Question What if Dawn had been Faiths sister, instead of Buffys?

[Sternbeeere]

When the monks of the dragon order made the Key human, they send it to the slayer, because they wanted the slayer to protect it. However, there actually were two slayers, Faith and Buffy. So what if the monks, maybe accidently, have sent Faith a sister. Would Faith, assuming that she is not in a coma, protect her sister as Buffy did and how would her sister be. Also what would have changed in Faiths story line?
My thoughts is that she would have stayed or become good again and would be even more protective of her sister, since she has not any other family.

 

[white avenger]

We're assuming here that Dawn being created would somehow bring Faith out of her coma, but with no knowledge initially of Glory or her plans, correct?

Given that her main driving priority would be to protect and defend her baby "sister," considering Faith's history with the Scoobies, I would see something like this happening...


Upon coming out of her coma, Faith would once again do what she did when she felt threatened by Kokistos, which would be to run away, hopefully in search of someone and someplace where she could keep Dawn safe. And, yes, I realize that she would have no knowledge of the coming threat from Glory, but she WOULD know that the people in Sunnydale were not her friends, and that the last conscious memory that she had of Buffy was having a fantasy dagger shoved into her belly. In addition to that, she's got a Watcher's Council wet team on her tail. That means "enemy," and "threat," at the very least, and Faith would be compelled to get herself and Dawn (supply your own explanation as to where Dawn has supposedly been while Faith has been unconscious, your guess is as good as the monks') as far away from that as possible. Under those conditions, I could see Joss working it around where she would end up in LA, with no knowledge that Angel had set up shop there. Angel would find out that Faith is on the run and try to befriend her. That would be within character for him, since it's basically what he did in the real story line. Faith would probably have the good sense to realize that he was honestly trying to help, and accept his offer of sanctuary .

Buffy would still come to LA to warn Angel that Faith was no longer in a coma and walk into the situation pretty much the way that it happened in the show, and everything would play out as we saw, with Dawn as extra baggage. (Maybe there could be some sort of sub plot, where the Watchers' team somehow captures Dawn, and Buffy has to pitch in with Angel and faith to rescue her as an alternative to the Wolfram & Hart involvement and the Wesley torture scene. Better yet, the wet team grabs Wes and tries to make him tell them where Faith is hiding, and they somehow capture Dawn in the process) Faith, Angel, and Buffy team up to beat the bad guys and rescue baby sis. When the smoke clears, Buffy and Faith are friends again, and Faith realizes that she has to answer for her crimes, and gets 25 to life, with eligibility for parole in 5 years. Before being taken away...

Faith: B, I'm counting on you to take care of her, however this all works out...

Buffy: Until the end of time.

Back in Sunnydale, Spike comes to town, is chipped by the Initiative, escapes, forms an at first reluctant alliance with the Scoobies, bonds with Joyce and Dawn, and so on. Maggie Walsh screws up one of her experiments and gets infected with a demon virus, becoming the Season 4 Big Bad. With the Initiative's resources at her command, she almost she has Buffy and the Scoobies on the ropes until the very last minute, but the good guys win out in the end.

Season 5, Glory comes to town, and the story goes along pretty much the same way that Joss told it, except that Buffy and her friends are protecting Dawn because Faith isn't there to do it.

 

[Sternbeeere]

What if Faith gets Dawn at season 5 and Glory comes to LA instead of Sunnydale, since she searches for the key and if Dawn was in LA, she would go there ?

 

[Athena]

I think, if I were a monk and wanted to send the key in the form of a sister to a slayer, and I had a choice of two; Buffy or Faith. Let's just say, I think the monks chose wisely 😉

As @white avenger said, I think eventually Dawn, sister of Faith, would have ended up in Buffy's care, but without that sisterly bond, she'd just be another person to protect. Making her Faith's sister makes her less important to Buffy.

Had the series gone the same way, but with Dawn as a sister for Faith instead of Buffy, and with Faith in prison, I think Buffy still would have taken her in and protected her from Glory. She is still innocent after all. Would she have sacrificed herself at the end of S5 for Faith's kid sister? I don't think so....

 

[Klaus Kartoffel]

Given that Dawn's creation in canon obviously just changed the memories of everyone but didn't have a "Butterfly effect", like Buffy's suddenly a grade A student or Willow moved away after graduation for instance, leads to assume that Faith would still be in jail and Dawn would most likely not be with her.

You implied that the monks did it accidentally so... Dawn being Faith's sister without changing the pasts, course of actions, choices etc. in essence of everyone involved.

Dawn's personality would be much different since she would have the memories of a shared past with Faith, as in an abusive childhood. I think most plausible would be that Dawn ends up in Joyce and Buffy's care anyway since Faith is unavailable. Faith and Dawn arrive together in Sunnydale, Faith goes rogue and falls into the coma, Dawn is left alone but Joyce is compassionate and accommodates her. Maybe Buffy would be more willing to kill her, like Giles, but that's not for sure. If not, than they'd need to break out Faith since the whole "Death is my Gift" issue would apply to her, not Buffy. Also the shared blood issue; Buffy couldn't sacrifice herself.

 

[white avenger]

What if Faith gets Dawn at season 5 and Glory comes to LA instead of Sunnydale, since she searches for the key and if Dawn was in LA, she would go there ?

In order for Glory to open the dimensional portal, she had have the Key at the Hellmouth. Dawn being in LA would have meant that Glory would have had to locate, capture, and transport her back to Sunnydale at the designated moment. Obviously, the further from Sunnydale Dawn was, the safer she, and the world, would have been. Having her be Faith's sister and "on the run" with her would probably have been the best thing that the monks could have done. Quite possibly, given that Buffy was permanently located in the single most dangerous place that the Key could have possibly been hidden, she wasn't actually their first choice as Dawn's protector (Technically, Buffy isn't even THE Slayer anymore, Faith is) However, since Faith was unavailable Buffy would have actually been their second choice.

Had the series gone the same way, but with Dawn as a sister for Faith instead of Buffy, and with Faith in prison, I think Buffy still would have taken her in and protected her from Glory. She is still innocent after all. Would she have sacrificed herself at the end of S5 for Faith's kid sister? I don't think so....

Possibly not. On the other hand, given the severity of the situation, might not Faith have escaped from prison in order to join the fight against Glory, the same way that she escaped in order to help Angel a couple of years later? In that case, there wouldn't be any question of Buffy having to make the sacrifice, since Faith would have been there to do it. Then again, who knows? With the addition of Faith's muscle reinforcing Spike and Buffy, Doc might not have been able to screw up Dawn's rescue, and no sacrifice would have been required.

 

[Fuffy Baith]

Interesting. Well Faith was in prison when the monks created Dawn, so Buffy was the better choice. Lol. But if Faith wasn't in prison I think she'd take care of Dawn and protect her. Faith craves a family, and maybe she'd find Dawn annoying, like Buffy, but when it came down to it, she'd protect her.

 

[Sternbeeere]

Interesting. Well Faith was in prison when the monks created Dawn, so Buffy was the better choice. Lol. But if Faith wasn't in prison I think she'd take care of Dawn and protect her. Faith craves a family, and maybe she'd find Dawn annoying, like Buffy, but when it came down to it, she'd protect her.

I honestly think she would protect Dawn even more, since she carved for a family so much.

 

[wooble89]

Yeah given where Faith was at the time it'd have been odd, but from a character perspective I actually quite like it. It could have been an interesting redemption arc for Faith at that point in her life f she suddenly had someone to really care for.

 

[Fuffy Baith]

Faith at that point in her life f she suddenly had someone to really care for.

Exactly. But also her having someone in life that cares about her too. It would definitely change Faiths character, for the better.

If Faith thought she grew up with a little sister would she still have gone bad? I think maybe not. It might have been like Angel season 5 when Wes doesn't know the dark stuff he did as a result of Connor. It'd be interesting. I'm sure there's fanfic out there somewhere. Lol

 

[white avenger]

But if Faith wasn't in prison I think she'd take care of Dawn and protect her. Faith craves a family,

I honestly think she would protect Dawn even more, since she carved for a family so much.

It could have been an interesting redemption arc for Faith at that point in her life f she suddenly had someone to really care for.

Though it was never mentioned in the show, I think that it would be safe to assume that the protection of the Key as an ultimate priority would have been part of the Monk's spell and directive to Dawn's guardian, regardless of which Slayer that had ultimately been. Remember, the monks chose to die rather than allow Glory to get the Key, so they thought that its preservation was of ultimate importance. Whether deliberately or subconsciously, that attitude almost certainly was transferred to Buffy, just as it would have been to Faith, if she had been the chosen recipient. Remember, not everyone, under every circumstance, would have been so adamant of protecting one person, to the point of sacrificing the entire world, so unhesitatingly willing to sacrifice themselves for another, even a sibling.

In any event, it's safe to say that Faith would have been more than willing, as well as capable, of protecting Dawn, if the duty had fallen to her, and just as ready to die rather than see any harm come to her. In fact, I think that this would have made a much more interesting story than what we actually saw, and given us a chance to get a much deeper insight into Faith's character than we have ever actually, up to this point, ever had.

Not to mention, a Faith resurrection, leading to a Spaith relationship could have been really hot, especially if there had been a touch of jealousy from Buffy over Faith and Spike. That might have even led to...

Nah, three way shagging is too much to wish for, even from Whedon.

Great opportunity missed, Joss!

 

[Fuffy Baith]

I'm curious as to how Dawn would have affected Faith's mother. Would she still have been an abusive drunk. Would Faith have gotten that puppy she always wanted or maybe Dawn would have. It's definitely an interesting "what if" that could have changed a lot of things regarding Faith's character.

 

[white avenger]

I'm curious as to how Dawn would have affected Faith's mother. Would she still have been an abusive drunk. Would Faith have gotten that puppy she always wanted or maybe Dawn would have.

Probably, the mother would have been just as abusive, or even more so, at least in Faith's memories, and Dawn would have, figuratively, been the puppy that Faith never had. That sort of "you and me against the world" scenario would have been the perfect catalyst for Faith's total commitment to protecting her little sister, the only person in the world who she would have truly, totally, loved, and who would love her in the same way.

The more this thread progresses, the more convinced I become that we missed a really great story line by not having this variation.

 

[Sternbeeere]

Probably, the mother would have been just as abusive, or even more so, at least in Faith's memories, and Dawn would have, figuratively, been the puppy that Faith never had. That sort of "you and me against the world" scenario would have been the perfect catalyst for Faith's total commitment to protecting her little sister, the only person in the world who she would have truly, totally, loved, and who would love her in the same way.

The more this thread progresses, the more convinced I become that we missed a really great story line by not having this variation.

Also i guess Dawn would cling more to Faith, due to lack of their mothers care. Additionally due to a totally different personality we might have a totally different, much more interesting character in Dawn.

 

[Klaus Kartoffel]

I picture Dawn Lehane as the very quiet, shy and timid type who barely speaks, is afraid of strangers and is very clingy to Faith.

If Faith had a little sister, I'd think she would be the very protective type who always tried to steer any harm away from her and usually ended up on the receiving end instead.

 

[Sternbeeere]

I picture Dawn Lehane as the very quiet, shy and timid type who barely speaks, is afraid of strangers and is very clingy to Faith.

If Faith had a little sister, I'd think she would be the very protective type who always tried to steer any harm away from her and usually ended up on the receiving end instead.

I actually have two scenarios, additionally to yours, either she is the total girly girl, one that Faith never got the chance to be, except for the one scene with the mayor.

Or the very mistrustful fighter type, kind of Mini-Faith, with the only person she can trust is Faith.

 

[Klaus Kartoffel]

Or the very mistrustful fighter type, kind of Mini-Faith, with the only person she can trust is Faith.

Yes, I see that scenario too.

I guess it depends on how Faith and Dawn were respectively treated in their childhood. If Dawn received an equal amount of abuse like Faith, she'd probably be similar badass by kind of imitating Faith's coping strategies.

But if Faith was the kind of big sister who took most of the abuse on her to protect Dawn, it would be the first scenario. At least when you think in stereotypes, which is appropriate in the fandom.

 

[Sternbeeere]

Yes, I see that scenario too.

I guess it depends on how Faith and Dawn were respectively treated in their childhood. If Dawn received an equal amount of abuse like Faith, she'd probably be similar badass by kind of imitating Faith's coping strategies.

But if Faith was the kind of big sister who took most of the abuse on her to protect Dawn, it would be the first scenario. At least when you think in stereotypes, which is appropriate in the fandom.

Considering the monks make memory out of existing ones, that is taking Faiths memory mostly and then maybe adding some imagined ones, the second scenario is quite likely, stereotypes or not.

 

[Fuffy Baith]

The more this thread progresses, the more convinced I become that we missed a really great story line

Maybe if the show was Faith, the Vampire Slayer. But cause it's Buffy's show, I get why they chose her and not Faith. But I agree it would have been a more interesting story. And of course I want more Faith.

I picture Dawn Lehane as the very quiet, shy and timid type who barely speaks, is afraid of strangers and is very clingy to Faith.

This sounds like a nicer Dawn. Less "get out, get out! GET OUT!". Which was annoying.

 

[Klaus Kartoffel]

@Fuffy Baith "That sounds like a cute Dawn. Lol"

Because of the "barely speaks" part? No, I like Dawn! Really. 😀

Considering the monks make memory out of existing ones, that is taking Faiths memory mostly and then maybe adding some imagined ones, the second scenario is quite likely, stereotypes or not.

You've got a point there. Since the monks also didn't alter the histories of everyone involved in essence, Faith would still be going to jail with Dawn most likely ending up with Buffy and Joyce anyway. Everything else would miss the whole point of protecting the Key from Glory. Can you imagine a Mini-Faith living with Buffy under one roof? Poor Buffy, she could barely deal with canon Dawn. 😀
 

Maybe if the show was Faith, the Vampire Slayer. But cause it's Buffy's show, I get why they chose her and not Faith. But I agree it would have been a more interesting story. And of course I want more Faith.

Agree. Buffy would need her own, bigger arc to keep it her show. Good stuff for a FanFiction, though.