I have been watching both "BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER" and "CHARMED" for many years, now. In many ways, I found "BUFFY" much superior to "CHARMED". Both the series' acting and writing was much superior to the latter. Even better, the series' characters "“ especially Buffy Summers "“ managed to develop a more ambiguous outlook on morality over the years, in compare to the older Halliwell sisters. But if there is one major flaw that "BUFFY" shared with "CHARMED" - at least in my eyes "“ is this ridiculous viewpoint that the series' main heroine was duty bound to protect the public from the supernatural evil, due to her special powers.
How did Buffy Summers become a vampire (and demon) slayer? Apparently, she had been born with the supernatural strength of a Slayer, due to a spell cast by three African shamans. These three men decided they needed a hero/heroine - a weapon - that would slay vampires and other demons for them and their community. And to ensure control over this weapon, they picked a young female and cast a spell upon her, infusing her with a demonic essence. In other words, the Slayer line was nothing more than a method of coercion to force young girls and woman to fight supernatural evil for them . . . and later, the Watcher's Council. These men also figured that with the Slayers being young and female would guarantee that they will always have control of the Slayer line.
Many would point out that Buffy has learned to attain some sense of individuality and freedom from her previous authority figures. They would point out Buffy's estrangement from the Watcher's Council in mid-Season 3 and her rejection of Rupert Giles as her personal Watcher in late Season 7 as examples. Granted, these fans would have a point. But I can also think of one or two examples of how Buffy had allowed her belief that she had no choice but to be the Slayer, rule her life.
A prime example occurred in the Season 3 episode, "Choices", when she had received a notice of acceptance from Northwestern University in the Chicago area. Buffy and her friends came to the conclusion that she had no choice, but to turn down the offer and continue her education in Sunnydale. Why? As the Slayer, she had to remain in Sunnydale in order to protect its citizens from the effects of the Hellmouth. Joss Whedon might be a first-class television writer and producer, but I found his reasoning for forcing Buffy to reject the Northwestern offer and remain in Sunnydale as one of the biggest pile of horseshit I have ever come across in television. This explanation made no sense to me. Of course Buffy had a choice. There was no rule that she had to remain in Sunnydale to continue her Slayer duties. Demons and vampires did not exist only in Sunnydale. Hell, Buffy had become a Slayer in another city - namely Los Angeles. Fans might point out the numerous apocalypses that have sprung up over the years in Sunnydale. Again, this struck me as another example of contrived writing on Whedon's part. Were the viewers really expected to believe that apocalypses only appeared in Sunnydale, California? Especially since the series had established there were Hellmouths in other locations around the world "“ including Cleveland, Ohio? I think that the only reason Buffy had decided to remain a Slayer in Sunnydale was her belief that she had no choice but to stay, due to her Slayer powers. She wasn't really making choices. She was allowing her belief that she had no choice but to remain, guide her decisions. And to me, it seems that her reasoning for remaining a Slayer is tainted by her view of "duty". It comes off as cold to me.
In the Season 7 finale, Buffy came up with a scheme that she believed would help defeat the efforts of the First Evil. She convinced Willow to cast a spell "“ using a magical Slayer Scythe that she had managed to acquire in a previous episode "“ to change the Slayer line originally set by the African shamans. Instead of one Slayer manifesting one at a time, the spell allowed all of the Potentials "“ adolescent girls and young women within the Slayer line "“ to become Slayers at the same time. Why did Buffy simply allow Willow to use the scythe to end the Slayer line once and for all? Buffy and Willow could have put an end to a system that originated with psychic rape and sexism. And all of those young females would have been spared the violent and potentially short life of a Slayer. Because she had set this plan in motion, Buffy became the global leader of the Slayers. Despite her dislike of being a Slayer, she remained trapped in this lifestyle.
Personally, I believe that Buffy was an idiot for remaining in a profession that she obviously disliked. Second, I believe that she was a bigger idiot for allowing Merrick and later, Giles, to talk her into assuming Slayer duties in the first place. If she did not want to become a Slayer, she should have refrained from accepting the role. Three, even when she detached herself from the Watchers Council, she continued acting as Slayer, because she rather stupidly believed that she had no choice in the matter. I found it amazing that although no longer in her life, the Watchers Council continued to exert a strong influence over her.
The idea of a person with super or magical abilities acting as the protector/savior of the public seemed to have its origins in comic book superheroes. As much as I find these stories entertaining, I realize that I am fast developing a deep contempt for them. It is one thing to choose to become involved in a lifestyle that turns you into some kind of cop with special powers. It is another to allow someone to coerce you into that situation, because you have special powers. The idea that someone is duty-bound to act like some supernatural cop just because he or she possesses special powers strikes me as RIDICULOUS. Even worse, it seems like coercing someone into a dangerous lifestyle or profession against his or her will. For me, it compatible with the military draft. How can anyone in their right mind support such an idea?
As for Buffy, will she spend the rest of her life swallowing the belief that she has no choice but to continue her "duties" as a Slayer? Will she come to enjoy being a Slayer? Or will her story end with her finally having the guts to act upon her dislike of Slayer duties and try to make a life for herself? I guess only Joss Whedon knows the answer to that question.
I think at the beginning, it was all about duty, but it progressively became Buffy's choice.
I see Becoming, Anne, Helpless and Choices as important points of Buffy's change of mind.
In
Becoming, it's the peak of the duty, the burden. Buffy had to sacrifice all her life to the Slayering. She'd got suspended at school, had her friends injured, had a strong fight with her mum, and on top of that, she
had to kill Angel. I think it's pretty obvious she wouldn't have chosen any of those, it just happened to her because she was the Slayer. She tried to run away from this live.
Which brings us to
Anne. She ran away and lives a truly miserable life, but demon-free. Til the day Lily comes to her. Bummer, evil is everywhere! No matter how far you run, evil will always be there, surround you. And you, Buffy, have the strength to stop it. So, what will you chose? Living your life blind from evil, or facing it?
In the end, she's given the choice to become no one and to be tamed by evil. But she stands up. I think in that episode, she really realize she can't flee from evil. I don't think she really embraces her power yet, but she realizes that no matter where she goes, she'll always have to fight. Her help will always be needed.
So we're still in the duty part.
Then, in
Helpless, Buffy's power is taken away from her. She becomes a normal girl, nothing more. And she hates it. She feels helpless (hence the titel), vulnerable. She has to face what it is like to be a mere girl. And she can't put up with it. She realizes that her Slayer power is a gift and a burden. It's a burden because it is the consequence of male domination. But it is a gift because it makes her
strong.
It's a burden as long as she slays for the Council, because she's still dominated. And what the Council put her through was harsh, dangerous, archaic, and completely crazy.
She starts rebelling against the Council, but not quite completely, but I think at that point, she starts embracing her Slayerness.
Finally, in
Choices, she chooses to stay in Sunnydale because that's where the Hellmouth is. She could have gone to the other college, where she would have had to face demons as well. But she choosed to stay in Sunnydale. I don't think she could have leave her mum and friends in Sunnydale, exposed to danger, while she had the power to protect them. She stayed and choosed
that life. At that point, I don't think she gives a crap about duty, about what the Council expects from her. She stays because she
wants to. She knows she can protect people, and she wants to. I don't think it's possible for her to know she has the power to help people and not using it. Doing so, she helps people who don't have the same "luck" as she have to be powerful. She's been helpless once, she knows how hard it is and if she has the power to prevent people from being helpless like she was, she will use it of course. It's not about duty, it's about knowing what it's like to be a victim and understanding how lucky she is to be able to 100% take care of herself.
She decides to offer people what they don't have, that thing she has: power.
As for the
Scythe-thing, I always have loved this decision. I think she gave the opportunity to as much girls as possible to be strong. And I don't think she'll ever force any new Slayer to join her. She broke up her engagement to the Council because of that, she won't do the same as them. Thanks to Buffy, you don't have to be
the chosen one to be strong. It let the chance to more girls to be able to defend themselves and to never be helpless ever again. Of course, it is possible that a lot of new-Slayers will have the same difficulties to embrace that power, but I really think Buffy did those girls some good: they don't have to fight to obey, they fight if they want to and experience what it is like to be strong.
tl;dr: GO BUFFY!
