Did Dawn have reason to complain?

[ticonderouga]

I am going to have to disagree how old is Dawn exactly? The who is me attitude is a teenager in general and some people still go through it into adulthood so that never really bugged me as much. I have not meet one teenager who didn't have some kind of identity crisis at one point in their life. Some hide it better than others.

I think you have a good point, she is at the age where most people begin to have an identity crises, add that to some grade A abandonment issues and you have a character who is understandably acting out in several ways, whining and the kleptomania being the two ways she acts out in the show. Also by the end of season 6 and into season 7, Dawn's whining has pretty much stopped, showing that she has grown a great deal in the space of that year. I've known people who whine a great deal more well into their 40's and never really do grow up.

 

[Mr Giles]

I think because she was bullid by buffy that she acted whiny, but no more than buffy.

 

[PassionBecoming]

Yes, but....I think of Buffy in S1 and Dawn in S5 and they are SO different and were the same age. Dawn was WAY more whiny and in a WAY more annoying way, IMO. Though the whole concept of Dawn character annoys me, so I think that's why she grates on me so much.

 

[Marisa]

Yes, but....I think of Buffy in S1 and Dawn in S5 and they are SO different and were the same age. Dawn was WAY more whiny and in a WAY more annoying way, IMO. Though the whole concept of Dawn character annoys me, so I think that's why she grates on me so much.

I always looked at it the opposite I find Buffy to be way more annoying. She had a lot to be thankful for but she never seemed to appreciate it enough. I think I feel bad for Dawn and that is why I don't hate her. I mean she isn't my favorite character but she is alright.

 

[woogirl]

I think she did. She lost her mother when she was only 14. Her sister had emotional problems, didn't care about Dawn for a while. I've got my moments when I think that nobody understands me and I'm 17 yrs old.
I was so sorry for her. I think that she should has more attention from sister and friends.

 

[kittenpoker]

oh man! I just wrote a really long post and then accidentally erased it...

essentially I love dawn. I think the character is great and I think michelle trachtenberg does an awesome job playing her (and I think she is absolutely beautiful, but that's neither here nor there)

teenagers (and I mean absolutely no offense to any here!!) tend to be overly emotional. It's not their fault... their brains are not fully developed yet and they don't have the emotional control or impulse control that adults (should) have...that, coupled with surging horomones makes life seem very dramatic

add to that that she just found out that her whole life has been a lie... that every memory she has was constructed.... that's gotta be really shattering and i'm sure the affects of knowing this are rippled...

she begins to accept that her life is still hers (made up or not) and it's real and then her mom dies then her sister...

she's beginning to adjust to that, taking comfort where she can (lying with the buffy bot at night) when suddenly her sister is brought back to life

and then she suspects that buffy doesn't want to be here and that maybe no one really wants her around...

all in all, yes, I think she has earned the right to complain.

 

[shadcat]

The problem with Dawn was that she ruined the memories of the first four seasons. The beloved main characters that built the series up until that point suddenly don't remember the way things happened. Where did Dawn fit into the story in all of those episodes..etc? That was the most irritating part for me when I watched season 5.

As to what she was doing the first four seasons....For me, I just put her in a closet below the staircase like Harry Potter so I can feel better. ;x

 

[Dagenspear]

She did in S5. Not in S6 though. She got her sis back and then she's suddenly pissy because she isn't paying enough attention to her (boo, freaking, hoo), and then because she wants to go back to heaven. DUH! Of course she'd rather go back to heaven. IT'S HEAVEN! And with her whining for whole episodes at a time, I'd off myself to get anywhere but near her. I was watching her complain, and all I could think was, 'Someone put this b**ch in her place! NOW!'

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

I kind of want to continue the "In season 5, yes. Season 6? No" line of thinking but I have to also think about the opening episode for Season 6. Her sister is back, Dawn was left out of the loop so here you are on a (let's say) Friday night and then BAM, dead relative comes back home.

Your ecstatic, confused, wondering if you're hallucinating. Who cares though? You're happy that the person you've missed for several months and who you thought was to never return just came back and is real in this moment. The first thing they say to you, looking you in the eyes, you being the only person in the room with them is "Is this hell?" Really? That wouldn't shake you guys up for a couple of months? That the first thing someone says who is supposed to love you is that your existence makes them think they're in hell.

Even if Buffy meant that what was going on outside was what made her think she was in hell, she kind of left that out of her question, so it's easy to see that Dawn would think Me = Hell. Especially after everything that happened because of her in season 5. She already thought she brought trouble and pain everywhere she went, and here Buffy is kind of confirming that in a big way for her.

So I can kind of see what Dawn wants to hang out with Buffy because "Yay, dead sister is back!" but I can also get why Dawn is like "No, sod off because you think that being near me is like being in hell." It was probably confusing for her as well.

 

[Dagenspear]

I kind of want to continue the "In season 5, yes. Season 6? No" line of thinking but I have to also think about the opening episode for Season 6. Her sister is back, Dawn was left out of the loop so here you are on a (let's say) Friday night and then BAM, dead relative comes back home.

Your ecstatic, confused, wondering if you're hallucinating. Who cares though? You're happy that the person you've missed for several months and who you thought was to never return just came back and is real in this moment. The first thing they say to you, looking you in the eyes, you being the only person in the room with them is "Is this hell?" Really? That wouldn't shake you guys up for a couple of months? That the first thing someone says who is supposed to love you is that your existence makes them think they're in hell.

Even if Buffy meant that what was going on outside was what made her think she was in hell, she kind of left that out of her question, so it's easy to see that Dawn would think Me = Hell. Especially after everything that happened because of her in season 5. She already thought she brought trouble and pain everywhere she went, and here Buffy is kind of confirming that in a big way for her.

So I can kind of see what Dawn wants to hang out with Buffy because "Yay, dead sister is back!" but I can also get why Dawn is like "No, sod off because you think that being near me is like being in hell." It was probably confusing for her as well.

Then she should be self pitying, not b**ching everyone out. It's truly pathetic.

 

[Deus Ex Machina]

Then she should be self pitying, not b**ching everyone out. It's truly pathetic.

I think she was self pitying, by stealing pretty things to make herself feel better. Then the wanting Buffy to hang out with her and accidentally locking everyone in the house with her. But the only thing people could think of was trying to get out of the house. So it kind of made Dawn feels unwanted again.

 

[Dagenspear]

I think she was self pitying, by stealing pretty things to make herself feel better. Then the wanting Buffy to hang out with her and accidentally locking everyone in the house with her. But the only thing people could think of was trying to get out of the house. So it kind of made Dawn feels unwanted again.

That's because she's a self absorbed little b**ch, who can think of nothing but herself. People have jobs, lives and relationships outside of you, ya know, Dawn! The whole damn world doesn't revolve around her whiny, b**chy self. But, nope, no, Dawn can't see that, because, well, No one wants to stay inside their whole lives, so it must be because she's there, right? And Buffy wants to turn herself in for murder, so, that too, must be because of her as well. Then Buffy's in a world where she's not the slayer and in a mental institution, and Dawn isn't there, because the only reason Dawn EXISTS is because Buffy IS the slayer, so, therefore, it must all be about because it's Buffy's IDEAL REALITY, right? Because Dawn isn't there, then it's not because she CAN'T be there, it's because Buffy deosn't want her there, right?! 😡 It must always be ALL ABOUT Dawn, right?! 😡

 

[FetalPig]

And with her whining for whole episodes at a time, I'd off myself to get anywhere but near her. I was watching her complain, and all I could think was, 'Someone put this b**ch in her place! NOW!'

Then she should be self pitying, not b**ching everyone out. It's truly pathetic.

because she's a self absorbed little b**ch, who can think of nothing but herself.

that's bitcah, to you!😛

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Am i imagining this or do the people who don't like Dawn complain a lot?

 

[caitaintdead]

Did Dawn have reason to complain? Yes.

Did Joss have a reason to torturously force me into watching her complain? No.

 

[Dagenspear]

that's bitcah, to you!😛

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Am i imagining this or do the people who don't like Dawn complain a lot?

I like Dawn... just not in season 6.

 

[caritas08]

Dawn did have reason to complain but I don't think she had reason to steal or never help with the housework. I think I find Dawn the least sympathetic when she sides with the others in kicking Buffy out of the house. What was that all about?

However, I do feel it was very selfish of Buffy and Willow (I'll let Xander and Anya off the hook a bit since they didn't live there and didn't really know what was going on) to put their own needs and issues above Dawn in Season 6. Neither of them were by any means responsible parents and although they were going through stuff they should have dealt with it, manned up and taken care of the orphaned fifteen year old. I also blame Giles for leaving big time. It was the worst possible time for him to leave (the gang was only twenty and needed an adult there). Tara was by far the best surrogate parent to Dawn even after she broke up with Willow.

 

[Dagenspear]

Oh! Thanks caritas08. You just reminded me of another 'I hate Dawn moment.' That little b**ch helped get Buffy kicked out of the group in season 7. I mean, What The F?!