Clichés/Tropes

[Puppet]

As this thread doesn't just involve Whedonverse characters, I thought it belonged here. If it doesn't, feel free to let me know or move it, if you're a staff member 🙂

I was wondering, based on your favorite character(s) from Buffy (or other Whedonesque shows), and compared to your favorite character(s) from other shows and movies, do you find that you prefer a certain cliché/trope type character? Or do your likes differ from all ends of the spectrum?

I've recently been giving it some thought, and have realized that I'm a bit of a sucker for the tired old trope known as 'bad boy with a heart of gold'. Granted, the ones I like have a lot more going for them than just that, but that's how they'd be viewed through outsider lenses.

Examples include; Spike (BtVS), Dean Winchester (Supernatural), Cole Turner (Charmed), Sylar (Heroes), and so on.

Thoughts?

 

[Last Watcher]

Hmmmmmmmmm?
Faith (Buffy/Angel), Echo (Dollhouse), May (Agents of Shield), Claudia (Warehouse 13), Hayley Shipton (Castle), Jo Lupo (Eureka).............

No, I don't think I go for a certain type at all..........🙄😎😛

 

[Puppet]

Hayley Shipton (Castle)

What is this Castle you speak of? I know of only one show with that name and don't remember a character with this name, so it's obviously a different one...

 

[Last Watcher]

@Puppet
Castle.....Nathan Fillion & Stana Katic......... Hayley was the Kick-ass British agent that became (very) friendly with Alexis in the last season.....played by the lovely Norwegian/Nigerian actress Toks Olagundoye..... 🙂

 

[Puppet]

@Puppet
Castle.....Nathan Fillion & Stana Katic......... Hayley was the Kick-ass British agent that became (very) friendly with Alexis in the last season.....played by the lovely Norwegian/Nigerian actress Toks Olagundoye..... 🙂

Damn, well that explains it, haven't seen the last season more than once, lol. Castle is my favorite cop-show (granted, I only like two) and yet I forgot about this, apparently important and memorable, character. Shame on me...

 

[Fool for Buffy]

Well I always like gorgeous girls with superpowers. Is that a cliche or just common sense?

 

[Puppet]

Well I always like gorgeous girls with superpowers. Is that a cliche or just common sense?

Probably a bit of both, I'd say 😀

 

[thrasherpix]

I don't know if it's a trope with a name, so I'll call it the "Breakfast Club" trope. I like it when characters from radically different backgrounds and ways of looking at the world manage to come together, form close bonds (with many bumps along the road, of course), and end up close against the odds (even if there are times they roll their eyes at each other). Firefly is really good with that. Heck, I think that's what I like best about the X-Files (how different Dana and Fox are, but how close they get--not a ship thing, mind you, it's that "Breakfast Club" element I like, even if in this case it's primarily just two characters). And in the X-Files, it includes how they elevate each other (that is make each other better) rather than alienate each other or tear each other down, and I like that, too.

 

[Puppet]

I don't know if it's a trope with a name, so I'll call it the "Breakfast Club" trope. I like it when characters from radically different backgrounds and ways of looking at the world manage to come together, form close bonds (with many bumps along the road, of course), and end up close against the odds (even if there are times they roll their eyes at each other). Firefly is really good with that. Heck, I think that's what I like best about the X-Files (how different Dana and Fox are, but how close they get--not a ship thing, mind you, it's that "Breakfast Club" element I like, even if in this case it's primarily just two characters).

The ensemble one is fun, but I haven't seen it terribly often. But the two people who are completely opposites and yet bond in a brilliant friendship (preferably not romance) is indeed a fun one, I enjoy that one, too.

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

I like to think of Spike as a an example of the romantic hero trope. Frankenstein's creature is probably the character from romantic fiction he is most similar to. Romantic fiction is probably my favourite literary genre. Some people may be turned off by silly words like "effulgent". Not me. I find it powerful, inspiring and uncompromising.

Many characters on the show actually subvert their tropes. The most obvious examples are Willow and Cordelia.

 

[Taake]

and have realized that I'm a bit of a sucker for the tired old trope known as 'bad boy with a heart of gold'.

I've realized that this is the trope I literally can't stand
Spike, can't stand. Cole (Charmed), can't stand. Julian (Forbidden Game books), can't stand, Damon (Vampire Diaries), can't stand. Christian Grey (50 shades), can't stand. Gale (Hunger Games), can't stand...
I do like Dean Winchester though, but I wouldn't put him into that category.

A favorite trope of mine, for whatever reason, tends to be the Madwoman in the attic (Madwoman in the Attic - TV Tropes) not sure there's a good Buffyverse one that relates to that...
Another favorite, are Good Bad Girls (in trope land that's basically good girls who aren't chaste) that's honestly pretty much all the women in the Buffyverse after a point, lol, but I'll use Faith and Buffy as specific examples. I also love Femme Fatales, Lilah is a bit of a femme fatale.

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

Madwoman in the attic

I have the book, often quote it in my work, and sometimes pretend like I heave read it, but it is reaaallly long. Good stuff, though.

 

[sosa lola]

I've always loved underdog characters, especially when they remain underdogs and never get recognized for their worth. I'm also more into the boyish good looks, the cute and not the classic handsome.

My underdogs are: Xander (BtVS) Chandler (Friends) Sue (The Middle) Eric (That 70s Sh0w)

Emily is my favorite from Gilmore Girls, but I don't know if I'd call her an underdog.

 

[Bluebird]

I'm with @Taake on the bad boy trope. I can't stand it either - it comes off as clownish, in the same way as overt displays to 'prove' masculinity is clownish to me. Embarrassing, toxic, disingenuous.

The popularity of Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey, and the implication that stalking is romantic, is proper weird. I wonder if young girls now aspire to have these kind of relationships, or believe it's normal. Wish young girls knew they were worth more than a relationship with a man.

 

[Puppet]

The popularity of Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey, and the implication that stalking is romantic, is proper weird. I wonder if young girls now aspire to have these kind of relationships, or believe it's normal. Wish young girls knew they were worth more than a relationship with a man.

I could not agree with you more on this and hope you didn't mention it in connection with the top paragraph of your post. I may have discovered recently that I tend to favor characters that fall under a certain trope, but in no way would I ever want anyone to believe that stalking is romantic, regardless of circumstances or reasons. Twilight (and subsequent novels, movies and TV shows) have ruined many things and I can only hope that such things as Buffy is strong enough to push the right ideals to the people that need them the most.

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

Well, I am not with Taake. There are bad boys and there are bad boys. Spike's appeal lies in his androgyny, vulnerability and the strength of his emotions. Comparing him to emotionally stunted characters like Christian Grey - didn't see the movie, didn't read the book - makes no sense to me.

 

[Bluebird]

I could not agree with you more on this and hope you didn't mention it in connection with the top paragraph of your post. I may have discovered recently that I tend to favor characters that fall under a certain trope, but in no way would I ever want anyone to believe that stalking is romantic, regardless of circumstances or reasons. Twilight (and subsequent novels, movies and TV shows) have ruined many things and I can only hope that such things as Buffy is strong enough to push the right ideals to the people that need them the most.

Oh no I definitely see it as a different trope, I just don't know what you'd call it. The Twilight Effect! Tbf to Spike, his creeper behaviour was never portrayed as romantic in the text. He was doing the reformed bad boy shtick, which doesn't work for me either.


It's cool, I'm not comparing Spike to 50 Shades, I was just adding another trope.
 

Well, I am not with Taake. There are bad boys and there are bad boys. Spike's appeal lies in his androgyny, vulnerability and the strength of his emotions. Comparing him to emotionally stunted characters like Christian Grey - didn't see the movie, didn't read the book - makes no sense to me.

You should be with Taake, even if just to push her aside for dog cuddles!

 

[Puppet]

Oh no I definitely see it as a different trope, I just don't know what you'd call it. The Twilight Effect! Tbf to Spike, his creeper behaviour was never portrayed as romantic in the text. He was doing the reformed bad boy shtick, which doesn't work for me either.


It's cool, I'm not comparing Spike to 50 Shades, I was just adding another trope.

I figured as much, but wanted to make sure, lol, gotta do what I can to protect my poor 'bad boy with heart of gold' men. Tbh, I hate the trope itself and, as mentioned earlier, only realized recently that I tend to gravitate towards it. I wonder why, though, as no one in my actual life has ever fit that profile...huh.

 

[Bluebird]

I figured as much, but wanted to make sure, lol, gotta do what I can to protect my poor 'bad boy with heart of gold' men. Tbh, I hate the trope itself and, as mentioned earlier, only realized recently that I tend to gravitate towards it. I wonder why, though, as no one in my actual life has ever fit that profile...huh.

Maybe experiencing the real life version would turn you off to the trope. Makes sense that people have an aversion to it for personal reasons. It's interesting how people interpret art through experience.

 

[Puppet]

Maybe experiencing the real life version would turn you off to the trope. Makes sense that people have an aversion to it for personal reasons. It's interesting how people interpret art through experience.

Definitely agree with you there. I also think it could have a lot to do with the reasons why I only recently realized this about myself. Which is that the characters I love that fit the trope, also don't fit it completely. There is something about each of them that, for me, stands outside the bad boy trope...maybe that's a part of it?