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Does Buffy put the Scooby Gang at unacceptable risk? |
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Now we all love Buffy, or at least we tolerate her (otherwise we wouldn't be able to watch the series) but where would she be without the Scooby Gang? Those freaky friends of hers that provide so much of the non-slayage interest in the show. They're always willing to pitch in when there's trouble afoot but should Buffy have ever allowed them to become involved?
VOX
My premise is that Buffy should never have allowed the gang to become involved in her activities. She is a Slayer, the Chosen One, in the same manner as she will go to great lengths to save the lives of innocents threatened by the demons she hunts she also should not allow innocents to risk themselves in the war she fights. And it is a war, or at least the Watcher Council considers it as such, if a soldier involves civilians in an active role in the middle of a battle it is seen as a breach of the code of warfare and exposes those people to incredible risks at the hands of the enemy.
Sententia
I hate to break this to you, but this kind of war doesn't have the kind of black and white division between civilians and combatants that you are imagining. This is not a war based on policy reasons dictated by politicians and fought by their puppets. This is a war of survival and self-defence. The Scooby Gang, as ordinary humans, forms the prey of vampires; they are the ones in danger, all the time. If Buffy asks them from time to time to help fight in their own defence, this is not unreasonable. She may be the chosen one, but even she needs a little help occasionally, even if it's just the numbers required to form a decent distraction while she finishes off some of the vamps.
VOX
Is any war, when you come down to the most personal level, about anything more than survival? It makes no difference to the conditions of the soldiers whether they are fighting to protect foreign oil interests or to stop an enemy which is intent on eradicating them from existence. There is a clear distinction between the two sides: the Slayers and Watchers on one, Vampires and all things ungodly on the other. These are people who have chosen to dedicate their lives to a particular goal and accept the consequences; they are trained and prepared and, in some cases, blessed with the strength to fight. The Gang has nothing; their heads are full of romantic ideas about saving the world, of helping their friend, of the normal teenage desires of wanting to be able to influence the things around you. Buffy, and I should say Giles as well, is in a position of power, of authority over the others. It is an irresponsible leader that routinely risks the lives of those under her command for such little practical benefit.
Of course, they should be allowed to defend themselves, but their involvement with Buffy doesn't end there. They participate in attacks, go on patrol and because of their relationship with her are in constant danger of being used against her (Lover's Walk is a prime example). It doesn't sound unreasonable that maybe they should take the heat off Buffy once in a while, but at what potential cost? Battle is always confusing (like in
Bad Girls), if Buffy is distracted for a second it may leave one of them vulnerable, and then all it takes is a twist of the neck, or a stab through the chest and the monsters will have finally got one back. The demons can afford to lose legions, and have indeed lost such a number, in trying to destroy her. How many friends can she lose? As humans they are the cattle of the undead and face the risks of everyone in Sunnydale, but as the Gang the increased risk they face is too great to be acceptable.
Sententia
Buffy is not actually in a position of command over the Scooby Gang. They are not bound to obey her or to be around her. Your attitude denies that they are exercising free choice to assist her, it's not as if they don't know they are in danger from the vampires. They may be teenagers, but they are old enough to have free will.
Since they know that humanity is threatened, it is in fact their duty to aid Buffy in the fight against evil, with whatever limited skills they may have. Just because they have not had the ideal preparation or training doesn't mean they should give up without trying to help. After all, Buffy is not always in a position where it looks as if she can win and we do not say that because she is hopelessly out-matched she should give up and let the vamps triumph.
When I speak of them defending themselves, I do not just mean in the split second when a vampire leaps on them. I mean helping in the fight generally, by research, serving as messengers or as distractions in fights and actually fighting themselves when they can. Every action Buffy takes is part of the process of defending humanity, which they have a duty to assist in, and in which it is in their interest to assist. Are you really suggesting that they should sit at home safe in the knowledge that their friend is fighting alone in their defence?
Of course there is danger, to them and to Buffy. But it is really the extremity of the danger that makes their presence necessary, not undesirable. After all your argument seems to take as it's premise that if the opposing force looks undefeatable, there's no point trying.
VOX
Buffy and Giles are in positions of authority, it is they who have the knowledge and the skills to judge and destroy what they face. It is these two who are charged with guarding the Hellmouth. Even at the practical level they'll hear others opinions and advice but it is they who determine policy, hand out assignments and lead by their example; even a cursory glance at the group dynamics makes it plainly obvious who the focal point of attention is, Buffy. They believe in her, trust her and do as she says (most of the time); that is authority.
Even the subsidiary roles they undertake have sometimes fatal consequences, when they are indirectly involved in achieving Buffy's objectives (e.g.
I Only Have Eyes for You) and when their mere association with her leads her enemies to target them.Let's remember when we mention their free will, their choice to become involved: none of the Gang is allowed to go into a bar and order liquor, at the time of writing none of them are even allowed to vote. Our society recognises people's ability to make their own decisions but only to a certain extent, our freedom is curtailed sometimes for other people's good, sometimes for our own. This is especially the case with minors who have to deal with a far more personal layer of authority in the form of their parents. Now it would be glib to say that the Gang are the kids, Giles is the father and Buffy the mother but it does not mean that it isn't true to an extent. Buffy and Giles are in a superior power position and they use the authority that gives them to further their own interests, albeit interests that are usually beneficial to mankind. They have power, they have authority, they must accept the responsibility that is inherent in their position.
Sententia
I'm not denying that Buffy and Giles lead the group when it comes to the task they all face; what I'm saying is that they do not have the kind of authority over them that forces the Scooby Gang to participate in a fight against their will. They are not WW1 Generals who can have them shot if they desert. The Scooby Gang make their own choice to stay
It may be true that none of the Gang are allowed to vote, etc, but let's remember that the age of voting is an arbitrary decision of society created for our safety. It says nothing about moral responsibility; surely you can still have moral duties if you are below voting age? The fact is that the Gang do have duties as human beings, duties to assist in defending the world, duties that are imposed because they know it is in danger. Giles' and Buffy's authority over the Scooby Gang is a necessary result of their collective duty to fight; if they must fight, someone must lead. This does not remove the gang's free will to choose to abandon their duty by ignoring the plight of the world and cowering in safety. They would simply be wrong to do so.
Closing statements, please.
VOX
A short story:
In October 1995 in a city on the East Coast a cop was on patrol in a squad car during the day. He had brought along his sixteen-year-old nephew, who was planning to enrol in the force as soon as he reached his majority, as a favour to the boy's father to give him a taste of real police work. The cop received a report of a domestic disturbance nearby and drove to the address he was given. They arrived and the cop got out, leaving the boy in the car. Unknown to the cop the circumstances were that in this 'domestic' the wife had discovered a large amount of cocaine among her husband's possessions. Angered because the husband had promised that he'd 'had it with that shit' she confronted him. After a neighbour had called in the quarrel, the owners of the coke that the husband had stashed arrived to pick it up. They silenced the wife by threatening to shoot her and were about to leave the premises when the cop appeared at the door. The cop was shot twice in the chest. Fortunately he was wearing a Kevlar vest and escaped with only a broken rib. The gunmen had run out into the street over the unconscious cop before they saw the other figure in the squad car, struggling to get out of the door. They fired again. The nephew died instantly from massive head trauma. The gunmen made good their escape.
I should stress that this story is completely fictional and bears no relation to any incident of which I am aware.
Now consider how irresponsible the cop would have been if the facts had been these:
The cop knew that the gunmen were there and he approached the building with the kid at his side.
This is a cheap stunt, I admit, but this is what Buffy has done and may continue to do in the future. The only difference is that her 'kid' hasn't been killed yet, but that doesn't make it any less reprehensible.
Sententia
Vox, your illustration is an impressive piece of drama, but unfortunately inapplicable as an analogy. The important different between the situation you describe and the Scooby Gang's situation is this:
The Scooby Gang aren't just dragged into the situation by Buffy. They aren't just innocent bystanders whom Buffy deliberately chooses to put at risk. They, as members of the human race, are already at risk because of the mere presence of vampires and because they live over Hellmouth. When they help Buffy fight, they are making a conscious choice to act in their own defence, rather than to cower, waiting for Buffy or Giles to save them. If they did 'stay in the car' by avoiding assisting Buffy or going on patrol with her, they'd simply be ducking their own responsibility to the humans who don't yet know of the threat. Just as Buffy does, they have a duty to assist in the defence of humanity with whatever skills they command.
Buffy's task is not an easy one. She is often faced with vastly superior forces. Surely it is not unreasonable that she make use of the little outside help that is available to her. That help or the absence of it could make the difference between victory and success.
Thank you both.
Other people's comments:
Carrie S. 4/12/99
It seems to me that Xander and Willow, at least, were forced into knowing about vampires through circumstances beyond their control or Buffy's. Xander overheard Giles and Buffy talking about it in the library and his friend Jesse was abducted; Willow just got attacked. I don't recall how Cordelia got sucked in, but given how much the Gang disliked her I suspect it wasn't on purpose. (Some little voice in the back of my mind suggests it was the invisible girl?) Oz, of course, is a special case. Once they became aware of the danger, they seem to have decided that they have a duty to help in the fight as much as they can. If anything, they are less at risk from your casual, everyday vampire attack than are most people, if only because they *know* that there are vampires. Think about it--if you knew that the *entire world* was in constant peril from evil nightstalkers, would you want to help fight them or just get occasional updates from your superhero buddy? And remember that Giles is just as vulnerable as Willow or Xander--a moment of inattention could get his neck snapped just as easily--but he has also chosen to help in the fight.
As for the danger they face in being used against Buffy, well, that would happen even if they didn't know that she's the Slayer. Just by being important to her, they become targets--after all, her mother didn't know in the early episode Angel, but Darla attacked her anyway. The only solution to this problem is for Buffy to refuse to have any friends and to cut off all human contacts; we saw how well that works in The Wish and any number of episodes with Faith. If Buffy becomes a human Terminator, she also looses her reason to keep fighting.
What it boils down to, in my opinion, is this: Buffy should not draw any more people into the Scooby Gang, certainly, but once someone becomes aware on their own that there is a danger, they should be allowed to help if they want to. Otherwise we risk unprepared Sunnydale residents setting off into the sewers on their own, where Buffy can't even keep an eye on them.
Lost Nick 10/1/00
Little odd 15/1/00 Aleea 7/2/00 Rhiannon 11/2/00
Despite all of this, I think the entire issue neglects the fact that everyone involved is an
individual human being with a brain and a conscious. They are their own persons, and whether or
not they discovered the secret by accident or nosiness, and whether or not then participate
because Buffy asks for help or despite her insistence they not endanger themselves is their own
choice. Laws of age aside, teenagers begin making choices long before adults are comfortable
with it. It is not a matter of extermal moral issues to them. It is an internal, ethical issue
for each one of them, and they all make the decision of their own free will, legal or not. We as
viewers at least owe them enough respect as to acknowledge that they are humans and capable of
their own motives and decisions.
Quote from Willow: "It's a good fight Buffy and I want in." Quote from
Xander: "So this is the part where we say 'What can we do to help?'"
These are people who know what they are facing, and now they know, are
determined to help against it. It's worth asking whether Buffy has the
right NOT to involve them once they make that choice.
I have to agree with Sententia here - Buffy has told Xander and Willow several times not to come along with her,
yet they continue to help. For example, in 'Innocence' Xander was the one who came up with the plan of getting a
rocket launcher. She has never actually forced them to come as such although she has asked for help. They have
always had the option of leaving her to it, as demonstrated in Graduation Day when Anya left - ok, officially not
a member of the Scooby Gang, but she did know about Buffy's identity...
In The Zeppo Buffy does actually ask the Scooby gang to help,
basically because if they didn't it would be the end of the world.
Not only does she protect Xander anyway and keep him out of it, but the
others agree to help so she only puts them at risk by asking them and
therefore she gives them an element of free will. However I don't feel
that the risk is unacceptable because she does the situation they are in
is itself risky in itself and the sense of satisfaction that everyone
shows afterwards, especially Willow, proves that they themselves aren't
worried about the risks they take themselves.
It seems strange to read the arguments here about how Buffy is putting the Scooby Gang in danger
because they are minors. (from the high school days) What is Buffy? A grandmother? And nobody
seems to remember that she never made the choice to fight until almost 3 years after she was
called. She is actually the one who is forced to endanger herself and must participate in a risk
every day, and the watcher's council is the group who should be under fire for neglegence. Buffy
is not the cop in Vox's scenerio, she is the kid. (remember, she has been sent to her death by
prophecy and the council...) The Council (and even Giles as their representative) is the Cop.
But not the cop in your scenario. The they are the cop who not only takes the kid to the door,
and knows the danger, but they wait in the car and take notes on what happens.
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