Hey, y'all!

[lirazel]

Get your Xander!hate on! eleusis_walks is doing his 30 Days of BtVS, and even though there are many, many topics I strongly disagree with him on, he is always thoughtful and awesome and interesting. And the things I do agree with him on? I agree violently.

Like our mutual hate for the ultimate Nice Guy Xander Harris. He basically lists every single hateful thing that Xander ever says/does and I am glorying in my hate. He also has a love-post devoted to Anya, which I haven't gotten to read yet, but I know is wonderful because anything involving Anya is wonderful. And eleusis_walks loves Dawn and Cordy and Jenny and basically a ton of awesome ladies, so I forgive him for not loving my boy and my girl enough. ;D

So join the hate fest! Or if you like Xander...well, I would like to hear why. Because it is beyond my understanding.

Comments

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

No, you're right: it's useless to try to change people's minds, but I always think seeing others' opinions is valuable, so thanks for this.

The comparison between the two is really interesting, even if I don't feel it. I think I can like Spike because he doesn't try to control the women around him, except for Buffy in S6 and that is clearly presented as bad. I never feel like anyone acknowledges how bad it is that Xander's always wanting to tell the women in his life what to do, especially re: their love lives when his is so profoundly messed up.

I have to admit, though that is a stunningly original plot, I probably wouldn't be able to read it, because I hate the idea that Xander might be right about Buffy being such a weak, emotional woman that she couldn't handle the truth and would have lost to Angel if she actually had all the relevant information. But I love the Buffy shanshuing! And ending up with Spike! I would even also like to read a fic from Xander's POV about these two!

And you never need to shut up! I always like your thoughts! Thank you so much for sharing!

[moscow-watcher.livejournal.com]

I hate the idea that Xander might be right about Buffy being such a weak, emotional woman that she couldn't handle the truth and would have lost to Angel if she actually had all the relevant information.

Joss himself was ambiguous about it.

http://www.atpobtvs.com/24.html

"The Xander betrayal issue... hasn't come up with us, and here's why. Xander made a decision. Like a general going into battle, he had to keep Buffy's fighting spirit strong and he felt telling her the truth would blunt it. And Angel needed to be stopped. It was a tough decision, and an unpopular one, but I'm not sure it wasn't the right one. I'm on the fence, and that's what makes it FUN! So there." (joss, Oct 20 21:42 1998).

The thing with Joss is that he writes such complex, morally ambiguous situations that practically any POV can be justified. And he always sits on a fence and lets fans decide for themselves. He's right about the capslocks FUN, until fandom wars start. :)

Anyways, even the hate threads are the tribute to the Joss' genius. People are so passionate about the show that has ended more than seven years ago. Come to think of it, it's mind-blowing.

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

But Joss makes a lot of decisions that piss me off, and the idea that Buffy can't handle that, that a man needs to protect a woman from her own feelings...that's not something I can stomach.

Anyways, even the hate threads are the tribute to the Joss' genius. People are so passionate about the show that has ended more than seven years ago. Come to think of it, it's mind-blowing.

This is very, very true and awesome! It's always good to be reminded, you know?