The Existential Joss Whedon: Evil and Human Freedom in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly and Serenity

by J. Michael Richardson, J. Douglas Rabb

This study examines the major works of contemporary American television and film screenwriter Joss Whedon. The authors argue that these works are part of an existentialist tradition that stretches back from the French atheistic existentialist Jean-Paul Sartre, through the Danish Christian existentialist Soren Kierkegaard, to the Russian novelist and existentialist Fyodor Dostoevsky. Whedon and Dostoevsky, for example, seem preoccupied with the problem of evil and human freedom. Both argue that in each and every one of us "a demon lies hidden." Whedon personifies these demons and has them wandering about and causing havoc. Dostoevsky treats the subject only slightly more seriously. Chapters cover such topics as Russian existentialism and vampire slayage; moral choices; ethics; Faith and bad faith; constructing reality through existential choice; some limitations of science and technology; love and self-sacrifice; love, witchcraft, and vengeance; soul mates and moral responsibility; love and moral choice; forms of freedom; and Whedon as moral philosopher.

Genres: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Pop Culture, Film

204 pages, Paperback

First published December 6, 2006

Reviews

[Curtis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall a good analysis of Whedon's Buffyverse and Firefly 'Verse from an understanding of existentialist philosophy, especially in terms of ethics and individual freedom. Given Whedon's own statements about the influence of Sartre's Nausea and Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus , the premise isn't a terrible stretch to begin with, but Richardson and Rabb do a good job of fleshing it out.

I was a bit perplexed by the authors' occasional disparaging remarks about "rugged individualism" and the claim, with little discussion, that Whedon's works critique it in favor of a communitarian existentialist ethic. In general, I object because, despite their careful and succinct definitions of various philosophical viewpoints throughout the book, the authors decline to define "rugged individualism" in any meaningful way, instead leaving it to the reader to make some guesses as to what they mean through the application of a few examples. But these very examples lead to the particular objections I have, which is that they do not actually exemplify any kind of "rugged individualism" of which I am aware. Take, for example, the example "Bad Faith" in Buffy Season 3, whom R&R call "almost a paradigm of the American rugged individualist" because she "is totally self-reliant, needing no one, doesn't let the rules or authority figures get in the way, and receives an almost erotic pleasure out of practically anything she does" (p. 52). Faith's destructive rampage and callous attitudes toward the human death(s) she causes is certainly not in line with any sort of rugged individualism with which I am familiar; indeed, it has much more in common with Ethan Rayne's worship of Chaos than anything else. Faith's "individualism," if that is what it is, also is clearly unsustainable, in that she almost immediately chooses to place her power and responsibility in the hands of Mayor Richard Wilkins III—the Big Bad of the season and a symbol of corrupt and absolute authority in Sunnydale—which hardly seems like something a "totally self-reliant" person, someone who "need[s] no one" and "doesn't let the rules or authority get in the way," would do. Whatever the "rugged individualism" is that R&R see as incompatible with existentialist ethics in Whedon's, at best it can only be a base caricature of any real individualist philosophy.

(I would also argue out that "communitarian" and "rugged individualism" are not necessarily wholly incompatible. Even that perennially divisive epic of individualism, Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged [of which I am not particularly a fan], is in distillation a story about a group of societal misfits and rejects who come together to form their own community where they can live how they see fit. It is, in this light, not far from the Whedonesque idea that family is who we choose, rather than who we are born to.)

One other minor annoyance was the oft-repeated description of The Master, Buffy Season 1's Big Bad, as an übervamp, which is clearly just incorrect.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book takes a look at the parallels between the Whedonverse (fantasy worlds created by Joss Whedon) and various existentialist philosophers such as Shestov, Dostoevsky, and Sartre.

Overall, I found the writing to be easy to understand, despite occasional esoteric wording (ontological, phenomenological). Personally, I felt a few of the conclusions were a bit of a stretch, but for the most part it was an interesting analysis.

In addition to exploring existentialist writings, the authors cite viewpoints from many books and essays written on the various Whedon series (Buffy, Angel, and Firefly). All of these works are listed in the bibliography for further reading.

Keeping in mind that the authors cannot speak for Joss' actual intentions (and do not claim to), this book makes for a thought provoking read. Having watched Joss' various shows will help, however explanations (and/or brief synopsis) are given to help those who haven't seen the episode/character being discussed.

[lynne fireheart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no exposure to existentialism, and while chapter one assured me I didn't need such knowledge, chapter one also proceeded to make me feel so so so lost as the authors tried to explain existentialism already using some references to the Buffyverse, and the whole "freedom" thing.

Yeah.

Then I decided to just read it.
And I enjoyed it.

If nothing else, it really amused me to see how the authors tried to insert the Buffyverse into an existing structure; I enjoyed the references to scenes in different episodes: it was a personal challenge for me to be able to remember specifically what they were talking about.

I'm not sure if I would recommend this to anyone who is not already a Whedon fan.

I might want to revisit this, if ever I read up more on existentialism.

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting look at existentialism in Joss Whedon's work (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, Angel and Serenity are all discussed). Must read for a Joss Whedon fan. The book shines a light on many scenes in Whedon's shows to illustrate existentialism in action. Good read for someone unfamiliar with existentialism but familiar with Joss's work. Unfortunately the book isn't for people who are unfamiliar with Buffy, Angel, Firefly and Serenity.