Character development-Season 6

[zobothehobo]

Season 6 was huge with character development... But I felt Dawn developed backwards. In season 5, she was a whiny little kid... but she was 14, had just found out her whole life was a lie, and just lost her mother. I can understand why she did all her whining and complaining. But in season 5 when she resurrected her mother, it was Dawn who tore the picture. I'm not sure Dawn season 6 would have torn the picture. Buffy came back from the grave and instead of thinking "how can I help her, I'm so happy to have her back" Dawn was thinking with the "little kid" mentality "Oh good, caretaker's back. How can she take care of me?" A 15 year old should be thinking "how can I help?" She helped more when her mother was sick. She didn't help much then, but she did ask Buffy a couple of times what she could do. In season 6, it was like she was the only one that mattered. It felt kind of like she was 9 or 10. I feel like this is really demonstrated in Tabla Rasa when the only time she acts like a teenager is when she's making fun of the name "Joan" and she and Buffy figure out they're sisters-but even that's pushing it.

 

[Taake]

Buffy came back from the grave and instead of thinking "how can I help her, I'm so happy to have her back" Dawn was thinking with the "little kid" mentality "Oh good, caretaker's back. How can she take care of me?" A 15 year old should be thinking "how can I help?"

I don't know, I really don't like the character of Dawn but I'd say that's a bit harsh. I mean she is a teenager and lets face it - there's been a lot dumped on her shoulders, with her mother's passing, constantly being put in mortal peril, finding out she's not even a 'real' person but some kind of key, not to mention having a Superhero sister she's always in the shadow of... is it that strange that Dawn got a little '"Look at me! Look at me!"?

I think that was just a natural reaction, trying to get Buffy's attention, which was - in all fairness - mostly on all things that weren't Dawn.

 

[zobothehobo]

I understand her being all "look at me." And I totally understand living in your sister's shadow, I've done it my whole life. But it seems to me that after that first night, Dawn seems pretty oblivious to the fact Buffy didn't just go on vacation. She died.

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

I don't like Dawn, but I don't agree with you. I don't think she developed backwards.. for me Buffy was the one who did that. Dawn is a big drama queen, but still, in season 6, she was still way to young to understand and accept some stuff, especially with the fact they presented her to us like a stuborn kid.