Well, we are going to see what we want to see. I've always thought Buffy was a bit self-righteous. And I've thought she's made serious mistakes. But this really does look like a different Buffy, because these are not one-offs, it's a whole life-style.
Taking your last paragraph point-by-point:
I take the bank-robbing to be on-going, not incidental. And the proceeds aren't being used just for necessities, some of it is bleeding into luxuries. And I'm still not convinced that all the high tech stuff is necessary either. We aren't given enough context to judge, either pro or con. (That is, if you are happy using consequentialist morals, which I'm not; and which the 'verse has been pretty hostile to).
Killing in self-defense in the moment is not the same thing as contemplating killing in a very blase manner. There's no sign that it *bothers* her.
Poorly-worded or revealing?
Killing without hesitation. Running Angel through devastated her. This girl is MUCH harder.
Actions you've omitted (off the top of my head):
Callous attitude to the dead and dying humans in her battle in #4.
Very nearly killing Gigi when there was no imminent threat to herself, but rather cause she was just mad at her. (And specifically because she hurt a SLAYER. Contrast Buffy's feelings about slayers with her feelings about humans -- it's part of why some of us take her "more than" as revealing).
Not wanting to save humans in ToYL so she could focus on the big picture, and not caring about the humans who would have been killed if Fray hadn't been compelled to jump in. More evidence that "more than" is revealing.
In point of fact, Buffy is only roused to anger when it comes to things threatening the slayer line. She tortured a vamp and set him on fire; and was very cold about killing every last one -- because the slayer line was threatened and Renee killed. These are not bad of themselves, but compared to her lack of concern for human well-being it further suggests that "more than" is revealing.
And "more than" matters because it was the "more than" that separated Buffy from Faith and it's the "more than" that Buffy felt bad about feeling in CwDP.
I don't think Buffy needs to be knocked off her pedastal. I think she's off. She's not a compelling heroine. She's a hardened leader who seems to be primarily concerned with the welfare of her own tribe. She has lost the mission.
And I think we are meant to see that. In NFFY we start off thinking that the mirror is Gigi and Faith -- rogue slayers, mirrors in the bathroom. But the true mirrors are Gigi and Buffy. They are in castles. They don't show signs of caring about their lessers. They have red-headed mages working for them. NFFY begged us in a million different ways to see that Faith is now what Buffy once was, and that Buffy is in danger of becoming what Faith once was.
That's the comics I'm reading. I find it interesting. And as for how much sympathy I have for Buffy? Depends on how she got here. But we haven't been told that.
no subject
Taking your last paragraph point-by-point:
I take the bank-robbing to be on-going, not incidental. And the proceeds aren't being used just for necessities, some of it is bleeding into luxuries. And I'm still not convinced that all the high tech stuff is necessary either. We aren't given enough context to judge, either pro or con. (That is, if you are happy using consequentialist morals, which I'm not; and which the 'verse has been pretty hostile to).
Killing in self-defense in the moment is not the same thing as contemplating killing in a very blase manner. There's no sign that it *bothers* her.
Poorly-worded or revealing?
Killing without hesitation. Running Angel through devastated her. This girl is MUCH harder.
Actions you've omitted (off the top of my head):
Callous attitude to the dead and dying humans in her battle in #4.
Very nearly killing Gigi when there was no imminent threat to herself, but rather cause she was just mad at her. (And specifically because she hurt a SLAYER. Contrast Buffy's feelings about slayers with her feelings about humans -- it's part of why some of us take her "more than" as revealing).
Not wanting to save humans in ToYL so she could focus on the big picture, and not caring about the humans who would have been killed if Fray hadn't been compelled to jump in. More evidence that "more than" is revealing.
In point of fact, Buffy is only roused to anger when it comes to things threatening the slayer line. She tortured a vamp and set him on fire; and was very cold about killing every last one -- because the slayer line was threatened and Renee killed. These are not bad of themselves, but compared to her lack of concern for human well-being it further suggests that "more than" is revealing.
And "more than" matters because it was the "more than" that separated Buffy from Faith and it's the "more than" that Buffy felt bad about feeling in CwDP.
I don't think Buffy needs to be knocked off her pedastal. I think she's off. She's not a compelling heroine. She's a hardened leader who seems to be primarily concerned with the welfare of her own tribe. She has lost the mission.
And I think we are meant to see that. In NFFY we start off thinking that the mirror is Gigi and Faith -- rogue slayers, mirrors in the bathroom. But the true mirrors are Gigi and Buffy. They are in castles. They don't show signs of caring about their lessers. They have red-headed mages working for them. NFFY begged us in a million different ways to see that Faith is now what Buffy once was, and that Buffy is in danger of becoming what Faith once was.
That's the comics I'm reading. I find it interesting. And as for how much sympathy I have for Buffy? Depends on how she got here. But we haven't been told that.