Response to "On Buffy and Harry Potter, Heroics, and Why BtVS should have ended at S5"

This was my response to Leah of Sound Passing Through Sudden Rightnesses' August 24th essay.

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I agree on most of your points and I too found the gaping plot hole of the lack of a third slayer irritating.
However, on your other point of Buffy's detachment in seasons 6 and 7, I would argue that while it bothered me in it's own way, Buffy's turn to cold anti-hero made her (in some ways) more relatable to the viewer. We cannot all be heroes, and by holding more of an anti-hero status, Buffy becomes more realistic in her new role - that of soldier and commander. Especially in season 7, Buffy is caught in a war between good and evil. I think it shows a loss of innocence on her part that this warfare with the demonic element creates in her the coldness necessary for warfare.
A similar transformation can be seen in reverse in the character of Charles Gunn in Angel. When he is first introduced in the series, he and his gang are steeped in constant warfare with the local vampires - creating a cold and ruthless attitude in Gunn. However, once he starts to work full time with Angel Investigations, he becomes increasingly warm and open-minded. I would argue that this transformation is not so much caused by the positive influences of Angel et al, but rather as a result of release from the constant stress of war and sacrifices one must make as a commander.
As for the comparison with Harry Potter, I fully agree that up to the end of season 5, they follow the same hero's story arc. However, in criticism of Rowling's ending to the Harry Potter series, I thought that it was too perfect. It's nice that Harry could save the world from the Big Bad, marry the girl, and live happily ever after - but it is far from realistic. It is a sanitized to the point of making the costs of war non-existent in the long term.
On the other hand, BtVS explores the role of the hero beyond the crowning moment of glory. Once Buffy in brought back in season 6, she discovers that her work will never be done: that there won't be a happily ever after. I would argue that she does not grow as a person in terms of heroism or self-sacrifice, but she learns how to teach, how to lead, and that life isn't fair - that the good guys can't come out unscathed. It is through this that she can continue her work, even though both she and the audience know that it will be a long and hard journey yet to come. Up until season 5, few major character deaths in BtVS were permanent in nature (Jenny Calendar being a notable exception), and thus less meaningful. However, through the permanent deaths of characters, it forces the other characters to adapt and grow in ways that are never adequately examined in Harry Potter.
Harry does not grow from the losses of Cedric or Sirius. He becomes moody, he likes to scream "Cedric's dead" and cry, but I'm hard pressed to find how he grows as a person. Then, in Deathly Hallows, the deaths of beloved characters like Snape, Remus, Tonks, Fred, Dobby, Moody, etc. seem to be skimmed over. Even the death of Dumbledore seems to inspire much in the way of character growth beyond a bit of angst.
Contrastingly, in BtVS, the death of Joyce makes Buffy become more mature, the death of Tara results in Evil!Willow and eventually results in Willow and the rest of the Scoobies being forced to examine their reliance on magic (useful as in season 7, they will have to find tools besides magic to battle The First), and the death of Spike shows both Spike's full commitment to the side of good and that Buffy will let the man she loves die for the greater good.
I think seasons 6 and 7 of BtVS could be argued to have deeper themes of tragedy, loss of innocence, and finding strength through loss.