If Faith hadn’t been in a coma when the Mayor ascended

[Faded90]

This is something I’ve always been intrigued by. For the purposes of the discussion I’m going to pretend that Angel wasn’t poisoned and even though Buffy doesn’t get Faith’s advice from her dream she still goes with the same plan of the student army plus blowing up the school.





Obviously Faith wanted to be a part of something and thought she had a better chance of that with The Mayor, she then obviously grew to enjoy his fatherly side. But what happens when he ascends and reality kicks in that he’s no longer the kindly (to her anyway) man who buys her ice-e’s and suggests mini golf - instead he’s a giant demon snake who kills people in a very visceral way. Does she have a moment like in the church in Who Are You when she realises ‘because it’s wrong’? I’ve always thought that she’d have the mental break she had at the end of Who Are You and in 5x5 and go on a suicidal death wish earlier and try to tempt either Buffy or Angel (or both) to kill her. There’s a good chance she’d have lost herself in the initial adrenaline of the fight and enjoyed that part but I think she may have crumbled at the sight of who The Mayor truly was. In my heart I’d have loved a Magneto style ‘you betrayed me’ ‘no I betrayed them’ but I think that’s probably a bit too fanfiction for even my Faith loving heart 😂





In a lot of ways it was probably a good thing for her that she was in a coma and forced out of the situation

 

[DeadlyDuo]

Could the mayor shapeshift? If so, that would've saved a load of problems.

 

[Priceless]

I know this isn't what you meant, but in season 12 (the comics and I hope this isn't a spoiler) the mayor comes back as a huge snake demon, just as he was in season 3 and Faith joins with the scoobies to kill him. Her first words to him are 'You. You made me a murderer!' So I think there is every chance that Faith would have come to her senses sooner if she's been there are the ascension.

 

[Btvs fan]

This is something I’ve always been intrigued by. For the purposes of the discussion I’m going to pretend that Angel wasn’t poisoned and even though Buffy doesn’t get Faith’s advice from her dream she still goes with the same plan of the student army plus blowing up the school.





Obviously Faith wanted to be a part of something and thought she had a better chance of that with The Mayor, she then obviously grew to enjoy his fatherly side. But what happens when he ascends and reality kicks in that he’s no longer the kindly (to her anyway) man who buys her ice-e’s and suggests mini golf - instead he’s a giant demon snake who kills people in a very visceral way. Does she have a moment like in the church in Who Are You when she realises ‘because it’s wrong’? I’ve always thought that she’d have the mental break she had at the end of Who Are You and in 5x5 and go on a suicidal death wish earlier and try to tempt either Buffy or Angel (or both) to kill her. There’s a good chance she’d have lost herself in the initial adrenaline of the fight and enjoyed that part but I think she may have crumbled at the sight of who The Mayor truly was. In my heart I’d have loved a Magneto style ‘you betrayed me’ ‘no I betrayed them’ but I think that’s probably a bit too fanfiction for even my Faith loving heart 😂





In a lot of ways it was probably a good thing for her that she was in a coma and forced out of the situation

She was in the Coma because Joss said he didn't want to make Buffy a murderer by killing her.
Though tbh Im not sure the Mayor thought his plan through. So he's a big snake. Then what, does he just slither around until the US Air force bombs him 🤔

 

[Faded90]

Could the mayor shapeshift? If so, that would've saved a load of problems.

Definitely would have solved the problem but I never got the feeling he could go back to his human form as and when he pleased

 

[Athene]

I don't think Faith would be suicidal because I think that was a result of spending time in Buffy's body- and without that she wouldn't have the realisation about 'because it's wrong' at all.
I can see Buffy and Faith fighting and then stopping mid fight (kind of like in Revelations) to watch the Mayor grow into a snake and then Faith would probably run off or something.

 

[Faded90]

I know this isn't what you meant, but in season 12 (the comics and I hope this isn't a spoiler) the mayor comes back as a huge snake demon, just as he was in season 3 and Faith joins with the scoobies to kill him. Her first words to him are 'You. You made me a murderer!' So I think there is every chance that Faith would have come to her senses sooner if she's been there are the ascension.

I’ve always got the feeling seeing him in his demon form may have brought out the slayer within and maybes not necessarily fight him but brought out a ‘this is wrong’ realisation

 

[Faded90]

She was in the Coma because Joss said he didn't want to make Buffy a murderer by killing her.
Though tbh Im not sure the Mayor thought his plan through. So he's a big snake. Then what, does he just slither around until the US Air force bombs him 🤔

Yeah I’ve always thought it was a fairly ‘erm.... ok’ plan 😂 In fairness he does admit in This Years Girl in his tape that he expects to lose and be stopped at some point

 

[Btvs fan]

Yeah I’ve always thought it was a fairly ‘erm.... ok’ plan 😂 In fairness he does admit in This Years Girl in his tape that he expects to lose and be stopped at some point

Best scene in the whole episode imo.
Have you seen 5by5 and Sanctuary yet ?

 

[Faded90]

Best scene in the whole episode imo.
Have you seen 5by5 and Sanctuary yet ?

Oh yes I’ve seen both series lots of times. I’ve always preferred the This Years Girl/Who Are you combo to the Angel ones though

 

[Btvs fan]

Oh yes I’ve seen both series lots of times. I’ve always preferred the This Years Girl/Who Are you combo to the Angel ones though

Interesting , I think the fight scene in 5by5 was incredible and her begging Angel to kill her in the rain was incredible. Buffy is super bitch in Sanctuary though.

The writers also completely skipped over the fact Buffy committed attempted murder in TYG. Faith was simply psycho killer and Buffy was just hitting her whole making quips. Didn't love it ams listening to the commentary it could've even been worse.

I also hate the "she's this cleavegy slut bomb" line by Willow. Urgh so un Willowlike and blatantly sexist

 

[Faded90]

Interesting , I think the fight scene in 5by5 was incredible and her begging Angel to kill her in the rain was incredible. Buffy is super bitch in Sanctuary though

5x5 is great. I’ve always hated Sanctuary though, I find it such a wasted opportunity. It turns Faith into a plot device rather than her own character, it’s the episode she’s finally came back down to earth but we don’t get any real insight into her.
It’s just Angels usual redemption platitudes. The only time we get real insight in this episode is ironically when she talks about Buffy and their scene on the roof (I adore this scene!)

I’ve never thought Buffy was a bitch in this episode either though - other than the final scene which is a scene I find utterly bizarre and makes Buffy really weirdly OOC. I actually can’t bear Angel in this episode, he spends the entire episode dismissing Buffy and Wes’s pain and treats them like they’re the ones in the wrong. What about in S3 when Wes took Connor what if someone had dismissed his pain with a ‘oh you don’t know what Wes is going through’. Plus don’t get me started on Angels sanctimonious ‘not in my city’ rant

I’ve just always found Sanctury a hugely wasted opportunity for Faith’s character and considering we don’t see Faith for another few years (minus a small cameo) I just thought her character deserved a better closing of this part of her arc

 

[Btvs fan]

5x5 is great. I’ve always hated Sanctuary though, I find it such a wasted opportunity. It turns Faith into a plot device rather than her own character, it’s the episode she’s finally came back down to earth but we don’t get any real insight into her.
It’s just Angels usual redemption platitudes. The only time we get real insight in this episode is ironically when she talks about Buffy and their scene on the roof (I adore this scene!)

I’ve never thought Buffy was a bitch in this episode either though - other than the final scene which is a scene I find utterly bizarre and makes Buffy really weirdly OOC. I actually can’t bear Angel in this episode, he spends the entire episode dismissing Buffy and Wes’s pain and treats them like they’re the ones in the wrong. What about in S3 when Wes took Connor what if someone had dismissed his pain with a ‘oh you don’t know what Wes is going through’. Plus don’t get me started on Angels sanctimonious ‘not in my city’ rant

I’ve just always found Sanctury a hugely wasted opportunity for Faith’s character and considering we don’t see Faith for another few years (minus a small cameo) I just thought her character deserved a better closing of this part of her arc

I did wonder if she was going to show up for a larger role in Buffy S5 and Angel S2 since the cameo in Judgment is kind of strange being the only thing until Angel S4 and Buffy S7

 

[Faded90]

I did wonder if she was going to show up for a larger role in Buffy S5 and Angel S2 since the cameo in Judgment is kind of strange being the only thing until Angel S4 and Buffy S7

S6 of Buffy is when I’ve always wanted them to bring in Faith. She’d see Buffy’s pain in a way the others don’t I think. There is a LOT of similarities in S3 Faith and S6 Buffy (minus the killing of people and working with potential demons of course) and I think Faith could have really helped to pull her out of that better than anyone. Tis what fanfiction is for I suppose though