Question Would Faith have survived a Cruciamentum?

[Tank1978]

Having rewatched Helpless last night I started wondering how Faith would have performed in the test.

Would taking away her powers have knocked that self-confidence completely, did she have enough cunning and ingenuity to overcome a vamp?

Faith often charged in head first and relied on her powers to overcome the opposition but would have been interesting to see what would have happened. Of course by the time she got there she would have known all about it having seen Buffy go through it, or at least known she went through it.

She showed a bit more cunning in S4 of Angel by pushing the bar through the window in salvage to stop Angelus from being able to attack her and then taking the Orpheus drug and letting him feed on her (Yes it was Wesley's idea but she still pulled it off).

I could definitely see Wesley passing the watcher part of the test. Early Wes was strictly by the book and later wes was dark and detached enough to do it.

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

Would Buffy have survived? I think most slayers would fail. I think the point is for them to fail. It is an excuse to kill them off.

I think they were dying to get rid of Buffy after her first watcher died. They didn't get to her before she was old enough to be called, so after the LA debacle, they would rather start fresh, hopefully with a potential that was already in training. Therefore, they give her a watcher that nobody trusts and do not tell them about Kendra or Faith. They don't even tell Kendra's watcher that Buffy is still alive, which turns out to be a mistake, as Kendra is sent to the Sunnydale hellmouth anyway.

By the time Buffy turns 18, they can't wait to get rid of her, so they give her the meanest vampire they could possibly find.

I could definitely see Wesley passing the watcher part of the test. Early Wes was strictly by the book and later wes was dark and detached enough to do it.

Giles would have passed. He only tells Buffy about the test after Kralik has escaped and killed the two junior watchers.

Wesley is complicated. He can be ruthless and he is loyal to the Watchers Council at first, but he can also be compassionate and both on AtS and BtVS he will often follow his own judgement and moral compass rather than the group. He and Giles are actually quite similar.

 

[DeadlyDuo]

Having rewatched Helpless last night I started wondering how Faith would have performed in the test.

Would taking away her powers have knocked that self-confidence completely, did she have enough cunning and ingenuity to overcome a vamp?

I think Faith would've been killed. Being a slayer gave he confidence, take away the physical attributes of that and her mind would've probably worked against her.

Of course by the time she got there she would have known all about it having seen Buffy go through it, or at least known she went through it.

Not necessarily. I always thought Faith was supposed to be older than Buffy (19 compared to Buffy's 18) hence some of Buffy's "childish" behaviour and clothing styles plus the whole "older girl leads younger girl astray" vibes.

The Cruciamentum is supposed to happen on a Slayer's 18th birthday. If Faith wasn't called until after her 18th birthday, would she still have to do it?

Therefore, they give her a watcher that nobody trusts and do not tell them about Kendra or Faith. They don't even tell Kendra's watcher that Buffy is still alive, which turns out to be a mistake, as Kendra is sent to the Sunnydale hellmouth anyway.

Why would Faith and Kendra be brought up when they hadn't been called yet?

By the time Buffy turns 18, they can't wait to get rid of her, so they give her the meanest vampire they could possibly find.

Kralick wasn't some random vampire they pulled off the streets, The Watchers had him on retainer hence the tablets. I think he's been involved in cruciamentums for a long time.

 

[white avenger]

Doubtful at that stage in her career. She was more the Viking Berserker type of fighter, all out, no plan other than to dust the nasty ol' vampire. Later, say around Season 7, probably so. We saw her using more strategy than brawn when she was fighting Angelus that last time on "Angel." (Course, in order to beat him she had to almost kill herself, so maybe she isn't such a brilliant strategist either)

 

[AlphaFoxtrot]

No. Massai Warriors once had the practice of killing a lion alone as a test of their worthiness to join the hunting party, and I see the torments as serving a similar purpose in the distant past, or some manner of penance. Remember, Wes did say he had to kill a vampire under controlled circumstances, so this was something the Watcher's did. Testing a warrior's resourcefulness and cunning, over their brute strength. How well they absorbed their training. Faith wasn't especially cunning, sucked at humility, and never trained at all. So, she probably would have died.

 

[Athene]

I think it makes more sense for Faith to be under 18 in season 3 because two things point to most slayers being called at under 18 and Faith was only a slayer for a few months by time season 3 started so I’d say she was 17 then and by time she was 18 she wasn’t in a position/there was no reason to test her since Buffy was the active slayer. I think if Faith didn’t have any help she wouldn’t survive it but that would go for most slayers.

 

[Puppet]

I think it makes more sense for Faith to be under 18 in season 3 because two things point to most slayers being called at under 18 and Faith was only a slayer for a few months by time season 3 started so I’d say she was 17 then and by time she was 18 she wasn’t in a position/there was no reason to test her since Buffy was the active slayer. I think if Faith didn’t have any help she wouldn’t survive it but that would go for most slayers.

Though some fans like to say that 'if it wasn't in the show, it's not canon' technically Faith is 'canonically' one month older than Buffy. Which means she was 17 when Chosen and 18 during S3

Fun fact; I always remember her birthday, cause it's the same as mine!

 

[Athene]

Though some fans like to say that 'if it wasn't in the show, it's not canon' technically Faith is 'canonically' one month older than Buffy. Which means she was 17 when Chosen and 18 during S3

Fun fact; I always remember her birthday, cause it's the same as mine!

When is her birthday? That really could fit I mean Buffy and Faith are clearly supposed to be close in age but I’ve just always pegged Faith as the younger one 🤷‍♀️

 

[Puppet]

When is her birthday? That really could fit I mean Buffy and Faith are clearly supposed to be close in age but I’ve just always pegged Faith as the younger one 🤷‍♀️

December 14th, 1980. So almost exactly a month older than B

 

[DeadlyDuo]

December 14th, 1980. So almost exactly a month older than B

When was her birthday revealed?

 

[Puppet]

When was her birthday revealed?

I believe it was at the same time as her last name, but definitely, after the show was over. As I said, it's 'canon according to Whedon' but not actually mentioned in the show itself.

 

[DeadlyDuo]

I believe it was at the same time as her last name, but definitely, after the show was over. As I said, it's 'canon according to Whedon' but not actually mentioned in the show itself.

Whedon doesn't always keep canon straight eg Sunnydale has docks (as seen in Season 2 and 3) yet is also completely landlocked (as seen in Chosen).

 

[AlphaFoxtrot]

I doubt any age for Faith was really conceived of. Sometimes she seems a lot younger, sometimes a lot older than the Class of 99. Like, she was a Slayer for four months when we first meet her. Doesn't seem that way. I say 16 1/2. That's old enough to drop out of high school.

 

[DeadlyDuo]

I doubt any age for Faith was really conceived of. Sometimes she seems a lot younger, sometimes a lot older than the Class of 99. Like, she was a Slayer for four months when we first meet her. Doesn't seem that way. I say 16 1/2. That's old enough to drop out of high school.

I'd say Faith is 19. Young enough to be influenced by others, old enough where the world doesn't give a crap about her.

 

[nightshade]

I'm recalling something about how Faith was supposed to do the cruciamentum, but her Watcher had let slip about it to her so it didn't go ahead.
Can't remember where I read it though

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

I think she is the same age as the Scoobies, but like Oz, she is more worldy. The Scoobies don't get around much. Faith had neglectful, drunken parents, so I can imagine she started hanging with people older than herself.

 

[DeadlyDuo]

I'm recalling something about how Faith was supposed to do the cruciamentum, but her Watcher had let slip about it to her so it didn't go ahead.
Can't remember where I read it though

If that's true then that makes Giles look awful. He supposedly has a "father's love" for Buffy yet he knowingly puts her through the hell of the cruciamentum despite being able to stop it all by just telling her beforehand "Hey, Buffy. The watchers want to inflict a test on you on your 18th birthday where you will lose your slayer strength. Try not to die."

 

[nightshade]

If that's true then that makes Giles look awful. He supposedly has a "father's love" for Buffy yet he knowingly puts her through the hell of the cruciamentum despite being able to stop it all by just telling her beforehand "Hey, Buffy. The watchers want to inflict a test on you on your 18th birthday where you will lose your slayer strength. Try not to die."

It was in Go Ask Malice, and Faith read about it in the Watcher's diary, and then her Watcher told her.

 

[DeadlyDuo]

It was in Go Ask Malice, and Faith read about it in the Watcher's diary, and then her Watcher told her.

But the point still stands. If that's all it took for Faith to be able to get out of her cruciamentum, then why couldn't Giles do the same for Buffy?

 

[nightshade]

But the point still stands. If that's all it took for Faith to be able to get out of her cruciamentum, then why couldn't Giles do the same for Buffy?

I think it's more that her Watcher only told her after she already found out, had Faith not found out by herself then she would have had to do the test too. Giles did the test to Buffy as she didn't discover it.
However why didn't Faith tell Buffy about it!