Respect My Authority

With this week's episodes, we revisit the idea that authority is bad in the Buffyverse. In "Revelations," the new watcher, Gwendolyn Post, turns out to be an evil, power-crazed baddie. What I did find interesting, however, was that while Buffy and her crew never liked the new watcher, Faith, the resident rebel, felt inexplicably connected to her. This made me wonder what Whedon was suggesting here...that those who cannot self-regulate are the only ones who need an absolute authority? It is an interesting suggestion that could have far reaching implications on everything from government to religion.

In "Helpless," Giles is forced to put Buffy through a test which could potentionally harm/kill her. This echoes the same theme found in "Revelations." Buffy and Giles seem to be managing just fine on their own until Quentin from the Council shows up. Once again, the writers seem to be pointing to people's need to regulate/control themselves so that less capable dictator types aren't given a foothold. This would also seem to tie in well with the chapter we read on Buffy and religion. Perhaps Whedon is suggesting the existence of good and evil as intrinsic values rather than manifestations of a deity. If that is the case, then it would make sense that he would be against any sort of imposed external regulation like religion.

Both "Bad Girls" and "Consequences" show what happens when absolute authority goes bad. The Mayor, already powerful in Sunnydale, becomes invincible. The new watcher's attempts to control Faith end badly. Whatever else Whedon and his writers are suggesting by their characterizations of adults in the Buffyverse, it is clear that they have little faith in authority.