Buffy&Spike vs Buffy&Faith vs Willow&Buffy in s.7

[Nina]

At first, this is not a thread about ship's, but about the way Buffy treats Spike, Willow and Faith.

In my existence as a full-time lurker, I saw this topic many times. In season 7 was Buffy ready to gave Spike a real chance to redeem himself. He was her hero and he get all her faith and trust in the end of the season. She back him up in LMPTM, she gave him a home in her house ... the fact that he was still dangerous (trigger!) was not important. I know that she was snarky, cold and mean at him in the begin of season 7 ... but his soul did make up for everything. But Spike showed almost no real sign of guilt. Ofcourse Spike has a soul now, and he should get a new chance, just like Willow who was just really sad and only killed one guy.

Willow went to England to calm down and she learned some lessons, but as soon she is back ... Buffy is alright with her. In Selfless (right?) Buffy thinks Willow was the killer at first. But after that she doesn't really think about it again. Buffy is fine with Willow in her house.

Faith who was in jail for her crimes, never get that chance. Ofcourse, Faith was a couple of years ago a dangerous killer. She caused a lot of pain and that is not easily forgiven. All the real redemption had taken place in Ats. Buffy was no part of it. Faith is 'Angel's girl', not Buffy's. This makes the case of Faith harder, but did she really, after those years in jail and the redemptionquest, not deserved a little better?

And there was ofcourse also *killer* Andrew, but his part of the story was just silly. On the end of storyteller was his best moment, and that was still a big questionmark.

So what do you think?



Ik think;
After the *special* treatment of Spike, Faith should get a little more respect. I understand that Buffy wasn't happy to see her, or that nobody feels like hugging Faith. But Faith didn't really get the chance to prove that she was *good* now. Spike should get a new chance, but not if others were in danger because of that. And you know ... less 'Spike is the only person in the world who I can trust'. I think Faith should stay with Angel, she was redeemed on Ats and she fits more in that team. *Okay, I love Faith/Wesley*

I understand the part with Willow. Willow is a beautiful person and Buffy's best friend. Ofcourse they tries to act like everything was normal. But the problem was; it wasn't normal and Willow should get more help. The killing was because of the *Magic!Crack*, shouldn't the other scooby's help her with a life without magic instead of asking Willow to mess with really big powers a year later?

[Kold]

Buffy's problem with Faith is that with Faith, it has always been so deeply personal. You see, when it comes to Buffy and Spike --

Buffy had to go through a lot between seasons 2 and 3, with Angel. In the middle of season 2, Buffy had to accept very quickly that Angelus was not Angel, that he was now a person who actively wanted to kill her and Joyce and her friends. In the beginning of season 3, she had to change her views again when Angel was 'himself' again. An intangible thing like a "soul" became utterly tangible for Buffy, because it defined whether or not Angel was good or bad (to her experience).

In season 6, Buffy began to sleep with Spike, this soulless creature infatuated with her, because she felt that something was wrong with her and she wanted to both distance and punish herself. But she developed feelings for Spike. Things got more complicated. And Buffy could never let herself love Spike because he was this soulless creature, an "evil" thing. When Spike got a soul, although things would still be very complicated, Buffy at least remembered her old little catchphrase of soul=good that seemed to work in the case of Angel.

Additionally, Buffy saw Spike during a great deal of weakness. Of course she's going to feel pity and sympathy for him, if she harbours some feelings for him.

Willow also fits this view -- Buffy understood where Willow was coming from (the death of Tara) but, more importantly, was able to see that the magic and the power attached corrupted Willow in her time of grief and anger. Buffy could try to stop Willow, maybe find it more difficult to see Willow as an enemy due to the death of Tara, but was still aware of what was going on. Black hair=bad. Red hair=good.

When it comes to Faith, though, Buffy is aware that Faith had always had a soul. Faith is human, and with no magical strings attached. There is no easy definition, no checklist, for Buffy to turn to for her to tell Faith's loyalties, and she can't find the reasoning for Faith to have done what she did. I don't think Buffy looks at motivation or influences, she looks at actions. She can't clearly see why Faith is like she is.

Furthermore, Faith is too closely connected to Buffy. They share the same power and both, deep down, harbour jealousy for the other that they have to share that power and destiny. There aren't meant to be two Slayers, and it showed in the way that they behaved. There was awkwardness, then they behaved like best friends, then because of Faith's choices they became the worst of enemies. They were too close, too similar, and for Faith to attack so deeply personally (she targets Joyce, and Angel, etc.) and still have a soul is very difficult for Buffy to deal with in season 7.

Also, as you said, there is Angel-jealousy inherent. Think of how Buffy must have felt in "Sanctuary" when Angel helped Faith. Buffy doesn't really let go of these things.