Faith/Buffy/Angel

[caritas08]

I think when Faith meets Buffy she is internally excited to have someone like her. Buffy is the closest thing Faith has had to family or a friend. Despite Faith's "devil may care" attitude I think Faith gets very attached to Buffy very quickly.

However, when Faith finds out about Angel's existence, and especially that he is alive and Buffy has been hiding him from everyone, those walls Faith has immediately go up and she begins to resent Buffy. I had a very close friend who I had stood by and supported for years basically cast me off for a guy she had only dated for a month. Things turned out alright but the betrayal of it really stung at the time and I definitely think this is what Faith was feeling. Not that Buffy cast Faith off, but Faith feels that she did. She is afraid Buffy will throw her under the bus for Angel if it comes down to it. (Not a fun feeling if you have a friend who is dating a dangerous person) I think this is what leads to Faith's isolation from Buffy and the Scoobies pre Mayor. She doesn't feel like they've truly got her back, so she works with them but she holds them at arms length.

Everything that happens after, the killing of the deputy Mayor, Faith's betrayal, This Year's Girl, attempting to kill Xander etc. further cement Faith's distance from Buffy, but in my opinion, it started with Angel and Buffy choosing Angel over Faith (in Faith's eyes).

What is ironic, is Angel ends up being the best friend Faith could have. She actually ends up growing closer to him than she ever was (or even had the potential to be) with Buffy. I just think it's kind of interesting that the closest thing Faith's ever had to family (besides the Mayor) is initially what isolated her from Buffy.

Thoughts?

 

[Kean]

I don't think Buffy so much chose Angel over Faith, it was never either/or, but that Buffy had Angel. That she had all these connections before Faith. That Faith wasn't part of at all. Could never be part of because she wasn't there.

If you look at Revelations, at the top of the episode we see Faith and Buffy walking through the street. Faith is being honest and telling Buffy her past, seeking to create a bond, a friendship with Buffy. But Buffy is distracted, and unwilling to share her stories, her confusion, or anything really, with Faith. I think Faith came to Sunnydale looking for bonds, for roots. For a family. And it was just unfortunate that she came at a time when Buffy couldn't offer her that.

Faith wanted someone, anyone, who would be loyal to her first, some she could be loyal to. She couldn't accept not having that with Buffy and the Scoobies. She needed it right at that moment in time. And that is exactly what the Mayor gave her. And she him.

It's sad that it ended up the way it did. But while Faith was desperately trying to find something real, Buffy was in no position to offer it to her.

 

[caritas08]

I agree that Buffy didn't choose Angel over Faith but do you think that maybe Faith sees it that way?

Buffy gets into a physical fight with Faith over Angel in Revelations. From Faith's point of view (not that Faith is right) her new friend, that as you said she opened up to, is fighting with her over a vampire boyfriend.

I don't think Faith was initially jealous that Buffy had someone like Angel in her life. I think she felt betrayed that Angel meant more to Buffy than Faith did (from Faith's perspective).

 

[Marisa]

I kind of agree with this but I think that Faith always liked Angel more in a way once she met him. I think Angel overall is an easier person to connect with than Buffy. He himself has been through so much so he is willing to help others. Buffy when Faith first comes sees how much everyone likes her and feels jealous that was problem number one I feel. I do think Faith resented Buffy for her lies but I think it was much deeper than that. I think she resented the fact that Buffy could lie to the people she loved and get away with it in Faith's eyes. They all are so quick to forgive Buffy it is like Buffy is number one. She even says who do I always hear about? Buffy. Jealousy was the problem on both girls parts really to me. It is sad because they could have been close but yes it is kind of ironic that some of the problem is who ended up helping and being close with Faith.