Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Family, for a Lack of a Better Term – 25YearsLaterSite.com

Buffy the Vampire Slayer had some deep storytelling in Season 5. It was the transition season from dealing with pre-college life to entering into post-college life. Buffy went through some serious growing as both a woman hitting her early 20s and a vampire slayer.

The stories of this season reflected the changes not just in Buffy herself, but in all the members of the Scooby gang. Riley was figuring out post-Initiative life. Anya took up working for The Magic Box with Giles. Then theres Willow, who was finally adjusting to her relationship with Tara.

The sixth episode, appropriately entitled Family examines how families can sometimes be more demonic then your run of the mill Hellmouth monster.

With her mother still in the hospital being treated for a brain tumor, Buffy decides to move back home so she can take care of her kid sister, Dawn. Shes also just discovered that Dawn is a mystical key thats been fashioned into a human by a secret society of monks. This key has the ability to open the door between our world and Hell. Its being sought after by a powerful woman, who we soon discover is a god that has been trapped on Earth, named Glory.

This discovery has Buffy contemplating everything that has happened between them. What exactly does this make Dawn? Since all the memories of holidays and growing up are false is she still a member of the Summers family or just is she another thing that Buffy has to protect?An even bigger question arises, should Buffy tell Dawn?

Meanwhile Tara, the newest of the Scoobies, is busy trying to fit in to the dynamic with the others. Up to this point shes really only been an attachment to Willow. Shes the one who is quiet and shy, and says random things in hopes that others will get it sometimes (they dont).

When it turns out to be Taras 20th birthday Willow wants to throw a party for her. It would act as a way of inducting her into The Scooby Gang officially. The others are hesitant because although they have interacted with Tara, they dont really know her. Of course this would be the perfect time for Taras very backwater thinking family to appear.

Fresh faced Amy Adams (Yes, that Amy Adams!) guest stars with Steve Rankin and Kevin Rankin as Taras cousin, father and brother. From the greeting that Tara gives, it looks as though she was not expecting to be found. Their arrival comes with one mission: to get her to come home. According to her family lore, the women have half demon in them. and it seems to manifest itself on their 20th birthday. If Tara already didnt feel accepted by the Scoobies, having them find out about her half demon part certainly wouldnt help anything.

In order to hide her demonic self, she places a spell on the gang. This way they wouldnt see her demon side. The problem with that is, it turns out they cant see any demons. Which makes it a perfect time for Glory to send in some to take Buffy out. When Tara realizes what she has done she reverses the spell, and explains why she cast it in the first place. She would rather hide a part of herself from them than not be accepted.

But this is Buffy were talking about. She of all people knows how it is to be an outcast. So even though Tara made a mistake, Buffy knows that it was with good intentions. The Scoobies end up accepting Tara as one of them and they stand together when Taras tribe of relations come to collect her.

The beautiful message this episode brings not only to Buffy, but to the viewer, is that the family element takes all forms. There doesnt need to be blood shared in order to consider someone a sister or brother. A mother or father. Your family is where you feel like you belong. For Tara, that is with the Scoobies.

In recent years this episode has resonated with me more and more. I havent lived with my birth family since I was fifteen and that wasnt by my choice. My mother had decided that she didnt want anything to do with me, and I didnt know why. I ended up moving in with a friend and her family where that revealed its own problems.

Once I hit legal age I just went from home to home but never settling. During college I lived in my dorm and during the summers on a couch. The only constant was work. I was always excited to go because I knew at least for those hours I had a place that wanted me there.

Then luck fell upon me one summer. I started working at this amazing summer camp and for the first time I really started to feel accepted by those around me, and safe. I began living with my current house mate (one of the best people in my life) and her daughter shortly after. They took me home with them, and home is exactly what it felt like for the first time. I had people surrounding me that actually cared.

Taras family used a family lore to keep their women in check. She never was part demon (as Spike so clearly demonstrates when he punches Tara in the face.) My family used fear. My mother would constantly tell my siblings and I to lie to social workers because theyll take you away and separate you. We believed her because it happened. We were taken and placed into foster care, and because there were many of us, separated.

The Scoobies assured Tara that she was right where she belonged. When the holidays come around, its hard for me. Ill admit to being jealous seeing everyone so happy. Even though I know Im loved where I am, I still need that extra reminding because deep down there is that little voice of doubt. The same voice of doubt that was guiding Taras thoughts when she was willing to leave and go home. She knows it wasnt the right choice, but its her family so there could be a chance of change. I constantly think one day mine might come to their senses and own up to everything theyve done, though deep down, I dont think it will ever happen.

Its taken many re-watches of this episode for me to learn its importance. The family were born into doesnt have to be the one we stay in, and blood is just one factor of many. Thanks,Buffy, for continuing to teach us the important things.

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Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Family, for a Lack of a Better Term - 25YearsLaterSite.com

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero