"On Your Own" - a Whedon Misstep?

Today, I read Buffy S9, #6. I was less than thrilled. I thought about it for awhile. Then I read the whole thing over again. I was still angry and twisted up inside about what I had read. So I wrote this.

   [FAIR WARNING: SPOILERS ABOUND] As readers of this blog-or most of the other things I write-know, I am a die-hard fan of Joss Whedon and his work. I read both Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 9 and the new Angel and Faith series, I own complete series sets of his shows...and I'm way too excited for The Avengers premiere in May. So when I say this, I don't say it lightly: "On Your Own" Part 1 left me more conflicted on the work of Joss Whedon than I have ever been. 

   For those who don't know, the driving idea of the issue is this: Buffy is pregnant. She doesn't know who the father is, and she's still the Slayer, more or less alone in the world (or at least that's how she feels). 

   This story is paralleled by one set in 1973 that will be familiar to fans of the TV series - Nikki, a previous Slayer, finds herself in a similar situation to that of Buffy. As fans know, she is the mother of (former) Principal Robin Wood,  whom Buffy seeks council from in the present day on what to do about her pregnancy. Robin advises her to keep the baby, because he believes that she has the strength and courage to raise the child right, even with the duties of a Slayer in the mix.

   I applaud Joss for presenting the choice to keep the child despite the odds. I simply find it out of character that Buffy didn't make it. In the final panels, we see that Buffy has made the decision to have an abortion instead of keeping her child. 

   In my mind, Buffy has always been the epitome of a strong female character (both on TV and in the comics). Buffy has always been willing to make any sacrifice, putting the good of those around her and the world at large before her own. In Season 1, she died to save Sunnydale. In Season 5, she died to save her sister Dawn from her fate...and yet here, she seemingly chooses to end her own pregnancy, denying her own child the chance at life because it might be hard. Of all people, Buffy the Vampire Slayer knows that just because life is really hard, and sometimes really sucks, that doesn't mean it isn't worth living.

   But here's the problem. Whedon tells us, "I don't think Buffy should have a baby. I don't think Buffy can take care of a baby. I agree with Buffy." (You can find the full article here - it's worth a read).

   I think he is wrong. I don't think that the Buffy we all know and love would ever make the choice to have an abortion. Character-wise, the choice is truly a departure from the Buffy I know.

   I think it runs counter to the message Buffy has been giving us for close to the last decade: make the right choices, even if they're incredibly difficult. Don't take the easy way out - you can do better than that, you have the strength to do better than that.  As a fan, someone who both likes and respects Mr. Whedon and his work, I was disappointed by the choice to seemingly allow Buffy to sidestep the challenge of motherhood (intended or not, it is still motherhood). 

  I disagree with the character's choice on moral grounds. I have no shame in admitting that. I will never defend the ending of a child's life in the real world or in the pages of a comic book. 

   Yet, at the same time, I understand that Buffy is not my creation. I respect the fact that Joss Whedon holds differing views from my own, and it is his right to show them in his work, especially if, as he says, he feels it is true to the character and her story. I truly respect the creative freedom of storytellers (especially since I'm one myself).

   I also greatly respect the way that this subject matter was handled in the issue. There's nothing I hate more than a writer who blatantly shoehorns his or her own views into a story whether they naturally fit there or not. As far as I'm concerned, if they fit, fine. If not, they shouldn't be there - not if you want to keep the credibility of your story and your characters strong. In this case, the fact that the issue of abortion arose is a natural consequence of the story that Mr. Whedon is trying to tell. Not only that, but both sides of the issue were addressed, and not in a cursory manner. I truly wasn't sure what choice Buffy would make until she made it. And that is the mark of masterful, well-rounded storytelling. 

  I'm truly torn by this issue of Buffy Season 9. I feel that the strong credibility of Buffy's character was damaged - but then I wonder if she'll go through with it or not, and what that story will be like. I haven't stopped thinking about the issue since I read it this morning.  That, more than anything else, makes me respect Joss Whedon as a writer and storyteller even more than I already did. I may disagree with him, but he's telling a story that I am invested in and want to know the end to - and that excites me.