I think faith had me at the first "wicked cool," though I did somewhat resent her within the story context for driving a wedge between Buffy and Willow. Extremely promising character from the get-go, however.

I was practically the anti-Faith in highschool, so my Faith-love isn't an idenitifcation thing (unless by identification, we mean 'I have eyes, and can therefore identify that she is, in fact, nummy like a nummy thing'). I liked her as a counter-point to Buffy, because when I first started watching in s3, Buffy seemed kinda whiny and uptight and much less fun to watch.

I am evil, I've never really much liked Faith. I did like her in "Orpheus"(?) on AtS, in the flashback scenes when she's watching Angel and talking to Angelus. I think it was because she was empathizing more with Angel's struggles than with whatever was going on with herself. I never really got a vibe off of her that she gave much of a damn about anyone other than herself, and the "I must be cooler than all the rest so they don't know how scared I am" doesn't appeal. It just makes me want to go "Get back to me when you've got your psyche straightened out."

I think faith had me at the first "wicked cool," though I did somewhat resent her within the story context for driving a wedge between Buffy and Willow.

Ditto. Any dislike I had for her was within story context, like when she tried to strangle Xander.

I liked her as a counter-point to Buffy

Ditto. I dug the path-not-chosen vibe. After seeing Kendra, the ultra-dutiful slayer, it was cool to see the other end of the spectrum.

Rewatching those earlier episodes now, I have a lot more sympathy for Faith than I did at the time. Maybe cold!Buffy in Season 7 is colouring my perceptions. In the various scenes where she tries to get Buffy to talk about herself and Buffy just shuts her down -- especially in regards to Angel stuff -- I think I used to be on Buffy's side, like "Mind your own business!" But now I think Buffy is too rude and cold. Each time it happens Faith looks momentarily stung before she recovers her attitude. I think it's brilliaint in Revelations when the fake watcher chick plays on this insecurity.

I think it's brilliaint in Revelations when the fake watcher chick plays on this insecurity.

Aww, poor Faith. This was my first Faith episode, and it's where she's at her most sympathetic, so that probably contributed to my instant affection for her.

I think faith had me at the first "wicked cool," though I did somewhat resent her within the story context for driving a wedge between Buffy and Willow. Extremely promising character from the get-go, however.

Yes, and when she told the Mayor he was "wicked gross" she owned me forever (I think in part, this is because it was obvious that not only Faith was a home girl (for me), but that Eliza is, too). I resented the wedge between Buffy & Willow too, except--damn--that's fine writing, acting, and direction that makes a person resent a fictional character in that way.

Faith's stoopid and relly uncool. I h8ed her!!1!

LyEr!

Hee.

[link]

Will Shetterly's excellent review of S3 and why it is great.