Meta: To choose vs. being chosen

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

Here is a link to my old post about the spell that activated the slayers in Chosen, discussing the matters of choice and free will about being a Slayer. I don't want to re-post it, because there is an interesting discussion afterwards.

The final spell and becoming a Slayer in Chosen

Comments

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

I've always found that the finale metaphor of the activating spell was superb. It's about choice indeed.

When she chose to share her power, Buffy didn't create Slayers, she simply cut the bounds that prevent them from being what they could be. Potential is the key word here. She allowed women to achieve their potential, she got rid of the bloody calling. Slayers were no longer called by who-knows-who, they became Slayers because basically it's what they were. The rest, how they would live their lives, would be their choice indeed.

You're perfectly right, it's chosing vs being chosen.

In regards to the Mythology of the Jossverse, Buffy like a true Hero, changed the world.
She already knew since "Checkpoint" that the power was hers and hers only, she could no longer be the CoW's weapon. Buffy's choice and Willow's magic ended the patriarchal system that the Shadow Men created so long ago.

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

When she chose to share her power, Buffy didn't create Slayers, she simply cut the bounds that prevent them from being what they could be. Potential is the key word here. She allowed women to achieve their potential, she got rid of the bloody calling. Slayers were no longer called by who-knows-who, they became Slayers because basically it's what they were. The rest, how they would live their lives, would be their choice indeed.

yes. yes, exactly.

[elisi]

Thank you so much! That was excellent - I especially loved your last point about Dana. That she *chose* to be strong, so no one could hurt her anymore. Don't have time to read the discussion, sadly, but oping there might be another one! :)

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

yes. Dana's case is always used as the prove that Buffy's solution was evil and wrong - and I think, quite the contrary, it proves that Buffy was right - but highlights the complications of every major change.

[lillianmorgan.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on Chosen. It's a particularly difficult moment in the scope of the show, given that views are very polarised, but you do an excellent job of making sense of everything. So thank you.
I was particularly taken with this:
They had their own ways of dealing with it, they both accepted what power gives them, good and bad.
Considering I've also just read elisi's essay on the FE and how power works, I like what you've said in this essay about power and empowering. The Slayers knew how to make power work for them, but they also knew the positive side, whereas the FE was only interested in the negative.

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

yes, power has bad and good sides (to simplify it), and both Buffy and Faith learned it the hard way. still, being powerless - cutting all the choices.

[untitleddemo.livejournal.com]

Ooh! I love the idea that the girls had a choice of whether or not to use their power. So much of Buffy's turmoil came from the fact that she had no choice in the matter. Thanks for sharing with us.

[avrelia.livejournal.com]

You are welcome!