Characters getting the Tara Maclay treatment

[ChaseRules]

There different ways of having a character leave & they took the messy way . And pointless way as well from what I reading.

 

[Buffy Summers]

The 100's showrunners response: 'The 100' Showrunner Would Have Written That Big Death Differently

 

[Foxy]

As a lesbian, it would be really nice to see a lesbian character on tv who doesn't die or have their girfriend/wife die.

I do not blame Josh for starting this 'trend' and I don't think he did, but I am just tired of watching a show with a lesbian and knowing that their girlfriends are going to turn straight (don't even get me started on bi-erasure) or die.

I love TV series that have a humanist perspective, it is about the stories of the characters, like in Buffy. However, killing the lesbian character to further the plot of another character is getting tiring. I don't know how to really explain and justify it, but I wish my prediction of a lesbian's fate was incorrect for once (Me and my girlfriend predicted that Lexa would die, right from the first kiss with Clarke).

This video is a bit of a satirical view on what happens on TV. I don't agree 100% but it does sum up most of my feelings.

 

[ChaseRules]

I know. It gotten to the point where you know it going to happen so you don't want to like them because you know they going to die .
I liked the satirical view the Video had . Thanks for showing it

 

[Mr Trick]

I don't think Tara being a lesbian had nothing to do with Joss wanting to kill her off. It is a common theme him killing character's off when their at their happiest. And it had to happen for Willow's transformation to the dark side to be given weight.

 

[ChaseRules]

I know this is way off topic but have you seen Faking lt on MTV. One of the main characters is gay on there. And you right. Both Tara & Joyce died like that.

 

[Blaze]

I don't think Tara being a lesbian had nothing to do with Joss wanting to kill her off. It is a common theme him killing character's off when their at their happiest. And it had to happen for Willow's transformation to the dark side to be given weight.

I don't think writers are purposefully killing lesbians because they are lesbians, just to make that clear. I think it's more a underlying societal issues. I really wish I could find back a link that I read the other day on the topic, it did an analysis of how many lesbian died vs how many straight people died on TV, and showed some cool stats. I forget the exact numbers, but so far since January this year, something like 10 lesbian characters have died on TV which was equivalent to about 30% of all lesbian characters on TV. Which I don't have to state is no where near the amount of straight people that have died. So clearly there is some form of bias here. I don't think it's done on purpose, but I do think the origin of the bury your gays trope (in which networks would not allow lesbians relationship to be displayed unless it ended in tragedy) is still influencing writing today.

 

[ChaseRules]

I agree . Look how hard Joss had to fight just to show Willow & Tara in love when Buffy was busy having sex with Riley. Just goes to show how little the networks are changing e even though everyone else is.

 

[Mr Trick]

I don't think writers are purposefully killing lesbians because they are lesbians, just to make that clear. I think it's more a underlying societal issues. I really wish I could find back a link that I read the other day on the topic, it did an analysis of how many lesbian died vs how many straight people died on TV, and showed some cool stats. I forget the exact numbers, but so far since January this year, something like 10 lesbian characters have died on TV which was equivalent to about 30% of all lesbian characters on TV. Which I don't have to state is no where near the amount of straight people that have died. So clearly there is some form of bias here. I don't think it's done on purpose, but I do think the origin of the bury your gays trope (in which networks would not allow lesbians relationship to be displayed unless it ended in tragedy) is still influencing writing today.

Of course, I was just pointing out that in the case of Tara, I don't think it was lesbian bias because Joss has done that to striaght characters, and there were clearly other reasons for him killing Tara off. Not to mention that over the course of his shows he has been one of the most progressive in terms of representing different sexualitie, races, cultures etc.. Those are pretty shocking stats though.

 

[ChaseRules]

I agree. Part of the reason people blame Joss is that Tara & Willow were one of the few couples on TV. They did pretty well
compared to other couples at the time.

 

[Blaze]

Of course, I was just pointing out that in the case of Tara, I don't think it was lesbian bias because Joss has done that to striaght characters, and there were clearly other reasons for him killing Tara off. Not to mention that over the course of his shows he has been one of the most progressive in terms of representing different sexualitie, races, cultures etc.. Those are pretty shocking stats though.

Oh I agree with this. Problem is that this is mostly accurate for most authors. Just recently we had 1 death on the Walking Dead, 1 death on the 100, 1 on Orphan Black (potentially). All of those shows are known to kill lots of characters, so what you said about Joss could also be said about those other writers. Yet it doesn't take away that there is clearly some sort of issue if the percentage is still so high for lesbian deaths. It's not just because of the contribution of homophobic shows, most of the data comes from shows where "anyone can die".

 

[ChaseRules]

Agreed . And Joss did it a number of years ago & people protested strongly over that so the writers cant say now that they surprised over it .
Especially since in some cases they make them gay & then kill them off right after .

 

[Octavia]

the death wasn't related to the storyline.

Lexas death was absolutely related to the storyline. It is ridiculous to say it wasn't. It is when Clarke discovers the AI. It's the whole basis of where the commander came from. Leading up to the city of light, plus back to how the world ended and forward beyond earth. It immortalised Lexa as the saviour. Tis funny to read the reactions years after. Such outrage lol. Glad the story will get to end with 5 seasons.

I am with @bespangled there is far more to identity than looks or sexuality. To me, minimising an identity to that degree is what causes

suicidal thoughts over this, because of the lack of representation

Taras death was the catalyst needed to bring on Dark Willow, other characters death are used in the same way. It doesn't matter what colour they are or who they sleep with. Look past that. Isn't that the point of diversity on tv?

 

[Angel6]

I don’t think this is a lesbian issue. It’s a very common trope for a male leads love interest/wife to be murdered or die which will end up being the driving force behind his motivation to fulfil whatever his quest is. It’s hardly a new homophobic phenomenon

 

[thrasherpix]

I don’t think this is a lesbian issue. It’s a very common trope for a male leads love interest/wife to be murdered or die which will end up being the driving force behind his motivation to fulfil whatever his quest is. It’s hardly a new homophobic phenomenon

It's not that, at least not by itself. All too often writers do like to kill one in a gay relationship just so they can showcase how "their love is real" which is a good motivation. But when it becomes such a tired hat then at best it just becomes lazy writing, and at worst, it gives the impression (however unintentional) that the people telling gays and lesbians that their lives will suck are right.

I know many who restricted themselves to mainstream stuff like Buffy felt Willow and Tara gave them some much needed support and a way to feel like they mattered in the world the way those two mattered to the story and were happy with each other. It wasn't hinted at, it was shown, especially in season 5, and it seemed refreshing. Because Joss likes to give his self-congratulatory yap whenever he can, many were led to believe that the "bury your gays" trope wouldn't be an issue here, which in retrospect was a foolish thing to assume with Joss. But it hurt, not just with Tara, but also in "so it happens again." Usually their guard was up, but not this time, so it hurt even worse.

There's a guy in another fandom who wasn't sure which ship was going to become canon, if the female character was going to go with the guy side character, or another female main character, and though both worked for him, he was leaning with her choosing the guy "because if she chooses [the other main female character] then one of them will have to die." We shouldn't feel our hearts breaking the moment a gay relationship like that starts just because it's being done to death (no pun intended).

It's just how it works out over and over again, and it's tiresome at best, discouraging at worst. While I know there are exceptions, I remember reading a book where the characters were dropping like flies, and felt almost shocked that the lesbian pair were among the few survivors despite that they took some of the greatest risks rivaling that of the protagonist, so I know how that guy feels. Even I, the lesbian, was scared that if she picked the woman (which she has) that one of them will die (and I honestly don't know if it's a death sentence, the writers can be a bit like Joss, and when the crew working on the show watched a major fan about sobbing as a character was brutally killed, they high fived each other).

If that weren't the case then it wouldn't be the big deal that it is. In fact, constantly making gays untouchable with plot armor would be just as bad as constantly making them doomed.

 

[katmobile]

I think Joss was a bit to blame for that . They killed Tara & next season brought in Kennedy who was hated both for how she acted & in some people minds replacing Tara .
It almost like being gay was a killer there . He also had Buffy & Faith flirt with each other & then made Faith a crazy women . Almost like saying that if you different then things would go bad for you . Just look at Andrew . He acted gay & they had him acting evil & spineless.

It's negated in the comics where he comes out and it actually helps his development and confronting his crush the guy helps Andrew realise he's being manipulated. It's never shown but I headcanon that the two of them stay together through the next two comic seasons.

 

[ChaseRules]

I disliked Tara dying since there was no reason for it . Joss just wanted to have the season end with a bang & not care about the fans . He could have her shot & go into a coma but no he had to kill her off . And next season he has Willow fall for Kennedy . Joss made Tara / Willow something & after losing Tara she just hops in the sack with Kennedy . No wonder people hated her since the was nothing between them but we told there is .

It took me a couple of years to stop hating her & see who were the true villains .