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Date Posted: 15:05:12 04/08/02 Mon
Author: Earl Allison
Subject: You can't have it both ways ...
In reply to: Dochawk 's message, "Re: Was Ben, then, a lesser being than Warren?" on 10:54:50 04/08/02 Mon

No.

If Willow killing Warren is wrong, and should be punishable by the law, Giles MUST be held to the same standards. He also killed a human, took a human life, and in such a way that it could never be argued as self-defence.

Actually, the very fact that Giles did what he did without condemnation should be a beacon, that Willow's actions, however wrong they might be, have to be excused.

Both actions take place involving circumstances, persons, and abilities well outside the sphere of "human" laws.

By the time Willow catches up to Warren, he is no longer a "mere" human, but has somehow been magically enhanced (according to spoilers) -- much as Ben was a host for the Glory entity, and therefore not "merely" human, either. And if one argues that such is NOT the case, shouldn't someone be bringing charges against the werewolf hunter from Season Two? After all, those werewolves were also humans, too.

On the surface, her actions are wrong, but I can understand them, and quite frankly, I WOULD condone them. Warren is a sick dog that needs to be put down -- I'm not crazy about the torturing aspect, but like Thomas Aquinas, I believe that a man can do enough wrong that he forfiets his own divine right to life -- Warren will have killed two people, and attempted to kill a third, by the time Willow catches up to him. One was accidental, but with no remorse (Katrina), but the others (Tara, Buffy) were planned out, and he has attempted, directly or indirectly, to kill Buffy at least three times already.

To me, Warren has reached the point where he no longer HAS the right to life. Sure, a court of law should determine that, but then, how many other instances in the Buffyverse are similar? If we draw the line here, how can Buffy or the others react in the future? Should they turn a blind eye to Ethan Rayne the next time he is in town, or another Initiative, merely because they would be subject to human laws? It just doesn't seem like we can pick and choose.

I know this potentially leaves the door open for an anything goes" mentality, but that's not what I mean. I don't think Willow or anyone else should be killing as a general rule, in fact, it should probably be avoided, but in this case, I can understand it, and were I on a jury, would likely condone it.

I know it's a scary thing, but while I understand the letter of the law, and would overall like to see it adhered to, the Buffyverse has barely paid lipservice to human law before now -- so I have a serious problem with insisting that Willow obey it in this case.

The Buffyverse has shown us a world outside the "normal" one, with lots of (admittedly minor) law breakage from the beginning; truancy (I know, silly, but it IS a law), breaking and entering, federal trespassing and theft (the rocket launcher), theft and destruction of property (the supplies for Spike's spell, not to mention the destruction of the store), involuntary manslaughter (the two German mercenaries from Season Three), etc. I'm just saying, they've been pretty lax in general, so to draw an unwavering line here seems wrong to me, murder or not.

In "Lie To Me," Buffy left Ford to die, either at Spike's hand after being tricked, or when he was turned into a vampire -- nothing was ever said, no one even thought about it.

We all know that Giles killed Ben, and again, nothing was ever said later. I'm not even sure the others KNOW what Giles did.

Here, the only action I can really question, would be the torture angle. And, while not a good thing, I understand it, and could move beyond it. If the Scoobies cannot, after allowing Spike and Angel (especially after Season Two) into their midst, forgive and welcome Willow back into the fold, then they AND the writers are guilty of hypocracy of the highest order.

I don't know, I can understand both sides, but given what Warren has done, the loss to Willow, and the fact that normal human justice may not even be able to capture Warren, and I can live with Willow's actions -- provided she acknowledges that they WERE wrong, and feels remorse for it afterwards.

Take it and run.

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