a role model.

[Paradise]

I'm here, I love Faith. Especially with Angel, she's amazing. Great friendship there. Whether or not she's a better feminist than Buffy, I don't think that's a fair comparison. She's very different than Buffy. I don't know that she enjoys sex more than Buffy, she just has more of it because it's a way of surviving to her.

Buffy has it as more of a way of love and connecting---usually. Faith, it's a form of power. So I don't know that feminism has anything to do with sex in this case. Both women are very strong and smart though Faith lacks education. They're both feminists, and that's great.

I adore Faith, she is funny and gorgeous and strong. Rock on girl!

[ThePoet's<3]

Thanks Thricewise for getting this Club started!! I want to be a member!

I have to echo Cori - aside from Spike - Faith is probably my second favorite character. And yes - I enjoyed her more on Angel because she and Angel do have the "redemption" factor going on.

I like dark characters! They bring so much more to table!

And although I recognize some of the flaws in her approach to relationships - she will always be alone unless she lets someone in - I do admire her independent sexuality.

This phrase caught my thoughts more than the others:

It is the combination of Faith's exceptional power as a Slayer (force) and her desire to control her own destiny (be anything she wants) that makes Faith so menacing.

Bad Girls was a perfect example of that. No one had explored that side of the coin before with Buffy - the POWER of being the Slayer!

And redemption is a draw for me with this character. When she returned in S7 she was playing on the team, but yet was still able to keep her independence from the group. And I'm not sure that she wouldn't have been a good leader - I think Faith prefers to work alone. Not everyone is cut out for a "band of Scoobies".

It will be very interesting to see what the comic Buffy S8 will do with the Faith arc!! I can't wait!!

[Cordelia_Chase]

hey count me in....

Faith rocks...I just love her. She was always my fave slayer. Buffy ended u getting too up tight and loved her self, she got a ego...where Faith...she just ketp it real, no matter what was going on. Good gril, or Evil b***h faith rocked at it all.

[ThePoet's<3]

For you Faith Fans - my favorite Faith Vid...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=KM_YDGcwzl8

Gotta love the girl!!


And if you are following Buffy S8 Comics here's the Chen Cover from Issue #7 - the second issue in the Faith Arc-

http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/preview2.php?image=solicits/darkhorse/200710/BuffySeason8Fc7.jpg

I just LOVE that cover!! Doesn't Faith look like such a "lady"! Wouldn't the Mayor be proud?!?

[Paradise]

Wow, nice Faith video. I loved it. Why is Faith dressed like that in the comics? Doesn't look much like her. Could've done better to me. I love Faith.

[Dark Ages]

I love!!!!!!!!!! Faith, She is such a great character. I love how she is no holds bars and she says what's on her mind. I love the way she fights, its more street fighting then trained fighting. She is also very pretty. So I would like to join this club.

[Paradise]

I love the way Faith fights too. Buffy fights like a trained woman with a mission. Faith fights like a warrior with a rage inside her, like a wild woman who doesn't care what you think. It's incredible.

[vampmogs]

Wow, nice Faith video. I loved it. Why is Faith dressed like that in the comics? Doesn't look much like her. Could've done better to me. I love Faith.

Faith is dressed like that because she is going on a mission with Giles to take down a new bad slayer, who is a British heiress and threatens to end the world. In order to do this Faith needs to infiltrate her society, which means Giles gives her the whole make over. If Faith does this then she can retire from being a slayer, as it is been stated she has been on the Cleveland Hellmouth and the gritty aspects of her new role (infiltrating and assassinating) is starting to grate on her. So basically Faith is going to try and pose as a high class woman, which should be very entertaining to see as it is a world Faith just doesn't belong to. I think she's going to have one of the best arcs in season eight.

I love the way Faith fights too. Buffy fights like a trained woman with a mission. Faith fights like a warrior with a rage inside her, like a wild woman who doesn't care what you think. It's incredible.

It is great to watch but admitedly probably her downfall. Faith looses in a fight, we see it in Revelations and This Years Girl when she resorts to chucking furniture when Buffy starts to get the upperhand. She is an extremely frustrated person, a loose canon and was never that interested in training. But it is great to watch, even if it isn't the smartest thing to do.

I love the Buffy/Faith relationship in season seven more than anything.

-I love how whilst Buffy is staying down with Spike in Chosen Faith is the last person to remain waiting for Buffy.

-I love how she finally understands the loneliness Buffy goes through in End of Days.

-How Buffy acknowledges both herself and Faith as the ones with the power in Chosen.

-How Faith follows Buffy outside in Empty Places to make sure she understands this isn't what she wanted.

- And how Buffy stands up for Faith saying it isn't her fault and that she could have made the same mistake in Empty Places to Amanda and Kennedy.

[ThePoet's<3]

Wow, nice Faith video. I loved it. Why is Faith dressed like that in the comics? Doesn't look much like her. Could've done better to me. I love Faith.

I'll spoil it because the comic isn't out yet...

Spoiler:

Supposedly, she has been trained as "a lady" to infiltrate the world of a rogue slayer - who sounds like she is very aristocratic. Can you imagine - our Faith in "charm school"?!? Should be really good!!

I love!!!!!!!!!! Faith, She is such a great character. I love how she is no holds bars and she says what's on her mind. I love the way she fights, its more street fighting then trained fighting. She is also very pretty. So I would like to join this club.

I like the street-fighting aspects of Faith as well!! My favorite battles are between she and Angelus! She fights with a wild passion! SO close to the surface of danger! She LOVES the fight! It excites her!

[Phoenix]

Omgosh i heaps want to join! Faith is by far my favourite character, everything about her is just amazing. And that youtube video posted, probably one of the best ive seen

[ThePoet's<3]

Phoenix!

Do you follow the Buffy Season 8 in comics??

Spoiler:

A Faith arc is coming up in the #6-8 issues!!! Should be a great story arc for her!! I can't wait!! She is taking on a whole new persona to fight her battle in this arc!

[Phoenix]

Yeah i do follow them! And i cant wait for Faith's arc, it seems to be really good. Im so excited just to see her on the cover, let alone the whole comic

[Paradise]

I'm so glad they're bringing Faith back. Did Faith ever have a last name? I'm glad she's on a cover, she should be.

Hey, did anyone else think she had chemistry of any kind with Angel??

[vampmogs]

I'm so glad they're bringing Faith back. Did Faith ever have a last name? I'm glad she's on a cover, she should be.

Hey, did anyone else think she had chemistry of any kind with Angel??

Apparently Joss has given her the last name Lehane, wether or not this is official is open for debate. I guess we'll wait and see if it appears during her arc and if it does then it will be part of canon.

I'm not sure about her chemistry with Angel. Angel was attracted to Cordy and Buffy for traits which IMO aren't present in Faith. As he states in Earshot he has done the bad girl thing and it isn't what he is looking for any more. Whilst Faith may not be a bad girl anymore she still carries that persona and is very different from Buffy, Cordy and Nina. I think it would be nothing more than physical attraction but Angel usually needs more than that.

[Paradise]

Hey all,

In honor of our Faith I made a music video for her, hope you all enjoy.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LlYw3G31I9I

[Phoenix]

Ive never thought Angel and Faith had anything going on between them, apart from friendship and all that really. Although ive always hoped Faith and Spike would have something in the romantic side I remember reading somewhere about the Faith series that never happened, Joss was actually going to have a Faith/Spike relationship thing happen. Dammit! Would be so good

[Paradise]

Yeah, Joss seemed to appreciate both the Angel/Faith relationship and the Spike/Faith relatioship. The man USUALLY has taste. I love Faith in general. She has chemistry with everyone.