Spoiler! The Fate of Tara

[Nikkolas]

So I would call this Tara's Death but I learned my lesson from my Lindsey thread.

This topic, as you may ascertain from the poll, i discussing the necessity of Tara's death. I just want to know if you thought it was the right step to take or whatever.

I'm just going to say what I said elsewhere. Her being killed is BS and shows a real limit to Whedon's vision. The more I learn about the "backstage" of how things happen, i learn Joss is very rigid in his plans. He wanted Tara to die no matter what because it was the only way to progress Willow's character in his mind. That's simply stupid for a couple reasons.

1. Willow's character HAS progressed. She struggled all through Season 6 to get off her magic addiction and she finally does. Maybe Joss isn't aware people aren't the same before and after being a junkie but that counts as Willow developing in my book.

2. Who says you have to develop her character so radically every frickin' season? Look at Xander. His character development is not nearly as overblown as Buffy's or Willow's but he does grow as a character. it's subtle, fascinating but it does happen. Eventually he does reach a plateau and that's only natural because there's only so much changing you can undergo before it just gets ridiculous.

I think Willow had come a remarkably long way from Season 1 and if her character settled down, it would be totally reasonable. This isn't to say she wouldn't have problems. Withdrawal, spats with Tara, all sorts of possibilities spring to my mind but again it comes back to Joss simply refusing to think outside his comfortable little box.

So, there you have it. Lifelong Tara fan here so I am completely biased but I think it's simply bad writing that necessitates character deaths to further character development.

 

[charmedones193]

I Voted: Unnecessary forced drama that actually weakens Willow's character, IMO I Don't Think Tara Should Have Been Killed

 

[eponinethen]

I voted that "made sense from a narrative point-of-view". I don't know if "Necessary" is the word I would use, they could have gone another way, but now they went this way, and to me it works really well. It was heartbreaking, upsetting and everything else it needed to be. She was a nice character and I missed her, but maybe you can't not do storylines you want to do, just to keep characters on the show. It was one way to do it, and it's the way they did it, and it worked. On AtS they off many of the main characters, it's sad, but good for the show, imo.

(Having said that. I do agree with the people who would say that it's typical that lesbians in movies/TV shows always get killed or go insane. For that reason alone it's ashame they had to kill Tara. (Then again, I also agree with people saying "Joss always kills off great characters on his shows", and I don't actually think it means he is a homophobe, of course))

 

[Taake]

I voted that "made sense from a narrative point-of-view". I don't know if "Necessary" is the word I would use, they could have gone another way, but now they went this way, and to me it works really well. It was heartbreaking, upsetting and everything else it needed to be. She was a nice character and I missed her, but maybe you can't not do storylines you want to do, just to keep characters on the show. It was one way to do it, and it's the way they did it, and it worked. On AtS they off many of the main characters, it's sad, but good for the show, imo.

(Having said that. I do agree with the people who would say that it's typical that lesbians in movies/TV shows always get killed or go insane. For that reason alone it's ashame they had to kill Tara. (Then again, I also agree with people saying "Joss always kills off great characters on his shows", and I don't actually think it means he is a homophobe, of course))

Perfect post, just what I would have chosen to say myself. Therefore I too voted 'necessary' though really I would have said it was a unecessary necessary event... if that makes sense.

 

[PrincessBuffy16]

I loved Willow in the first 4 seasons the most. In season 7 I stopped caring about her. So yeah, I guess, Tara's death only made her worser.

 

[Nikkolas]

Season 7 did a lot of disservice to Willow's character as well.

Also I'm very pleased that me and my fellow naysayers are still winning the poll.

 

[The Unspoken]

You can still be pissed off about a character dying even if it 'makes sense from a narrative point of view', lol.

Anyway, it was obvious what the goal was: to have Willow cross an unspeakable line by killing a human. Tara's murder might be the only thing that could accomplish that. The fact that they had just reunited and that Warren wasn't even aiming for her only made it worse. This is why the Trio, made up of humans, was season 6's villain.

So I agree with whoever said it was 'unnecessarily necessary'. Would've preferred it if she stayed alive obviously.

 

[GrrArghx]

I voted that "made sense from a narrative point-of-view". I don't know if "Necessary" is the word I would use, they could have gone another way, but now they went this way, and to me it works really well. It was heartbreaking, upsetting and everything else it needed to be. She was a nice character and I missed her, but maybe you can't not do storylines you want to do, just to keep characters on the show. It was one way to do it, and it's the way they did it, and it worked. On AtS they off many of the main characters, it's sad, but good for the show, imo.

(Having said that. I do agree with the people who would say that it's typical that lesbians in movies/TV shows always get killed or go insane. For that reason alone it's ashame they had to kill Tara. (Then again, I also agree with people saying "Joss always kills off great characters on his shows", and I don't actually think it means he is a homophobe, of course))

Perfect post, just what I would have chosen to say myself. Therefore I too voted 'necessary' though really I would have said it was a unecessary necessary event... if that makes sense.

Gotta agree with you two here completely. I'm in the minority in that I liked Dark Willow and the arc. I was sad to see Tara go, and maybe they could have rounded out the magick/Willow storyline another way, but I thought it worked really well.

 

[buffyprops]

I voted that it made sense...
I think it's one of the best written plot twist's of most of season's 1-7.

What offends me much more than the loss of Tara is the over used plot device of what I call "Let's doubt the Slayer".
There for a while it was happening almost every other episode and it just seemed like it became a fall back plan for weak writing...

 

[Icarium]

The problem with Tara's death and its aftermath is that it seems the writers did things backwards. They didn't work along the lines "Tara dies, now what?" but along the lines of "We need Willow to go dark, how do we get there?". As a result of that the whole thing seems horribly contrived and hugely character-assassinating for Willow. I can accept killing Warren but going after Adnrew and Jonathan (as much I would personally have loved to see Andrew tortured to death) made no freaking sense considering they were in jail and had nothing to with Tara's death anyway. And let's not get started on her attempt to destroy the world.

Joss later claimed he wanted to bring back Tara in S7 which to me shows how the whole thing wasn't about Tara at all. It's not really about Willow either, it's purely for shock value and that's most evident next season when Willow's crimes get quickly swept under the carpet and magic=drugs is retconned out of existence immediately. Basically, I think it's terrible storytelling when character motivation is ignored in order to get some "shocking" twist. I once came across an interview with Joss in which he was all "it really hurt me to kill Tara but I had to do it" and "other shows have people breaking up, we are too dark and mature to do such things so we kill off characters instead". Okay, the second remark is a bit too loosely paraphrased but he did say something like that and pissed me off a lot.

. Who says you have to develop her character so radically every frickin' season?

Yes, I think making virtually every character go dark at one point or another isn't development, it just shows how the writers are utterly lacking in originality.

 

[Chosen Enemy]

it's a little bit of both. I mean, it was not fun to watch, but it was good thing it happened. No, not the wanna see Willow hurting deal, it's sort of like the same episode's AR. You hate seeing it, hate it happened, but it leads to good things in the end (Spike getting his soul). I admit I didn't like Willow as evil "being". But I don't see how the series could keep progressing forward if nothing big happens with Willow and Tara, they'd just be stuck with their happy/sad lives together, with nothing major. Something huge had to happen, something extreme. They did the right pick.

 

[Nikkolas]

But I don't see how the series could keep progressing forward if nothing big happens with Willow and Tara, they'd just be stuck with their happy/sad lives together, with nothing major.

What's wrong with this?

Something huge had to happen, something extreme.

Why?

This kind of reasoning is what led to the sloppy storyline. They said "we can't keep them happy. We have to screw it up." They didn't ask why, they just did. And the results is what many consider the worst season of Buffy featuring the worst arcs of Buffy.

The fact of the matter is, Willow and Tara were spared the terrors of Joss' Angst Beam for most of Season 4. He was focusing his malicious attention elsewhere, ruining other lives and such, so they were left in relative peace. Then came Season 5 and they had a little argument which is logical and believable.

Comes the start of season 6. Willow and Tara are basically Dawn's parents now and they provide a happy and stable home.

But we can't have that it seems.

There was no reason to kill Tara or to ruin the happy life she had with Willow except for the fact Whedon was determined to derail Willow's character ad needed an excuse to do it.

 

[zobothehobo]

The dark Willow stoyline was necessary and the perfect way to end season 6. Therefore this made narrative sense. It wasn't about Tara or ending the relationship, it was about Dark Willow

 

[Chosen Enemy]

What's wrong with this?



Why?

This kind of reasoning is what led to the sloppy storyline. They said "we can't keep them happy. We have to screw it up." They didn't ask why, they just did. And the results is what many consider the worst season of Buffy featuring the worst arcs of Buffy.

The fact of the matter is, Willow and Tara were spared the terrors of Joss' Angst Beam for most of Season 4. He was focusing his malicious attention elsewhere, ruining other lives and such, so they were left in relative peace. Then came Season 5 and they had a little argument which is logical and believable.

Comes the start of season 6. Willow and Tara are basically Dawn's parents now and they provide a happy and stable home.

But we can't have that it seems.

*in the dark, secluded soul of Joss Whedon*
"This isn't believable. Characters only grow when bad stuff happens to them. They must be miserable to develop!"

There was no reason to kill Tara or to ruin the happy life she had with Willow except for the fact Whedon was determined to derail Willow's character ad needed an excuse to do it.

It might be an excuse, but what isn't? Say, OMWF's demon's appearance just so the cast could sing. Spike trying to rape Buffy just so he will get a soul. Spike's chip so he will be with the rest of the scoobies and part of the cast, and more!

As I see it, a TV show can't not progress, or it would all be useless. There is no one scene in a show/movie that's just there to fill in the space in the script.

Tara was Joss' victim. But if not her, someone else would. Willow needed it to progress, not just the show. And just because they had happy lives and were Dawn's parents, doesn't mean life isn't mean sometimes, if we look at it from the natural life's view. Something unexpected happened. And season 6 was about life itself. To me, it's just natural for something like this to happen. It makes sense, it should happen, no matter how hurtful it is.

 

[zobothehobo]

It might be an excuse, but what isn't? Say, OMWF's demon's appearance just so the cast could sing. Spike trying to rape Buffy just so he will get a soul. Spike's chip so he will be with the rest of the scoobies and part of the cast, and more!

As I see it, a TV show can't not progress, or it would all be useless. There is no one scene in a show/movie that's just there to fill in the space in the script.

Tara was Joss' victim. But if not her, someone else would. Willow needed it to progress, not just the show. And just because they had happy lives and were Dawn's parents, doesn't mean life isn't mean sometimes, if we look at it from the natural life's view. Something unexpected happened. And season 6 was about life itself. To me, it's just natural for something like this to happen. It makes sense, it should happen, no matter how hurtful it is.

I can't rep on my iPod for some reason but yes!!!! This. Perfectly said.

 

[msfantastico87]

I'm just going to say what I said elsewhere. Her being killed is BS and shows a real limit to Whedon's vision. The more I learn about the "backstage" of how things happen, i learn Joss is very rigid in his plans. He wanted Tara to die no matter what because it was the only way to progress Willow's character in his mind. That's simply stupid for a couple reasons.

1. Willow's character HAS progressed. She struggled all through Season 6 to get off her magic addiction and she finally does. Maybe Joss isn't aware people aren't the same before and after being a junkie but that counts as Willow developing in my book.

2. Who says you have to develop her character so radically every frickin' season? Look at Xander. His character development is not nearly as overblown as Buffy's or Willow's but he does grow as a character. it's subtle, fascinating but it does happen. Eventually he does reach a plateau and that's only natural because there's only so much changing you can undergo before it just gets ridiculous.

I think Willow had come a remarkably long way from Season 1 and if her character settled down, it would be totally reasonable. This isn't to say she wouldn't have problems. Withdrawal, spats with Tara, all sorts of possibilities spring to my mind but again it comes back to Joss simply refusing to think outside his comfortable little box.

I totally agree with your entire post. Tara's death was a sorry excuse to have Willow develop as a character. It would have made more sense to see how their relationship would have been different after getting back together, and maybe see Tara die a different way? Never mind.. I take that back hahaha Tara should have lived. Period.

You can still be pissed off about a character dying even if it 'makes sense from a narrative point of view', lol.

Anyway, it was obvious what the goal was: to have Willow cross an unspeakable line by killing a human. Tara's murder might be the only thing that could accomplish that. The fact that they had just reunited and that Warren wasn't even aiming for her only made it worse. This is why the Trio, made up of humans, was season 6's villain.

So I agree with whoever said it was 'unnecessarily necessary'. Would've preferred it if she stayed alive obviously.

Ok this is where I have to jump in. I agree about being pissed about a character dying, even in a narrative point of view, but Tara's death was just so poorly, ridiculously written. It made no sense for the events to have happened they way they did.

The problem with Tara's death and its aftermath is that it seems the writers did things backwards. They didn't work along the lines "Tara dies, now what?" but along the lines of "We need Willow to go dark, how do we get there?". As a result of that the whole thing seems horribly contrived and hugely character-assassinating for Willow. I can accept killing Warren but going after Adnrew and Jonathan (as much I would personally have loved to see Andrew tortured to death) made no freaking sense considering they were in jail and had nothing to with Tara's death anyway. And let's not get started on her attempt to destroy the world.

Joss later claimed he wanted to bring back Tara in S7 which to me shows how the whole thing wasn't about Tara at all. It's not really about Willow either, it's purely for shock value and that's most evident next season when Willow's crimes get quickly swept under the carpet and magic=drugs is retconned out of existence immediately. Basically, I think it's terrible storytelling when character motivation is ignored in order to get some "shocking" twist. I once came across an interview with Joss in which he was all "it really hurt me to kill Tara but I had to do it" and "other shows have people breaking up, we are too dark and mature to do such things so we kill off characters instead". Okay, the second remark is a bit too loosely paraphrased but he did say something like that and pissed me off a lot.

Yes, I think making virtually every character go dark at one point or another isn't development, it just shows how the writers are utterly lacking in originality.

I completely, totally, and utterly agree with everything you said in this post, and that says something because I think this is the first time I have agreed with you lol(I mean that in the nicest way possible 😉) Joss claims to have made the decision for shock value, but it's such a sorry excuse! And not to mention the fact that it really does seem like they wrote the whole Willow arc backwards. Looked like they were stuck between a rock and a hard place when deciding how Willow ends up taking a human life. Tara's death was the only way they could get Willow to take a human life? I'm sorry, but that is a total load of horse crap. Joss aimed to piss people off with this decision. Even Joss says he's not completely happy unless everyone around him is crying. They could have totally written it around Willows magicks/drug abuse. It would have made more sense. Tara's death was just so poorly written.

Summary....I voted it was unnecessary.

note: please remember that Joss is a deuche and I hate him so much, for various reasons, but Killing off 3 of my favorite characters was totally UNECESSARY!!!

 

[Icarium]

Willow needed it to progress, not just the show. And just because they had happy lives and were Dawn's parents, doesn't mean life isn't mean sometimes, if we look at it from the natural life's view. Something unexpected happened. And season 6 was about life itself. To me, it's just natural for something like this to happen. It makes sense, it should happen, no matter how hurtful it is.

You have a weird idea of what constitutes progress. Might as well claim that Buffy's growth was stunted since she never skinned anybody, nor tried to destroy the world.

Also, I think it's a bit of logical fallacy when people claim that characters either had to change in a extreme way or stay the same. Often, the middle ground is the best. The idea that Willow should either be "frozen in time" so to speak, development-wise or be drug-addict and a murderer with no options in between is silly. The best development in the show happens in the early seasons and happens to the characters who never murdered anyone, nor become drug-addicts or anything of the sort. One can have drama without making everything so extreme. In fact, I'd argue that's much more difficult to pull off than going going for the shock value and then sweep all the repercussions under the carpet as Joss is prone to do ever since Graduation Day. YMMV, IMO and al lthat.

It might be an excuse, but what isn't? Say, OMWF's demon's appearance just so the cast could sing. Spike trying to rape Buffy just so he will get a soul. Spike's chip so he will be with the rest of the scoobies and part of the cast, and more!

Two wrongs don't make it right, what they did with Spiek was quite similar to what they did with Willow actually. In both cases plot needs overrode characters' motivation so much that it completely took me out of the story. In other words, it's bad writing. Any idiot can write a story where the characterization changes to fit the current needs of the plot. Quality writers manage to get to point A to point B without making their characters look like idiots in the process.

 

[VisionGirl]

I don't know if Tara's death was necessary, or if Dark Willow to that extreme was even necessary, but Willow's relationship with Magick had to be dealt with in some way. Her issues with insecurity & identity as it relates to magic started way back in the beginning & was slowly developing, even before season 6. Not sure if this was "the right" way to deal with it, but this is how Joss & the writers chose to do it, and I chose that it "makes sense" in a narrative way, although I don't agree that it was "necessary".

 

[buffyprops]

Here's some excerpts from an interview Amber Benson gave at Madam Tussaud's in 2003:

Did the fan reaction change after Tara died?

A.B.-It was really tough. The way she died was awful, it was really, really horrible and I wish that it hadn't happened, but I understood from a story standpoint why it had to go in that direction.

The only way that Joss could get Willow's character to that level of desperation was to take the one thing away from her that she loved which was Tara. As awful as it was, he was really trying to put the message out that Willow's problem with magic was a allegory for drug abuse.

[It was an allegory for] anything where it's an addictive, obsessive thing, when you drink too much or you do drugs, you sleep around and have no care for yourself. That's what Willow was going through, this mad obsession, this addiction, and the only way she could go back to reality was to bottom out. Then she could return to the Willow that we all know and love.

Did you like the way season six became about the horror of real people?

A.B.-I thought season six depressing as a cast member and as an audience member, because everybody was going through these awful experiences. I think it was a really dark season. It was a lot of fun to do, acting-wise, but I thought it was emotionally very unsettling.
You have the Troika, the three guys running around doing all these horrible things for God knows what reason. It was interesting to have humanoid villains that were rooted in our three-dimensional reality... or four dimensional reality, I'm not sure which!

Can you tell us why you chose not to return for season seven?

A.B.-I wish that we could have worked it out but there were extenuating circumstances that I don't really want to go into.
I would love to have come back but sometimes there are things in your life that you have to stand up for and to tell you the God's honest truth, I really didn't want Tara to be bad, and that would have been a component of me coming back.
As much as I wanted to come back - and I almost did - that was something that was dogging my not wanting to come back.
I just felt like people really loved that character and for her to be bad would just destroy people. So that was one of the reasons I didn't go back.

 

[Tillow4ever]

I voted: Unnecessary forced drama that actually weakens Willow's character...
I don't really know how to go into detail on how much I hate that she had to die. I don't really feel good tight now so my arguement would be weak, but I just think that it was a stupid reason just to make willow go dark, even though that is probably the only way that she would have been. Even though it was a pretty interesting storyline, I wish that maybe Tara would have died and then come back... It would have been better that way. 'Cause then Willow would have to face what she did to Warren... Idk... That's just my very weak opinion, because I'm not sure I made much sense... lol