Is there fault with Dawn?
- Thread starter Buffy Summers
- Start date
Hale Caesar
Sunnydale Nerd
Buffy's jump didn't close the Hellmouth, which is what I was talking about. I wanted Dawn to jump because she had no other purpose, Buffy's purpose was to save the world. Even though it was Buffy's decision to jump I think things would have played out better for everyone if Dawn jumped
WakingNightmare
The Dandy Lions
Dawn was just a little kid. No-one expected her to take on that responsibility because she was just far too young.
If Dawn had jumped, things would have played out just as bad, or maybe even worse. Buffy would quit Slaying, forever. She said so herself and I don't doubt that she really meant it. Not only that, but that would be Buffy gone forever. Dawn was the only family Buffy had left, the one she cared about more than anyone in the world. If lost Dawn, she either end up clinically depressed or just go back into her catatonic state, like in the episode Weight of the World, or maybe even try and take her own life. It'd be like season six, forever.
*Shudders*
Honestly, I think she would've gotten over it. Hyperbolic statements are usually just that. Sounds harsh but grief does pass (though they might've wanted to 'fast forward' time in order to make Buffy coping more believable)
She got over heaven, she could eventually have coped with the loss of family. I actually believe she would've coped better with that (a lot of this rests on the context and quality of scripts of course) but I feel safe to say that I would have enjoyed seeing grieving Buffy a lot more than suicidal, depressed Buffy.
As for Dawn jumping... well, to me it really only makes sense that the portal would've ended with her. The Summer's blood bit to me always just seemed kind of silly.
(then for me that solution would've had the added bonus of no more Dawn.)
H
Hale Caesar
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Hale Caesar
Sunnydale Nerd
Yea, everything that Taake said.
Buffy would have gotten over it, she's smart enough to know life has to keep going on. She killed Angel and her mother died, Buffy is a smart character. The rest of the Scoobies are just as much family to Buffy as Dawn, the only difference is Dawn has the same blood. Trust me, Dawn jumping would have made things a lot better for everyone.
WakingNightmare
The Dandy Lions
And If Dawn had died a natural death, I'm sure Buffy would have moved on. That's grief, after all. But If Dawn was forced to sacrifice herself, that would make Buffy feel as though she had failed her. I'm not saying that it would have been Buffy's fault, but she'd feel as though it was anyway. Buffy has always had a tendency to blame herself when something goes wrong and I don't this case would be an exception. In Weight of the World, she blames herself for the fact that Dawn could die and even goes as far to say that she killed Dawn herself. If Dawn died it wouldn't just be grief, it would be guilt too.
Yes, Buffy did get over heaven, but that was because of Dawn as well. In the season six finale, Dawn is the reason Buffy keeps fighting and the reason she decides to live again.
Yes, Buffy did get over heaven, but that was because of Dawn as well. In the season six finale, Dawn is the reason Buffy keeps fighting and the reason she decides to live again.
Hale Caesar
Sunnydale Nerd
Buffy, at that point in the show is surrounded by an incredible support group. She's mature and intelligent beyond her age. She's had terrible things happen to her in her life already, and she got over it. Would she feel grief and guilt? Yes, but life goes on. And it wouldn't have been failure, Dawn would have died saving the world, what is a bigger honor than that? She would have been remembered as a hero and all the Scoobies would have mourned, but they knew the world is better place. And at the same time Buffy would still be around to defend Sunnydale, and all the messed up crap that happened in season 6 and 7 wouldn't have
Fusions2
Stark Industries Employee
Would you let a 14 year old jump in to something like that knowing you could have done it to save them from excruciating pain and still be able to live with yourself? I highly doubt it.
We have to remember that Dawn was still so young, nobody in their right mind would let someone like that bare that burden on their own. Dawn wasn't just The Key, she was Buffy's little sister. Buffy vowed to protect her, and to Buffy, Dawn was more than that. She even said "The monks made her out of me." I couldn't see Buffy getting over Dawns death so easily, if Dawn had jumped I'd imagine Buffy to be in the deepest grief possible. She would have felt so guilty for not being able to protect her. I definitely couldn't see Buffy going back to being a Slayer within a couple of months unless some huge abomination moved in to Sunnydale, or her sister being alive again.
It was right for Buffy to sacrifice herself for Dawn, I'm sure we'd all do it for someone we love dearly.
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WakingNightmare
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Skytteflickan88
Proud Spikette
I thought about this the other day, why she didn't try to jump, and I figured there's three alternatives;
She didn't try to jump becasue;
1. She knew Buffy had made up her mind and gave up. Fighting was pointless.
2. She was paralyzed and/or in schock. Tried to move, but couldn't.
3. She was too scared.
I think it's a combination of these three actually. The fourth would be that she simply didn't want to die and was happy to let Buffy do it. I don't believe that though.
I should re-watch the scene to be able to analyze better. And read all the pages in thie thread...
Would have been nice to see Dawn feel a bit guilty about it. She probably did, which probably partly why she acted less whiny in season 6 than season 5.
I do think that the writers didn't want Dawn to struggle and make a big deal about that, since the focus was suppose to be on Buffy's sacrifice and speech. but dawn taking a few steps to stop Buffy would have been a nice touch.
She didn't try to jump becasue;
1. She knew Buffy had made up her mind and gave up. Fighting was pointless.
2. She was paralyzed and/or in schock. Tried to move, but couldn't.
3. She was too scared.
I think it's a combination of these three actually. The fourth would be that she simply didn't want to die and was happy to let Buffy do it. I don't believe that though.
I should re-watch the scene to be able to analyze better. And read all the pages in thie thread...
Would have been nice to see Dawn feel a bit guilty about it. She probably did, which probably partly why she acted less whiny in season 6 than season 5.
I do think that the writers didn't want Dawn to struggle and make a big deal about that, since the focus was suppose to be on Buffy's sacrifice and speech. but dawn taking a few steps to stop Buffy would have been a nice touch.