Just because it's a pet peeve

[thebratqueen]

Quote care of Psyche's transcripts:

Buffy: How did you guys let ... How did this happen?
Giles: We thought she stayed with you.
Angel: They must have grabbed her when she hit the ground. Buffy, I'm sorry.
Buffy: Look, it's nobody's fault, okay. We just need to focus and deal. Oz, I swear I won't let them hurt her.
Xander: We go back. Full-on assault.
Giles: They'll kill her.
Wesley: We're assuming they haven't already.
Buffy: No. No, they know what she means to us. She's too valuable as long as we still have the box. We trade.
Wesley: We can't.
Buffy: No, it's the safest plan. (to Giles) It's the only way, right?
Giles: It might well be.
Buffy: Look, we call the Mayor and arrange a meeting.
Wesley: This box must be destroyed.
Xander: I need a volunteer to hit Wesley.
Wesley: Giles, you know I'm right about this.
Buffy: Wes, you want to duck and cover at this point?
Wesley: Damn it, you listen to me! This box is the key to the Mayor's Ascension. Thousands of lives depend on our getting rid of it. Now I want to help Willow as much as the rest of you, but we will find another way.
Buffy: There is no other way.
Wesley: You're the one who said take the fight to the Mayor. You were right. This is the town's best hope of survival. It's your chance to get out.
Buffy: You think I care about that? Are you made of human parts?
Giles: Alright! Let's deal with this rationally.
Buffy: Why are you taking his side?
The outbursts of Buffy, Giles, and Wesley clash for a moment, then Wesley's voice breaks out of the babble.
Wesley: You'd sacrifice thousands of lives? Your families, your friends?
Oz has been sitting through all this. He gets up and walks behind Wesley.
Wesley: It can all end right here. We have the means to destroy this box.
Oz picks up the pot for the box-destroying ritual and throws it into a display case, smashing both to shards. Everyone looks at each other.
Buffy: Giles, make the phone call.

[Emphasis mine]

I love Wes. I've loved Wes since Buffy season 3. I love all his little Wesley parts. But God DAMN if there's one thing people consistantly fuck up in trying to understand his character, I swear it's this damn scene.

It drives me up a wall because either we get people going "Dark Wesley is so out of character! Where did that come from?" because obviously they ignore the fact that really as far as alignments go, at best Wesley was always chaotic good - willing to do whatever he had to for what he felt was the more important cause - or we get people going "Wes was such an asshole! He wanted Willow dead!!"

NO HE DIDN'T.

Was he willing to sacrifice Willow if that's what it came to? Yes. Again, chaotic good. Also "needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" is damn near the boy's middle name. (With his confirmation name apparently being "also I'll do what it takes to do what I deem best for Angel") Give him a situation of "Give up on Willow in return for a guaranteed world saved" and it's bye bye Willow. I've no doubt that if he'd been around in season five he'd have firmly been on the team of Dawn neck snappage too. God knows that that happened at the same time he sent men on Pylea to die so the rest could enjoy freedom.

But he didn't do it happily. He sent the Pylea guys off because he had to and he felt there was no other choice. He didn't give them a pat on the back and a "whoops, sorry" as he shoved them into the line of fire. He respected that this was a heavy decision. Inevitable by his way of thinking and perhaps that way of thinking is debatable, but this wasn't flip. He's not soulless. He's aware he sent men to die. He just believes that it's his place in life to make these difficult decisions because others can't.

So yes, the boy is dark.

But again, not flip. He's not arguing that they give up on Willow immediately. He's saying find another way to save her. Considering that they just broke in to the Mayor's office I don't think Wes is on crack to suggest that they could break in to the Mayor's office and rescue Willow. Or do something else to save her. If anything, he's making a similar argument to the one Giles made in season five - kill Dawn, because if you don't she'll die anyway. Frankly, Wes's suggestion here is lighter than Giles's because Giles flat out suggested killing Dawn. Wesley's just asking for them to at least consider other options for saving Willow.

So, in summary - Wes? CHAOTIC. GOOD. Meaning he's not a total Polyanna but he's not a psychopath either. Always has been. And while I'm thrilled that all you Joshua Tree Wesley fans out there have finally seen the light and are worshipping the boy, please understand where he comes from and stop painting him in black and white. For god's sake even Lilah has flat-out told you he's grey.

THANK you.

/me goes off to finish dinner.