Anti-Dawn Rant (Long)

[zobothehobo]

Yeah, I think if the acting was handled better, it wouldn't seem so much like she's whining all the time, but it's the way Michelle talks and acts, it was just terrible most of the time.

It's her voice. Her voice is like nails on a chalk board and it makes me want to punch her in her face.

 

[BuffyElevated]

Dawn gets such a bad rap and I really don't understand it.... Seriously, I thought she was pretty likeable, despite the whiny parts of her life in Season 5 and 6. But honestly, she had a lot to whine about. LOL

 

[zobothehobo]

My feelings about Dawn have changed a lot in this current later seasons watch I'm doing. She's whiny and annoying and selfish and thinks about almost no one but herself... but when she does think about someone else, when she's not whining, when she is using her brain and not doing something stupid... she's a likable character that I enjoy watching. She has her moments... few and far between but she has her moments. I still don't like her for the most part though

 

[Sommers Summers]

Look. I don't particularly like S5-6 Dawn. In fact, I hated S5-6 Dawn.

Yep, she was particularly terrible. Talk about les enfant terribles.
She was EVERYTHING Buffy wasn't, and then some.
She was basically "useless" and the epitome of "that brat of a younger sister".

But. One needs to keep in mind 3 things.

1. She's the only other person, apart from Xander, who isn't "empowered" at all. This in itself is a source of great frustration to Dawn, and causes her to be the "great unseen". No-one sees things from her point of view, it's always about Buffy, forever about Buffy. (Yes, I know, the title of the series is... BUFFY the Vampire Slayer, so it's supposed to be that way.)

2. She's also particularly unhappy with the fact that she's absolutely USELESS. It's not her fault, she can't do ANYTHING at all. It's an inferiority complex, and it's hardwired into her by S6, and lays dormant in S7 and S8. In fact, compared to all the characters, only Xander's lost more than her, all aspects covered.

3. She can't rely on anyone, long-term.
Tara died.
Willow estranges from the rest in S8.
Buffy's (almost) never there. Though Buffy's absence is understandable, it doesn't make for a good relationship.
The rest don't care about her, or treat her with kid gloves.

To quote:

Excuse me, she's been abandoned by about six parental figures. The girl has huge issues.'"

(Joss Whedon, responding to "Dawn is whiny" comments)

Or maybe this quote would make more sense:

DAWN: (voiceover) He [Xander] says I'm like a kid sister...

XANDER: (looking at the game board) Here comes the judge!

DAWN: (voiceover) ...but sometimes when he looks at me, I feel like he sees me as I am... as a woman.

And of course:

XANDER: Yeah. They're special, no doubt. The amazing thing is, not one of them will ever know, not even Buffy.

...

XANDER: They'll never know how tough it is, Dawnie, to be the one who isn't chosen. To live so near to the spotlight and never step in it. But I know. I see more than anybody realizes because nobody's watching me. I saw you last night. I see you working here today. You're not special. You're extraordinary. (stands, kisses her forehead, starts to walk out of the room)

DAWN: (tears welling in her eyes, calls after him) Maybe that's your power.

XANDER: What?

DAWN: Seeing. Knowing.

XANDER: Maybe it is.

Look, we've been seeing everything from Buffy's view.
It takes a non-empowered person to see another, to understand another.

(And besides, MY younger sister is WAY WORSE.) 😉

So, I'll say that, yes Dawn's really terrible at first, but does get better, way better than Buffy or Willow or anyone else, if only they didn't have powers.