• 31Aug 05

  Intro to Willow Rosenberg: Part 2: Tara (spoilers & 56K warning)

  This is part 2 of my introduction to Willow Rosenberg. In this part I'll discuss Tara Maclay, Willow's girlfriend and soulmate, and how their relationship had escalated. I'll discuss their beginning, their continuing hardships, their reconnections and their disastrous end.
  
  Tara Maclay was introduced to Buffy the Vampire Slayer in Season 4. When the Scoobies started at UC Sunnydale, Willow, after seeking council from a Wicca group (an event that completely disappointed Willow), met Tara. They started talking and hanging out together, learning that their magic was stronger if they worked on it together. They started doing spells together and all was going well. Then Oz, Willow's former boyfriend returned and their relationship would be put into question. But after discussion by the two, Willow decided to stay with Tara.
  
  From that point things only got worse. After their relationship stayed stable for a while and they helped Buffy battle Glory, a god (a very annoying one at that), Buffy sacrifices her own life to save her sister Dawn's (a move which I really think was avoidable). In the beginning of Season 6, Willow and Tara use their combined efforts to resurrect Buffy. This spawns Willow's addiction to magic and subsidiary numerous fights with Tara. She uses magic to make Tara forget the fights that unfortunately backfires and makes all the Scooby Gang forget who they are and what they do. When they get their memories back, this triggers Tara and Willow's break up and Willow's magic overdose. After an incident involving Dawn, Willow decides to give up magic and after numerous encounters (such as Xander and Anya's (a former vengeance demon) wedding) Willow decides to make a move on Tara again. This spawns a new flare in their relationship as they get back together.
  
  Just as things are looking better, a tragic twist of fate in the form of Warren (a member of the trio of nerds trying to kill Buffy) going on a rampage and shooting wildly at Buffy. Though as he was running away, a stray bullet hits Tara in the chest and she is killed. As Willow grieves and begs Osiris to bring Tara back, her request is denied and she starts to drain the black magic from books at The Magic Box (the magic shop run formerly by Giles (Buffy's former watcher) and now by Anya). She then hunts down and kills Warren (in one of the best vengeance scenes ever shot imo). She then goes and tries to kill the remaining two members of the trio but Giles interferes and temporarily stops her. After draining Giles' powers, Willow decides the world isn't worth living in and tries to end it all. After she finds her bearings and raises a temple from a cliff to help her in her efforts to end the world. Xander talks to her and convinces her life is worth living and that he loves her. She then returns to her normal self.
  
  As I've already said I have no real explanation of why Joss Whedon made Willow a lesbian. While I have no doubt that Willow's relationship with Tara was beautiful and really spoke to me, there was a real need for it. Whether it was to put the series in a whole new direction, to explore deeper into Willow's emotional state or just for slightly increased ratings it worked well and kept the series intact and amazing. I think Tara, as a character, was under-used. If it were my decision I would have put her deeper into the Scooby circle and explored her character more. She could have been really interesting and brilliant but Joss kept her as more of a side character; only having her make guest appearances. All in all it was interesting, compassionate and great.
  
  Tara Maclay
  Willow Rosenberg
  Willow & Tara
  Willow & Tara Death Scene
  Dark Willow
  
  
  • Posted Aug 31, 2005 4:55 pm GMT
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• 31Aug 05

  Intro to Willow Rosenberg: Part 1: The Beginning (spoilers and 56K nightmare)

  This is part one of an introduction to the character Willow Rosenberg on the tv series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." I will express as entirely as possible Willow's character on the show and how she's grown over the years...
  
  In episode one of the series, Joss Whedon introduces Willow Rosenberg, a shy almost stereotypical nerd who quickly befriends Buffy shortly after her move to Sunnydale, the town in which they live. Willow has a hopeless crush on Xander Harris, her life long friend, though barely anything happens. She then later dates Oz, a guitarist in a band, and their relationship seems to be going well, until her realisation that he was a werewolf. He left later only to return at the most in-opportune moment.
  
  Before her graduation from Sunnydale High School, Willow had started learning simple spells. After she met Jenny, an accomplished witch in her own standings, she started her path from nerd to witch in a simple, pencil levitation like, fashion. After continuing from High School to UC Sunnydale she becomes involved with a Wicca group within the school. The encounter goes disappointingly except for the meeting of a fellow witch, Tara Maclay.
  
  The presence of Willow's lesbianism was displayed as early as Season 3 in the episode "Doppelgangland" where Willow's vampire "evil twin" so to speak showed alot of interest in her human counterpart. Thus being said, Willow developped an interest in Tara starting as a friendship and escalating into a relationship. This relationship extended throughout season 4-6.
  
  Now I come to the examination part. Joss Whedon, director/producer of the series, had to introduce a "best friend" for the Slayer in order to start the Scooby Gang and to have them bring different eliments to the table. Buffy, with her vampire ***-kicking, Xander with his developmental aid and Willow with her researching skills. The whole Xander-Willow relationship thing he didn't make work to assure the three remained friends aswell as the Oz relationship. The conversion to lesbianism however is a mystery to me. It could be as simple as for a boost in ratings but I'd like to think it was more complicated than that. I would like to think it was for an expansion of Willow's character, to develop complications between her and Oz upon his return. The beginning of a relationship with Tara I think was essential to the plot of the series and the from my perspective was key to Willow's character overall.
  
  Willow Rosenberg
  Willow & Oz
  Willow & Evil Willow
  Willow & Tara
  
  • Posted Aug 31, 2005 2:46 pm GMT
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