What punishment does he deserve?

[sosa lola]

Seems that so many dislike Xander because he got away with some of his bad deeds. I'm wondering what punishment would be suitable for him in these situations:

1- Lying to Buffy in Becoming 2:

2- Attempting to kill Angel with Faith in Revelation:

3- Casting a spell in Once More with Feeling that caused some people to die:


(I couldn't remember more misdeeds that went unpunished, if you guys remember them, then tell me.)

 

[sosa lola]

LOL! No ideas? Where's your imagination, people? 🙂

1) I still think that this one should have been handled in S3. But since Buffy wouldn't realize that Xander had lied to her until S7, I'm guessing the best punishment is confronting Xander, asking him why he lied and why he'd never said anything after all these years.

2) Buffy should have been upset with him for a while, called him on it a few times.

3) A long session of yelling from Giles.

 

[InsaneMystic]

I'm not a stickler for punishment, that's why I didn't post anything. 😛 But your ideas seem more along the lines of confronting him about it, rather than punishing him... so I can just agree with what you said.

(However... even with the not believing in punishment - if I had been Willow, I would have been sorely tempted to Kick His Ass the moment I found out about his line in Becoming 2, which IMO still is his worst moment on the entire show. But that's rage and vengeance speaking, not justice. 😉 )

 

[Kean]

See punishment only works if the person is sorry for what they have done and I don't believe for a second that Xander is sorry for any of the things you listed. If the person isn't sorry than punishment only serves to further the resentment and bitterness. My punishment for Xander? To feel the emotional pain he caused his friends with his actions and acknowledge how much he hurt them and the enormous consequences it has had on their lives.

 

[Perny]

....The dude lost his left eye, and the love of his life....Punishment delivered

 

[sosa lola]

See punishment only works if the person is sorry for what they have done and I don't believe for a second that Xander is sorry for any of the things you listed. If the person isn't sorry than punishment only serves to further the resentment and bitterness. My punishment for Xander? To feel the emotional pain he caused his friends with his actions and acknowledge how much he hurt them and the enormous consequences it has had on their lives.

But how can you make him feel sorry and upset about them?

Personally, I think Selfless was Xander's punishment for his lie. He'd experienced what Buffy had in the past. And notice how his behavior toward Spike started to change after this episode. He'd finally learned his lesson.

OMWF was badly written in my opinion, not the songs, but the revelation in the end. Obviously, they'd only chosen Xander so Joss could use his "Am I gonna be your queen?" joke, completely overlooking the consequences of his choice.

 

[Kean]

But how can you make him feel sorry and upset about them?

You can't. Even if the punishment that I suggested was dealt out, there is no way of knowing if it would make any difference to Xander. I don't think he will ever regret the "Kick his ass" moment. Even after Buffy calls him out in it in Selfless and tells him how much Angel meant to her and what killing him did to her Xander's only reply is "That was different". Not "I'm sorry". That was his moment to apologise to try and make amends and he didn't.

Personally, I think Selfless was Xander's punishment for his lie. He'd experienced what Buffy had in the past. And notice how his behavior toward Spike started to change after this episode. He'd finally learned his lesson.

Surely it was Anya that was punished in Selfless? Xander had to experience the worry of losing the one he loved but he didn't actually lose her, in fact you could argue that it was the beginning of Xander and Anya finding each other again. He and Anya even had a touching scene at the end of the episode. Yes Anya dies at the end of the series but she does so redeeming herself. It is agruably her finest moment.

OMWF was badly written in my opinion, not the songs, but the revelation in the end. Obviously, they'd only chosen Xander so Joss could use his "Am I gonna be your queen?" joke, completely overlooking the consequences of his choice.

I agree about the badly written part but I never found OMWF anywhere on a par with what he did in Becoming Part II and Revelations.

 

[sosa lola]

I don't think he will ever regret the "Kick his ass" moment. Even after Buffy calls him out in it in Selfless and tells him how much Angel meant to her and what killing him did to her Xander's only reply is "That was different". Not "I'm sorry". That was his moment to apologise to try and make amends and he didn't.

I disagree. 🙂 Xander is kinda like Buffy, their actions speak louder than their words. Look at how Xander accepted Spike living with him and gradually stopped badmouthing him. Witness how he started to respect Buffy's judgment regarding Spike, stopped questioning her decision to rescue him, and ignoring Anya and Dawn's complaining about Spike living in the basement. I think that's Xander's apology. Being there for Buffy when it comes to Spike. Very subtle, but it's there.

Xander had to experience the worry of losing the one he loved but he didn't actually lose her,

It was the same situation in Becoming. Xander and Buffy had switched roles. IMO, that's fate's punishment for him. And eventually, he'd lost Anya to death, so he's not a winner either way.

I agree about the badly written part but I never found OMWF anywhere on a par with what he did in Becoming Part II and Revelations.

I guess while Xander's misdeed in OMWF had actually killed people, his intentions weren't to kill them. But his intentions in Becoming and Revelations were clearly about killing Angel.