Okay Kittens, here's the scoop. The original version of this essay is still posted below. I work for an alternative newspaper as a tech/web person, not a journalist. I submitted the essay as a freelance piece and it was picked up with the provision that I cut it down from 3000 words to 1500 words. Not an easy chore, but a necessary one to get it published by almost any print media (who have to deal with inch counts and space availability.)
I "tightened" it up to 1600 words, essentially cutting the essay in half. It was tough. I lost some of the more in-depth explanation on character development and made it slightly less personal but I managed to keep all my major points and even added some new ones. This is now my first professionally published work and I couldn't be prouder. The print version looks great too. If you are near Sacramento, CA pick up a June 6th [i:9fbe8f4c23] News & Review.[/i:9fbe8f4c23]
So I'm leaving the long version here and posting a link to the published version which hits the streets tomorrow with the headline "Witch love spells death." www.newsreview.com/issues/sacto/2002-06-06/Arts.asp
As you can see I put a link in to the fabulous FAQ thread 'cause it needs to be read by more people. Mods - if you don't want the traffic I can change this link to somewhere else that has the FAQ posted.
If anyone has comments to me personally about this you can email me at my kitten address, or through the professional address linked to my byline on the article. If you would like to comment to the editor of this paper send it to sactoletters@newsreview.com
Thanks for all the support so far. I hope you enjoy the "short" version as well.
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[b:9fbe8f4c23] The day the magic died: the impact of the death of Tara on [i:9fbe8f4c23] Buffy the Vampire Slayer.[/i:9fbe8f4c23][/b:9fbe8f4c23]
For a horror show that is often accused of being more of a comedy, the horror aspect of [i:9fbe8f4c23] Buffy The Vampire Slayer[/i:9fbe8f4c23] was brought to full focus in the episode Seeing Red (S6E19) with the brutal killing of Tara Maclay and the subsequent story arc when Taras girlfriend/significant other, Willow, goes mad with grief and rage, loading up on powerful dark magic and turns into a vengeance driven evil sorceress out for blood and world destruction. As in seasons past, episode 19 kicks off the wild ride to the season finale (episode 22) played with extra gusto for May sweeps. This year it is an intense storyline that has many fans at once outraged and fascinated to see whats coming next. But in a world of gender politics and changing portrayals of homosexuality on television, this story line has transcended its intent and set off an explosion of betrayal and fury within the gay fan base.
For the past 6 years [i:9fbe8f4c23] Buffy The Vampire Slayer[/i:9fbe8f4c23] has used metaphors of the supernatural to explore very natural human emotions and conflicts. Starting with the premise that high school is hell, then moving on to college and young adulthood, the characters have grown and evolved. What has elevated this show from other work in the genre is the consistency of the creators to turn standard horror clich on end and spin it into an often powerful feminist journey to self-empowerment. The title character, Buffy, is the kind smart mouthed, blond, fashion plate that usually ends up dead in the first 10 minutes of any horror film. Instead she is the Slayer, one of the most powerful people in the world with the strength and skill to kill vampires. Backing her up are the socially inept Xander, and computer nerd Willow, both of whom have grown out of their high school geek infested roots into caring, loyal and powerful friends. None of the characters were ever played as straight up stereotypes, instead creator, Joss Whedon, took care to make sure that all the characters were multi-dimensional and sympathetic. This, plus the continual mix of comedy, drama, and horror are what have made this show a cult hit among a very devoted following.
I have watched this show since Season 1, Episode 1 (S1E1). Willow has always been my favorite character because of her honesty, vulnerability, loyalty, and insecurities coupled with a determination to be the best she can be. And because of Alyson Hannigans outstanding portrayal of all those things and more. When character of Tara (played by the incredible Amber Benson) was first introduced in the stellar episode Hush (S4E10) and gradually evolved into the new love interest for Willow, I was elated. As the Willow/Tara relationship progressed I felt like I was witnessing a miracle an actual lesbian relationship on network television that lasted more than a three episode arc, that had real emotion, real depth and the sweet portrayal of true love. It was unapologetic and treated much the same as any other relationship on the show, and never hyped for ratings. The exception being the amount of physical intimacy between Willow and Tara was never shown in as much detail because of network censorship. But the creators found a way to work around that by showing us much subtext, lingering looks, off screen allusions and the use of spell casting as sex metaphor.
By the end of Season 5 we were witness to a love so strong that Willow would risk her own life to restore Tara after she was brain sucked by the hellgod, Glory. We saw two people in love share the comfort of a kiss and a kind word after the death of Buffys mom, Joyce. We saw naughty looks and half smiles exchanged between the two. What we saw was perhaps the most believable portrayal of lesbian love on any TV show anywhere. Not only that, it was the most stable, healthy relationship on [i:9fbe8f4c23] Buffy[/i:9fbe8f4c23]. Willow and Tara were emotionally grounded to form the central heart and moral compass of the show. Especially Tara, who consistently treated every other character with respect and kindness, even when they didnt deserve it.
For lesbians (and many non-gay but appreciative fans) this portrayal was something that had never happened before. Something we wished for in our if I ran Hollywood fantasies but never really expected to happen because historically all lesbian relationships in Hollywood end up doomed no lesbian can ever find happiness and any lesbian relationship will always come to a tragic end, most often with one partner dying and the other partner going crazy and killing herself and/or others. So ingrained is this negative portrayal that it has become referenced as the dead/evil lesbian clich. The clich is well documented by gay film historians, most notably in [i:9fbe8f4c23] The Celluloid Closet[/i:9fbe8f4c23] by Vito Russo and was more recently summarized in a FAQ thread by some members of The Kitten, The Witches & The Bad Wardrobe, a posting board devoted to the Willow/Tara relationship frequented by intelligent, educated gay and non-gay people from all over the world.
So imagine our elation when the Willow/Tara relationship was portrayed for 2 seasons as a real relationship with real love, real problems, and genuine affection. Now imagine our feelings of shock, horror, betrayal and disgust when the character of Tara was brutally killed and Willow nuts up and turns evil to exact revenge on her killer. The clich becomes manifest and unlike other clichs on the show that are turned on end and spun into something powerful, there is no amount of after the fact plotting that can turn this story into anything other than what it is a doomed lesbian relationship that fits squarely into the clichd portrayal of every other doomed lesbian relationship.
The creators at Mutant Enemy (the production company that oversees [i:9fbe8f4c23] Buffy[/i:9fbe8f4c23]) maintain that the decision to kill Tara had nothing to do with her sexuality but was motivated by the overall story to make Willow evil. They claim that Willow and Tara have been treated exactly the same as any other character, and from their point of view, its true. Buffy has been a show that is not afraid to kill key characters and keep them dead (Jenny Calendar, Joyce Summers) or bring them back (Angel, Buffy), or write them off (Oz). There seem to be no happy endings for any of the relationships in [i:9fbe8f4c23] Buffy[/i:9fbe8f4c23]. Every single one of them has ended with broken hearts, death, or tragedy. Perhaps we should be grateful Willow and Tara lasted as long as they did.
But in treating the two lesbians just like everyone else, Mutant Enemy created something that transcended the original purpose. They created role models and a powerful representation of all that can be normal, good, loving, and reassuring about gay relationships. Alyson Hannigan and Amber Benson have both publicly stated they get fan mail from girls thanking them for their portrayals of Willow and Tara respectively because it lets them know, its okay to be gay, safe to feel different, and happiness is an option. The chemistry between two actresses who are good friends outside of their roles, carries through the scripting to make Willow and Tara genuinely fun and heartwarming to watch. An outstanding round of applause goes to those two actresses for a consistent portrayal of love that is so real its almost palpable. Fans of the two characters feel like Willow and Tara are their friends because they are the closest thing to a real reflection of gay love currently offered on television. Anyone can tell you that having aspects of your own life accurately reflected to you is a very powerful thing. The small looks, the constant hand touching, the half smiles from across the table, the spell metaphors and finally the actual airing of lesbian sex afterglow (but unfortunately not the sex itself) have all made this relationship a stellar example of how gay relationships can be portrayed. The creative force of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy have continually pushed the envelope of what they could show, and unfortunately for them, they were the only ones doing it. Its unfortunate because Joss Whedon and company apparently didnt realize what a powerful thing they had with this relationship. Perhaps unknowingly, they created role models and icons. They created hope. Then they ended it all with the brutal killing of Tara and the corruption of Willow. As the FAQ from the Kitten board put it, they killed the unicorn for a cheap plot device they swore they were above.
There is definite power in portraying the death of a same-sex partner as true tragedy. Often in media and in life losing a same-sex partner is seen as [i:9fbe8f4c23] not like losing a husband/wife[/i:9fbe8f4c23]; somehow less emotionally taxing because the relationship was not sanctioned by God, law, and society at large. For Willow, Taras death is real tragedy. So much so that she has snapped, gone completely wild, suppressing her grief into rage and a need for vengeance. When Vengeance Willow emerges and hunts Warren down, we feel it. We feel the rage, the loss and the overwhelming anger. The complete disconnection with anything that makes life worth living because the one thing that did (Tara/true love) has been brutally ripped away and nothing left in life has or ever will have as much value as that. Vengeance Willow is a raw, wild, creature from the id that expresses the raging grief of losing a loved one, and the absolute emptiness that follows. Many fans were cheering as she skinned Warren alive and incinerated him. We were also horrified.
If Willow were a man this would be a classic tale of the lonely hero who steps outside the law to avenge the senseless murder of his one true love at the hands of a spineless villain, endangering innocents along the way and ultimately faced with the choice of redemption v. vengeance, often finding a way to balance the two. Objectively, this is a compelling story. Its intense, dynamic, and fraught with high emotion, lots of action, and real tragedy. When Willow is consumed with a rage, so is the audience.
Anyone who has followed the show for more than a year could see this turn in Willow coming and Id be lying to say I wasnt curious to see it happen. In season three when Vampire Willow showed up in two episodes (S3E09 The Wish, S3E16 Dopplegangland) to break fingers, suck blood, and generally wreak some havoc, Alyson Hannigan did such a dynamic portrayal that many Willow fans, myself included, wanted more. Many fanfic writers still use Vamp Willow as a character and the show itself has continued to reference her, including a very recent reference (S6E20) when Vengeance Willow says bored now right before gruesomely killing Warren. When the Dark Magic story line started up in Season 5, it was a logical conclusion that she would go too far and end up as an evil sorceress at some point.
She spent half of Season 6 dealing with her attraction/addition to magic, cleaning herself up to win back the companionship of Tara, her one true love, who was wise enough to give the relationship some space after realizing Willow had a dependency problem. We understand that shes been flirting with the dark magic (clearly a metaphor for dark side of her psyche) for a while now and it was only a matter of time before she lost control. Willow has been playing with magic when she should have been respecting it. And regardless of her power potential, shes still an insecure good girl who wants everyone to like her, who always feels second best and who only felt truly special with Tara. So after a heartwarming sex filled reunion when Taras heart is blown out by a stray bullet, spraying blood across Willows clean white shirt, its no surprise she breaks emotionally and goes straight for the dark arts in search of some vengeance. Like an alcoholic on a bender, Willow submerges her grief into rage and the death of a valued friend and lover is treated with a reaction that shows how truly horrible death can be and how grief and anger can warp even the nicest people. But just like drugs sometimes can, the magic consumes her, changes her and turns her into something that is no longer the Willow viewers have know for the past six years. The killing of Tara was an easy catalyst to make it happen. Too easy. And with far reaching consequences that extend beyond the shows mythology into the very real world of every day gays and lesbians begging for honest portrayals only to be handed a message of tragedy and unhappiness.
Season six has been a truer representation of horror than all the others before it. The most intense, frightening horror is the horror that lies in the human heart. It is the dark, scary places only reached by extreme anger, desperation, or insanity. This season has been all about growing up, dealing with yourself and moving past what drags you down. Every character has been their own worst enemy, consistently making bad life decisions, not thinking through the consequences of their actions, and ultimately hurting the ones they love. Every character, that is, except Tara. Throughout the season (and the two seasons preceding) Tara has been the level headed, warm hearted moral compass. It was Tara that guided both Willow and Xander out of the woods in the season 6 opener (S6E1 Bargaining). It was Tara that provided moral support and comfort to Buffy when she was tripping hard about her unhealthy sex with Spike (S6E13 Dead Things). It was Tara that ultimately initiated a reunion with Willow and allowed their love to flourish again. And it is Tara that ends up dead.
So where does this leave us? The magic that was Willow and Tara is gone forever. Even if Tara is brought back (rumored to be some kind of spirit or ghost for Season 7), Willow has been forever scarred by her actions and the dead/evil lesbian clich has played out as if scripted by a 50s pulp writer with a no happy endings edict. The creators of the show have been caught in outright lies and contradictions about their plans for Tara and their understanding of the dead lesbian clich. Many viewers are tuning out and giving up on a show that once held the most promise of anything on network. If there were as numerous and varied representations of the gay community on network TV as there are of straight white men, many of us would not have a problem with the death of Tara storyline. But there were other ways to make Willow evil that would not have fallen into this dreaded clich.
Ultimately the story rules all. Inside Joss Whedons head is a story of a vampire slayer and her close friends. There are a bunch of supporting characters who come and go and influence events. Tara was one of those supporting characters. She was used to build Willows character up then killed and cast aside to tear Willows character down. Every character everywhere is subject to plot device and manipulated accordingly. Some writers are better at it than others. Some writers consider the social impact of what they write. Some writers ignore everything but the story they want to tell no matter how many cheap clichs and worn out trite storylines they have to cross to get there. Some find a balance between the two and create something truly original. Whedon managed to do that for a time, but in the end the lure of an easy plot device won out and extra effort for originality was put on the back burner along with the regard of many, many fans desperate for an accurate portrayal of their lives.
But some writers still can find a balance of originality and conventional story lines. Some writers are able to portray gay relationships in an honest way. Some of those writers may have been influenced by the healthy portrayal of Willow and Tara. Hopefully they learned what not to do from the ham fisted way this relationship was ended.
Despite my feelings of anger, betrayal and sadness, I am grateful for 2 years of an honest, beautiful lesbian relationship. As a fiction writer myself, I respect Whedon for staying true to his own vision even if I dont agree with it. I respect him more for pushing the envelope with the networks opening the way for other creators to show even better portrayals of gay love. If Buffy existed in a bubble with no gender and sexuality politics, I might even applaud aspects of this story for sheer audacity and ability to make my jaw drop at each turn. Part of me is sad that I cant see this story the way Whedon must have intended it where all the characters really are treated the same in death and in life. But I cant. Because I dont live in that bubble.
I live in a world where everyday I have to adapt and interpret inaccurate representations of my life to fit my own views. Where the only place I could get a fairly accurate portrayal has now been blow up by bullets, death, dark magic, despair and a sadness that will not leave me. Now the only accurate representation I get is what I create. Hopefully, Im not the only one who feels that way. Hopefully, Im not the only one creating. And maybe when enough of us have created something for ourselves and shared it with the world, we really will live in the world where we dont have to worry about discrimination and bad lesbian clichs. Until then I have some beautiful images on videotape, the memory of what things can be and a very healthy lesbian life of my own to draw inspiration from.
) to the point. And most importantly: it's got heart and soul (no pun intended) You managed to capture the feelings of a lot of fans, Verdant, myself included.