Girl Power

As we come to the end of Season Two, Buffy is in a very important phase of her journey as a female hero. In What’s My Line Part Two especially, Buffy’s femininity is increasingly emphasized, as are the feminine strengths of other women in the show.

In this episode, it’s all about the female dominance. The women steal this show, and the men are made to sit back and watch, or are chained up and made to whimper (no complaints from the Angel fangirls). Buffy and Kendra use their Slayer strength to defend their weaker friends and allies. However, it is the emotions of each of these women that help them carry the day.
Buffy is able to save Angel in part, of course due to her love and complete dedication to him. After vanquishing a roomful of demonic assassins and vampires, Buffy cradles Angel gently in her arms. The others can only stare in amazement at her quick shift from warrior to lover. It’s Buffy’s access to both aspects of herself that make her stronger than the traditional one-dimensional male hero.

Kendra too, though less tender than Buffy, learns to use her emotions to her advantage. Kendra seems to be losing her battle with the assassin, until her foe dare to tear Kendra’s shirt- her one and only favorite. This is the ultimate girly-no-no, and gives Kendra the extra emotional edge she needs.

We also see Drusilla restored in this episode, and her power is truly frightening. She effortlessly lifts the crippled Spike, and carries him from the burning church, holding him like a mother would cradle a child. With her strength released, Dru becomes a darker force in the series, rather than a source of comic relief.

Also, although she is clearly insane- thanks in part at least to Angel- Dru is also shown to be cold and calculating throughout the following episodes. Beginning with her vengeful torturing of Angel, to her ‘perfect’ party, and eventual murder of Kendra, Drusilla plots and schemes in a way that puts the master to shame. Interestingly, her visions and fits of madness always serve her purposes perfectly. This selective insanity makes me wonder exactly how much control her character has over her actions, which become progressively more deliberate as the show develops.