The “Replacement” to me spoke about the complexity of the Buffy characters in comparison to what we might see in gothic literature or contemporary teen shows. BtVS obviously straddles two genres: the gothic and the “teen drama” that emerged in the 1990’s with Dawson’s Creek and the WB. Yet to refer to Buffy as solely one of these classifications is to misunderstand the hybridity of the show and it’s purpose in reinventing a classic genre for a new audience.
I often see Xander as the beloved goofball character, constantly the butt of jokes- he falls hopelessly in love with a Praying Mantiss, a Mummy Girl, and of course, follows Buffy with puppy dog eyes for the majority of the first two seasons. Yet looking back on Xander, I can’t help but find his decline into slob-dom a little unnerving. While at the beginning of the first episode of Buffy he is yes, a little goofy, he still is a well-kept, clean figure with enough acumen to notice that despite her looks, Buffy might be a little shady. Of course, despite his cuteness, he could never be the hero of the show, but his witty one liners and pining eyes prove his value as something else. Only over the course of the season’s does he develop into the scapegoat of the show- a character whose lack of masculinity and force (“sometimes we all rescue you, Xander) seem to exist to reinforce Buffy’s uniqueness and new gurrrrl power. While Joss Whedon can overturn modern stereotypes of women, he seems unable to do so without emasculating her male friends. Can there really exist no strong woman without compromising the strength of the supporting men?
Yet, that was a sidenote. (I am pretty sure I will get some hatred for that one. I swear, I am a feminist and I love Joss Whedon)
In Xander’s personality split we see the evolution of the show itself. Xander, constantly trying to find himself, is seeming stuck in his role as the goofy screwball sidekick. He, like the show, has a fun time, doesn’t take anything seriously, and perhaps to outside audiences, doesn’t represent anything valuable on deeper lever. Yet when split Whedon reveals that he is in fact a multi-faceted individual. Forceful Xander accomplishes his work, acts seriously and addresses problems of his life in mature way. Yet despite their differences, the Xanders cannot exist without each other. In their codependency I see a commentary on the show. Goofy Xander, with his quips and his poor choice of wardrobe is the teen drama and television format of the show. His doppelganger, forceful Xander, seems at first evil but is in actuality the embodiment of the gothic tradition. Although when joined critics might see the Xanders as a mess (or see Buffy as a mere teen drama) within his quips lies a seriousness that seriously packs a punch.
So “The Replacement” (I have to say it) it’s a little….meta.
I think the middle seasons of Buffy definitely show Xander in the worst light possible, but I think he does eventually start to mature. It pretty much starts with the fifth season, when he declares after being under Dracula's thrall "I'm sick of being everybody's butt monkey". But by the end of the season he's proposed to his girlfriend, moved out of his parents' basement, been promoted, and is a successful construction worker. I think in the fourth season in particular he is very goofy to contrast his failure with his friends' success in college and such.
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