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Buffy The Vampire Slayer

Cordelia 12-inch Figure - Sideshowtoy.com Exclusive - Fan Review

Friday 8 December 2006, by Webmaster

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"I’m not a sniveling, whining little cry-Buffy. I’m the nastiest girl in Sunnydale history. I take crap from no one!"

Cordelia Chase. The self-proclaimed "nastiest girl in Sunnydale history" probably has the most significant development arc of any character in the Buffy-verse. With three seasons on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and most of the entire five seasons of Angel, actress Charisma Carpenter created a girl that we loved to hate who grew into a woman that we couldn’t help but love.

Charisma was considered for the title role of Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Sarah Michelle Gellar first read for the part of Cordelia. What a difference it would have made for the destiny of the entire series had the casting gone in such a direction. But Charisma, a former ballet dancer and professional cheerleader, didn’t stay a secondary character for long. She made Cordelia a formidable force in the Buffy-verse, first on Buffy and to much greater effect, on Angel.

Intended only as a temporary character, Cordelia was created to be a foil for Buffy; this is who Buffy might have become had she not become the Slayer. Head cheerleader and rich snob, she tried to befriend Buffy on her first day at Sunnydale High School, recognizing a kindred soul who could talk designer shoes and help her look down on the little people. But Buffy preferred the company of the stranger, geekier Willow and Xander, thus alienating Cordie. However Cordelia couldn’t help being drawn into the orbit of Buffy’s gang, and in the third season her family lost all their money, she became a full member of the Scoobies, she dated the loser Xander, and nearly died. Cordelia Chase

As Graduation Day sent the Scoobies in different directions, it projected Buffy’s broody boyfriend, the vampire Angel, to Los Angeles to continue the good fight on his own. But Angel was not destined to fight alone; the newly humbled, wannabe actress Cordelia hired herself as receptionist at the private detective agency, Angel Investigations. Their first partner, half-demon Doyle, sacrificed himself for love of Cordie (and to save the world), which led to former Watcher, Wesley Wyndam-Price, joining the team. They added the street-savvy Gunn, and later the scatterbrained genius Fred, but the relationship between Cordie and Angel remained the center of the Fang Gang. This blossomed into what might be love, but Cordie was taken by the Powers That Be before she and Angel could explore their feelings for each other. Her return to earth preceded some major mayhem with her at the center; the end of the world (again), her giving birth (sort of), and perhaps the ultimate sacrifice. Returning for the 100th episode of Angel in the fifth season, Cordelia made Angel reevaluate his goals and set him back on the correct path, for one of the most weepy Angel episodes ever. "Tact is just not saying true stuff."

The Sideshow figure of Cordelia comes from this 100th episode "You’re Welcome" and is a Sideshow web exclusive in the US and limited to only 1500 figures worldwide.

The head sculpt by portrait master Andy Bergholtz is one of the better females in the Buffy line. The face may seem a bit longer than it should be, but that could be effect of the large hair. Much has been made about the size of her head being too big, but there is a lot of hair which makes the head appear bigger than it actually is. Measuring the facial dimensions from hairline to chin and ear to ear, she’s almost the exact same size as Sideshow’s vampire Buffy, a head sculpt that most fans feel is one of the best sculpts in the line. The hair could be tighter to her head though, on the episode it wasn’t quite so voluminous.

There are two sets of hands, and the only difference between them is that one set has rings and the other doesn’t. It’s great that they included extra hands however it would be even better if at least one of the four hands could actually hold the samurai sword that comes with the figure. She can grip it loosely, but it will slide out if you look at her funny.

Cordie is on the shorter female body, which puts her at the same height as all the later females in the line - Drusilla, Darla, vampire Buffy. Some might argue that since Charisma is over 5’7" as compared to Sarah Michelle Gellar’s 5’ 3" she should be on the taller body. But it seems they were going for her to be more in scale with the Angel figure, and the shorter body better represents the height differences between Charisma and Boreanaz.

The paint job on the head is decent, and the colors are pretty much correct. Her left eye is looking off to the side just a bit, but in person it’s not that noticeable. The figure’s complexion is much lighter than Charisma’s normally deep tan, but they had to do that so the body color would match the head and hands better.

In the past Sideshow has included tattoos on the figures even though they’d be covered by clothes, but Charisma’s tattoos aren’t painted on the body even though one is quite visible in the show. Joss Whedon once said that they usually strived to cover Charisma’s tats because he felt Cordelia wasn’t the type to get that kind of body art.

The figure’s costume is from the last half of "You’re Welcome," and SSC has done an admirable job of replicating it in 1/6 scale. She is sporting an attractive two-tone gray shirt, hip-hugger slacks, and the ever-so-stylish katana accessory.

The stripes on the shirt are separate pieces of cloth, just as they were on the original. It has tiny buttons which don’t detract from the realism, unlike some of the large buttons that have been used on figures in the past. The bell bottom pants have little faux belts on the front just like the original and they ride low on the figure, just like the real thing. The leather wristband is also a nice touch and looks great. She has booted feet, like most of the Buffy females.

Cordie comes with a stand emblazoned with the Angel logo, a katana, a scabbard for it, an extra set of hands, and a scorched Sunnydale High School diploma. The sword is well done and appropriate, since it is Cordie’s weapon of choice in the episode. "Okay, Spike’s a hero, and you’re C.E.O. of Hell, Incorporated. What freakin’ bizarro world did I wake up in?!"

Cordelia is one of the more requested characters from the Buffy-verse, and it’s appropriate that Sideshow bring her to 1/6 life from Angel rather than in the Buffy line. The character was well-rounded in the original series, but truly came into her own in Angel; becoming a love interest, mother figure, and ultimately, spiritual guide. The figure is a welcome addition to my Buffy figure shelf and an excellent tribute to both the character and the actress who played her.

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