How did you feel after New moon rising?

[Washburne]

Below will contain spoilers for future seasons.














Now we know how things evolved (at least if you've watched the rest of the show) so it can be easy to make a fair judgement on what you think about the things that happened in the episode. But do you remember how it was the first time you watched it?

Oz is a well liked character and by the time of this episode we hadn't seen that much of Tara. Were you happy about how things ended? Have you changed your mind since? Did you know that Seth wouldn't be on the show anymore so you knew he'd leave?

I like Oz a lot and I was sad to see him leave but I remember that I felt the most for Tara. It was her I could relate to the most. Being insecure, shy, wanting what's best for the one you love. So I was glad that Willow ended up with her. But I have to admit that I at the time didn't think their relationship would be anything like it became. I thought it could be just a "college thing" and it would be over pretty soon. Or that Willow would go back to Oz. In no way could I predict how it would evolve or end for that matter (Still haven't forgiven Joss about that.) But I'm happy I was wrong since Tillow is my favourite ship in any Whedon show.

 

[caitaintdead]

Nah I had good thoughts about Tara. I felt like Willow needed to move on, and I was really touched by that last scene. I knew it was going to be something special. Ever since I saw Oz run away I knew things wouldn't work out between them. Willow needed a rock.

I love New Moon Rising. Great episode and I thought there was something super special about it.

 

[fly on the wall]

Well, when I first watched it (as it aired), I thought the Tara/Willow thing was..weird. I couldn't really grasp how she was suddenly gay, and I loved Oz and wanted him to come back.

But, as time went on, and as I watched it when I got older, I came to love Tara. With every other character, I can pick my favorite 'ship, but to this day Willow is the only one I have trouble with: Oz, or Tara? They're both so different and yet, both so right for her. So although seeing Oz leave for good is always sad during rewatches, I love what grows between Tara and Willow, and so it's quite the bittersweet moment.

 

[BuffyElevated]

I absolutely LOVE Oz. That being said, I have very mixed feelings where this episode is concerned.
Tara is so sweet I'm not sure how anyone could dislike her. Amber played her so well and made her cute and likeable, if sometimes a little bit boring because she was so shy. Oz was cool and a wonderful boyfriend to Willow in every sense of the word, even willing to take her back because he loved her so much after what happened with Xander in S3. I loved how even though he didn't say much, he was always so insightful and awesome. 🙂 And who doesn't love Seth Green?? 😀
I remember watching the first time around (at age 18) and being so confused by how suddenly Willow could fall in love with a woman when she'd been so deeply in love with Xander and Oz before. This was before I had really been around any gay people to talk to them and understand how it can sometimes happen that way. I remember being pissed off at the Buffy writers for writing Oz out of the show, and feeling like Willow going gay was just something to seem more PC/cool and boost ratings.
However, now that I'm older and wiser, I have grown to love Tara as a character and I think the Tillow romance was so sweet and beautiful. That being said, I'm still all for Woz. 😉 I don't know, I just always felt like Oz and Willow were meant to be together. I mean, look at what he went through to get the wolf in him under control and get her back... He truly, truly loved her. 🙂 And even though Willow was more mature when she was with Tara, I never felt like it would last when I watched the show, and even now I don't know that if

Spoiler

Tara hadn't died

that it would have worked out.
Anyway, this is my two cents. More like three dollars. LOL

 

[MinwaraYana]

I almost felt Oz's pain. It's right on his face. But I'm glad Willow could move on and Tara became her one true love.

 

[BuffyElevated]

I agree; Seth acted that episode soooo well!! You could almost feel Oz's heart breaking.....

 

[Tasha]

I was always a Woz fan, at first i was like D:!!! like HOW CAN SHE Be GAY!
but afterwards i ended up loving Tara and Willow together.

 

[Flannen]

I have no problem with Willow and Tara, but I just love Oz and I was, and still am, so gutted that he left.

New Moon Rising is an episode that always makes me cry, because you very rarely see emotion from Oz and when he cries...*sigh*

Oz is one of my favourite characters and the early seasons are my favourite so I always to tend to harbour feelings for the early relationships.

I think Willow was 'better' with Oz than Tara. But like I said, I have no problem with that relationship, or with Tara herself. I did much prefer her as an individual character in the episodes that we see her when her and Willow have broken up.

 

[Emzzie]

Oz was awesome. I always thought Willow and him were perfect together. Of course, I like her and Tara too. The entire episode I was thinking "Pick Oz, Pick Oz, Pick Oz." even though I knew it would never happen. You could see how much he loved her and how hard everything was for him.

 

[Crashing Doors]

Not a bad episode by any means. When Oz left, I really kind of missed him. So, seeing him back again was really fun. I didn't like the charms that he had around his hand though, those bugged me for some reason. I didn't care for Tara and Willow, still don't, and I was really disappointed that Oz didn't get another shot given all he went through. Then again that would have been kind of cheap to disregard what Willow was going through at that point.

 

[BuffyElevated]

I totally agree!! Exactly!!!

I have no problem with Willow and Tara, but I just love Oz and I was, and still am, so gutted that he left.

New Moon Rising is an episode that always makes me cry, because you very rarely see emotion from Oz and when he cries...*sigh*

Oz is one of my favourite characters and the early seasons are my favourite so I always to tend to harbour feelings for the early relationships.

I think Willow was 'better' with Oz than Tara. But like I said, I have no problem with that relationship, or with Tara herself. I did much prefer her as an individual character in the episodes that we see her when her and Willow have broken up.

 

[Washburne]

Since it was Seth's decision to leave I wonder what would have happened if he had stayed as long as Joss wanted it. Rumours say that Joss was always thinking of making either Willow or Xander gay and when Seth told him he wanted to leave they went with Willow. Now rumours isn't much to go by but no matter if he'd made anyone gay or not it had been interesting to know his plans for Oz.

 

[The_Final_Cylon]

I was sad about the whole Oz and Willow break up thing because they did make a beautiful couple but anything that ment Tara would get more screen time made me a very happy girl. I think Willow and Oz had had their time and now it was time for Willow to move on to something else.
Also, just wondering, a lot of people said they were shocked at how quickly she 'turned' gay...I don't think I understand. When you like someone, when there's chemistry, isn't it a lot of the time kind of an instant, sudden thing? I'm probably just being stupid.

 

[Washburne]

Also, just wondering, a lot of people said they were shocked at how quickly she 'turned' gay...I don't think I understand. When you like someone, when there's chemistry, isn't it a lot of the time kind of an instant, sudden thing? I'm probably just being stupid.

I think most people wanted to see signs/tendencies. Being straight is still seen as the "normal"/expected thing (you tell people that you're gay but you don't go around telling people that you're straight) so when someone change (I'm really not liking the words I use for the moment. Forgive me.) as Willow did people will get surprised most of the times and would wanted to be prepared. Is this how it should be? Of course not. But sadly it still happens. I'm not saying it goes for everyone but in general I think it's the case. Personally I don't think Willow got gay over night. It's not that she fell in love with Tara at first sight. Noticing chemistry after what happened in Hush sure, but not love as such. It was something that grew even if we only saw it happening during a few episodes.

---------- Post added at 10:25 AM ---------- Previous post was at 10:22 AM ----------

And to be honest. Even if they make a big deal out of Willow being gay in the show I still see her more as bi. She loves people for who they are not what gender they are. For the moment she's just fell in love with females. But that's just a personal opinion of course.

 

[Vermillion]

I think Tara & Willows relationship in the series is really honest and sweet. I loved oz but Tara and Willow seem to fit better, and like willow said in new moon to Oz : did he expect her to still be waiting for him, i thought was a very good point.

 

[MinwaraYana]

Since it was Seth's decision to leave I wonder what would have happened if he had stayed as long as Joss wanted it. Rumours say that Joss was always thinking of making either Willow or Xander gay and when Seth told him he wanted to leave they went with Willow. Now rumours isn't much to go by but no matter if he'd made anyone gay or not it had been interesting to know his plans for Oz.

I think Joss said in an interview that Oz would got shot by Warren too, if Willow chose him over Tara.

 

[BillyidolwannaB]

I prefered Oz, imo a much more interesting character, but by the time NMR happened i was used to no Oz, so i wasn't really bothered she picked Tara.
Also, i remember reading that if Seth wanted to stay, he'd have joined team Angel, which i think would've been even better than him staying on Buffy.

 

[BuffyElevated]

I prefered Oz, imo a much more interesting character, but by the time NMR happened i was used to no Oz, so i wasn't really bothered she picked Tara.
Also, i remember reading that if Seth wanted to stay, he'd have joined team Angel, which i think would've been even better than him staying on Buffy.

I think it would have been ubercool to have Oz on "Angel". He would have been kick-ass!

 

[luckystar]

I remember been so oblivious to what was happening with Willow and Tara and just been so happy that Oz was back so it took a long time for me to grasp what had happened, then when I started watching back it seemed like the right choice, Oz and Tara both love Willow so much but at this stage in her life she had moved on and was experiencing feelings she never realized before perhaps so she needed to grow and continue these feelings with Tara. After some time I grew to love this couple a lot, not to mention I love the idea of them bringing a gay character into the show, I was really proud of that and for it to be my favorite it was even better. I did miss Seth though.

 

[faeriegrrl27]

I love Oz and I love how he loved Willow. But I never thought Willow loved him as much as he loved her. Let's face it: she was still kind of hung up on Xander when she and Oz got together and I think that though she liked him, the relationship started because she was lonely for Xander. I do think that genuine deep love grew very much and they were always so sweet. But apart from New Moon Rising, we never got the sense that they talked all that much and doesn't it say something that the only time they can talk so much is after he leaves her?
New Moon Rising is the only Season 4 ep that brought tears to my usually tearful (at watching Buffy... not cuz I'm crazy depressed or anything. lol) eyes. I love Tara and love Tillow and love the way they fell for each other. It's beautiful. So although my heart broke for both Tara and Oz during the episode (and Willow: what a choice!), but I was very happy when she picked Tara.

Interesting note: My favorite Oz moment ever is when Oz realized he was about to change and attack Tara and he said, "run!" I don't know why I like that moment so much, but it's sooo touching!