Redemption arcs: best or worst thing about Buffy/Angel?
NotASlayer
𝕮𝖍𝖔𝖈𝖔𝖑𝖆𝖙𝖊 𝕻𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖈𝖊𝖘𝖘 🍫 👸🏻
Bad. The show simply didn't have the time needed for redemption arcs and they were often completely ignored. The only one that had any merit was Angel's, because, thanks to it taking a century, they were able to do flashbacks of various points in it.
Joan the Vampire Slayer
Agree!
thrasherpix
Scooby
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I like the idea, but I don't think redemption arcs were done well in the series. So I'm conflicted between voting Good (as I like the idea and the character growth implied by it) and Bad (the shows were all over the place, inconsistent at best, and typically did not handle them well).
Ethan Reigns
Scooby
I voted for bad because they were not done particularly well and their victims do not come back. When the victims are not available to make amends to, how can there be redemption? Even in 12-step programs, one of the steps is to make amends to everyone you have harmed.
wolfheart
Barking at the Moon
thetopher
Member of the Church Of Faith
Good at the beginning early years when Joss and co had a genuine fascination with the idea of redemption. So much so they did an entire spin-off show exploring it.
But after a time it came very tired, lazily written, repetitive ('close ally "goes evil" and we wonder if they can be brought back tot he side of good/ever be redeemed') and, frankly, not so much a character arc as 'this is something this character can ponder for an episode' or whatever.
Like, it was actually a character blip. A character oops. A character 'yeah I know I killed some people but I feel really bad about it so can we just move on?' No arc to be seen.
I mean, nobody in Buffy S7 main cast actually cares about redeeming themselves for past mistakes/body counts, they're just there to wrap up personal storylines or whatever.
But after a time it came very tired, lazily written, repetitive ('close ally "goes evil" and we wonder if they can be brought back tot he side of good/ever be redeemed') and, frankly, not so much a character arc as 'this is something this character can ponder for an episode' or whatever.
Like, it was actually a character blip. A character oops. A character 'yeah I know I killed some people but I feel really bad about it so can we just move on?' No arc to be seen.
I mean, nobody in Buffy S7 main cast actually cares about redeeming themselves for past mistakes/body counts, they're just there to wrap up personal storylines or whatever.
wolfheart
Barking at the Moon
I mean, nobody in Buffy S7 main cast actually cares about redeeming themselves for past mistakes/body counts, they're just there to wrap up personal storylines or whatever.
@thetopher interesting look at the matter, i hoped for season 8 then but 7 seasons is a good run
@thetopher interesting look at the matter, i hoped for season 8 then but 7 seasons is a good run
AlphaFoxtrot
Scooby
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Angel, obviously, good. Spike needed to show some remorse, but to get back to business, fine.
Willow... Never really did anything to atone for her wrongs. Like, you are a witch. You can check on the dead. You can revive the dead! Do an episode that's kind of a cross between Hellraiser and Passing Through Gethsemane. Buffy vs. Fornicus the Hell Lord!
Andrew: I thought the lesson was okay. But, I don't care much for Andrew. He can open the Puzzle of infinite delights for all I care.
Willow... Never really did anything to atone for her wrongs. Like, you are a witch. You can check on the dead. You can revive the dead! Do an episode that's kind of a cross between Hellraiser and Passing Through Gethsemane. Buffy vs. Fornicus the Hell Lord!
Andrew: I thought the lesson was okay. But, I don't care much for Andrew. He can open the Puzzle of infinite delights for all I care.