Doppelgangland is one of my favorite episodes; so glad we got to watch it! I really enjoyed all of the parallels that were drawn between characters to set them up as doppelgangers: Buffy and Faith, Giles and Wesley, Anya as a demon and Anya as a student, and then, of course, Willow versus Vampire Willow.
One parallel that I noticed between the episode and the text is that the learning process is evident both in “Doppelgangland” and Shelley’s “Transformation:” Willow realizes that there are worse things than being the “reliable” sort of person, and Guido sees all the worst parts of himself from the outside looking in - though his actual "reform" is questionable. But it was as strange to me in “Doppelgangland” as in “Transformation” that redemption is only available for the one side; the evil “aspect” is never allowed redemption – it’s only destroyed. Why is it that good can be swayed to evil when evil can never be swayed to good?
I also find it interesting that Willow doesn’t actually “learn” this lesson – and is still drawn farther and farther into the dark arts later in the series, despite her assertion at the end of the episode that she wanted to avoid all types of vice. Do you think this suggests that the “darkness” or opposing force within us is inescapable or unavoidable? And is Willow’s reluctance to kill Vampire Willow evidence that she doesn’t necessarily want to get rid of the dark side of herself – even though she knows that her counterpart will be killing and hurting people on the other side?
It’s even more curious that this is so, especially considering that Vampire Willow is killed off in the end, as if a symbolic representation of the triumph in Willow of her good side over her evil one. But then again, as Janelle mentioned, this may also be seen as the reuniting of the two halves of her self – pink sweater Willow and black leather Willow, into the Willow of the BtVS reality.
You mentioned how good is always swayed to evil and evil is never allowed to sway to good. Generally I would say this is the case, probably because it's more agreeable for readers/audiences to identify with a "good" protagonist that sways to the evil side and reforms than vice versa. However, I'd like to point out that in "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" Hyde in the end manages to reign himself in a little, and Jekyll says that Hyde hates him so deeply, but I think it's feasible to argue that some of the hatred stems from the degradation of being constantly perceived as evil and thus looked down upon. Just a thought. It must get tiring, even for evil peeps.
ReplyDeleteI liked your point about inescapable darkness. This is especially interesting to consider in the role of Anya as she battles her new humanity. As the seasons progress, she starts to like what humanity means, a boyfriend, money, etc, but she still recalls the glory days of her demon times. And then, when she returns to her demon state, she still holds on to some of her humanity. Perhaps, just like we can't avoid our bad sides, we can't avoid the good as well. That could be why, like Madeline said, vampire willow returns the hug at the end and allows good willow to live.
ReplyDeleteI like your point about how the evil dopplegangers never get chances at redemption. I think perhaps if Vamp Willow and the dwarf were allowed to do so then their evils would be absolved in Good Willow and Guido. After all, by sending Vamp Willow away to her own world and imminent death, Willow then enables that dark part of herself to join in her whole personality and ultimately grow and fester. Similarly, Guido kills the dwarf and takes back the evil. If Vamp Willow and the dwarf were able to redeem themselves then maybe their evil would be absolved from their counterparts.
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