What is Faith's source of income in early Season 3?

[danajsparks]

When Faith first arrives in Sunnydale, she's practically destitute; she's struggling to come up with the cash to pay for her cheap motel room. However, by "Revelations," while her living conditions are "Spartan," she appears to have enough money for basic food and shelter.

Are we ever told how she gets this money? Does she have a job? Or is the Watchers Council funding her? Or maybe Giles is supporting her?

 

[Buffy Summers]

I thought she was still at the motel in Revelations? It's been a while though. If I had to guess though, I'd say she stole it lol - ends justify the means, want take have and all that 😀

 

[danajsparks]

Yup, she was still at the motel, but I'm assuming that means that she was somehow able to pay for the room.

I wouldn't put it past Faith to steal the money. But she was in Sunnydale because the Council had instructed her to stay there, and Giles was officially her watcher at the time. It seems like it would incredibly irresponsible of them to not make sure that she had some means of financial support.

 

[Fuffy Baith]

Well we see in Faith, Hope and Trick that she has to pay for the room and its like $15 a day or something cheap like that.So I doubt the Watcher's Council was helping her but maybe they did after they officially assigned her there, idk. I like to think that she uses her slayer powers to help people move heavy stuff around. Or maybe she does like Spike and mugs people. I'm sure she has no problem getting guys to buy her food and drinks at the Bronze. Maybe she steals from their wallet when they're not looking. But it is never explained and the practical questions on Buffy like that, kind of bother me sometimes. It's like how does Angel get money? I can kind of rationalize Angel, cuz hes like 200 yrs old so maybe hes saved up or has found ways to make money or collect antiques and hold on for a 100 years til they're worth something. But still it's never explained.

 

[thetopher]

Didn't the motel owner die in 'Faith Hope and Tricks'?

So maybe Faith lied about how much rent she paid out up front to whoever can after him?

Plus I can see Faith and her 'Want, Take, Have' philosphy extending to petty theft, she's pretty much surviving without any help from anyone else.


Btw- A friend of mine just pointed out something in 'Bad Girls'- right at the end when Buffy and Faith are talking you can see what looks like a duct-tapped punchbag in the corner of the room that Faith uses for slaying. (Around 41:18 )

She made her own friggin' punchbag! That's both really depressingly sad and kinda sweet at the same time- she literally had to make her own slaying equipment.

Aw. 🙁

 

[Lyri]

She stole it.

Faith's whole attitude in the beginning was that the world owed her a living. She was better than everyone, above them, and that stretched to how she lived and survived.

I don't think she did anything that would cause anyone serious harm. No muggings or robberies, but I can definitely see her boosting a few cars and selling them on, or breaking into a warehouse or two.

 

[danajsparks]

She stole it.

Faith's whole attitude in the beginning was that the world owed her a living. She was better than everyone, above them, and that stretched to how she lived and survived.

I don't think she did anything that would cause anyone serious harm. No muggings or robberies, but I can definitely see her boosting a few cars and selling them on, or breaking into a warehouse or two.

I feel like part of her attitude was due to the fact that the world really did owe Faith something but gave her practically nothing. I mean, I think the world owed her something simply because she was still just a kid at the time, never mind a slayer.

I feel like Giles didn't take much interest in Faith's well-being, and that really bothers me. She deserved to have a responsible adult in her life.

 

[white avenger]

Faith probably had some money when she arrived in Sunnydale, either of her own or from some cash or small valuables that belonged to her Watcher, things that might have been laying around, something that she could grab and run with. And I can't imagine Giles not giving her some money as soon as he knew that she was there. (The only alternative would have been allowing her to move in with him, which I can't see Giles considering.)

 

[Fuffy Baith]

I feel like Giles didn't take much interest in Faith's well-being, and that really bothers me. She deserved to have a responsible adult in her life.

It bothers me too. I know that he and Buffy are close but Faith is his responsibility too and he should have more interest in her. At least Joyce offered Faith over for Christmas Eve so she wouldn't be alone in the motel. But at the same time Faith did her own thing so maybe Giles did offer to help her and she declined. Faith stealing and probably selling things to a pawn shop seems like something she would do. I assume that's how she gets her clothes and makeup, by stealing it.

 

[white avenger]

Faith stealing and probably selling things to a pawn shop seems like something she would do. I assume that's how she gets her clothes and makeup, by stealing it.

There's also the possibility that she strips valuables off of her demon kills, the ones who don't immediately crumble to dust. Weapons and maybe jewelyr would have a market, especially around the Hellmouth.