Faith Lehane is arguably one of the more powerful female characters in living television history. Created as an antagonist to Buffy Summers, Faith not...
Faith Lehane is arguably one of the more powerful female characters in living television history. Created as an antagonist to Buffy Summers, Faith not only added an extra dimension to the Slayer lore but also changed and challenged the show’s fundamental principle – that the Slayer is inherently good.
Faith does more than play opposites to Buffy’s hero, she also demonstrates a depth of humanity that is sometimes lacking in Buffy’s demeanour. Faith’s flaws ultimately serve to mature her – another trait that Buffy doesn’t possess in her earlier years. Her strength lies in the core of her personality and background, she is rough, aggressive and wise with street smarts. She is also a sexually charged character, but this can be argued to be more of a channelling of her anger than a sense of needing love or affection. This sexuality is raw and powerful – much like the vampires she hunts, she is driven by the thirst of the physical.
Faith is a heroine built from the mould of Classical Greek Literature. She is flawed, she falls and she overcomes. The accidental taking of a human life transforms her into a girl lost and ultimately drives her to seek out more blood, revenge and destruction. But the beauty of Faith, even in her downfall, was the vulnerability and pain she showed as she tried to struggle with her personal demons. Whilst her behaviour can be traced back to an abusive childhood, her choices are made based on what she lacks in her present life. She views Buffy with her mentor, her mother and a secure circle of friends as a pariah, taking what Faith never had. In this mindset she seeks out an ally and finds a warm father figure in the Mayor. To Faith, his being ‘bad’ does not detract from his pure love for her. Why then take the more arduous path of penalty that Buffy demands when she can live in comfort somebody else’s love? Faith’s weakness here is obvious, she is blinded by the need to be guided and loved and will ultimately choose this path over one of justice at her own expense.
Angel plays a crucial role in Faith’s development. Through him she learns the power of friendship, the importance of seeking redemption and the overwhelming desire to do good in the face of adversity. I believe her turning point was not capitulating to Angel when he urges her to turn herself in, but instead in her willingness to sacrifice herself to save Angel’s life. Faith finally learns the lesson Buffy has always known, that she cannot survive without the love and sacrifice of her friends.
She returns to Sunnydale in Season 7 of Buffy to stand side by side with her fellow Slayer. In taking over leadership from Buffy she learns about Buffy’s strengths in a way she never before understood – not even when she was in Buffy’s body – and begins to respect her former foe for the difficult and sometimes fatal decisions she makes for the good of her team. That she returns to Sunnydale and seeks out Buffy indicates her new found for conquering her fears, facing up to her sins and fighting for the good of the world.
