I've not seen it discussed here but I have seen many, many, oh so many discussions/absolutes masked as discussions about it. So I'm bringing the discussion to the place where people really do think about the characters/relationship in detail.
At the end of Under Your Spell in OMWF, Willow and Tara have sex. However Tara is unknowingly under a memory erasure spell, which brings into question her ability to consent. While Willow is not and is fully aware of Tara's altered memory however they are both under the magical influence of Sweet, which also brings into question their ability to consent.
This weeks question - Was the sex between Willow and Tara in OMWF, rape?
Yes - One/both didn't have the ability to consent
No - Both consenting
It's complicated - Could also be undecided
I'm not touching that with a 10ft bargepole - I acknowledge the discussion and why its needed but I'm not getting involved.
To be clear, this is about the characters of Willow and Tara in reference to their situation at the time of the song Under Your Spell in OMWF. This is not asking for your personal beliefs in a wider situation out of the context of the show in this specific moment. Your beliefs may influence your decision but the discussion is based and focused on Willow and Tara which does involve multiple magical influences.
Normally I'd ask for an explanation but with a loaded question like this, I think its fair if people want their opinion seen through the poll but not heard by extra explanation, which could draw them into depths they don't want.
There is also no time limit on this one as I don't think a time will come when this discussion wont be relevant.
It's complicated. I can see the argument for all sides.
Yes because Tara technically has something (memory erasure spell) in her system that was influencing her decisions. Sweet was bringing out secrets i don't think he would have the ability to influence peoples actions other than singing and dancing to combustion however we don't know if that involves the horizontal tango.
No because Tara was giving the eyes, Willow returned the eyes and went down south. they were both connected and while there wasn't verbal consent on Willows part, physically it seemed to be above board. but I'm not a body language expert, I don't know.
I'm not touching it with a 10ft bargepole - I wrote the question, I can't really do that.
I think all angles to this argument have validity. It was never stated in the show either way for confirmation and even the writers/actors could differ on interpretations of this. I lean towards more no, as I see the memory spell effecting only Tara's memories of Willows over use of magic, The whole bag burnt up in Tabula Rasa making me think that's why they lost all memories opposed to the ones Willow wanted Buffy and Tara to forget. Tara sniffed the lythes bramble at the start of OMWF that we are led to believe was the one used at the end of All The Way, it was barely singed. Sweet may make Tara sing but I think even without his influence and Willows spell, she would have all those feelings for Willow and say them.
So while her mind was pretty much fully intact, in this sense meaning she had free will, only some memories taken, I think she had very important information withheld from her in her ability to make a fully informed decision which is why I don't slam down the no card.
It's complicated. we don't know the extent of the spell or magical influence Sweet had and we don't get confirmation of how the characters felt afterwards as the next time we see them both is the following evening. For all we know it could have stopped. or Willow was purely sitting at the end of the bed pumping a scissor jack to 'levitate' Tara.
I don't have the qualifications or information needed to come down on a hard yes or no. So while I lean towards no, I'm still undecided and see that it's complicated.