Faith

[Beck]

What do we all think about Faith, Rogue Slayer? Do you think she should be forgiven for her crimes? What did you think of her in general?

[Glenn]

Haaaaaawt. Thats my main thought on Faith.

Its a tough one. Many people who have murdered have repented and wanted to atone but we cant find it in ourselves to forgive them simply because we dont witness their rehabilitation. Faith we get to see her pain and guilt and what she does to regain herself, so its much easier to forgive her.

[Allan]

Yes.

The character was screwed up right from the beginning. Her jealousy of Buffy and her happy family didn't help matters.

The character's headstrong, loved the thrill of the hunt, and had violent tendencies, but underneath it all, she was a lost little girl looking for happiness. The Mayor took advantage of this, acted as a father figure, and used her for her own means.

Which really, only served to screw her up more.

I think the latter episodes of Buffy and Angel showed that Faith has been rehabilitated, and yes, she should be forgiven. Justice is supposed to be about rehabilitation, and anything more risks crossing the line into vengeance.

I love the character. She's my favourite addition to the Jossverse, and is incredibly complex. She's also the character that managed to break my heart over and over again, as she kept making the wrong move, until Angel finally got through to her.

In many ways, I see her as the Jossverse's Darth Vader. Corrupted into evil, but eventually seeing the light, and doing what she can to redeem herself.

[Bre]

I love her character. She brought up interesting aspects with the characters around her (Buffy/Angel, the Mayor, even the other scoobs). I think she should be forgiven, we know she's truly sorry. She's worked to help the side of good.

BUT Eliza Dushku's acting. I don't believe she's really Faith. So it's hard for me to really feel for the character as much as I want to.

[Allan]

Really, Bre?

I think Eliza's an amazing actress.

I thought Buffy and Faith swapping bodies in Who are You demonstrated this perfectly. SMG managed to do an enjoyable parody of Eliza, but Eliza really became SMG. It was flawless, and to me, it's a sign of great acting.

[Bre]

I dunno. She can do the emotional scenes rather well, but to me it's important for an actress to be believable even if they're having the simplest conversation, and I couldn't see that in her. I wish I could.

[Allan]

I did believe it. Maybe it's because Faith's a little "full on"?

[Bre]

No. That's not it at all. I thought the character was written just fine. And that's what I love about her character, that she is full on. I just didn't click with the actress. I try to look past it, so I don't totally look past season 3, and I do appreciate the season , I simply don't care for ED's acting.

[Beck]

I thought Eliza was amazing as Faith. To me, she is Faith.

[Allan]

Yeah. I really couldn't see Faith being played any differently, whatsoever.

[buffymanic]

yeh I'd agree Eliza is fantastic and I've seen her in a few films and tv shows and every time I buy into the character that she's portraying so to me she did an excellent job with Faith.

As for the character herself, she is very much loved! I love the sass and the spark, I love her more emotional side brought out by Robin and I thought that given time she would have made a great leader. In fact thats how I'm hoping Joss is going to write her in the comic

[Allan]

Yeah, she definitely showed the beginnings of a great leader.

And really, she's seen anarchy from the wrong side, which gave her a sense of perspective that Buffy never really had.

[buffymanic]

plus I think she'd be more willing to do some of the more questioning things that a leader sometime has to do, say for example killing Ben in order to kill Glory. Giles got what needed to be done and I think Faith would have too

[Allan]

Yeah, definitely. I think it'd be more "brains" and less "heart".

And I'm waiting for someone to misinterpret that, and tell me how much smarter Buffy is

[Luke]

Faith was a brill slayer.
I tihnk shes what made season 3. The rouge slayer was a great idea.

I think Faith will be forgivin for her crimes but i dont tihnk she will forgive her slef.

I think shes just going to carry one saving people and still be in redemption. She will never forgive her self for what she has done but i tihnk others will.

[Bre]

batmite79 said:

Yeah, definitely. I think it'd be more "brains" and less "heart".

And I'm waiting for someone to misinterpret that, and tell me how much smarter Buffy is

You don't think Buffy was smarter than Faith?

[Allan]

Nope!

It's more that when it comes down to the heat of battle, Faith would be more inclined to do the dirty jobs, while Buffy would take it too personally.

[buffymanic]

absolutely, especially if she had developed a connection with them like she did with Ben. I don't think there's much in this world that would deter Faith from taking the hard line in defeating a big bad

[Allan]

That's exactly what I think.

I was also thinking about the Angelus situation. I think if Faith was in Buffy's situation, she would have gone straight after him way sooner, and blocked out her feelings for him.

[buffymanic]

Ah yes good point but I don't think she could have killed him outright because I remember in Season 4 of Angel she was more concerned with capturing him rather than killing him