I wouldn’t fundamentally disagree with a word you say about Buffy’s actions in Becoming II. Where a lesser person might have hesitated (and she does hesitate in Innocence when the stakes seem lower and the possibility that the curse be re-instated still exists) she does what she has to do without holding back and with considerable grace. I suppose the argument I was trying to make relates more to adolescent perception of lack of agency. The story is told with a great sense of tragic inevitability, so that although rationally the situation does require a choice it doesn’t, for me watching, feel that way.
In relation to The Gift I think the point about false dichotomies may apply. In both cases the choices appear to be kill your child/lover or let the world die in agony but in both cases there is a third option, which is to let your child/lover choose to sacrifice themselves. We see Dawn being prepared to do this but we’re not actually shown Angel signaling with his eyes (although I had no doubt he would have done).
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branchandroot
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Date: 2005-07-20 05:29 am (UTC)I wouldn’t fundamentally disagree with a word you say about Buffy’s actions in Becoming II. Where a lesser person might have hesitated (and she does hesitate in Innocence when the stakes seem lower and the possibility that the curse be re-instated still exists) she does what she has to do without holding back and with considerable grace. I suppose the argument I was trying to make relates more to adolescent perception of lack of agency. The story is told with a great sense of tragic inevitability, so that although rationally the situation does require a choice it doesn’t, for me watching, feel that way.
In relation to The Gift I think the point about false dichotomies may apply. In both cases the choices appear to be kill your child/lover or let the world die in agony but in both cases there is a third option, which is to let your child/lover choose to sacrifice themselves. We see Dawn being prepared to do this but we’re not actually shown Angel signaling with his eyes (although I had no doubt he would have done).