Faith's Betrayal: A Complex Twist In Buffy's Tale

what happened to faith in buffy

Faith Lehane is a fictional character in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, played by Eliza Dushku. Faith was introduced in the third season of Buffy as a Slayer – a girl endowed with supernatural abilities and destined to battle evil creatures such as vampires and demons.

Faith's character is a foil to the protagonist, Buffy Summers, and comes from a traumatic and abusive background. She tries to fit in with Buffy and her friends but becomes increasingly isolated and bitter. A turning point occurs when Faith accidentally kills Deputy Mayor Allan Finch, a human she mistakes for a vampire. Feeling alienated, she betrays Buffy and allies with the villainous Mayor of Sunnydale, forming a father-daughter relationship with him. After trying to murder Buffy's lover Angel, Faith is left comatose following a fight with Buffy.

Faith returns in the fourth season, seeking revenge on Buffy by switching their bodies. After feeling obliged to rescue a church full of people from vampires, Faith battles Buffy again, expressing extreme self-hatred before being returned to her own body. She eventually hands herself over to the police and is sentenced to prison, where Angel visits her.

Faith's story continues in the spin-off series Angel, where she helps Angel's gang and returns to Sunnydale to help Buffy defeat the First Evil in the final season. Despite their differences, the two slayers reconcile, and Faith decides to help other Slayers who are straying from the path.

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Faith's accidental killing of Deputy Mayor Allan Finch

Faith Lehane, the Slayer with a troubled past, accidentally kills Deputy Mayor Allan Finch in the episode "Bad Girls". This event marks a turning point in her character's arc, as she begins to spiral into villainy.

Faith, who has a traumatic and abusive background, tries to fit in with Buffy and her friends but feels increasingly isolated. In the episode "Bad Girls", while trying to show Buffy the fun side of slaying, she mistakes Deputy Mayor Allan Finch for a vampire and accidentally kills him. This incident causes Faith to feel more alienated than ever, leading her to betray the Scooby Gang and ally herself with the villainous Mayor of Sunnydale, Richard Wilkins.

Faith's mental state is further explored in the episode "Consequences", where she seems remorseful for her actions but also appears to be in denial about the severity of her mistake. She lies to Rupert Giles, blaming Buffy for the killing, and even chokes Xander until she is interrupted by Angel. Although Angel tries to reason with her, she breaks free and almost leaves Sunnydale. However, she ends up saving Buffy's life and then goes to work for Mayor Wilkins, the main villain of Season 3.

Faith's killing of Deputy Mayor Finch sets off a chain of events that leads to her becoming an antagonist and eventually ending up in a coma at the end of Season 3. When she wakes up in Season 4, she seeks revenge on Buffy by switching their bodies using a mystical device. After feeling obliged to rescue a church full of people from vampires, Faith has one final battle with Buffy, expressing extreme self-hatred before being returned to her own body.

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Faith's villainous turn

Faith Lehane, the third slayer introduced on the show, was initially an ally to the main characters. However, Faith's traumatic past and her struggles to fit in with Buffy and her friends led to her becoming increasingly isolated and bitter. This ultimately resulted in her turning against them and embracing a villainous role.

The turning point for Faith occurred in the mid-season episode "Bad Girls", where she accidentally kills Deputy Mayor Allan Finch, mistaking him for a vampire. This incident causes Faith to feel even more alienated, and she betrays Buffy and the Scooby Gang, instead allying herself with the villainous Mayor of Sunnydale, Richard Wilkins. Faith forms a sincere father-daughter relationship with the Mayor, who provides her with the love and acceptance she craves.

Under the Mayor's influence, Faith fully embraces her darker impulses. She attempts to murder Buffy's vampire lover, Angel, and the two Slayers engage in a battle that leaves Faith comatose.

Upon awakening from her coma, Faith seeks revenge on Buffy by switching their bodies using a mystical device. As Buffy is taken into custody for crimes she didn't commit, Faith experiences what it's like to be surrounded by loving friends and family. This experience, along with her growing self-hatred, eventually leads to her turning herself in to the police and seeking redemption with the help of Angel.

Despite her redemption arc, Faith remains a complex and flawed character. She continues to struggle with her inner demons and the consequences of her past actions. Even after reconciling with Buffy, their relationship is tested when Faith's leadership decisions lead several young Slayers into a trap, resulting in their deaths.

Throughout her journey, Faith embodies the exploration of power, boundaries, and the consequences of using one's power. She grapples with her identity as a Slayer and the moral complexities that come with it.

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Faith's redemption arc

Faith Lehane's redemption arc is a key storyline in both Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series Angel. Faith is a Slayer, a girl endowed with supernatural abilities and destined to battle evil creatures. She is introduced in season three of Buffy as a foil to the protagonist, Buffy Summers, and comes from a traumatic and abusive background.

Upon waking up from her coma in season four, Faith seeks revenge on Buffy by switching their bodies using a mystical device. However, this experience teaches her empathy as she sees what it's like to be surrounded by loving friends and family. After a final battle with Buffy, Faith escapes to Los Angeles and is hired to assassinate Angel in the first season of Angel. Instead, Angel helps her on the path to redemption, and she hands herself over to the police.

In Angel season four, Faith breaks out of prison to help Angel, who has been reverted to his evil alter ego Angelus. She risks her life to save him, and he helps her overcome her self-hatred and find a new purpose.

Faith returns to Buffy for the final season, where she reconciles with Buffy and plays a significant role in the battle against the First Evil. Despite some setbacks, including a disastrous plan that leads several girls to their deaths, Faith and Buffy finally make peace with one another. Faith also begins a romantic relationship with school principal Robin Wood.

Throughout her journey, Faith transforms from a troubled and jealous young woman to a strong, capable, and empathetic individual. Her redemption arc highlights the importance of empathy, self-reflection, and support in overcoming one's past mistakes and becoming a better person.

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Faith's return to Buffy in season 4

Faith Lehane, the third slayer introduced on the show, returns to Buffy for two episodes in season four. After waking up from her coma, she seeks revenge on Buffy by switching their bodies using a mystical device called the Draconian Katra, which was left to her by the now-dead Mayor.

As Buffy is taken into custody by the Watchers' Council for crimes she did not commit, Faith discovers what it is like to be surrounded by loving friends and family. She also learns that she hates herself. After sleeping with Riley Finn, Buffy's boyfriend, Faith decides to skip town. However, she sees a news report of hostages in a church and goes to help. Buffy ends up there as well, and after the vampires are defeated, the two fight again. Faith begins to pummel Buffy, yelling at her and projecting her own self-hatred. They then switch back to their own bodies, and Faith leaves.

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Faith's relationship with Angel

Faith Lehane is a Slayer, a girl endowed with supernatural abilities and destined to battle evil creatures such as vampires and demons. Faith was introduced in the third season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and was a focus of that season's overarching plot.

In Angel season four, Angel reverts to his evil alter ego, Angelus, after having his soul removed. Faith, wanting to help Angel as he once helped her, breaks out of prison and injects herself with a mystical drug. She then allows herself to be fed on by Angelus so that their allies can work to restore Angel's soul. During a psychic mind walk, Angel persuades Faith's subconscious that life is worth living, and she almost dies from the drug.

In the final season of Buffy, Faith and Angel's relationship is tested when the Potential Slayers appoint Faith as their leader over Buffy. This decision proves disastrous when Faith's plan leads them into a trap, resulting in the deaths of several girls. However, Buffy saves Faith and the other survivors, and the two Slayers finally make peace with one another.

Frequently asked questions

Faith Lehane, played by Eliza Dushku, was a slayer who was introduced in the third season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She had a troubled past and initially struggled to connect with Buffy and her friends. Faith's character followed an arc that saw her turn from an ally to a villain, and then back to the side of good.

Faith's jealousy of Buffy and her desire to be loved and accepted led her to team up with the Mayor of Sunnydale, who became a father figure to her. She tried to murder Buffy's lover Angel under the Mayor's orders, which resulted in a fight that left Faith comatose.

Faith switched bodies with Buffy, which allowed her to see what it was like to be cared for by friends and family. She eventually handed herself in to the police and served time in prison. She later returned to help Buffy and the Scooby Gang in the final season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

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