Willow Rosenberg is a
fictional characterA character is the representation of a person in a narrative or dramatic work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr through its Latin transcription character, the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its...
created by
Joss WhedonJoseph Hill "Joss" Whedon is an American director, executive producer, occasional actor, and creator and head writer of the television programs Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, and Dollhouse...
for the television series,
Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She was portrayed by
Alyson HanniganAlyson Lee Hannigan is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Michelle Flaherty in three American Pie films, Lily Aldrin on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother and Willow Rosenberg on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Personal life:Hannigan was born in Washington,...
, who also played the character in three episodes of the show's
spin-offA spin-off is a new organization or entity formed by a split from a larger one, such as television series based on a pre-existing one, or a new company formed from a university research group or business incubator...
,
AngelAngel is an American television series, a spin-off of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The series was created by Buffys creator, Joss Whedon in collaboration with David Greenwalt, and first aired on October 5, 1999...
and the pilot for
Buffy the Animated SeriesBuffy the Animated Series is an animated television series concept based on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Initially greenlit by 20th Century Fox in 2002, it went ultimately unproduced and unaired when no network was willing to buy the series. The series would have taken place in the middle of Buffy...
.
Willow is the show's only major character known to be
JewishJudaism is a set of beliefs and practices originating in the Hebrew Bible , as later further explored and explained in the Talmud and other texts...
, and later was one of the most prominent
lesbianLesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
characters in
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television. In 2007,
AOLAmerica Online, LLC is an American global Internet services and media company operated by Time Warner. It is headquartered at 770 Broadway in Midtown Manhattan, New York City...
named her the second greatest witch in television history, behind Samantha Stephens of
BewitchedBewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York , Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead and David White. It is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban housewife...
.
Television
Willow is introduced in
Buffys first episode "Welcome to the Hellmouth"Welcome to the Hellmouth", the first in a two-part series opener, is episode 1 of season 1 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. See also List of Buffy episodes...
", wherein Willow befriends new Sunnydale High student Buffy SummersBuffy Summers is a fictional character from Joss Whedon's Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. She first appeared in the 1992 movie Buffy the Vampire Slayer, before going on to appear in the television series and subsequent comic book of the same name...
(Sarah Michelle GellarSarah Michelle Prinze, better known by her birth name of Sarah Michelle Gellar, is an American film and television actress...
). Throughout the first season (1997) of Buffy, Willow assists Buffy in her duties as Slayer after Buffy's Watcher,
GilesRupert Giles is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Anthony Stewart Head. He serves as Buffy Summers' mentor and surrogate father figure.-Character history:...
(Anthony Stewart Head) introduces her to the world of vampires and demons, and she pines for the love of best friend
XanderAlexander LaVelle "Xander" Harris is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Nicholas Brendon, whose twin brother Kelly Donovan occasionally appeared as his double or as a substitute actor when Brendon was unavailable.-Character...
(
Nicholas BrendonNicholas Brendon , is a Saturn Award nominated actor best known for his character Xander Harris in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer ....
) who is enamored of Buffy. In the show's second season (1997-1998), after accepting Xander does not return her feelings, Willow develops a relationship with werewolf and
musicianA musician is a person who performs or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument.* A singer uses his or her voice as an instrument....
Oz (
Seth GreenSeth Benjamin Gesshel Green is an American actor, comedian, voice actor, and television producer. He is well known for his role as Daniel "Oz" Osbourne in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as Doctor Evil's son Scott in the Austin Powers series of comedy films and Mitch Miller in That '70s Show...
). After the death of Giles'
technopaganTechnopaganism is an umbrella term that characterizes several different beliefs and practices in Neopaganism in reference to the place of technology in Neopagan practice...
girlfriend
Jenny CalendarJenny Calendar, born Janna of the Kalderash, is a fictional character played by Robia LaMorte in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Character History:...
(
Robia LaMorteRobia Brett LaMorte is an American actress and former dancer. She is best known as a dancer and spokesperson for the singer Prince, and for her role as Jenny Calendar in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Early life:...
), Willow begins to follow in her footsteps by studying
witchcraftWitchcraft, in various historical, anthropological, religious and mythological contexts, is the use of certain kinds of supernatural or magical powers. Witchcraft can refer to the use of such powers in order to inflict harm or damage upon members of a community or their property...
. When Buffy's heroic vampire boyfriend Angel (
David BoreanazDavid Paul Boreanaz is an American actor, best known for his role as Angel on the supernatural drama series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, and as Seeley Booth on the television comedy-crime drama Bones.-Early life:...
) loses his soul, and reverts to his evil 'Angelus' personality, Willow is the one to restore it magically in the second season finale "Becoming, Part Two". The third season (1998-1999) sees Willow begin to become more heavily interested in magic; she, fellow witch
Amy MadisonAmy Madison is a fictional character, a witch played by Elizabeth Anne Allen in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She made appearances in every season of Buffy except Season Five .Amy is a witch...
(
Elizabeth Anne AllenElizabeth Anne Allen is an American actress. Allen is best known for her recurring role as the witch Amy Madison on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer....
) and Buffy become the target of a
witch-huntA witch hunt is a search for witches or evidence of witchcraft, often involving moral panic, mass hysteria and lynching, but in historical instances also legally sanctioned and involving official witchcraft trials....
, the evil vampire Spike (
James MarstersJames Wesley Marsters is a Saturn Award-winning American actor and musician. Marsters first came to the attention of the general public playing the popular character Spike, a platinum-blond English vampire in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series, Angel from 1997...
) tries to make Willow cast a love spell on the vampire Drusilla (
Juliet LandauJuliet Rose Landau is a Saturn Award nominated American actress best known for co-starring as Loretta King Hadler in Tim Burton's Ed Wood and for portraying Drusilla on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and spin off show Angel....
), and she magically aids Buffy against the Mayor (
Harry GroenerHarry Groener is an American actor and dancer, perhaps best known for playing Mayor Wilkins in Buffy the Vampire Slayer .-Personal life:...
) and rogue vampire Slayer Faith (
Eliza DushkuEliza Patricia Dushku is an American actress who has appeared in several Hollywood movies such as True Lies, The New Guy, Bring It On, Wrong Turn and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back...
). After Amy transforms herself into a rat, Willow keeps her as a pet until she can find a way to reverse the spell. Willow and Oz briefly break up when she cheats on him with Xander; they reconcile and Willow eventually loses her
virginityA virgin is, originally, a woman who has never had sexual intercourse. Virginity is the state of being a virgin. It is derived from the Latin virgo, which means "sexually inexperienced woman", used typically of adolescents, but also of older women, and even goddesses.As in Latin, the English word...
to him. The third season also sees Willow encounter her evil vampire counterpart from another universe, and is shocked to see this version of her is "
kinda gayBisexuality is sexual behavior with or physical attraction to both sexes , or a bisexual orientation. People who have a bisexual orientation "can experience sexual, emotional, and affectional attraction to both their own sex and the opposite sex"; "it also refers to an individual’s sense of...
". Despite being accepted to universities such as
OxfordThe University of Oxford , located in the UK city of Oxford, is the oldest surviving university in the English-speaking world and is regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is evidence of teaching there as far back...
,
HarvardHarvard University is a private university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1636 by the colonial Massachusetts legislature, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and currently comprises ten separate academic units...
and
YaleYale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut, and a member of the Ivy League. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States. Yale has produced many notable alumni, including five...
, Willow opts to attend
UCThe University of California is a public university system in the state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University system...
SunnydaleSunnydale, California, is the fictional setting for the U.S. television drama Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Series creator Joss Whedon conceived the town as a representation of a generic California city, as well as a narrative parody of the all-too-serene towns typical in traditional horror...
so she can continue to assist Buffy in the future.
In the fourth season (1999-2000), Willow is seen flourishing in university life, and while not initially Buffy's roommate, the two later share a dormitory. Willow's heart is broken when Oz cheats on her with another werewolf, the musician Veruca (
Paige MossPaige Moss is an American actress. She was raised in Abilene, Texas and moved to Hollywood to pursue a career in acting.-Television roles:*Tara Marks, the crazy girl who tried to kill Kelly Taylor on Beverly Hills 90210...
) in the episode "Wild at Heart"; they break up and Oz moves away. In the episode "Something Blue", Willow casts a spell to make her pain go away which goes awry. Witnessing the chaos she caused, the demon
D'HoffrynD'Hoffryn is a fictional character on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, played by Andy Umberger. He is a powerful entity high in the demonic hierarchy. He's the master of the vengeance demons, a cabal which includes humans who are "elevated" to demonic status and endowed with mystical powers enabling them...
(
Andy UmbergerAndy Umberger is an American actor, mainly appearing in minor roles in television.He's been credited in many of the 1990's and 2000's television hit series, beginning in the mid-90's, although generally only in one episode of each....
) offers to make Willow into a
vengeance demonVengeance Demons are a group of beings that appear in the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They are immortals who travel the world exacting vengeance on behalf of victims, such as scorned men, women or neglected children...
but she refuses. In the next episode, Willow attends a meeting of a campus Wiccan group and meets a shy girl named
TaraTara Maclay is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the cult television series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, portrayed by Amber Benson. Tara is introduced in the fourth season as a romantic interest for one of the show's leads, Willow and is a recurring character in the show until the...
(
Amber BensonAmber Nicole Benson is an American actress, writer, film director, and film producer. She is best known for her role as Tara Maclay on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and directing, starring and producing her own films Chance, Lovers, Liars & Lunatics and the upcoming film Drones.-Early...
), who seems to be the only other real witch there, and the two become friends. In later episodes, they realise they have fallen in love and Willow eventually
comes outComing out of the closet, or simply coming out, is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people disclosing their sexual orientation and gender identity...
to Buffy. In the same episode however, Oz returns in an attempt to reconcile with Willow, but Willow loves Tara now and he leaves once again. In the Angel
season two episode "Disharmony", Willow reveals to CordeliaCordelia Chase is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer; she also appeared on Buffy's spin-off series Angel...
(Charisma CarpenterCharisma Lee Carpenter is an American actress. She is best known for playing the character Cordelia Chase in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel...
) via phonecall her best friend HarmonyHarmony Kendall is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the cult television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel. The character is portrayed by Mercedes McNab...
(Mercedes McNabMercedes Alicia McNab is a Canadian-born actress perhaps best known for playing the role of Harmony Kendall on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spinoff Angel....
) is now a vampire. For Buffy season four's penultimate episode, Willow casts a spell which shares her magic, Giles' intelligence, Xander's compassion and the power of the First Slayer (Sharon Ferguson) with Buffy so that she can defeat Adam (
George HertzbergGeorge Hertzberg is an American actor best known for his portrayal of the cyber-demonic soldier Adam in the fourth season of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer...
). In the fifth season (2000-2001), Willow continues to assist Buffy against the evil
goddessA goddess is a female deity. Often deities are part of a polytheistic system that includes several deities in a pantheon. In some cultures goddesses are commonly associated with the Earth, motherhood, love, and the household, often reflecting the historical gender roles of that culture...
GloryGlory is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Also known as "Glorificus", "That Which Cannot Be Named" and "The Beast", , she appeared during the fifth season of the program and was portrayed by Clare Kramer.-History:Glory is a god from a hell dimension, over...
(
Clare KramerClare Elizabeth Kramer is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Glory, the main villain in Season 5 of the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Early life and career:...
) and in protecting Buffy's little sister,
DawnDawn Summers is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon and introduced by Marti Noxon and David Fury on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, portrayed by Michelle Trachtenberg.-Television:...
(
Michelle TrachtenbergMichelle Christine Trachtenberg is a Daytime Emmy and Saturn Award nominated American television and film actress. She is perhaps best known for playing Dawn Summers in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer for the show's final three seasons, Penny in the 1999 film adaption of Inspector...
) because Dawn is the mystical "key" Glory seeks. In the episode "Triangle", Willow feuds with Xander's girlfriend
AnyaAnya Christina Emmanuella Jenkins, born Aud , is a fictional character on the cult television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Emma Caulfield....
(
Emma CaulfieldEmma Caulfield is a Saturn Award winning American actress best known for her role as ex-demon Anya on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as Susan Keats, a love interest of Brandon Walsh's on the television series Beverly Hills, 90210.-Early life:Emma M. Chukker was born in San...
), and Anya's ex
trollA troll is a member of a race of fearsome creatures from Norse mythology.Originally more or less the Nordic equivalents of giants, although often smaller in size, the different depictions have come to range from the fiendish giants – similar to the ogres of England – to a devious, more human-like...
godA deity is a postulated preternatural or supernatural immortal being, who may be thought of as holy, divine, or sacred, held in high regard, and respected by believers....
Olaf (
Abraham BenrubiAbraham Rubin Hercules Benrubi is an American actor known for his regular appearances as Jerry Markovic on the long-running U.S...
) tries to make Xander choose between them. Willow is enraged when Glory drives Tara insane, and tries to defeat her single-handedly by tapping into dangerous magics for the first time, but fails. In the last three episodes of the season, Willow's power grows even greater: she erects a magical barrier to protect Dawn from Glory, she enters Buffy's mind to rescue her from her
catatonic stateCatatonia is a syndrome of psychological and motorological disturbances. Karl Ludwig Kahlbaum first described it in 1874: Die Katatonie oder das Spannungirresein...
, and gets her revenge on Glory in the finale, "The Gift". In the finale, Willow ambushes Glory and restores Tara's sanity with a spell which also disorients the goddess, and
telepathicallyTelepathy is supposed to be the transfer of information on thoughts or feelings between individuals by means other than the five senses . The term was coined in 1882 by the classical scholar Fredric W. H...
co-ordinates the rest of the gang so they may save Dawn. To save Dawn, Buffy sacrifices her own life. Willow travels to L.A. to inform Angel of Buffy's death in Angels concurrent second season finale, "There's No Place Like Plrtz Glrb".
The sixth season (2001-2002) begins with Willow now leading the "Scooby Gang" sans Buffy. Committed to bringing her friend back from the dead, Willow resurrects Buffy using very dark magic for which Giles later criticizes her. Willow and Tara argue due to Willow's over-active use of magic, and Willow goes so far as to erase Tara's memories of the argument magically. Tara discovers Willow's betrayal, and when Willow performs another memory spell giving the entire Scooby Gang complete
amnesiaAmnesia is a memory condition in which memory is disturbed. In simple terms it is the loss of memory. The causes of amnesia are organic or functional. Organic causes include damage to the brain, through trauma or disease, or use of certain drugs. Functional causes are psychological factors, such...
(though originally meant to erase Buffy and Tara's negative memories of what her spells did to them) in "
Tabula RasaNot to be confused with Tabula Rasa , Tabula Rasa , or Tabula Rasa ."Tabula Rasa" is the eighth episode in season 6 of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer...
", Tara breaks up with her. Mid-season, Willow goes off the deep end after she becomes powerful enough to turn Amy human again. Amy begins taking Willow to sorcery dealer Rack (
Jeff KoberJeff Kober is an American actor, known for his performances on television and film.-Television:*V*The Twilight Zone*Highway to Heaven*Falcon Crest*MacGyver*China Beach*The X Files*The Pretender...
). When Dawn's arm is broken in a car accident Willow caused, the latter finally realizes she has a problem, begs Buffy for help, fights the symptoms of withdrawal, and tells Amy they are no longer friends. Willow and Tara finally reconcile in "Entropy" but their joy is short-lived when in the next episode,
WarrenWarren Mears is a fictional character in the U.S. television and comic book series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, played by Adam Busch.-Introduction:...
(
Adam BuschAdam Busch is an American actor who played the recurring character Warren Mears on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. He first appeared on Buffy in season 5, in an episode called "I Was Made to Love You."-Career:Early roles include Noah Allen from Nickelodeon's the Mystery Files of...
) shoots and accidentally kills Tara while trying to kill Buffy. Willow relapses and her grief pushes her over the edge, taking in evil magics and becoming black-haired and veiny. This new "Dark Willow" kills Warren by flaying him alive, and attempts to kill his acolytes,
AndrewAndrew Wells is a fictional character in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel, played by Tom Lenk. The character also appears in Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight, the canonical continuation of the series....
(
Tom LenkThomas Loren "Tom" Lenk is an American stage and television actor best known for his recurring role as Andrew Wells in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off Angel.-Early life:...
) and
JonathanJonathan Levinson is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the cult television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The character is portrayed by Danny Strong.-Character history:Jonathan was born in 1981 and raised in Sunnydale, California...
(
Danny StrongDaniel W. Strong is an American actor in film and television. He has had some recent success as a television writer.-Career:...
) before attempting to end all pain by destroying the world. She defeats Buffy in battle, as well as the magically-infused Giles; the world is only saved in the season finale "Grave" when Xander tells her how much he loves her, and she is finally forced to confront her pain. Season seven (2002-2003) begins with Willow living in England with Giles, learning to control her power. Her magical subconscious initially punishes Willow because she is afraid her friends will never forgive her. She returns too afraid to use magic to assist Buffy, even in the face of the omnipresent
First EvilThe First Evil is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The First Evil first appeared in the third season episode "Amends", and became the main antagonist of the 7th and final season.A being manifested from all evil in existence, the First is an...
. When she transforms into the appearance of Warren, Willow feels it is because her subconscious is punishing her for her attraction to potential Slayer Kennedy (
Iyari LimonIyari Pérez Limón is an actress best known for her supporting role as Potential Slayer Kennedy on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Though born in Mexico, she moved to Los Angeles at the age of one...
), but it is actually due to Amy's vengeful magic; feeling she has let Tara rest, Willow begins to date Kennedy. She gradually becomes confident positively using her powers in small amounts but is forced to push them when brought to fight against a possessed Cordelia and again re-ensoul Angel in the
Angel season four episode "Orpheus". In the series finale of
Buffy the Vampire Slayer, "Chosen", Buffy urges Willow to perform a spell which will empower all the world's potential Slayers; Willow does not succumb to evil while casting the spell, but her hair turns white. The Slayer Army defeats the First, destroying the Hellmouth and with it the entirety of depopulated Sunnydale.
Between 2001 and 2004, Joss Whedon and
Jeph LoebJoseph "Jeph" Loeb III is an Emmy and WGA nominated American film and television writer, producer and award-winning comic book writer. Loeb was a producer/writer on the TV series Smallville and Lost, writer for the films Commando and Teen Wolf and was a writer and Co-Executive Producer on the NBC...
developed a 4-minute pilot episode for
Buffy the Animated SeriesBuffy the Animated Series is an animated television series concept based on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Initially greenlit by 20th Century Fox in 2002, it went ultimately unproduced and unaired when no network was willing to buy the series. The series would have taken place in the middle of Buffy...
, which was set during the show's first season. Had the series been picked up by a network, it would have featured Willow (voiced by Alyson Hannigan) in more high school adventures. Following a 2008
leakAn Internet leak occurs when a party's confidential intellectual property is released to the public on the Internet. Various types of information and data can be, and have been, "leaked" to the Internet, the most common being personal information, computer software and source code, and artistic...
of the pilot to
YouTubeYouTube is a video sharing website on which users can upload and share videos. Three former PayPal employees created YouTube in February 2005. In November 2006, YouTube, LLC was bought by Google Inc. for $1.65 billion, and is now operated as a subsidiary of Google...
, Loeb expressed some hope the series may be resurrected in some form.
Literature
In the comic book continuation of
Buffy, Willow arrives in Scotland to assist Buffy and her Slayers against attacks by zombies unleashed by
Amy MadisonAmy Madison is a fictional character, a witch played by Elizabeth Anne Allen in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She made appearances in every season of Buffy except Season Five .Amy is a witch...
(cf. "
The Long Way Home"The Long Way Home" is the first arc from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series of comic books, a direct continuation of the television series of the same name. It is written by creator Joss Whedon. It ran for four issues...
"). During the battle, Amy tries to infect Willow with dark magic, but Willow manages to overcome it. Amy suddenly kidnaps Willow and presents her to a skinless Warren. Willow takes mental refuge in a plane of elemental beings while Warren
lobotomizesLobotomy is a neurosurgical procedure, a form of psychosurgery, also known as a leukotomy or leucotomy . It consists of cutting the connections to and from the prefrontal cortex, the anterior part of the frontal lobes of the brain...
her. When Buffy releases her, Willow has already fully healed. Willow revisits Kennedy and the two dispute about why Willow distances her from Buffy. Willow admits she fears that by being around Buffy, Kennedy's life will be jeopardized like Tara's. A demon presents Buffy a glimpse of this dispute, complicating her relationship with Willow (cf. "
Anywhere but Here"Anywhere but Here" is the tenth issue of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series of comic books, a continuation from the television series of the same name. It is written by Joss Whedon.-Plot:...
").
In "
Wolves at the Gate"Wolves at the Gate" is the third story arc that spreads from the twelfth to the fifteenth issue of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series of comic books, a continuation of the television series of the same name. It is written by Drew Goddard....
", Willow travels to
Tokyo, officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and is located on the eastern side of the main island Honshū. The twenty-three special wards of Tokyo, each governed as a city, cover the area that was once the city of Tokyo in the eastern part of the prefecture, totaling over 8 million people....
with the rest of the Scoobies to fight the Japanese vampire gang and recover the Scythe. While in Tokyo, Willow uses a spell to bring giant Dawn to the city and distract the vampires. In the last issue of the arc, Willow fights Kumiko, the witch from the vampire gang; Kumiko reveals to her she is also a student of Saga Vasuki, a mysterious half-
snakeSnakes are elongate legless carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes that can be distinguished from legless lizards by their lack of eyelids and external ears. Like all squamates, snakes are ectothermic amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales...
demon. In a hallucination, induced by Kumiko, Saga Vasuki is able to communicate with Willow, and tells her she can’t hide from her or from what she is. Later, Willow follows
DraculaCount Dracula is a fictional character, the titular antagonist of Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula. Some aspects of his character may have been inspired by the 15th century Romanian voivode, Vlad III the Impaler...
’s instructions to cast a spell and strip all the vampires of their powers. At the end of the last issue of the arc, Willow is seen invoking Saga Vasuki.
Willow reunites with Kennedy when she and Buffy go to
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in "
Time of Your Life"Time of Your Life" is the fourth story arc that spreads from the sixteenth to the nineteenth issue of the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series of comic books, a continuation of the television series of the same name...
". After Buffy accidentally travels forward to 200 years in the future and meets its current slayer
Melaka FrayMelaka Fray is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon with artist Karl Moline for the 2003 comic book limited series Fray, a spin-off set in the continuity of his television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer...
, a future Willow, driven insane and practicing dark magicks once again, is allied with Fray's nemesis and brother Harth. Encountering Fray on her own, she convinces her of the necessity to destroy Buffy. In her attempts to rescue Buffy, present-day Willow is forced to commune with Saga Vasuki once more; the tone of their relationship is a sexual one, and Willow is visibly racked with guilt in the presence of Kennedy. Saga Vasuki warns Willow not to look forward into the future when she rescues Buffy from it. The future Willow attempts to prevent Buffy's rescue, and Buffy is forced to kill her. Immediately afterward, a blindfolded Willow pulls Buffy through a time rift.
Other media
Willow has also appeared in
Buffy expanded universeThe term Expanded Universe is generally used to denote the 'extension' of a media franchise with other media...
material. She appears in most of the
Buffy comics-Introduction:Buffy comics refers to comic books based on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. While many of these comics were published when the television show was on air they are not considered canonical and often deal with characters that do not appear on in the television series,...
and
novelsBuffy novels have been published since 1998. Originally, under the Pocket Books imprint of Simon & Schuster they are now published by Simon Spotlight Entertainment which launched in 2004. Authors who have written original novels include Mel Odom, Christopher Golden, and Nancy Holder.-Canonical...
, most notably her mini-series
Willow & TaraBuffy the Vampire Slayer: Willow and Tara is a trade paperback anthology collection published by Dark Horse Comics in 2002 and based on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer...
. She is a playable character in the 2003
video gameSeveral official video game adaptations of the cult television program Buffy the Vampire Slayer have been released:-Buffy the Vampire Slayer :Released in 2000 for Game Boy Color. Set in the fourth season...
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos BleedsBuffy the Vampire Slayer: Chaos Bleeds is a video game and the fourth video game based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise. It is the first multiplatform game in the franchise as well as the first game in the franchise to allow players to control characters other than Buffy Summers and also...
.
Willow was featured as a protagonist and ally in the first published adventure for the
Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPGThe Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel Role-playing Games are complementary, officially licensed role-playing games published by Eden Studios, Inc.. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer Core Rulebook was published in 2002, while the Angel Corebook followed in 2003...
,
The Dark Druid. The adventure features
Fionn mac CumhaillFionn mac Cumhaill Fionn mac Cumhaill Fionn mac Cumhaill ( (Northern), (Western), (Southern), anglicised (in early texts Finn or Find mac Cumail or mac Umaill, anglicised to Finn McCool in the Romantic Period of the 1800s) was a mythical hunter-warrior of Irish mythology, occurring also in the...
and his battle with the
druidA druid was a member of the priestly and learned class active in Gaul, and perhaps in Celtic culture more generally, during the final centuries BCE...
Fer Doirich in the modern age and posits the witches Willow and Tara are the reincarnations of Fionn's foster mothers
BodhmallBodhmall or Bodmall is one of Fionn mac Cumhaill's childhood caretakers in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. She is a druidess and the sister of Fionn's father Cumhal, and both she and her associate Liath Luachra are known as great warriors....
and
LiathLiath Luachra, the "Gray of Luachair", is the name of two characters in the Fenian Cycle of Irish mythology. Both appear in The Boyhood Deeds of Fionn, which details the young life and adventures of the hero Fionn mac Cumhaill....
respectively.
Reception
Willow was voted as number 4 at UGO Entertainment's Top 50 character for TV and is the only one from the Buffy series to be on the list.
Sexuality
Although Willow had previously been established as a "straight girl," pining after Xander and enjoying a long-term relationship with Oz, there are hints of her being at least
bisexualBisexuality is sexual behavior with or physical attraction to both sexes , or a bisexual orientation. People who have a bisexual orientation "can experience sexual, emotional, and affectional attraction to both their own sex and the opposite sex"; "it also refers to an individual’s sense of...
in the episode "Doppelgangland" when she meets her vampire alter ego.
However, in an interview with the
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
Jane Espenson said Buffy creator Joss Whedon had no idea he was going to make the character of Willow a lesbian at the time of writing that episode. He had in fact always considered seeing Willow OR Xander experiment with their sexuality, but it was not until well into the series that Willow became the clear choice for Joss.
In Season Four, following Oz's departure, Willow secretly performs spells with fellow Wiccan Tara, but there are hints they are more than just friends. The first confirmation their relationship is romantic in nature comes in the episode "Who Are You". Since coming out in Season Four, the Willow character became one of the most prominent lesbian characters in pop culture, having enjoyed the longest-running lesbian relationship on network television, lasting approximately two and a half seasons. Willow and Tara earned a dedicated fan base of gay and bisexual viewers who were inspired by the characters, with
Alyson HanniganAlyson Lee Hannigan is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Michelle Flaherty in three American Pie films, Lily Aldrin on the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother and Willow Rosenberg on the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Personal life:Hannigan was born in Washington,...
and
Amber BensonAmber Nicole Benson is an American actress, writer, film director, and film producer. She is best known for her role as Tara Maclay on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and directing, starring and producing her own films Chance, Lovers, Liars & Lunatics and the upcoming film Drones.-Early...
becoming gay icons.
However, broadcasting constraints from the WB meant, unlike the heterosexual characters, Willow and Tara were not allowed to be shown in any sexual scenes. The couple did not have their first on-screen kiss until the Season Five episode, "
The Body"The Body" is the 16th episode of season 5 of the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Act I:The episode begins with the last few moments of the previous episode, as Buffy comes home to find her mother Joyce lying on the couch, unresponsive. A quick flashback scene is shown featuring all of...
", almost a year after their relationship began (the context of the scene involved Tara comforting Willow after the death of Joyce Summers). This changed significantly when Buffy switched networks to the more lenient
UPNUnited Paramount Network was a television network that broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States, being in production for over eleven years. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries. It was later owned by CBS Corporation. Its first night of broadcasting was...
, with Willow and Tara shown kissing, sharing a bed, and even having implied
oral sexOral sex is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia by the use of the mouth, tongue, teeth or throat. Cunnilingus refers to oral sex performed on females while fellatio and irrumatio refer to oral sex performed on males. Analingus refers to oral stimulation of a person's anus...
(cf. "
Once More, with Feeling"Once More, with Feeling" is a musical episode of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, in which a mysterious force compels Sunnydale residents into songs that reveal their deep secrets. It was written and directed by Joss Whedon, the creator of the show...
"). The character of Willow continued to break new ground when, in the Season Seven episode "
Touched"Touched" is the 20th episode of the seventh and final season of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.-Summary:A depressed Buffy is comforted by Spike; the Scoobies capture and interrogate a Bringer; Faith and the Potentials discover an element of the First's plan and launch a preemptive...
", she was seen having sex with her new girlfriend Kennedy, in the first lesbian sex scene on network television. It is worth noting this relationship is the only one involving one of the "core four" (Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Giles), to survive the series, all previous relationships having come to a tragic end one way or the other.
Willow's alter ego in "Doppelgangland" displays overt bisexuality, with Willow forming strong heterosexual relationships across the first three seasons of
Buffy. She also comments upon Dracula's sexiness, likely caused by Dracula's thrall over people, in "Buffy vs. Dracula", and even reveals a former crush on Giles after seeing him sing with his guitar at the coffee shop. Later in the series, Willow's relationship with dealer
RackRack is a minor recurring fictional character on the UPN TV Show Buffy the Vampire Slayer during season six. He is portrayed by Jeff Kober.Rack is a chaotic evil warlock who appears in three episodes, "Wrecked", "Villains", and "Two to Go"...
takes on sexual overtones, although it is mostly because of the magic he gives her. However, Willow does make her preferences clear. In "
Him"Him" is the sixth episode of the seventh and final season of television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer. This episode mostly revolves around Dawn Summers, although Buffy is still the main character.-Summary:...
", as one of the many women under RJ Brooks' love spell, she seeks to transform him into a woman. Discussing the conquests of best friend Xander in "
The Long Way Home, Part Three"The Long Way Home" is the first arc from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season Eight series of comic books, a direct continuation of the television series of the same name. It is written by creator Joss Whedon. It ran for four issues...
", Willow teasingly says even she "went in for smoochies" before reiterating "and I don't truck with the stubbly crowd."
A new species of
sea slugSea slug can mean:* Nudibranch, a member of the order Nudibranchia of opisthobranch gastropods* Various other groups within the Opisthobranchia, a very large group of heterobranch gastropod mollusks, which also includes the sea hares, Sacoglossans and others, some of which have reduced shells, and...
found on the
West CoastThe "West Coast", "Western Seaboard", or "Pacific Coastline" are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. It most often comprises California, Oregon and Washington...
,
Alderia willowiAlderia willowi is a species of sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Limapontiidae. It is a sacoglossan.This species is endemic to California...
, was named after this character in a
tongue-in-cheekTongue-in-cheek is a term used to refer to humor in which a statement, or an entire fictional work, is not meant to be taken seriously, but its sarcasm is subtle...
tribute due to Alderia willowi's rare reproductive dimorphism and Willow's own unique sexuality shifts during various seasons and episodes of
Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Powers and Abilities
For the first two seasons of the show, Willow's major "powers" were her intelligence and computer skills. She aids Giles as he researches information to aid Buffy in overcoming various challenges. Willow also aids in the preparation of magical materials, making her first potion to detect a witch and performing the ritual to revoke Angelus' invitation to Buffy's house, but does not seriously begin practicing magic until the death of Jenny Calendar, one of her teachers. She is asked to take over teaching the class because of her high aptitude, and one day comes across a floppy disk containing a spell that Jenny Calendar had successfully translated to English, which can restore a vampire's soul.
Willow's initial interest in Wicca lies more in the spell-casting portion rather than the faith itself; she sees magic as a way of hacking the universe, and possibly an extension of her computer hacking skills.
Willow's first major spell involves re-cursing Angel with a soul, a feat she later repeats. She learns to levitate a pencil early in her senior year, and her powers continue to develop until she is casting powerful spells independently and with the help of Tara Maclay. Soon she surpasses Tara, a more experienced witch, in skill and being able to draw enough power to fend off the hell-god Glory.
In season 6, Willow demonstrates the ability to bring Buffy back to life, leaving her drained but regaining her magic in a few hours. Her friend Amy Madison introduces her to a warlock, Rack, who gives her the ability to go longer and do more spells, which leads Willow further down the path to the dark side of magic. Eventually, after Tara dies, magic consumes Willow and she nearly destroys the world. It is at this time that Anya assumes Willow is now the "most powerful Wicca in the Western Hemisphere." Willow is capable of a level of superhuman strength (allowing her to go head-to-head with Buffy in a physical confrontation), flying, absorbing life from others, teleportation, being impervious to physical damage, curing herself and others instantly at will, unleashing powerful energy blasts, locating people and objects at a distance (even when theoretically protected from such spells), emitting high-pitched shrieks in frequencies harmful to human ears, and exerting powerful levels of telekinesis and telepathic mind control. This mind control even extends to Anya, despite Anya's statement that vengeance demons are immune to mind controlling magics.
Her willingness to use magic is greatly diminished after her experience as Dark Willow. Willow spends time at a coven in England with Giles where she develops a better understanding of magic, balance, etc. At this point, she is so powerful her very feelings and thoughts can affect the world. Amy comments that other practitioners "work twice as hard to be half as good" as Willow. Despite this, Willow is largely prevented from accessing more than slight magic by The First Evil, who attempts to corrupt her at each spell. Examples of the controlled usage of her power are her use of telekinesis to practice self-restraint, conjuring force fields, extensive telepathic conversations, opening a portal, and exerting hypnotic control. Willow also comments that she now absorbs power from the things around her, one time unwillingly draining some of Kennedy's life-force. Willow casts a spell that imbues all Potential Slayers on Earth with Slayer powers (formerly reserved for only one girl in every generation), temporarily turning Willow's eyes and hair crystal white in the process. Kennedy remarks on it by calling her "a goddess."
Willow's powers have greatly expanded since these events. She can now fly by force of will and has regained control of her powers, and although her roots continue to go dark whenever she taps into more power, this doesn't faze her. She is able to project vast amounts of energy from her fingertips and cast powerful spells. She is able to heal herself rapidly from extreme injuries, at least including partial lobotomy. She is also able to heal injuries in others. Amy characterizes her as a "big all-powerful earth-mother witch goddess". The Season Eight time travel storyline "Time of Your Life" depicts Dark Willow as powerful, alive and youthful hundreds of years into the future, though unable to cast spells of much power.
Dark Willow in the 23rd century