Beyond the Fourth Wall with Perspective and Morality in Buffyverse

"Better-Than-Thou"?

By Colette Wedding, published Aug 10, 2006
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"As for your drivel about how rapists are not demons...Mutent Enemy pandered to their Spuggy fanbase...I really can't believe you're defending Joss on this...I must say I've lost all respect for you....lobby the date rapist Andrew Luster to be released"

"The whole Angel, can rape who he wants, we still want him with Buffy, does hurt the credibility and "genuine" outrage a bit..The B/A board never cared about rape before... "- Buffy Cross and Stake Board, 2003 1

Be it on the giving end, receiving, or just coming across it, any variation on the following may be familiar to those in the online Buffyverse fandom: You're a rapist lover. A danger to your children/family. Blinded by cheekbones or "abs". You write to serial killers. You excuse and defend rapists. Because darn it, you didn't react in the way that gelled with how some people felt in regards to Spuffy or Spike after the episode Seeing Red (6.19). Most recently, Heather Fowler weighs in. 2 I think her contention that the Buffy/Spike relationship sends a "dangerous" message to young people to be insular and that she unfairly misrepresents and marginalizes opposing view-points (only "casual viewers and Spikistas"?!) and selectively applies her standards. I further believe her description and take on certain elements just raises the question. Thus instead of limiting myself to answering to her own personal perspective and thesis, I tackle her analysis and the show head-on in an attempt to provide a different perspective.

 
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Takeaways
  • False-dichotomy functions to manipulate, limit, and dismiss legitimate points and vilify fans
  • BtVS was a story about human condition illustrated with vampires and demons
  • With moral high-ground, it is easier to take seriously when principles are applied evenly
Did You Know?
If we 1) evaluated vampires on the same terms as humans, and 2) applied real-word standards to the actions of the characters in "Buffy" and they were brought up on charges 'ala "Seinfeld", charges would include (but not be limited to): theft, handling, breaking and entering, trespassing, arson, destruction of public property, unlawful imprisonment, possession of a stolen vehicle, unlawful possession of a deadly weapon, unlawful possession of a deadly weapon with intent to use, trespassing on government property, destruction of government property, assault and battery, treason, domestic violence, assault with a deadly weapon, statutory rape, sexual assault, sexual battery, attempted rape, manslaughter, attempted murder, assassination, second and third degree murder, first degree murder, and genocide.
Resources
  • 1 Buffy Cross and Stake Board, archives 2003, www.voy.com/13746/ (cited at All Things Philosophical on BtVS/AtS archives Aug. 2003, Shadowkat, www.voy.com/14567/ ) 2"Messages About Sex and Violence in the Buffy/Spike Realationship on Buffy, the Vampire Slayer", by Heather Fowler. 3 Use of "AR" first Google search results: "We All Don't Want a Spike Movie: Part Deux" The WB General (page 3) Cathyness1 and mbbthebestwww.talk.thewb.com, "Season 6 and Season 3. Is there a reason for Similarities? Spoilers for both seasons" Artemiswww.voy.com/14567/, "Buffy Season 7" Buffy, the Vampire Slayer forum (Jan. 5, 2004) DaBigDavewww.televisionwithoutpity.com 4 Buffy, the Vampire Slayer forum "Buffy Season 6" violetrwww.televisionwithoutpity.com 5 Archives, Jane Espenson, May 22, 2002 www.thesuccubusclub.com/ 6 Marti Noxon on Dead Things, by Edward Gross SFX Magazine (Year End Edition) 7 "Buffy's Annus Horribilis", by Kate O'Hare tv.zap2it.com/tveditorial/tve_main/1,1002,274 8 Creation Con, January 2003, James Marsters 9 Archives Steven DeKnight, May 8 2002, www.thesuccubusclub.com/ 10 "Buffy's Angels: The blonde girl with cleavage really isn't so feminist - but the men in her life are" by Allie Gottlieb www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/09.26.02/buf 11 Successfully Investigating Acquaintance Sexual Assault: A National Training Manual for Law Enforcement www.vaw.umn.edu/ 12 All episodes cited property of 20 Century FOX and a product of Mutant Enemy Productions 7.2 (season 7, episode 2) "Beneath You" 7.3 (season 7, episode 3) "Same Time, Same Place" 7.4 (season 7, episode 4) "Help" 7.5 (season 7, episode 5) "Selfless" 7.6 (season 7, episode 6) "Him"
Comments
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I have always found it curious that no one ever mentions Buffy's attempt to sexually assault Spike in "GONE" . . . and the fact that little attempted rape was treated as a joke by writer David Fury.

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Posted on 08/18/2007 at 11:08:00 PM

 
I enjoyed your essay very much, thank you for taking the time to write it. I especially liked your reference to events not taking place in a vacuum. Any point in a story can be taken out of context, examined under a miroscope and analyzed without all the information. To narrow our view of any fictional character to one incident is never objective storytelling. For example, in the Jossverse we watched Souled Angel, Willow, Andrew and Giles murder humans. We saw Xander responsible for innocent deaths and his attempted rape of Buffy. If we only look at the surface of these horrible crimes we would condemn the character and label them evil. Yet we don't because we are given background into these acts, and while we acknowledge these acts as wrong, we still have compassion, understanding and forgivness.

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Posted on 08/14/2006 at 2:08:00 PM

 
Impressively cited article. I'm sure that writing it took you a great deal. Thank you for going to all of this trouble to give context to the storyline.

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Posted on 08/11/2006 at 1:08:00 PM

 
I'm so glad you reposted. We have to be able to agree to disagree (although I agree with you completely).

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Posted on 08/11/2006 at 9:08:00 AM

 
So glad you took the time to research and write this. Thank you.

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Posted on 08/11/2006 at 8:08:00 AM

 
Glad to see this reposted, because I'd discussed some of the points you had made with a few RL friends of mine and they really wanted to read this!

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Posted on 08/10/2006 at 8:08:00 PM

 
So glad to see that this essay was reinstated. It's a pity that a handful of trolls have been trying to sabbotage it. You have done an excellent job at explaining your point of view in a very level-headed manor.

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Posted on 08/10/2006 at 6:08:00 PM

 
Great article -- very well reasoned. In particular, I liked your analysis of Buffy and her reaction. I remember being on-line after Seeing Red in S6 and during S7 and being very upset by generalizations as to how Buffy should and should not act after the attempted rape. Not all persons react the same way to certain events and to expect them to, in my opinon, shows them great disrespect.

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Posted on 08/10/2006 at 5:08:00 PM

 
Well written article. However, the Luke/Laura rape took place on General Hospital in the 70s not All My Children in the 80s.

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Posted on 08/10/2006 at 4:08:00 PM

 
Thank you for reposting this well researched article, bringing in the context of the storyline and the controversies. (As to the balcony scene being discussed, she went to the balcony all on her own. She left when she chose to as well. In fact, Buffy made many choices throughout the seasons all on her own. She wasn't spineless or a perpetual victim. Nor was she a piece of Playdough. She was a character with a functioning brain and superpowers. It's rather misogynist when people ignore this fact and choose to view her as a poor little girl being led woefully astray rather than as a woman who made choices (good, bad, and indifferent) with varrying results and experiences.

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Posted on 08/10/2006 at 3:08:00 PM

 
I know many say balcony sex is bad, evil, but I'm in the crowd that says Spike is playing with her kinky side. Obviously, he's mistaken that she belongs in the dark, (or even that he does) and she thinks she came back wrong because she kind of likes doing these things with Spike... As Ramses in various essays has smartly pointed out, mysogynist Caleb calls slayers "Dirty girls, sluts, etc. Obviously, we aren't suppose to think he's an authority on women, but on old school perception of what makes a "good girl". When Buffy says no to Spike in the bathroom, she means it. Let's also note that no way did Spike blame her due to the nature of their previous sexual relationship. I know it's easy to say he was confused, but that's putting the blame on the victim and Fowler is right, we should never do that. In Spike's case, he IS a vampire, he has no moral compass, so I would look at this differently then if it were Giles or Xander because hey...Buffy kills vampires... After the

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Posted on 08/09/2006 at 11:08:00 AM

 
Thank you so much for going to the trouble of posting this point of view. It still amazes me that this story manages to generate so much interest after all these years. It was challenging and controversial storyline and because of that, it generates lots of passion and interest. There are lots of issues to be discussed... though it's never easy (even when one tries to make it easy or simpe. It isn't. It was a difficult, complex storyline). I think Whedon probably enjoys the controversy and having provoked such lingering debate. Thanks for tackling the complexity of a storyline and the controversy which is never easily summarized.

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Posted on 08/08/2006 at 6:08:00 PM

 
Excellent essay. The Buffy/Spike relationship was the most complex coupling in Jossverse and focusing only on the events of SR serves no useful purpose in breaking down the importance of the affair in terms of Buffy, Spike or the show as a whole.

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Posted on 08/08/2006 at 5:08:00 PM

 
I think your analysis is very sharp and balanced. "Buffy" is complex, controversial and extremely emotional show. It still evokes strong reaction three years after the ending of the show. I think your article is very timely and to-the-point.

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Posted on 08/08/2006 at 3:08:00 PM

 
Excellent points here, especially the mention of the "breaking down" of the plot to make specific, biased viewpoints more morally superior to other less "chosen" perspectives. Thanks for writing.

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Posted on 08/08/2006 at 2:08:00 PM

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