Zeonprime
IreneThe women of Buffy
July 5th 2009 06:30
Joss Whedon’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a ground-breaking television show for its genre-bending plots as well as its take on gender relations and feminism. In this post I present my completely subjective AND SPOILERY lists of the best and worst female characters from Buffy and the spinoff series Angel. (Although Angel doesn’t share the feminist perspective, many characters appear in both series, and both take place in the same universe.)
The best
Cordelia Chase – She's probably the funniest, most dynamic character in the Buffyverse. Queen C is Sunnydale High royalty; in L.A., she becomes a true champion. She has, arguably, the most controversial Buffyverse storyline in Angel season 4. See also this article about Cordy's character development.
Willow Rosenberg – She wins hearts as a sweet quirky nerd before quickly gaining the skills and confidence to become an accomplished Wiccan. Her foray into dark magicks after Tara’s death notwithstanding, Willow continues to be an interesting and endearing character over the years.
Faith Lehane – My favourite slayer. Like Cordelia, Faith is a foil for Buffy. Buffy was brought up in a comfortable middle-class household; Faith grew up with little. Buffy has Giles; Faith finds a father figure in Mayor Wilkins. Buffy helps unleash Angelus; Faith helps Angel overcome him (the splendid Angel episodes, “Release” and “Orpheus”).
Buffy Summers – The original Slayer herself. She doesn’t make the wisest decisions (getting involved with a vampire...twice), but she’s tough, strong, and she even dies twice performing her Slayer duties.
Darla – She ultimately redeems herself when “impossible” pregnancy makes her feel love for the first time (as a vampire). She stakes herself in order to bring her child safely into the world. We know how well that turned out.
The middling
Drusilla – Loony but entertaining. She doesn’t have much to do except be clairvoyant and drive Spike crazy.
Jenny Calendar – Her romance with Giles is sweet; her death, harrowing. But her flakey New Age persona grated my last nerve.
Joyce Summers – Poor, long-suffering mother Joyce. She has a few great episodes before biting it in “The Body”.
Fred Burkle – Fred’s an adorable and slightly loopy science nerd. She dies and becomes the shell for Illyria, a once-powerful deity.
Kendra – She’s the disciplined and studious Slayer that Giles sometimes wishes he had, but she still learns a few things from Buffy.
The worst
Tara Maclay – She’s the shy, stuttering Wiccan for whom Willow falls. But hell-god Glory makes her babbling and crazy, and then she dies a meaningless death about a year later. What a waste.
Harmony Kendall – She goes from being a “Cordette” to a pretty pathetic vampire. Spike uses her for a bit and then she becomes a glorified secretary. Yikes.
Anya – She is a former vengeance demon (giving rise to one of Buffy’s best episodes, “The Wish”), but as a human she is attached to money, Xander, and the idea of marriage. I’m not saying that every female character on Buffy has to be empowered and independent, but Anya is like every stereotype about mercenary women rolled into one mouthy and irksome package.
Lilah Morgan – She takes control of W&H’s Special Projects division and seduces Wesley. And as their affair progresses, it seems that all it takes is Wesley’s rugged charm (?) to belie the femme fatale persona. As if! She is better as a ‘vicious bitch’.
Dawn Summers – Whine, whine, whine. Flounce, flounce, flounce. UGH. She's like the Wesley Crusher of the Buffyverse, but worse.
Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Faith (Eliza Dushku) in season 3 episode 'Enemies'.
The best
Cordelia Chase – She's probably the funniest, most dynamic character in the Buffyverse. Queen C is Sunnydale High royalty; in L.A., she becomes a true champion. She has, arguably, the most controversial Buffyverse storyline in Angel season 4. See also this article about Cordy's character development.
Willow Rosenberg – She wins hearts as a sweet quirky nerd before quickly gaining the skills and confidence to become an accomplished Wiccan. Her foray into dark magicks after Tara’s death notwithstanding, Willow continues to be an interesting and endearing character over the years.
Faith Lehane – My favourite slayer. Like Cordelia, Faith is a foil for Buffy. Buffy was brought up in a comfortable middle-class household; Faith grew up with little. Buffy has Giles; Faith finds a father figure in Mayor Wilkins. Buffy helps unleash Angelus; Faith helps Angel overcome him (the splendid Angel episodes, “Release” and “Orpheus”).
Buffy Summers – The original Slayer herself. She doesn’t make the wisest decisions (getting involved with a vampire...twice), but she’s tough, strong, and she even dies twice performing her Slayer duties.
Darla – She ultimately redeems herself when “impossible” pregnancy makes her feel love for the first time (as a vampire). She stakes herself in order to bring her child safely into the world. We know how well that turned out.
The middling
Drusilla – Loony but entertaining. She doesn’t have much to do except be clairvoyant and drive Spike crazy.
Jenny Calendar – Her romance with Giles is sweet; her death, harrowing. But her flakey New Age persona grated my last nerve.
Joyce Summers – Poor, long-suffering mother Joyce. She has a few great episodes before biting it in “The Body”.
Fred Burkle – Fred’s an adorable and slightly loopy science nerd. She dies and becomes the shell for Illyria, a once-powerful deity.
Kendra – She’s the disciplined and studious Slayer that Giles sometimes wishes he had, but she still learns a few things from Buffy.
The worst
Tara Maclay – She’s the shy, stuttering Wiccan for whom Willow falls. But hell-god Glory makes her babbling and crazy, and then she dies a meaningless death about a year later. What a waste.
Harmony Kendall – She goes from being a “Cordette” to a pretty pathetic vampire. Spike uses her for a bit and then she becomes a glorified secretary. Yikes.
Anya – She is a former vengeance demon (giving rise to one of Buffy’s best episodes, “The Wish”), but as a human she is attached to money, Xander, and the idea of marriage. I’m not saying that every female character on Buffy has to be empowered and independent, but Anya is like every stereotype about mercenary women rolled into one mouthy and irksome package.
Lilah Morgan – She takes control of W&H’s Special Projects division and seduces Wesley. And as their affair progresses, it seems that all it takes is Wesley’s rugged charm (?) to belie the femme fatale persona. As if! She is better as a ‘vicious bitch’.
Dawn Summers – Whine, whine, whine. Flounce, flounce, flounce. UGH. She's like the Wesley Crusher of the Buffyverse, but worse.
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