Buffy Reviews

Consequences

Character - by
Story - by
Villian - by Kaboo
Consequences continues the exploration of Faith's dark side, a theme that began last week in Bad Girls. Faith's lack of remorse and unwillingness to accept responsibility for the accidental killing of Deputy Mayor Allan casts her in the main role of villain, showing the depths to which even a Slayer is vulnerable. Thus, Buffy is in conflict with Faith and Faith's inner demons, rather than demons of the regular sort that are found in Sunnydale. Faith's justification of her crime, through victim-blaming and keeping score of her triumphs shows her instability.      When she finds out that Allan was associated with the corrupt Mayor and Mr. Trick, Faith tries to rationalise his death by saying he may have deserved to die. Buffy calls her on the faulty reasoning, and points out that it is a Slayer's duty to help people. Faith shows her own terrifying interpretation of the Slayer's mission, seeing Slayers as better than ordinary people, and not acknowledging the worth of an ordinary individual. Faith's villainy continues when she betrays Buffy, blaming her for the killing. Hypocritically, Faith goes to Giles with this lie only when she fears that the police investigation is getting too close to the truth. Despite Buffy's numerous appeals to turn to Giles for help and Faith's refusal to act on this, Faith lies to Giles to lessen her own fear at being found out.      Faith's downward spiral continues as she turns on more people who care about her well-being. Her mocking of Xander's offer of support and her sadistic attack on him show her acting out her belief that because she is stronger she is better. The attack gives Angel an opportunity to help both Xander and Faith: he rescues Xander from almost certain death and isolates Faith so that she can do no more harm, while working to exorcise her inner demons.      Angel's understanding is contrasted by the reaction of Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, the new Watcher. His efforts to follow the Council's heartless orders make him an unthinking villain. As in Helpless, the policies of the Watcher's Council show the group to be callous toward any Slayer's well-being; they are only interested in their own agendas and administering their own brand of justice with no thought of mercy. By interfering with the assistance Angel has tried to offer to Faith, Wyndham-Pryce and the Watcher's Council do more harm than good. Not only do they kidnap Faith from Angel's custody, but they allow her to escape as a more dangerous and unstable Slayer than ever before. Although Buffy doesn't lose faith in Faith, especially after she is rescued from the clutches of Mr. Trick, it appears at the end that Faith may well have decided to take Mr. Trick's place at the Mayor's side. (As a villainous side note, it is sad to see Mr. Trick turned to dust, as he has been one of the more charismatic villains that the Slayer has fought.)      Whether Faith has completely embraced evil or is trying to infiltrate the Mayor's team to prove her worth is unclear. However, the issues Faith faces illustrate the many conflicts and dangers a Slayer must face within herself.      I give this episode 3.75 out of 5 Ehs.