Do you strongly identify with any one character?

AnthonyCordova

AnthonyCordova

By suffering, learning
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Sineya
One of the great things I've noticed about Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and I am new, I'm working through the third season now, so of course I haven't started Angel yet, not until Buffy season 4) is that all of the characters seem real, and what I mean by that specifically is that they all are fully fleshed out and real human beings. As a result, I think most people can relate a little bit with every character, because they invoke our common humanity. It's the same way with real people in the real world; we generally find common ground with most people we meet, because of our shared humanity. Human experience is more the same than dissimilar.

With that being said, it of course is entirely possible to relate to one character more than the others, because they share even more in common with us, or because they share something more crucial to your own specific identity or experiences. So I'd like to ask you, do you strongly identify with any one particular character in the show?

I would have to say that I find myself relating to Angel most, surprising to say. Like Angel, I'm conflicted. I have a lot of feelings that sometimes I am not proud of, but they come back again and again. You could say they haunt me, in a way. I have a dark side. I don't have murderous thoughts, or anything that bad, but on the other hand, I have a lot of feelings and thoughts that I am not proud of, that I want to change. But like Angel, it isn't always easy....I have to always be constantly on guard and vigilant about those things sometimes, so that they don't overcome me and effect my relationships with other people. I kind of like (and of course, sympathize) with Angel for these reasons.

So what about you? Maybe we can keep it to Buffy season 1-3 characters, because I have yet to see the last 4 seasons...or maybe at least no big spoilers. Thanks.
 
Well, I guess I identify with Oz quite a lot (his sardonic-ness not the werewolf thing), he always seems to watching all the craziness in life unfold with, an ironic eye I guess.
I think, like him, that I'm the sane one and everyone else is just a little crazy (and all the better for it btw). 🙂

Also...Faith a little bit, growing up poor and being picked on, so you end up getting tough and not caring what anybody thinks, you just end up being yourself and to hell with anyone else.

That's about it.

Oh, and I identify with Angel and his hair. I like his hair. 😀
 
Wesley Pryce
Wesley Pryce
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Clem!

Sociable without going out of his way to actually attract friends... check

Found in the vicinity of junk food... check

Knows a little more than he lets on... check

Sense of humour as when he scared the potentials... check

Not all that successful at poker... check

And played by a guy (James Charles Leary) with an engineering degree... check
 
AnthonyCordova said:
So what about you? Maybe we can keep it to Buffy season 1-3 characters, because I have yet to see the last 4 seasons...or maybe at least no big spoilers. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Great question!

I identify with both Spike and Buffy, but in different ways.

I'd be hard to explain fully without giving spoilers, but I can discuss it on a superficial level.

I'm a lot like Spike. It took me a while to realize this, actually...and may explain why I am so drawn to him. He's impatient - like me - impulsive and crass. Yet, despite his tough exterior, he's easily hurt, incredibly vulnerable and wears his heart on his sleeve. I do that, too. He's fiercely loyal and when it comes it love, can be a bit crazy and do/say things he isn't proud of. That's me, in a nutshell.

There's a lot in Spike that I admire: his bravery, his fearlessness. But he's not perfect, and neither am I.

Spike is passionate, as am I.

As for Buffy, I can identify with her duality. She's feminine, yet fierce. She's not what meets the eye. She is complicated, and in her there are many layers. I like to think of myself as that way, too. She also attempts to live by her own truth, which I do as well.

Buffy always tries to do the right thing, but in the end she's only human, and that's hard for her to accept. She beats herself up for mistakes she's made and never really gives herself a break. She dreams about the past, and how it could have been different if she'd made a different chance. She is supremely hard on herself.

I can relate.

Both have incredible capacities to love fully, yet are damaged, as a result scared to love, and this I relate to in spades.
 
thetopher
thetopher
You nailed the Buffy character analysis!
Wesley Pryce
Wesley Pryce
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To answer this topic, yes I absolutely do! Because you aren't very far into the series, I'll keep it to s1-3 and no AtS characters 🙂

My top 3 picks would probably be Willow, Buffy and Faith.

For Willow, I can identify with most of her storylines. From the quirky highschool nerd story to her later seasons' story, I can appreciate and understand a lot of stuff she goes through.

Buffy. I feel like I love like Buffy loves, but her loneliness is also something I get. Plus I think we have a similar sense of humour, I love her dry sarcastic jokes! It's hard to say more without spoiling anything, but on top of the that, Buffy is not just someone that I can identify with, she's someone that I can look up too. She has her fault, but I think she's a great role model, and def helped to shape who I am today.

And finally Faith! Now this is the fun one, I already said that I was a bit of a nerd in highschool like Willow, well imagine a rebel nerd lol I have this crazy side to me, I love to have a good night out, act crazy, do a few things that I shouldn't be doing, maybe get in a brawl... everything that Faith would be doing on a Friday night! I love her chill personality, and at the same time, I get her rough upbringing and find her character to be incredibly deep.
 
i think i relate to Willow the most from the first few seasons. Because i make goofy jokes all the time, am very awkward, and had a similar situation where i liked someone who is a good friend. Except it was like reversed i being Willow and her being Xander, it was weird.
The other person i identify with is Oz, because im also quiet and very sarcastic and a guitarist
 
Wesley Pryce
Wesley Pryce
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I identify with Angel in a not small way, more so in BTVS than his own show (too much of David crept into his character for my liking.) I like the quiet, I like being solitary and I see people, see how they try, like Angel does. In other ways I want to be more like him: the way he fights, how he is never beaten down, and how courageous he is in opening himself up to people when he has so many reasons not to. He isn't cycnical, which given the circumstance of his entire life, is really amazing. I love that about him, that in being so hopeless in his own life, he can still be hopeful. I have enormous appreciation for his will and character.

I offset that with a sense of humour and... I don't want to say bossiness, but ok we'll go with it... of Cordelia.
 
R
Robb Stark
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Can't say that I do actually.
That's something I have never been able to do with any fictional characters really.

It seems that most people are able to find things in themselves that they can see in different characters.

But personally I just can't see it.
All characters I've ever seen are living a life very far from my life. Which is a good thing. It would be an extremely boring show otherwise.

Guess I could say that I can see a bit of Oz in me, because I didn't talked much back in school either or something.
But no, Oz is so different from me. He is this super cool guy that didn't need to say things to make an impression. I was just quiet...
If there had been a Marcie that didn't mind, or even preferred, being invisible by the other students I could perhaps have someone to identify myself with. 🙂

/SK
 
I would say I'm a bit like Willow and Oz. Smart, sarcastic, shy and self conscience. Although I always wanted to be more like Faith and be a sexy, badass with attitude.
 
Wesley Pryce
Wesley Pryce
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