Home > Tara Maclay

Tara was introduced in the popular episode " Hush", in the fourth season of the show. A member of Sunnydale University's Wicca group, she encountered Willow Rosenberg, herself a practicing witch.

As the season progressed, it became increasingly clear that the pair were destined for a romantic liaison. Willow realised that Tara was the person she loved, choosing Tara over her ex-boyfriend Oz. The two thus became one of the few lesbian couples on television. Wicca rapidly came to serve as a metaphor for lesbianism, and magic one for love.

Not so much is known about Tara. Her family life was clearly traumatic — in fact she was told at a young age that she was partially of demon descent. This transpired to be a lie told by her father to keep control over her. After this discovery in the episode " Family", Tara's ties with her family seemed entirely severed, with Willow and the Scooby Gang her only remaining loved ones.

Tara was not officially considered one of the main characters on the show, with Amber Benson's name not appearing in the main credits, except for one episode, her final. However, through her relationship with Willow, she did play an important role in the story on several occasions, such as at the end of the fifth season, when the evil goddess Glory sucked her mind out, leaving her in a childlike state until Willow cured her, or in season six, when Willow's magic addiction (by this time, magic had become a metaphor for drug use, a move annoying many fans) caused Tara to leave her.

Most important of all, Tara was killed, randomly, by a stray bullet aimed at Buffy, near the end of season six, in the episode " Seeing Red ". As a result, Willow was propelled into a destructive fury, and soon attempted to destroy the world. According to her tombstone, seen in the episode " Help " (season 7), Tara was born on October 16October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). There are 76 days remaining. Events 456 Magister militum Ricimer defeats the Roman Emperor Avitus at Piacenza and becomes master of the western Roman Empire 1775 Portland, Maine burned by the, 19801980 is a leap year starting on Tuesday. Events January-February January 1- April 1 National steel strike in United Kingdom January 1 Changes to the Swedish Act of Succession creates Victoria of Sweden, Crown Princess over her younger brother January 5 He, and died on May 7May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (128th in leap years). There are 238 days remaining. Events 558 In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses. Justinian immediately orders the dome rebuilt. 1274 In France the Secon, 20022002 is a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). 2002 was the first palindromic year since 1991 and the last until 2112. 2002 was also designated: International Year of Ecotourism and Mountains National Science Year in the United Kingdom (the air date of Seeing Red; Family, the episode dealing with the events surrounding Tara's 20th birthday, aired slightly out of time on November 7November 7 is the 311th day of the year (312th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 54 days remaining. Events 1665 The London Gazette, the oldest surviving journal, is first published. 1783 A man convicted of forgery is the last to be publicly h, 2000This page is about the year 2000. See 2000 AD for the UK comic book, Number 2000 for other uses. 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar), and also the International Year for a Culture of Peace''. Events Y2K passes without the seri).

Thus the character of Tara ended, after approximately two and a half years on the show. After Tara's death, it was fiercely debated whether it constituted an example of a clichéSubtext is content of a book, play, film or television series which is not announced explicitly by the characters (or author) but is implicit or becomes something understood by the reader / viewer as the production unfolds. Subtext can also refer to the t in television that lesbian relationships usually turn out badly, often with one partner dying or turning out to be evil.