“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, which had its run from 1997 to 2003, was a popular television series that broke many boundaries; one boundary being the line between the conventional portrayal of good and evil in popular media (in this case, Cult TV) during its time. The evolving storyline in the series strayed from depicting the conventional path of good or evil with its main (and minor) characters. In fact, it’s telling of the two natures was quite complex; but really hitting home (something that viewers could sort of relate to, I guess).
According to Braun (2000), the differentiation of ‘good’ and ‘evil’ develops unknowingly in one’s psyche over the years, starting right from the early stages of infancy; he infers this from the studies of psychoanalyst, Melanie Klein. Braun (2000) continues on to mention that our dependence or attachment to a maternal figure (and how they reciprocate) in the early stages of our lives is our first notion of what is ‘good’ and what is ‘bad’. As we grow up in a changing society, our notion of what is good and what isn’t is mentally engraved; therefore, it becomes quite a mainstream idea, especially when that one idea is depicted in all formats of media and/or literature. That ‘idea’ that we all grow up with tends to shape our morals.
So, what exactly does all this talk have to do with Buffy? Braun (2000) states that one of the main themes in the series is “moral inconsistency”; he further states that in Buffy’s world, “good and evil are ever-shifting qualities” (p.67). The ‘good’ and ‘evil’ that society has taught us to differentiate is not exactly applied in the series as the way we would naturally view it. For starters, Buffy is the main protagonist in the series; hence, the name of the show itself. She possesses the qualities that a hero would possess; courageous, strong-willed, a fighter, and everything-else-etc. What sets Buffy apart from the orthodox hero is her appearance. She’s a petite Blonde teenager who kicks a**! How unorthodox can one get? Being the protagonist automatically puts her in the ‘good’ category…..or so we expect. Buffy does sort of shift a ‘little’ bit. She’s a slayer who follows the rules, but the one thing that dips a toe of hers into the ‘bad’ category is her guilty pleasure of being romantically linked to the enemy; vampire(s), Angel (and occasionally, Spike). Buffy herself has her own views on what’s truly ‘evil’ or ‘good’, and Angel is a big factor in that. He is a major influence on her wavering morality, affecting her priorities as a slayer.
Another slayer from the (supposedly) ‘good’ side that I’d like to discuss is Faith Lehane. She, like Buffy, is a vampire slayer who is introduced later on in Season 3, being one of the (later) dwindling numbers of slayers left in the world. Even though heroes are not meant to have (or show) any ‘flaws’, Faith has more than her fair share. I think because of her flaws, viewers are intrigued by the anti-hero who is (at the end of the day) a teenage ‘human’ girl, and people can somewhat relate to that. I would describe Faith as Buffy’s complete opposite; her ‘alter ego’. Here, we’re shown a character that fights for the “good”, but doesn’t necessarily have “good” intentions 99.9% of the time. She’s troubled, damaged, and lonely; quite a complex character. Her rough upbringing is the complete opposite of Buffy’s, and it’s what has shaped her inability to make the ‘right’ decisions. This is where I previously mentioned what Braun stated about knowing what’s ‘right’ from ‘wrong’ during the early stages of our lives. Faith’s life reflects the path that Buffy may have taken had she not had the love and support from her friends and family.
A character from the “evil” side that tends to, on occasion, cross over to the “good” side, is Angel. He is Buffy’s lover and frenemy (friend and enemy, you get the gist). Angel himself has an “alter ego”; and you’d think that a vampire who is already (labelled) ‘bad’ in the series can’t possibly have an “alter ego” or a “bad side”. Due to a curse, Angel’s human soul is trapped in a vampiric (it’s not a word, is it?) body, and one moment of happiness would risk the return of his ‘alter ego’. As expected, it happens. Buffy becomes distraught over this and she starts questioning her morals; no thanks to Faith for making Buffy question herself in the first place. Well, my point is that in the series it’s never too late for a “baddie” to be a “goodie”. Spike, on the other hand, is different. I’m not going to delve into his character, but he is similar to Angel; he’s just more…….careless, I suppose.
What’s interesting about the show is that they’re not afraid to cross that boundary between “good” and “evil”. The two natures are “ever-shifting”, but that’s actually an interesting thing to see. Viewers are fascinated by that, probably because we all live a ‘flawed’ life; in any aspect of our lives, something is flawed. Another cool thing about this show is that the “good” may use “evil” and inhumane means to defeat vampires (and demons, etc.); for example, Willow and her witchcraft, and Buffy and her stake. “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” broke the traditional notion of good and evil, and that’s only one of the aspects of the show that made it so unique.
Braun, B. (2000). The x-files and buffy the vampire Slayer:
The ambiguity of evil in supernatural representations. Retrieved 18 October,
2005 from: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0412/is_2_28/ai_64688900
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