Tara was great.

I most identified with Willow during New Moon Rising. They captured that scenario really well.

I identified with Buffy in "Lie to Me"--the my God, could you have a dorkier outfit? line, because I have thought that many a time at a gothy club. Plus Buffy & Giles' exchange at the end, because there are times when I want to be told a comforting fiction, even if I know in my heart it's not true.

I guess I'm boring. I identify with Willow in the high school years. Shy, smart, and painfully cute.

Okay, maybe not painfully cute. But, y'know, shy, smart, nerdy.

Plus, like Willow, I really grew in my junior and senior years. Blossomed, even. Especially senior year. I guess making good friends was my "magic."

My biggest moment of identification was Willow crying in the bathroom after finding out about Xander sleeping with Faith. *sigh* Every unrequited crush I ever had was suddenly painful to remember all over again.

After S3, I mostly identified with Anya as the funny outsider who some people find too honest.

I didn't really care for Tara until "Restless." But then she became instantly intriguing to me. Through time, she became one of my favorite characters, and I felt her death was a loss to the show. I didn't feel that the Dark Willow arc was worth the loss of Tara.

I was thinking about this on the way home (I had a post, but then it was time to get off work).

At first I would have said Buffy during Innocence until Becoming, but then I thought because of current events, Willow during Triangle, then there was several Xander moments.

You know, I think that's where much of the love comes from. I can identify with all of them several times, and sometimes all at once. Sure my best friend's ex wife isn't an ex-demon (though I won't say that for sure until someone can prove it), and my ex boyfriend wasn't a creature without a heartbeat, but the situations were certainly close to home to be so fantastical.

Even the vampires weren't completely unrelateable. I'm sure that was the main appeal of Spike and Dru, underscored by The Judge's line. They were the first ones (besides Angel who had is own metaphor on) to be more than Muahhahaha evil.

My biggest moment of identification was Willow crying in the bathroom after finding out about Xander sleeping with Faith. *sigh* Every unrequited crush I ever had was suddenly painful to remember all over again.

Ow. Ow, ow, ow. Yeah, that would have to be one of the biggies for me, too. But wasn't it Willow finding out about Xander & Cordy, not Faith?

Ow. Ow, ow, ow. Yeah, that would have to be one of the biggies for me, too. But wasn't it Willow finding out about Xander & Cordy, not Faith?

No, that was the equally painful "you'd rather be with someone you hate than be with me" scene. I don't think anyone but the audience knew how much the Faith incident bothered her.

I didn't feel that the Dark Willow arc was worth the loss of Tara.

It was totally worth it to me. I always liked Amber better than Tara, who was a very uncompelling character to me. I mean...she was nice. It's easy to write a nice character. Over time they made her more complex, and Amber's performance was so heartfelt that she did occupy an important emotional core in the show. But a Quotable Tara thread would have exactly five lines in it, maybe.

But a Quotable Tara thread would have exactly five lines in it, maybe.

Heh. Good point.

Don't get me wrong. I loved Dark Willow. But losing Tara for 3 episodes of Dark Willow? No. Not worth it. For half a season of Dark Willow? Hell yes! Bye Tara!