Buffy came back wrong.
A spectacular in-depth analysis of Buffy's depression in Season 6.
In this complete nine-part series, Gabrielleabelle takes an in-depth look at how depression is portrayed in Season 6, how it affects Buffy's behavior and perceptions, how the other characters react to her depression, and eventually explores Buffy's recovery by the end of the season.
April 04 2011
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Gill | April 04, 14:36 CET
This is a long series, but I hope new readers will give it a chance. I think it's an ambitious, insightful project on a subject notorious for being misunderstood.
Emmie | April 04, 14:39 CET
wtvrrr | April 04, 14:52 CET
My only quibble with the portrayal of depression in season 6 is that the resolution of it is very... circumstantial? It's about her realising the value of life, and in particular, her life. She has very little deliberate help in that, and definitely no medical help.
I don't want to go down the path of seeing depression as purely medical, but season 6 seems to me to advocate a kind of philosophical cure - which many people can't arrive at without the help of some kind of professional.
minime | April 04, 15:22 CET
Course, I naturally enjoy dark stories and this was Buffy's darkest season. I could wax poetic about all the things I loved about season 6. It's underrated
Arkham258 | April 04, 15:53 CET
wtvrrr | April 04, 16:22 CET
Enisy | April 04, 16:37 CET
Yes, Season 6 is painful to watch. Brilliant, but painful. It's hard to detach from the characters enough to see how well-constructed the season is, because as a viewer you're identifying with the characters you love and suffering with them (or being angry at them for suffering and making poor decisions).
Season 6 explores the dark matter of the Buffyverse and that's a scary proposition for most of us who want to believe the fairytale that our heroes are always heroes.
[ edited by Emmie on 2011-04-05 02:24 ]
Emmie | April 04, 16:51 CET
No matter what Buffy said or did in 6, I always saw the brave sixteen-year-old girl who put on her white prom dress and went to what she thought was certain death.
Deeply moving analysis, thanks for posting the essays.
Reddygirl | April 04, 18:13 CET
[ edited by Reddygirl on 2011-04-05 03:38 ]
Reddygirl | April 04, 18:14 CET
Jet Wolf | April 04, 18:58 CET
Arkham258 | April 04, 19:02 CET
Jet Wolf -- Glad to hear you're enjoying it. And yeah, it was hard for me to see some of this on my own when it does hit close to home.
Arkham258 -- I don't think talking about favorite moments in season 6 qualifies as spoilery here. It's been almost nine years now. :)
[ edited by Emmie on 2011-04-05 04:43 ]
Emmie | April 04, 19:41 CET
Glitch_Doll | April 04, 19:54 CET
Emmie | April 04, 19:57 CET
Right there with y'all on the "I relate to this a little too well." I think one of the best bits was where the author struggled to articulate the feeling of disconnection while analyzing "Going Through the Motions" -- a perfect moment for me, because I always just use the song to explain that numbness, that disconnect. And the Spike/cutting comparisons are extremely astute. Believe me, I know.
ManEnoughToAdmitIt | April 04, 21:47 CET
ardentdelerium | April 04, 23:13 CET
Simon | April 05, 00:49 CET
[ edited by Emmie on 2011-04-05 20:25 ]
Emmie | April 05, 11:25 CET
Click on this link and do a search for Giles and then make your way to page 324 on the left hand side. You'll be able to read about 85-90% of the story. If you want to see the missing pages you could do a search for Buffy, Xander or Willow. Or you could buy the book and its fellow volumes. They're pretty good.
Simon | April 05, 12:37 CET
I agree with ManEnoughToAdmitIt, I would love to see more in depth analysis of the whole series by this writer.
digupherbones | April 05, 13:26 CET
1. The episode where they teased the idea that Buffy was just a crazy girl with delusions of being a slayer in a supernatural world as an escape from her real world. I loved the ambiguous ending too. It's fun to mess with the audience like that I think
2. The Trio. It was a nice switch from the usual big bad formula and I thought they were funny. Plus, I could relate to some of their geekiness. I liked Johnathan a lot
3. Evil Willow - She was quite cool as a villain and I like the idea that Buffy can't fight magic, much like superman can't. This was one big bad Buffy simply couldn't defeat
4. Xander saves the world - He finally got his big moment
5. Once More with Feeling - I really don't even need to say anything about this episode really
6. Tara's death - I know she had a lot of fans, but great stories need meaningful character deaths. This is really the only thing that could realistically turn Willow evil. Nice to see a realistic death on Buffy too. You never expected to see someone die by a gun shot on a show like that.
7. Buffy resurrected - I kind of like how Buffy's life constantly defies the natural order of things and that it has consequences. An idea they play around with on Supernatural a lot. That show so often makes me think of Buffy/Angel. I like how Buffy stripping Willow of magic in season 8 seems like karmic retribution for Willow denying Buffy heavenly bliss. There is something very not right about the Buffy/Willow relationship ever since season 6 and I see further conflict for them going into season 9. It is interesting to me how both of them seem to go against the natural order of things in the world and even the universe with their actions(the slayer spell in Chosen, Willow defying death). Do Buffy and Willow play god too much?
8. Spike gets a soul - This season made it happen and I always found it fascinating that a soulless evil creature would WANT a soul. Spike has always been an anomaly among vampires in a lot of ways and this proves that
9. Willow - This season made her more interesting to me than ever and we perhaps are still seeing the effects of season 6's events on her even now
10. The sort of existantial quality of the season - This is the season where everyone really looked at themselves to see who they really are and we as the audience, saw some of their darker, uglier sides. This makes season 6 very Angel-ish
Arkham258 | April 05, 13:53 CET