It's Hard Being a Hero

So, I was going to write my blog post about the differences between Andrew and Catherine, but I think that has been beaten to death already, by you all early bird posters, and by my lengthy comments (Sorry Sydney, I didn't mean to write a novel). So, I guess I will talk about something else.

One part of the episode that really stuck out to me was this section:

ANDREW(pleading): I know. But you don’t need to kill me. You said we could all get through this.
BUFFY: I made it up. I’m making it all up. So what kind of hero does that make me?
ANDREW: No, you’re doing a great job, really. Kudos.
BUFFY: Yeah, well, I don’t like having to give a bunch of speeches about how we’re all going to live, because we won’t. This isn’t some story where good triumphs because good triumphs. Good people are going to die. Girls. Maybe me.Probably you. Probably right now.

I think this goes back to what I was discussing with Tabula Rasa as to what makes a hero. Throughout the "story" of Andrew's video, Buffy is "The Girl Who Knew No Fear." the "Slayer of, The Vampires," and she is shown majestically and heroically. And throughout the episode, Buffy protests this portrayal. She doesn't want this beacon of hope of future generations to capture all of their preparations and struggles, because she is scared, and knows that she is dealing with something she may not be prepared to handle. She is the heroine, and has always dealt with things and saved the world, but here, she is not so sure that she is going to have the strength to be a hero. She says that what she does is too important to show the world, because after the fighting, after the violence, she is vulnerable, especially as a leader (which will come up towards the end of the 7th season).

So we say again, what makes a heroine? I think that these doubts are crucial to heroism. Andrew says that Buffy "fights and she knows she will win because there is no alternative" but Buffy doesn't believe that. We see in the above quoted scene that she is afraid. If a hero is constantly aware of being a hero and of being the able and victorious defender, then what kind of hero would they be? Boring, I think. Catherine, like Buffy, doesn't see herself as the ideal heroine, even though we are told that she is. Both girls have happy endings, save the day, get the guy, whatever, but it is their vulnerable moments and struggles that make it worth the while. Buffy is hyper aware of her role as hero, which is vastly different from Catherine, who views herself as plain, and these polar opposites serve as points of weakness for each heroine. It gives them something to overcome, something to battle with, before they can prove themselves as true heroines.

Buffy knows that people will die and that she can't save them all, and I think that this adds to her heroism. She acknowledges that her fight will not be perfect, but that doesn't mean that she isn't going to stop fighting. Catherine sees that the General has faults that can't be altered and that the Thorpes were not the friends she hoped they would be, but she does not take her entire experience to be a loss. Yea, I guess that is kind of a stretch, but Catherine isn't such a literal heroine as Buffy, so I kind of read between the lines...

Yea, so this post kind of drifted from where it began, but those are my thoughts on Storyteller. Also, I love this episode, so much. I think it is a great way to pick apart each character, especially Buffy and Andrew. Thanks for that, Joss.