Cool Character Arcs, as decided by you...

[deird_lj]

Well, it’s now been two weeks since the character arcs poll, and, this being the internet, I’m sure most of you have forgotten it ever happened.

But I haven’t. And, as much as I loathe all forms of maths (yes… I’m an engineer… shut up…), I did do a semester of statistics at uni, so I thought I’d put it to good use. By, you know, looking at percentages and stuff.

 

(By the way, if you haven’t done the poll yet and would like to, feel free. It’ll stuff up my carefully analysed results, but what the hell…)

 

 

 

Anyway. Maths.

 

There are two different things to look at with these results.

1) who got the highest number of votes

2) who got the highest number of votes they could have gotten

 

Or, in other words, Dawn and Illyria both got 4 votes. But if everyone had voted for them at every possible opportunity, Dawn would have got 100, and Illyria would have been stuck with 23. So 4 votes for each of them is actually pretty different.

 

…and now that the complex mathsy explanation is over and done with, we can get back to the results. Yay!

 

 
Results, season by season

And the winner for season 1 was Buffy (who accepted her destiny), who got a whopping 73% of the votes. And yes – that is whopping. No-one else managed to get that much again.

 

Season 2, people started expressing a bit more interest in Cordelia being snarky at Harmony, and Spike saving the world because he liked Happy Meals and dog-racing, but Buffy was still much more interesting than anyone else. (And really, given the whole evil-soulless-boyfriend-killing-my-friends thing, she deserves it.)

 

In season 3, the regular cast were apparently very boring. No-one got more than two votes.

Instead, they all headed in the direction of the sometimes-evil, always-really-hot Faith. For some reason, killing innocent people to help your evil father substitute in his quest to become a big snake is more interesting than fluking in formal wear – who knew?

 

And then we reached season 4. And Spike won most of the votes (this will become a common theme).

He was, in fact, almost tied with Willow, on her voyage of self-discovery. Apparently half of the poll-takers want deep and meaningful television with lesbian subtext (rapidly becoming text… but anyway…) and the other half want to see Spike getting tied to chairs and being snarky at people.

I can see both sides of this argument.

 

Angel season 1 had a lot of variety. Quite a few people voted for Faith’s chair-torture and microwave using; even more voted for Doyle saving the world from the most unsubtle Nazi metaphor in modern television. But the winner (by one vote) was Cordelia, and her horrible, headachey Visions Of Doom. Go Cordy! (Enjoy it while it lasts, honey – you’ll never get more than one vote again.)

 

…On to Buffy season 5, and we have a tie. The votes were split between Buffy’s self-sacrificial tower diving, and Spike’s realisation that he had, horror of horrors, fallen in love with his arch-nemesis.

Is anyone at all surprised by this result? Anyone?

 

Season 2 of Angel almost has a three-way split. Angel, of course, got a lot of votes for locking lawyers in a wine cellar and still having a beige aura. Darla also got a whole stack of support, for… well… getting Angel to lock a whole bunch of lawyers in a wine cellar.

But the one that surprised me was Wesley, and his stellar leadership skills. I personally didn’t think he’d get that much of the vote until he started being all stubbly and hardcore… but there you go.

 

Buffy season 6, and Buffy and Spike are still getting almost exactly the same number of votes – which, given that they spent most of the season in the same places, at the same time, doing the same thing doing each other, isn’t all that surprising.

But the big winner was definitely Willow. Strangely enough, if you mindwipe your girlfriend, develop a metaphorical drug addiction, get black hair, flay a guy alive, give yourself super-strength, and try to destroy the world, only to get stopped by the mighty power of yellow crayons, people will think you had an interesting character arc…

 

Angel season 3 goes without a shadow of a doubt to Wesley, which… yeah. The guy kidnapped his best friend’s son. And was in a love triangle. And got his throat cut. And started sleeping with a lawyer. No-one else comes close.

 

Remember what I was saying about Spike winning a lot? Well, he does. Again. Which is interesting, really, because all he does for most of the season is hang around in basements talking to invisible people.

(Actually, I noticed quite a few voters that I know for a fact don’t like Spike at all, and they still voted for him. Is it because you didn’t like the other character arcs that season? Or did you just succumb to the awesomeness that is Spike?)

Kennedy, unfortunately, didn’t get any votes at all. I’m devastated – but I can’t say I’m surprised…

 

Season 4 of Angel is, surprisingly, not won by Wesley, despite the fact that he’s walking around with a shotgun trying to steal Gunn’s girlfriend out from under him. In fact, his votes are equalled by Connor (who’s busy deciding that mystical babies matter more than free will), and beaten by Fred (who’s trying to kill her physics professor), Angel (locked in the basement minus a soul), and Faith (breaking out of prison, and beating Connor to a pulp, before using some very trippy drugs).

 

And finally, we’re onto the Wolfram & Hart era. In which we have a four-way tie.

Interestingly, almost everyone gets votes this season – the only characters who miss out are Connor and Lorne. Even Harmony, with her brilliant skills of secretarying, managed to get a couple.

But the winners are: Angel, the CEO; Wesley, the heartbroken guide-to-an-Old-One; Fred, the rather dead victim-of-an-Old-One; and Illyria, the actual Old One herself.

Anyone sensing some sort of theme?

 

 
Overall?

Now, the final question of the poll was who you thought had the most interesting arc overall.

Guesses? Anyone?

Anyone at all?

 

…well, you’re right – it’s obvious, really. The votes go overwhelmingly to Wesley.

Which is interesting.

 

This all comes back to what I was saying about statistics.

 

You see, everyone who was asked about the most interesting character arc said “Wesley. No doubt. Gotta be Wesley.” No-one else even came close.

But…

If you add up all the votes, Wesley doesn’t actually come first. He comes third.

First and second place go to Buffy and Spike, respectively.

To be specific, Buffy had 48 votes; Spike had 44. Wesley only had 33.

 

Now, I’m sure a few of you, having paid attention to what I said back up at the start of this post, are going “Hmm. This must be because Wesley couldn’t have got as many votes as the others. If we looked at percentages, that’d changes things a bit.” And you’re right – it does change things.

By percentages, Wesley comes fifth.

 

In summary:

Wesley = 22%

Buffy = 27%

Doyle = 27%

Spike = 30%

Faith = 37%

 

Yep, that’s right: Doyle, who didn’t even win the single season he appeared in, is, percentage-wise, still a more interesting character than Wesley.

And the most interesting character overall wasn’t even a regular.

 

 

Other interesting stuff I noticed

Gunn got no votes at all, until season 5.

Angel always placed within the top three – except once, in the first season of his spin-off.

Willow only got interesting once they finished high school.

The fewest votes for a series regular went to Oz, who only got 1.

In season 6, the Trio apparently had a much better arc than Amy.

 

 

Anyway, thanks for participating in my poll. You can now all die happily in the knowledge that the best character arc in the whole of Buffy/Angel is either Wesley’s, Buffy's, or Faith’s, depending on how you decide.

 

 

Comments

[snowpuppies]

You can now all die happily in the knowledge that the best character arc in the whole of Buffy/Angel is either Wesley’s, Buffy's, or Faith’s, depending on how you decide.

Well that's definitive! Hee! :P

Thanks for this, hon - it's very interesting how everything came out. I think you're right about S7, no one was terribly interesting. I do think, though, that it's the one season (from both shows) in which the story arc overwhelms pretty much every character arc and throws them into secondary status (for characters that actually have an arc). In other seasons, character and story arcs blended together much more seamlessly, and neither trumped the other.

[deird1]

Well that's definitive!

I am nothing if not devoted to accuracy. :)

it's the one season (from both shows) in which the story arc overwhelms pretty much every character arc and throws them into secondary status (for characters that actually have an arc)

I think a lot of the problem there was that, it being the last season, everyone's issues had pretty much been resolved already.
I mean, Willow's main arc was always heading towards the end of season 6, and while it was important to see her come out the other side and start being a good guy again, there wasn't all that much left for her to DO.
And Anya's arc mainly finished in Selfless, as did Xander's, Dawn's finished in Potential...
Basically, for the last half of the season, the only unresolved issue was the Buffy/Spike thing. Which is fine, because we do actually need character arcs to resolve themselves at some point, but did mean the only thing left was the story arc.

I'm glad you found this interesting.

[neutralalienist.livejournal.com]

Ooh, that was interesting. I like maths when it isn't compulsory. (I have a worn, beaten Kakuro game book on my bed as I type.)

I think the thing with Doyle is that, even though he was only in a handful of episodes, he grew a lot in them, and left one hell of an impression. (I've been rewatching Season one and I still cry at Hero, dammit. ...Despite the subtle-as-a-sledgehammer-to-my-face metaphor.)

Wesley did well in season two, I think, because nothing so major made a drastic turning point for his character - the growth was gradual, and by the time Angel abandoned them he was ready to be a leader, and only became better at it as time went on. I really loved his bonding with Cordy and Gunn that season, too, which unfortunately got left by the wayside when Angel came back. (I should look for good Cordy-Wes-Gunn fic. ...Or Cordy/Wes/Gunn fic.)

Season seven...sigh. I think snowpuppies is right, and I wouldn't even have minded as much if the story arc was good - interesting and exciting and well-defined - but it...was not. And no one really grew much, except Andrew. And Dawn. (I love Dawn. I am a strange person, I know.)

Angel's season five, on the other hand, was all about the character growth, with more self-contained plots and a vaguer arc, which I rather loved. I tend to prefer the episodic format, really - I like a new adventure every week.

[deird1]

I think the thing with Doyle is that, even though he was only in a handful of episodes, he grew a lot in them, and left one hell of an impression.

He did indeed.
(I really need to watch season 1 again...)

I really loved his bonding with Cordy and Gunn that season, too, which unfortunately got left by the wayside when Angel came back. (I should look for good Cordy-Wes-Gunn fic. ...Or Cordy/Wes/Gunn fic.)

I agree - the Cordy-Wes-Gunn team was awesome. Although it hardly ever gets ficced...

And no one really grew much, except Andrew. And Dawn. (I love Dawn. I am a strange person, I know.)

Heh. You're strange? Well, I'm about the only Dawn/Andrew shipper I've ever encountered, so I think I beat you on that one...

Angel's season five, on the other hand, was all about the character growth, with more self-contained plots and a vaguer arc, which I rather loved. I tend to prefer the episodic format, really - I like a new adventure every week.

Ditto. I loved the way AtS 5 worked - and even though it was all episodic, it still managed to get some really brilliant character arcs going.


Glad to hear you found the maths interesting!

[neutralalienist.livejournal.com]

(I really need to watch season 1 again...)

You do! They're all so young, and they grow so much, and they love each other and bicker all the time and it's brilliant.

I agree - the Cordy-Wes-Gunn team was awesome. Although it hardly ever gets ficced...

Which is sad. :( Makes me want to try it, if I can get my hands on some season two episodes.

Heh. You're strange? Well, I'm about the only Dawn/Andrew shipper I've ever encountered, so I think I beat you on that one...

...Dude, I could totally ship that. Andrew can be bi, he clearly had a crush on Anya! And they're both insecure geeks at heart, and Andrew won't let Dawn mope and she won't let him - oh dear. (It's Jossverse, I ship everyone with everyone. Almost.)

Ditto. I loved the way AtS 5 worked - and even though it was all episodic, it still managed to get some really brilliant character arcs going.

Yes, exactly! Interesting stories plus emotional continuity=win. (Also why I loved Firefly, I think.)

[frogfarm]

Heh, I came too late but answered anyway. Glad to see my choice Wesley took first overall -- Cordelia is actually my second, cause if it weren't for Wes she would definitely have changed/grown more than anyone else over the course of all her appearances.

[deird1]

Cordy did change a fair bit, didn't she? But you're right - I don't think anyone could top Wes in the character development stakes...


Glad you found this interesting!

[dreamincolor.livejournal.com]

Definitely agree that Wes is the most changed - because let's face it, most of us would have been content to point at laugh at dorky, watcher Wes, where as there are some of us who passionately want to jump the bones of stubbly, badass Wes..

Ehem. Or so I hear. From..people. Who do that kind of thing.

Anyway, loved that poll. Answering it was terribly hard - but it came up with such interesting results.

But back to the Wesley front, I'm amazed he didn't win season four. Cause like you said - Lilah-sexing, gun toting, Fred-flirting, all pretty interesting things! But I suppose other people can be interesting too..

Anyway darlin, thanks for doing this. It turnd out so very interesting..

[deird1]

Definitely agree that Wes is the most changed - because let's face it, most of us would have been content to point at laugh at dorky, watcher Wes, where as there are some of us who passionately want to jump the bones of stubbly, badass Wes..

Oh, hell yeah. *pounces on imaginary Wes, who has somehow materialised in my kitchen*

...

Ahem.
*rearranges clothing, and continues*
You'd be fairly hard-pressed to find a character who changes as much as Wes does. Willow, maybe?

It was rather fascinating seeing who came up with what.
Actually, when I posted the poll, I made some bets with myself about who would win what - it was really fun seeing how incredibly wrong I could be...

But back to the Wesley front, I'm amazed he didn't win season four. Cause like you said - Lilah-sexing, gun toting, Fred-flirting, all pretty interesting things!

Uh-huh. But I suppose they were ALL being pretty interesting that season.

(Hmm... I wonder if there's a correlation between the characters that people think have good arcs, and the characters they think are sexy? I mean, it would explain Faith, Wes, and Spike scoring so highly. But then again, Lilah and Fred really didn't score that high... This needs more thought.)

Glad you enjoyed it!