Blood IS Thicker Than Water

I was interested in something that Locklin mentions in the beginning of his article: the idea of the mutual exclusivity of family and community. Locklin describes the argument that family must necessarily pursue the best interests of the family which may or may not (and probably not) align with the best interests of the community. While Buffy may have had to make decisions to benefit the community in the past (like when she sent Angel to Hell in order to save the world), she chooses family over community in the final episodes of season 5.

In "Spiral," Buffy's focus is entirely on protecting Dawn. Even though she knows what Dawn is, she is willing to risk everything, including the safety not only of oher friends but of the world, in order to protect her from Glory. Interestingly in this episode, Giles, who was initially sent to guide Buffy in her role as protector of the world, praises her on her ability to "follow her heart" at all costs. Ultimately, Buffy pays a price for her willingness to sacrifice everything to save Dawn. The ancient soldiers that surround the Scooby gang are murdered by Glory. Though Buffy had no problem killing these soldiers when they were attacking the Winnebago, she does seem to have a problem with their mass murder.

Apparently, the conflict between Buffy's destiny as Slayer and her committment to family is too much for her beleagured mind to take, and in "The Weight of the World," she collapses in on herself and withdraws into her own mind. When Willow enters Buffy's mind to retrieve her from her self-pity and guilt, it is still an emphasis on family that draws Buffy from her catatonia and not some sense of duty to the unsuspecting world. It seems that with the addition of Dawn, the world is only safe if its needs coincide with Dawn's since Giles' announcement of the need to kill Dawn is met with threats and denial from Buffy.

With "The Gift," Buffy makes the ultimate sacrifice for family. Though her choice to give her life does save the world, it appears to be motivated more by Buffy's desire to save her sister. It would certainly serve the community better to have Dawn die and keep its powerful Slayer, yet Buffy chooses to interpret the First Slayer's prophecy as a directive to dive into the swirling vortex.