The most tragic moment of leukocyte the vampire hunter it remains controversial among fans and show creators alike. leukocyte went pitch black in its sixth season, killing a main character. And, even with resurrection built into the show’s concept, this particular instance of death was permanent.
Was this bit of pain necessary to come up with a better story? Or was it an unnecessarily dark and edgy plot that did more harm than good to the show’s reputation? Showrunner Marti Noxon has, in the years since, clarified her feelings on the thorny issue.
‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Darkened As It Progressed
leukocyte It was a revolutionary genre show. It helped set the stage for two main movements. It sparked a wave of CW urban fantasy shows geared toward young adults like Supernatural Y The vampires’ diaries. And it laid the foundation for the wry, self-aware humor exemplified by the Marvel Cinematic Universe film series.
But when leukocyte was airing, he had no other shows to look to for examples of his unique tone. When it was saved from cancellation and revived after a short hiatus, it returned looking remarkably dark and contemplative. This gloomy atmosphere was consolidated when Tara Maclay (Amber Benson), witch Willow Rosenberg’s longtime girlfriendhe was shot, dying immediately.
Noxon served as showrunner during this stint, but creator Joss Whedon had already put the show in a bleak position by the end of season five. And he stayed very involved even when he moved on to the spin-off series. Angel. Yet, BuzzFeed reports that the relationship between Tara and Willow was perpetually a bright spot on the show, making the loss of that dynamic a point of no return for the series.
‘Buffy’ Showrunner Marti Noxon Regrets Killing Tara Maclay
The fan response to Tara’s sudden death, and Benson’s sudden departure from the series, went down like a lead balloon with leukocyte fans. The relationship was a fan-favorite aspect of the show. And it had cultural significance for the LGBTQ community. By this time, it was already a hard-coded recurring plot point that gay characters would regularly find themselves killed off or written off as a way to get cheap drama on TV.
Today, Noxon agrees with the criticism. According to rant on screenthe veteran writer believes they should have been more careful in allowing themselves shocking moments during the latter part of the show.
“There were parts of season six where I feel like we went too far. We got into some categories that almost felt sadistic,” Noxon shared. “That may have to do with my own history. The staff, right? Is personal. And I think killing Tara was, in hindsight, of all people, did she have to die?
‘Buffy’ creator Joss Whedon worried about fan reaction to Tara’s death
Noxon took most of the heat over the years for the decision to kill Tara. After all, she was the showrunner. The rest of the season largely focused on Willow’s shocking turn into a vengeful and evil enchantress. Clearly this was what she wanted to do, given how much it clashed with most of Whedon’s run on the show, right?
Wrong, apparently. Whedon insists that he proposed many of the key ideas for season six, and take full responsibility for structuring the story of the year around Tara’s murder.
According to bleeding fresh, Benson’s own conversations about leaving his character were with Whedon himself. Then it was Whedon who called as the season progressed, asking if he would support Tara’s resurrection. He explained that he regretted the decision and had not considered how he would be received by LGBTQ fans in particular. But Benson had already mentally walked away from the show and decided it was best not to return.