Faith

In Joss Whedon's critically acclaimed television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (BTVS), a rich tapestry of characters face both supernatural and personal challenges. Among these characters, Faith Lehane, portrayed by Eliza Dushku, stands out as a complex and dark foil to the protagonist, Buffy Summers. This essay examines the character arc of Faith, especially in Season 3 and the season 4 episode "Who are You" where she switches bodies with Buffy, highlighting how her actions depict tendencies commonly associated with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).

Faith Lehane: Introduction and Initial Traits

Faith Lehane arrives in Season 3 as the second slayer, meant to reflect what Buffy might have been had her circumstances been different. Faith’s impulsivity is immediately apparent through her dramatic stories of demon fights, which also reveal her thirst for attention. Her relationships escalate quickly: she forms intense attachments to Buffy and her friends and is extremely resistant to authority. This attachment, coupled with their rejection, leads Faith into a dangerous spiral of decisions.

The Spiral and the Influence of BPD Tendencies

Faith's actions are characteristically impulsive and erratic. These attributes align with several BPD symptoms such as unstable relationships, frantic efforts to avoid abandonment (real or imagined), impulsivity, emotional instability, and an unclear sense of identity. For example, in a particular episode, Faith involves Buffy in an impulsive mission, leading to breaking into a weapons shop and eluding the police.

An event that profoundly affects Faith is when she accidentally kills a human. This catalyzes a transformation, as she pushes Buffy and her friends away for self-preservation, and falsely accuses Buffy of the crime. Faith begins working with the season’s antagonist, the Mayor, who takes on a paternal role. This relationship dynamic hints at another BPD symptom: the switching of allegiances and intense interpersonal relationships.

Furthermore, Faith’s character arc echoes the plot of Single White Female (SWF), a film where the protagonist’s roommate exhibits BPD tendencies by absorbing and taking over her life. This parallel is not accidental; Buffy even accuses Faith of "single white femaling" her in an episode. The SWF tagline, “Allie's new roommate is about to borrow a few things without asking. Her clothes. Her boyfriend. Her life. Living with a roommate can be murder,” fittingly encapsulates Faith's trajectory in BTVS.

In “Who Are You,” an episode from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, we encounter the fascinating interplay of Faith and Buffy's identities. This episode presents a riveting exploration of projection and self-perception, with Faith's experience while impersonating Buffy serving as the crux of the narrative. Through Faith’s projection, the audience gets a glimpse into the complicated psyche of a character burdened with her dark impulses.

🎤 The Mantra 🎤

Faith’s time in Buffy’s body begins with a mantra she concocts: “I’m Buffy, you can’t do that fun thing, Faith, because it's wrong.” This single sentence is a distillation of what Faith believes Buffy represents – judgment, righteousness, and condemnation. It is through this lens that Faith interprets Buffy's constant striving for good as a direct criticism of her own actions.

🎭 The Projection and the Shame 🎭

As she assimilates into Buffy’s life, Faith’s mantra intensifies the guilt and shame she experiences for her own dark past. This overwhelming torrent of emotions leads her to project these feelings back onto Buffy. She is desperate to distance herself from her own sense of wrongness and instead tries to paint Buffy with the same brush.

Faith’s recklessness and her almost psychopathic sense of right and wrong are in sharp contrast with Buffy’s values. Her identity is deeply interwoven with her impulsive and violent tendencies. And, the shame she feels comes not from her own conscience but is rather a reflection of what she believes Buffy would think of her.

🚶‍♀️ Walking in Buffy’s Shoes 🚶‍♀️

One of the most insightful moments comes from Faith’s conversation with Spike while impersonating Buffy:

Faith:[in Buffy's body] “What is it that you hate about Buffy?” 'Cause I'm a stuck-up tight-ass with no sense of fun? Spike: Well, yeah. That covers a lot of it. Faith: [in Buffy's body] 'Cause I could do anything I want and instead I choose to pout and whine and feel the burden of Slayerness. I mean, .. I could have anything..

This exchange reveals the complex interplay of identity and responsibility. Faith sees Buffy’s powers and position as a Slayer as tools for boundless possibilities, yet she views Buffy's choice to bear the burden of her responsibilities as a restriction.

🗡️ The Dual-edged Sword 🗡️

Faith’s journey in Buffy’s body culminates in a fight that's an ultimate act of projection and an attempt at narcissistic obtaining Buffy's goodness. Her mantra evolves from ‘Faith, you’re doing something wrong,’ to ‘Faith, you’re murderous,’ and ultimately to ‘Buffy, you are murderous.’

In the climax, where she steps in to save the day in a church, she tries to shed her shame by projecting it onto Buffy, and at the same time, seeks to claim Buffy’s glory and heroism for herself.

🎨 The Canvas of Identity 🎨

“Who Are You” paints a rich canvas of identity, self-perception, and the projections we cast upon others. Through the dance of Faith and Buffy's characters, the audience witnesses the internal struggles that come from carrying the weight of our shadows and the lengths to which one might go to escape them. It is a tapestry woven with the threads of human psyche, highlighting how we sometimes seek to find ourselves in others, only to realize that the echoes of our own being cannot be easily silenced.

The Body Swap: A Look Into Faith’s Psyche

In the episode where Faith switches bodies with Buffy, her self-loathing becomes more explicit. At one point, she attacks her own body, screaming and punching it. Here, she manifests two more BPD symptoms: chronic feelings of emptiness and difficulty controlling anger.

Her unstable sense of identity is further illustrated when she attempts to assimilate into Buffy's life. Faith tries on clothes, practices what she believes Buffy would say, and even uses Joyce's credit card to buy a plane ticket, intending to escape in Buffy's body.

Faith's encounter with Riley (Buffy’s boyfriend) while in Buffy’s body is telling. She expects a physical escapade but is caught off guard when he wants a more meaningful connection. This surprises her and causes her identity to waver further. (BTW no shame at all, but using sex transactionally and dangerously elevated promiscuity are par for the BPD course in many cases, studies show).

Faith is Inspired??

Then, an act of heroism on the news inspires her to face vampires as Buffy. At the airport, Faith sees the vampires on TV, and, despite the fact she was about to leave, decides to go and face the vampires instead. Riley, who has controlled the situation with the police, meets Faith at the entrance and wants to help. She reminds him of his injury and asks him to stay outside. Buffy, Giles, Willow, and Tara also arrive, and Giles acts hysterical in order to distract the police so Buffy can slip inside.

Faith challenges the vampires inside, and she quickly dusts the other vamps before taking on Boone. As Boone starts talking about how Adam has shown him the way forward, Buffy stakes him from behind.

The Dual Struggle Inside Faith

In the episode where Faith is about to leave Sunnydale, assuming Buffy’s identity, she witnesses an act of heroism on the news, and it ignites something within her. This is where her unpredictability and malleable value system come into play again – key characteristics of BPD. Faith decides to face the vampires as Buffy, an act which surprises her and causes her identity to waver even further.

During the showdown with the vampires, Faith’s actions reflect her internal struggle. When she finally faces Buffy in a brutal physical confrontation, she furiously punches her own face (as she is in Buffy’s body) and screams insults like "murderous bitch.” This act represents a deep internal turmoil and self-loathing, an expression of the emotional agony often associated with BPD. However, there is more to this scene than meets the eye.

Projection, Narcissistic Traits, and Faith’s Internal Battle

Here, Faith is not only combating her inner demons but also displaying traits associated with narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), specifically the tendency to project one's own negative attributes onto someone else. People with BPD can sometimes exhibit secondary narcissistic traits. This dual personality struggle paints a realistic portrayal of the complexity that individuals with mental health disorders often face.

This scene is an artistic representation of the ‘discard’ process that can occur in relationships involving individuals with BPD and NPD. Faith is projecting all her guilt, shame, and self-hatred onto Buffy. Through this projection, she attempts to unburden herself and become whole again by trying to take on Buffy's identity – essentially trying to 'become' Buffy.

Faith’s call to Buffy as a "murderous bitch" is a representation of this projection. It is not merely an act of rage but a symbolic transfer of her own guilt and shame for the acts she committed. It is a delusional attempt to reinvent herself, and in doing so, free herself from the bonds of her own transgressions by attributing them to Buffy.

Symbolism and Meaning: A Masterful Depiction

This moment is layered and symbolically rich. It revisits an earlier scene in the season when Faith tried to frame Buffy for her own crimes. The same theme of wanting to transfer her own darkness onto Buffy resonates here, but this time with more profound psychological undertones.

The portrayal of Faith in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, particularly in this climactic episode, serves as an enlightening and brave exploration of the human psyche. The writers of the show have masterfully woven the intricacies of Borderline Personality Disorder and elements of narcissistic traits into Faith’s character. This not only makes her one of the most compelling characters in the series but also sheds light on the struggles and inner conflicts of those grappling with complex mental health issues.

Conclusion: Faith as a Symbol and a Lesson

Faith Lehane's character in BTVS is emblematic of the torment and confusion that can be part of BPD and, at times, co-morbid narcissistic traits. Her internal struggles, projections, and eventual pursuit of redemption make her an empathetic and deeply human character. Through Faith, the series offers viewers a window into the often misunderstood world of mental health, inviting them to engage with the subject with sensitivity and understanding. Faith’s journey through darkness and toward the light reminds us that within the labyrinth of the human psyche lies the potential for change, growth, and redemption.

Faith Lehane’s character in Buffy the Vampire Slayer is not only a dark mirror to Buffy but also a poignant portrayal of Borderline Personality Tendencies. Her character’s impulsivity, intense relationships, emotional instability, unclear sense of identity, and actions all paint a vivid picture of someone struggling with these tendencies. Through Faith, BTVS skillfully integrates a psychological perspective into a supernatural narrative, enhancing the depth of the characters and storylines in this iconic series.