Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel Character Review: Dawn Summers

*Warning: This post contains spoilers about the characters from the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. Read at your own risk if you have not watched one or both television series. In this series of character reviews, I will strictly be writing about the characters from the television series, not the 1992 film.

There is something to be said about a well written, human character. They leap off the page and speak to us as if they were right in front us, as flesh and blood human beings, instead of fictional creations.

In this series of weekly blog posts, I will examine character using the characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel to explore how writers can create fully dimensional, human characters that audiences and readers can relate to.

To be one’s little sister is not always easy. Especially when one’s older sister is the Slayer. On Buffy the Vampire Slayer, that little sister is Dawn Summers. Introduced in the beginning of season 5, Dawn appeared to be the average, annoying little sister. She adored her sister’s friends and wanted to be around them. But like any big sister,Buffy did not want to have her sister around.

But up until that point, Buffy (Sarah Michelle Gellar), was an only child.  But no one questioned Dawn’s existence. Then Buffy discovered that Dawn is the Key, a mystical object turned into human form so she can be protected from Glory (Clare Kramer). After Buffy defeats Glory, Dawn is accepted as she is. But then her mother dies and Dawn has to deal with the loss of her mother. In her grief, Willow (Alyson Hannigan) helps Dawn with a spell to bring her mother back, but that does not end well.

The sisters finally mend their relationship after Buffy’s bought with with depression and Dawn’s feelings of abandonment. During the final battle at end of the series, Dawn fights with the Scooby gang and earns her stripes as an ally of the Slayer.

To sum it up: The stereotype of the annoying little sister can be fun to play with as a writer. The character of Dawn is interesting because she is much more than the basic character trope. Beyond her magical conception and abilities, she is a fully formed character whom we love to hate because she is so annoying. When a character is memorable because they are annoying, the writer(s) have done something right.

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Throwback Thursday-America’s Best Dance Crew (2008-2015)

One of the surprising results of the meteoric growth of reality television is the opportunity for those in the arts to prove that they have what it takes to succeed in their chosen field.

America’s Best Dance Crew aired on MTV from 2008 to 2015. Produced by Randy Jackson, the premise of the show was for dance crews from the around the country to introduce themselves to audiences and to compete for the title of America’s Best Dance Crew. The show was hosted Mario Lopez and the contestants were judged by three well-known performers within the music and dance industries. Each episode had a theme and each crew had to come up with their own dance based on that theme. As with any reality competition show, at the end of the season, one dance crew was named the winner.

Looking back, I feel like this show was both very cliched and very niche. Though the dancers who were competing were obviously talented and working their tails off, it was a little too predictable for my taste.

Do I recommend it? Maybe.

Amazon Will Not Be Coming To New York City After All

After a lot of hype, criticism and politics, Amazon decided that it would not build its new headquarters in New York City.

To be honest, I am disappointed. While I understand the reasons why some people did not want Amazon to build the new headquarters in Long Island City, I feel like the benefits outweighed the risks.

I also feel like part of the blame falls on Mayor de Blasio and Governor Cuomo.  Neither was completely open with the public as to the application process and the benefits that Amazon would have received, had they actually proceeded with agreed upon plan. It was just a little too “political backroom deal” for my liking.

But what is done, is done. Amazon has made their decision. There are many, many other businesses that contribute to the financial health of the city and her residents. I just can’t help but wonder what Amazon might have brought to this city, had things been different.

There Is No National Emergency

In spite of America being the land of immigrants, there are many in this country who would prefer to limit who can come through our borders.

You know who is one of them. When he did not get the funding for his border wall by shutting down the government, he threatened to declare a national emergency and bypass Congress.

As of earlier this evening, the threat of using the “national emergency” has become a promise and with the backing of Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the bill to release the funds will be signed.

This “national emergency should be a concern for a number of reasons:

1. From my perspective, Mitch McConnell is not agreeing to the bill because it is the right thing to do for the country. He is agreeing to it to save his own skin.
2. The border wall is not only a waste of money and resources, and will not solve the complicated issue that immigration.
3. The use of  the “national emergency” measure creates a dangerous precedent. It allows future Presidents to declare “national emergencies” for pet issues or projects when Congress says no.

We need comprehensive immigration reform, that is clear. But we must do so in a way that does not waste precious money or resources. This wall is a waste of both.

Thoughts On the First Anniversary Of the Parkland Shooting

One year ago today, the students and staff of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School started the school day like any other school day. By the time the sun had set, 17 people were dead and many more were injured.

I’ve spoken in previous posts about my memories of the day of the Columbine attack. If only we would have done something back then. If only the gun laws would have been strengthened. If only our treatment of mental illness would have been different. Parkland and the other mass shootings that have occurred might not have happened. But we can only say “if only” in hindsight.

My heart still breaks for the families of those killed, the community at large and for the survivors whose lives were forever changed.

We need common sense gun control laws. While we cannot step on the rights of gun owners who follow the law and are of sound mind, we cannot continue to allow our children to be massacred in their classrooms.

May the memories of those who died one year ago today be a blessing and may we never forget the toll that gun violence takes on all of us.