Buffy Suicide Attempt?

I think that technically it was a bit of a suicide attempt. I mean, not like she was trying to kill herself, but more that she just let go and was like, "to heck with this" and just gave in because she didn't care anymore.

Also, I think she was a bit suicidal in Normal Again when she poured the drink/potiony-thing down the wastebasket (meaning she was willingly accepting going into a dream-state sort of life, instead of real life).
 
Interesting point, although I always thought that in Normal Again, she was really hoping that the mental hospital was real life.
 
Jacklyn said:
Interesting point, although I always thought that in Normal Again, she was really hoping that the mental hospital was real life.
Hm...maybe "suicidal" was too strong of a word. I guess what I was trying to say is that, she wanted so hard for any other life but her life...it just seems so negative/suicidal to me. To want something other than your own life...that would mean your old life would be no more...so it is kind of suicidal, to me at least.

I hope that made at least a little bit of sense, lol. It's too late for me to try to form my thoughts really well.
 
I don't really see Normal Again as a suicide attempt - it was the demon that caused her to lose sight of reality, but btwn the two realities it was a struggle as to which one was more 'real'. In a normal sitch what sounds more real - the whole slayer bit or a regular life? And of course being in the place that she was at the time, it makes sense for her to be drawn to the reality that is going to give her comfort and a safe, not so hard place to live in, environment - her mom was there and together with her dad - it's really her perfect reality.
So! lol. I don't think it was a suicide attempt as much as it was wanting to have a safe, happy place to be. Ya know - how when things are rough and terrible and you just wish you could be in a safe place without the problems that you have? That is what I'm trying to get at 🙂
 
Al_ said:
I think that technically it was a bit of a suicide attempt. I mean, not like she was trying to kill herself, but more that she just let go and was like, "to heck with this" and just gave in because she didn't care anymore.

Yeah, I agree. I don't think she wanted to die, she just didn't care if she did. So she just went with the flow.
 
I saw OMWF again a couple of days ago and I must say that I actually did interpret Buffy's dancing as a genuine suicide attempt. The look on her face, the theme of the song, the way she talked about heaven and the way Spike stops her do - to me - indicate that she was set on dying. It is cataclysmic in a way, considering how selfdestructive Buffy has been during the entire season.

But AI_ got a point about "going with the flow", I guess. She saw an opening, went with the flow and didn't care if she died or not. But the fact that Spike cuts it blurs the lines a bit, methinks - she seems totally aware of the fact that she was about to die and does look a bit shocked at the things Spike tells her.

Hmmm...I guess I have to see it again tonight.
 
I dont think she was dancing to kill herself (although it wasnt actually something i considered til you brought it up) but she didnt care if she died.
this was made obvious by what she said to Sweet. he said something about killing her and she said "trust me, wouldnt help"
so obviously she doesnt care!
 
wolf said:
this was made obvious by what she said to Sweet. he said something about killing her and she said "trust me, wouldnt help"
so obviously she doesnt care!

Hmm. I thought this was just a bit of witty bravado that would make Sweet think twice about what he was up to...I didn't get it as a "don't care if I live or not" kind of thing.


Pythagore said:
Hmmm...I guess I have to see it again tonight

Any excuse, eh?😉
 
killerdwarf said:
Hmm. I thought this was just a bit of witty bravado that would make Sweet think twice about what he was up to...I didn't get it as a "don't care if I live or not" kind of thing.

Yeah, I'm with you on this one. Seemed more like the typical Slayer-behaviour than any statement on what she was about to do. I think she was perfectly aware of the fact that she was going to die and danced away with that knowledge in mind. The theme of the entire song seems to be "give me a reason <i>not</i> to kill myself", something Spike gives her at the end.

killerdwarf said:
Any excuse, eh?😉

Of course. 😉
 
After reading all of the posts and in the interesting comments, I'm torn. I was originally thinking that Buffy did not intend to kill herself, she went of course to the Bronze to save Dawn and got caught up in her song, complete with dance number. Sweet gives her a knowing look after she sings to him, which causes her to flip off the stage and start dancing. Sort of like he made her do it.

But I was thinking about how Spike reacted to her dancing. He caught her, stopped her, and sang to her about staying alive. He told her that life is all about living and how you deal with it. Then Dawn reminded Buffy about the hardest thing in life is living. So, I think that the Scoobs were interpreting her actions as suicidal, because of their reaction to it.

Does this make sense? I'm still not sure, but I've got ideas on both accounts.
 
I don't see Buffy as the type to give up even if she was coming from a happier place and she wanted to go back.... surely she knew she was going to be there again someday....

Interesting concept.
 
but that was the entire point. even though shes like that, being brought back from heaven into sunnydale was just too much for her.
 
I'm not sure on this one. I don't believe that Buffy would have continued her song and dance numer as a suicide attempt. She would've had many more opportunities to kill herself, and I think that she would've taken them sooner.
 
wolf said:
I dont think she was dancing to kill herself (although it wasnt actually something i considered til you brought it up) but she didnt care if she died.
this was made obvious by what she said to Sweet. he said something about killing her and she said "trust me, wouldnt help"
so obviously she doesnt care!

I thought that too. I really think she didn't care whether she died or not. She was finding it really tough living back in the world and she was depressed. She didn't like fighting vamps and demons anymore. It made her weary. I don't think she started dancing to end it all but i think if spike hadn't stopped her she wouldn't have cared if she dance till she died.
 
W
Wicked
glad someone agrees :)
wolf said:
this was made obvious by what she said to Sweet. he said something about killing her and she said "trust me, wouldnt help"
so obviously she doesnt care!
I always thought when she said "Trust me, wouldn't help" she ment that her friends would just bring her back to life...
 
S
Spudd168
i always thought that too
I dont think she was beacuse she didnt know that was going to happen, she got caught up in the moment, and once she started dancing, she couldnt stop because Sweat had power over her.

But that line "Wouldn't Help" I always thought that was a snide comment at her freinds, before they knew, to show her bitterness.

I dont think she went to Sweat to die, she went to save Dawn, it was just that fact that if she did die she didnt care that much.
 
Even though I never considered it before reading this topic, I think it may have been a suicide attempt. Being pulled out of Heaven by her friends like that obviously had a very bad effect on her, and made her severely depressed. She must have been suicidal at one point, who wouldn't be? Afterall, she did try killing herself in 'Bargaining' even if she did think she was in Hell, which thinking back (correct me if i'm wrong) wasn't actually stated. I don't think she danced like she did on purpose, obviously that was Sweets influence. Although, he might have made her do it because he sensed the pain inside of her and knew she once wanted to die. Even if thats not true, I think she could have stopped it, but she didnt, because she just didn't care. I think Spike knew this, which is why he stopped her, and sang about living "You have to go on living"
 
I dont think so because she wanted to save Dawn, if she wanted to kill herself she could of done it any other way, also why would she make that deal at the beginning if she thought she was going to die. And also what about the whole song "I just want to live" at the beginning and then "What cant we face if we're together" Not songs a suicidal person would sing.
 
I don't think "I just wanna be alive" was meant literally. I think it's because she felt dead/numb inside, and she just wanted to feel something. And in the last song, Spike had obviously made her see sense.
 
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