Xander a hypocrite?

[brinkster130]

Then Faith is a hypocrite too because she went to prison and stopped murdering people, something she condemned before.

Completely agree. I actually think most characters did things that were hypocritical at one point or another.

It happening at the same time is exactly what's required for it to be hypocrisy, and why it's so looked down upon.

And this is where we disagree. I don't think that its required to happen at the same time for it to make him hypocritical. Xander had his opinions on dating monsters then he dated one. I see that as a hypocritical action. Plus Buffy/Spike and Anya/Xander did over lap some, didn't it?

 

[StarSlayer]

But wasn't the reason that Buffy struggled so much with her season 6 relationship with Spike his lack of a soul? Wouldn't that make Buffy a hypocrite too?

Buffy struggled with the fact that she had feelings for Spike because Spike repeatedly showed that he was capable of being good, despite his lack of soul. Yet, he was still a soulless vampire, everything Buffy was suppose to hate and fight against. Buffy and Xander discussed this in "Seeing Red," although Xander's hypocritical behavior was also seen in other episodes.

BUFFY: It just happened, okay?
XANDER: Oh, like, uh, "Say, you're evil. Get on me"?
BUFFY: You fought side by side with him when I was gone. You let him take care of Dawn.
XANDER: But I never forgot what he really is. God, what were you thinking?
BUFFY: You're asking me that? Oh, 'cause your decision making skills have really sparkled lately.
XANDER: I'm not saying I didn't make any mistakes. But last time I checked, slaughtering half of Europe wasn't one of them. He doesn't have a soul, Buffy.

I don't think it makes Buffy a hypocrite, but rather trying to understand her feelings. IMO, Xander just doesn't like Buffy to be with vampires (soul or no soul) although it's perfectly okay for him to fall in love with an ex-vengeance demon. To me, that's hypocritical.

 

[The Unspoken]

I don't think it makes Buffy a hypocrite, but rather trying to understand her feelings. IMO, Xander just doesn't like Buffy to be with vampires (soul or no soul) although it's perfectly okay for him to fall in love with an ex-vengeance demon. To me, that's hypocritical.

We'll have to disagree about the comparison, but Xander does apologize at the end of 'Seeing Red'. Which makes him hypocritical for 2 episodes at best, and not for 7 seasons straight like some people seem to think.
And Xander helps Buffy in 'Amends', and after that doesn't criticize her for her relationship with Angel anymore (as far as I can remember). At any rate, something happening in season 4 can't retroactively create hypocrisy where there was previously none.

 

[StarSlayer]

We'll have to disagree about the comparison, but Xander does apologize at the end of 'Seeing Red'. Which makes him hypocritical for 2 episodes at best, and not for 7 seasons straight like some people seem to think.
And Xander helps Buffy in 'Amends', and after that doesn't criticize her for her relationship with Angel anymore (as far as I can remember). At any rate, something happening in season 4 can't retroactively create hypocrisy where there was previously none.

Yeah, and I'm glad he apologized. I'm glad he recognized his behavior. It was good growth for his character. 🙂

I do remember him though being hypocritical besides 2 episodes. "After-Life" comes to mind, but that could be along with the Scoobies as well. But, I think s7 is when he really matures. With the exception of some things he says in "Selfless" and the whole mutiny in "Emply Places," he's isn't much of a hypocrite in that season.

 

[Misty]

Yes, Xander was a hypocrite sometimes in episodes like Selfless where he didn't think Anya should be killed after she murdered all those people, but yet he thought Angel should be killed after he did the same thing.

 

[The Unspoken]

Yes, Xander was a hypocrite sometimes in episodes like Selfless where he didn't think Anya should be killed after she murdered all those people, but yet he thought Angel should be killed after he did the same thing.

Buffy did the same in 'Innocence'.

A half school year later, a failed re-ensouling attempt and the imminent threat of the world getting sucked into hell...

'Becoming'.

She killed him then. Sorta.

If you ask me, Buffy was the one being hypocritical.

The episode makes it seem like Xander is the hypocritical one, when it's Buffy. She let Angel live in 'Innocence' for half a school year, costing numerous lives, but she wants to kill Anya right away, while citing her behavior in season 2 as a justification. Nevermind the fact that Anya is willing to sacrifice herself later in the episode to bring her victims back to life.

 

[LadyLavinia]

Was Xander a hypocrite? Of course he was. So were most or all of the characters.