How old is Faith supposed to be?

[Angel's Avenger]

Wasn't sure where to put this and she features most in season 3.

How old is Faith? She's older than Buffy (I think) so I'm just curious. Thanks.

[white avenger]

I think that she's supposed to be a bit younger than Buffy, but no more than a year and a half or most likely less. Buffy was supposed to be in her senior year of high school, so she would make her 17, which would most likely make Faith about 16.

[The Kinslayer]

If you trust Wikipedia Faith Lehane was born December 14, 1980. Faith Lehane - Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel (http://buffy.wikia.com/wiki/Faith_Lehane) And since Buffy´s born 1981 that would mean that Faith´s older. As you couldn´t calculated that yourselves...

[Cangel]

She's definitely younger than Buffy. I think it might have been mentioned in that Cruciamentum or whatever episode, you know, where every slayer is tested when she turns 18.

[Joyce Summers]

Well if you believe Go Ask Malice, Faith's Diary to be canon then before she came to Sunnydale her Watcher was soon going to enter her for the Cruciamentum (But Faith found out and so it was 'canceled') which would have made her turning eighteen the year Buffy turned sevteen, making her a year older than Buffy just as The Kinslayer said. And not that age of acters and age of characters often match at all, but Eliza was eighteen at the time of filming season 3 so that would fit as well.

[Lyri]

I always considered Faith to be older than Buffy, despite the ages of the actors. there was just something about her, her attitude and the way she carried herself that just told me she was older than Buffy. I wouldn't say she was much older, maybe a year at most, but the way she spoke to Buffy sometimes made me believe that Faith thought she new better because she was older.

I believe Faith's the eldest, and until we have canon proof from Joss, I'll continue to believe that

[Jules]

I just always assumed that Faith was younger than Buffy because she was called after her. Sort of along the lines of if a slayer died at 18 (for example) then there's no point calling the next slayer at the same age. You kind of get less use out of them :)

[Superstar]

I just always assumed that Faith was younger than Buffy because she was called after her.
Just because Buffy calls Faith "little sister" doesn't mean Faith is actually younger in age.
It is the same manner as an overweight man might be called "tiny".
Buffy is merely making a joke about being a slayer longer than Faith.

Frankly, I really really don't see Buffy following along with the actions of a younger person (as in Bad Girls) either in age or slayer experience.
Buffy begins to look up to Faith since she is older and more experienced in the world and in turn Faith is learning from Buffy on slayerdom.
It is a mutual thing, looking to your "elders". A flip. An inverse. A contrast. Two sides of the same coin.
Faith actually takes advantage of Buffy this way in showing her the "dark side" because Buffy does look up to her to a certain extent because she is older.

Believe what you like however.

All I do is present logic on what is shown, not what I read somewhere by an author tying up loose ends - fun reads though they may be.
Maintaining an argument about it is meaningless.

[Lyri]

I just always assumed that Faith was younger than Buffy because she was called after her. Sort of along the lines of if a slayer died at 18 (for example) then there's no point calling the next slayer at the same age. You kind of get less use out of them :)

But if you believe the novels out there, there have been Slayers as young as 13, and the Slayers to come after them are sometimes older. If becoming the Slayer was based on the age of the previous girl, Buffy should have been 80 when she was called! Whoever decides who is the next Slayer doesn't base the Calling on age, they choose the girl they think is the best for the role.

[The Kinslayer]

Superstar: I don´t think your answer has nothing to do with the quote (well your first part at least) but I since it was a really good post I´m glad you posted it. :) And I do have a tendency to be wrong...

[Superstar]

Superstar: I don´t think your answer has nothing to do with the quote (well your first part at least)
I picked a fairly innocuous quote (not picking on the poster!) that seemed to sum up the indecisiveness of the question rather than doing the following:
I think that she's supposed to be a bit younger than Buffy.
If you trust Wikipedia... Faith´s older
She's definitely younger than Buffy. I think it might have been mentioned in...
Well if you believe Go Ask Malice... a year older than Buffy
I always considered Faith to be older than Buffy

The main point I utilized is "assumed" and left off the many specific reason(s) because there are several "assumed" reasons for people already listed prior.
Then, I looked at the situation in context.

[LittleMissLikesToFight]

I always assumed she was older, but never by more than a year.

[Lindsey McDonald]

Yeah, I got the impression that she was older, but only by a small amount. It's like when people are at school, and someone can be placed in the same year group as another, but be 11 months older. I always thought she was like that: at the same stage in life, but months older.

[white avenger]

Well, whoever was the older chronologically, Faith was certainly more street smart than Buffy, and had had a much harder life. That tends to age someone more than the actual years do, so, in a way, maybe we're all right. Faith was older in life experience, probably mostly not particularly pleasant, and younger in Slayer experience and training. By that thinking, each girl is both younger and older than the other.

[Senior Watcher]

yes, both faith and buffy are hot women.

wait, what are we talking about? ;-P

[white avenger]

yes, both faith and buffy are hot women.

wait, what are we talking about? ;-P


Nothing wrong with discussing the hotness of two beautiful ladies, regardless of which one's the oldest...

[littlewilly]

I think Faith is supposed to be younger.

[Aussie]

I'm terrible at guessing ages, I assumed Faith was younger but with more street smarts and experience in some areas. But now I think about it, Faith is likely older.

[Bluebird]

I've always thought that they were roughly the same age separated by months not years and that Faith only seemed older because of her life experience.

[SC7 Fan]

To be honest I have no idea. I always thought they were the same age.

[Jules]

Frankly, I really really don't see Buffy following along with the actions of a younger person (as in Bad Girls) either in age or slayer experience.
Buffy begins to look up to Faith since she is older and more experienced in the world and in turn Faith is learning from Buffy on slayerdom.
It is a mutual thing, looking to your "elders". A flip. An inverse. A contrast. Two sides of the same coin.
Faith actually takes advantage of Buffy this way in showing her the "dark side" because Buffy does look up to her to a certain extent because she is older.

I can see where your coming from but Faith's life experience doesn't always mean that she's older than Buffy. Like white avenger has said, the type of life a person leads can reflect how quickly they grow up. Buffy has lived quite a sheltered life compared to Faith. Faith had to grow up at a much younger age due to how she was treated by her mum. Life wise, I agree that Faith has more experience but it doesn't make her older.

But like I said, I just assumed Faith was younger.

[Angel's Avenger]

To me Faith always acted older but I guess they are roughly the same age.

[WhiteHat]

IMHO, I got the visceral impression that Faith was a couple of years older and more 'experienced' (*wink*) than Buffy, just 'cause she'd been out there in the world a good deal more than Buffy (not to say that Buffy was sheltered).

[Fake Shemp]

i have no fraking clue... and it bugs me

i know theme wise both were supposed to be like the older and younger sister but as for actual age it always annoyed me. Meh!

[RockManic]

I'm gonna have to offer this out on pure faith (pardon the pun) of my memory here but for whatever reason I have it in my head that I've read official confirmation of Faith being the older of the two slayers. I've been trying my hardest to remember who stated it and where but wherever it was it was good enough for me to take it as fact and I'm pretty stubborn when it comes to canon details.

I'll try track down where it was that this question was answered but for now that's all I can offer on the subject.

[sk8rj04]

I've always thought that they were roughly the same age separated by months not years and that Faith only seemed older because of her life experience.

I always got that impression as well.