Whose leaving was the most painful?

[Zeppo]

Oz because he left. Then, sent for his things.

Double-whammy, poor Willow. It's like the wound was starting to scab and suddenly it was ripped open all over again. I've only recently seen the sadness of this and never understood why people had so much sadness over this, minus loosing Oz. I get it now.

Angel leaving is a heavy one, too. And handled SO well. And Giles, especially in Bargaining when he goes and he isn't even in the credits anymore.

 

[Marisa]

I would have said Angel but since he got his own show I did not care as much as some of the others I would see him again.

Oz upsets me still because I loved him and it was weird when he left.
I agree with username it did seem like they were going for the Willow Riley angle for a minute there.

On Buffy it was a tie between Doyle and Cordy. Doyle was so sad it was so early so much could have been done. Where as Cordy has a pretty full run but when she came back it was worse because she fit back in and then she leaves again so it was sad.

 

[xfivebyfive]

None of the people that just left were so sad for me. But if you include deaths then Tara would be the saddest for me.

Or Cordelia's departure in season 4 of Angel. Just putting her into a coma -_- Thankfully we get You're Welcome but I would still rank her departure up there as sucking.

 

[Tome]

Giles on BtVS. Like Kean, I was really upset at him for leaving Buffy at that time. Way to tell her before that he'd always be there for her, and that he'd support her, just to leave when she's probably going through the worst part of her life. Sure, it ended up fine, and Buffy got through it(mostly) by herself, but it just doesn't excuse what he did, for me. Also... Giles was never the same character when he came back.

Cordelia on AtS. This one was really easy. She was the heart of the team. She helped Angel change A LOT. He went from this boring broody love interest in BtVS to this multi-layered character. And for me this was in part due to her presence. She was such an interesting character. Brought so much humor, made me smile and laugh a lot. When Jasmine took over in S4, the impact wasn't immediate because we didn't know it wasn't the REAL Cordy right away. Once we got to S5 though, I really felt there was something missing in the show. And Spike did not fill it. My friend who had never really watch BtVS thought that she was the best character on AtS, and just like me he didn't like the last season of AtS as much because she was gone. When she *died* in 'You're Welcome'', I was probably as devastated as Angel. 🙁

 

[zobothehobo]

The first time I watched I was really actually upset that Spike and Dru left in season 2 but then I went on the IMDb page and found Spike would be back so I got happy again. It wasn't that big of a deal bu it upset me.

I was also upset at Angel's departure in season 3 because during my first watch at season 3, I was a Bangel.

I was upset Giles was leaving Buffy when he was leaving her for her... but I wasn't upset to see him go.

I was SO torn up when Tara died.

Also Doyle's death was quite traumatic to me.

 

[sk]

Seeing Oz leaving in Wild at heart was kinda hard.
Come as a suprise for me and it's such a sad episode.

Giles leaving had the most long term effect though.
I think the show suffered a bit when he wasn't there in season 6.

/SK

 

[Tillow4ever]

I'm not sure if deaths count. But the Jenny, Joyce, and Tara deaths were SO sad. I cried for each of them. But Tara the most. And after Tara's death I don't like watching the rest. So, yeah...

and as for people just leaving, Oz. Because the rest people mentioned I was glad they left! they left to make another GREAT show! 😀

 

[Doppelgang]

Here's a unusual suggestion, Darla dying in Buffy right near the beginning, although not that painful cos she'd hardly been in it, it was a still I think a bit of a wasted opportunity for a storyline that could have developed with her looking to get back at buffy and trying to get angel to go bad again. 😀

Other than that, Anya dying at the end of season 7 was quite a painful departure, for she was my favourite character in the last 2 series of btvs. And, looking at what other people have put, I'd say cordelia from angel. although, up until now I didn't know she'd died, for I've only seen the first few seasons of angel 🙁

 

[InsaneMystic]

Giles in S6, easily.

If we count deaths, too, then Fred. I was an emotional wreck after first watching Shells. 🙁

 

[Sommers Summers]

Definitely Tara. It's what caused Willow's rampage all about.

Though, I'd say Giles comes close. He's been one of the four pillars of the series, so it's hard to grasp the fact that he's gone.