So I've been reading. And reading. And reading. And reading.First, my period of being heartbroken over this spoiler is over as of now. I REFUSE to starting mourning Tara before we see all the cards on the table. I will not stop writing fan fic. I will not make any decisions NOW on whether or not I will keep watching the show. We have five weeks till we get to episode 19 and a good two months before the season ends. That's a hell of a lot of time for me to be filled with angst and the truth is - I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING for CERTAIN. For right now, Tara is alive and well. For right now, Willow and Tara are on the road to reconciling. I will accept - grimly - that this spoiler exists and may have basis in fact.
But the thing is...since Tara was created, they have been telling us she was going to die. I have always chosen to have faith no matter what I heard. I will continue to make that choice unless I am PROVED wrong by season's end.
Joss is the man that starts out with a sterotype and then twists it in an unexpected way. That is not only what he does, that is what he LOVES to do.
Clique 1 - "Make the lesbian go crazy.'
He follwed through on this but then he brought Tara back in a wonderfully romantic way.
Clique 2 - "It's the cliffhanger, make everyone think the title character is dead.' (how many times has the X-files used this one?) Did Buffy really die? Yes. Did we all know that she wasn't gone for good? Yes. But then...BAMM...oh yeah, she was in heaven. Her friends pulled her from heaven.
I could go on and on. Joss is the master of subtle twists. I have to believe there is more here then meets the eyes.
So if you ask me, I will say yes, the Tara dying spoiler exists and was given to us be a solid (and wonderfully gracious) source. And yes, it's possible that we may see the actual spoiler come true. But until this season ends with no ray of sunshine, I will have faith.
Some other random thoughts
There are some inconsistencies that keep popping into mind. Joss has had what is happening now for some time. Yet there has been no "Tara" foreshadowing. And Willow's supposed turn, while granted based on an extreme event - is hugely sudden for a plot that has been coming for two years.
The normal reaction to a death is shock. And yes, rage could easily follow the shock. But the rumors state that Willow tortures Warren. This kind of revenge usually is fostered after a PERIOD of thought. You build things like that in your heart. So much the better to have a FULL revenge. But what we are hearing is that speed this process up. That seems very strange...unless in the terms of story telling it is not THE big climatic moment, but still part of the road to a BIGGER moment.
Another thing that seems 'sped' up - Warren. His character since introduction has been both lazy and a coward. Suddenly he is coming into Buffy's house? With a gun? This is the same guy that make invisibility rays and robots. So what changes in his character to make him suddenly go directly onto the Slayer's home turf. The one thing Warren is not, is stupid and this seems incredibly stupid.
Why would he take the risk in such an open way? If it's because Buffy is a threat, that's hardly news - Buffy has always been a threat and the Trio mentioned that when she was introduced we know THEY know this.
So maybe Buffy has evidence that will convict him of something. But this is not what the spoiler says. The spoiler says he goes there to KILL Buffy.
Next thing - what about Halfrek? Why was she introduced? And specificially why was she introduced to Dawn? D'hoffyrn could have just as easily been used to explore Anya and Xander's doubts about the wedding. As could one of Xander's inlaws. but they brought in a vengenance demon and in the last ep Halfrek specifically says "Dawn, anything you WISH was different?"
Now let's say I am Dawn and another adult who I love and cherish DIES around me. I am thinking I would definately call my old friend Halfrek and say "As a matter of fact, yes I do wish something was different."
The problem is that magic always has consquences. So IF we see Tara die legimately die onscreen (baring alternate universes) and she is brought back, then yes, I would say someone else would have to die.
But having Willow find Tara and then go after the bad guy. Um, isn't this the Jenny Calender plot line all over again? I mean - almost identically save the INSERT NEW BAD GUY here part.
Anyone find it interesting that Marti is writing episode 21 and not 22? Joss is the one that plotted the course, make no doubt, but she is the one he placed at the helm. If Joss were able to, I think he would have written 21, which is significant. In my mind 21 is the big wrap up. Not 19 when Tara supposedly dies. NOT 20 when Willow crosses several lines...but 21. Joss describes some laughter and tears in this episode and says that he was incredibly moved.
By what? "Moved" is usually a postive idea. Again, I think the climatic moment for this season is in 21. And it makes sense to me that everyone is irrevocably changed but - older and wiser, by the end of it.
I see all the Scoobies who have been pretty much in there own space this season being brought back together. But now, standing together as grownups. With the idea of 'what can't we face if we're together' becoming a reality more than an ideal.
An Alternate universe theory (by DR. M.C.)
So we've been led to believe that Buffy is in heaven and it's possible there is another twist on this coming up. So here's my possible twist. Buffy did die. But she was never brough back. She is in fact, still dead. And she is in hell. This is hell.
I was thinking to myself - what would be a more horrible hell? A SUDDEN fire and brimstone hell - or one where it seems everything is normal and slowly all that you know and love is destroyed.
Look, I am not a genuis. I'm not Joss. and if *I* can come up with all these different possibilities, you can bet that Joss can come up with thousands more.
I have decided to rent a Scullylimo...I figure if I am gonna do this, I may as well do this in style.
