TV Meme: Day 21

"30 Days TV Meme"


Day 21 | Favorite ship (aka relationship)

Willow/Oz

This shouldn't be too much of a shocker considering how much I love the show and the character of Willow as I've written recently. It's also the first ship I truly got obsessed over, which again goes hand in hand with my strong feelings over the characters and the show.

OZ: Hey. That girl. Who is she?
Devon: She's an exchange student. I think she's from South America.
OZ: No, not her. The Eskimo!

One of my favorite things about this couple is how different they are to one another. Oh sure they are both adorable, smart, and whathaveyou, but when they first meet he's this cool senior who has a band while she's the computer geek junior who can't talk to boys. Couples that provide this type of contrast really intrigue me in movies, books, and TV. And since I've mentioned already how much I related to Willow during the series, her dating the cute-rocker-guy-next-door wasn't too shabby.

OZ: I'm gonna ask you to go out with me tomorrow night. And I'm kinda nervous about it, actually. It's interesting.
WILLOW: Oh. Well, if it helps at all, I'm gonna say yes.
OZ: Yeah, it helps. It-it creates a comfort zone. Do you wanna go out with me tomorrow night?
WILLOW: (cringes and slaps her hand to her forehead) Oh! I can't!
OZ: Well, see, I like that you're unpredictable.
WILLOW: Oh, it's just it's Buffy's birthday, and we're throwing her a surprise party.
OZ: It's okay.
WILLOW: But you could come. If you want to.
OZ: Well, I don't wanna crash.
WILLOW: No, it's fine! Well, you could be m... my date.
OZ: All right. I'm in.
WILLOW: (to herself) I said 'date'.

WILLOW: Do you wanna make out with me?
OZ: What?
WILLOW: Forget it. I'm sorry. Well, do you?
OZ: Sometimes when I'm sitting in class... You know, I'm not thinking about class, 'cause that would never happen. I think about kissing you. And it's like everything stops. It's like, it's like freeze frame. Willow kissage.

It was fantastic seeing their courtship develop from Oz noticing her from a distance to their chance first meeting to the wait fans (and Willow) had to endure for the couples first date, first kiss, and finally first time they made love. It wasn't all roses and puppies. While they were usually adorkably awkward or painfully sweet, it was the obstacles they had to endure (Oz's werewolf self, Willow kissing Xander) that made their relationship stronger and made me want to cheer them on even more.

OZ: So... Maybe it'd be best if I just... sorta...
WILLOW: What?
OZ: Well, you know, like, stayed out of your way for awhile.
WILLOW: I don't know. I'm kind of okay with you being *in* my way.
OZ: You mean, you'd still...
WILLOW: Well, I like you. You're nice and you're funny. And you don't smoke. Yeah, okay, werewolf, but that's not all the time. I mean, three days out of the month I'm not much fun to be around either.
OZ: You are quite the human.
WILLOW: So, I'd still if you'd still.
OZ: I'd still. I'd *very* still.
WILLOW: Okay. No biting, though.
OZ: Agreed.

WILLOW: Oz, please believe me.
OZ: This is what I do know: I miss you. Like, every second. Almost like I lost an arm, or worse, a torso. So, I think I'd be willing to... give it a shot.
WILLOW: Really?
OZ: Yeah.

This also has to do with my penchant to like or be invested more in the supporting characters over the main lead character(s). Their relationship, to me, was more accessible, than the Buffy/Angel saga or the Xander/Cordelia fling.

With that said, their relationship did end during "Wild At Heart," which is still the Buffy episode that made me the saddest I've ever been, when Oz left town after sleeping with Veruca and realizing he had to find a way to control his inner werewolf. Oz did come back in "New Moon Rising," but by then Willow had moved on. Thankfully for this Willow/Oz shipper, the writers gave us a beautiful end scene between the two:

OZ: You're happy?
WILLOW: I am. I can't explain it...
OZ: It may be safer for both of us if you don't.
WILLOW: I missed you, Oz. I wrote you so many letters, but I didn't have any place to send them, you know? I couldn't live like that.
OZ: It was stupid to think that you'd just be... waiting.
WILLOW: I was waiting. I feel like some part of me will always be waiting for you. Like if I'm old and blue-haired, and I turn the corner in Istanbul and there you are, I won't be surprised. Because you're with me, you know?
OZ: I know... But now is not that time, I guess.
WILLOW: No... What are you gonna do?
OZ: I think I better take off.
WILLOW: When?
OZ: Pretty much now.

Cue the hugging, the crying. Oh gosh, it still gets me every time. I haven't read any of the official comics yet, but I do know both of the characters have moved on. And yet I'll always think about some time in the future, maybe not Istanbul, but somewhere when both are ready again, they'll be together. Call me a hopeless romantic, a werewolf in love.