[Writer Post] The Whedon Effect
The Whedon Effect (not to be confused with Wheaton’s Law) is seriously turning into a “Thing”. I know it didn’t start with Joss Whedon, but he’s the creator who’s perfected this… this “stop it or I’ll have to beat you with your box office receipts” thing.
What I am now calling “The Whedon Effect” affects those lovable characters (mostly sidekicks, but also lovable, comic relief senior/major characters). He takes these characters who provide heart, soul, and a lot of laughs…gets us completely invested in their lives…then KILLS THEM (or at least maims them mightly).
Like I said, this isn’t NEW to Joss Whedon. This has happened in SF fandoms and franchises (books, movies, and television) since the dawn of time. I’m attributing it to Joss Whedon because he’s launched it into an art form. For Whedon started with Doyle in Angel, but most of us associate it more with Tara in Buffy: The Vampire Slayer (and honestly, I stopped watching the show originally when Xander lost his eye), but it never stopped there. I know I nearly lost it when he killed Wash in Serenity. Penny (for a main character) in Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog. But the kicker was (and yes, spoiler alert…) COLSON. Dude, Agent Colson survived TWO IronMan movies, Thor, Captain America (off screen but he was there), only to not make it through Avengers. SERIOUSLY?
Now don’t get me wrong, each character’s death is a pivotal impetus to move the plot, unite the team, push a main character to greater heights (or depths), and it wouldn’t be nearly as driving as it is if we didn’t CARE about these characters who are about to die. But come on… Colson? I loved Colson (and if I were Cobie Smulders, I’d be worried about that sequel they just announced…just sayin’.)
I know this isn’t a new thing. Nothing is ever NEW…but man that’s an emotional ringer. And this is just ONE MAN’s creations. I have this minor plot bunny going through my head of a “Dead Lovable Character Heaven” where DeForest Kelly and James Doohan (as Bones and Scotty) look down on all these other characters, laughing, because they were allowed to die of natural causes after a ripe old age. There aren’t that many franchises that can say that…and from what I understand of Game of Thrones NO ONE is safe there.
But why does that make this an “effect” a “Thing”? Because creators like Joss Whedon can make characters who are not in the main hierarchy with enough heart, soul, and dimension to care whether they live or die or are in significant long-term pain. And of them all, I think Whedon does it the best (or worst–depending on your feelings at the time).
So, if you’re a writer, artist, or creator of any type, be careful employing this device. It’s one thing to kill a “darling”, it’s a much bigger challenge to do it well and with enough reason. This is a lesson I also have to learn from the master…Joss Whedon.