I understand. I agree with your observations about her, like I said. My problems are 1) what function does it serve in the story? it seems gratuitous to me, and 2) the anviliciousness of it.

I know that as an author I tend to err on the side of obscurity, so explaining all the plot points and character development very carefully and several times is a matter of style and taste, and may in fact be something most readers prefer, so it would be fair to disregard point 2).

As for point 1) - maybe bashing is the wrong word? I used to think that "bashing" was only when an author deliberately skewed characterization or even made up things to hate on a character for, but I've been informed that the expression is also used when an author gratuitously focuses on a character's flaws - for example using the epithet "the murdering psychopath" for Spike when it's not relevant to the scene.

So yeah, please take "bashing" with a grain of salt. What I mean is, I think you focus on Willow's flaws to an irrelevant and annoying extent that leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and only for the reason of making Buffy seem not quite as bad in comparison.

Thank you for commenting and calling me on a misleading/confusing description.