a character exits: oz

Oh Oz... How your exit breaks my heart...

Oz shows up, randomly, in season 2. Why randomly? A year ahead of Buffy and her friends (well, until he is stuck repeating his senior year) and the lead guitarist of the local band, Oz seems to just be there, constantly in the peripheral of Willow's storyline, falling in love with her from afar. Eventually he gets lucky and actually meets her, helps her to move beyond Xander, and find happiness.

This happiness is overshadowed by two things. The first is Willow's affair with Xander. They break up briefly while Oz figures out if he even wants a relationship anymore. The second is Oz being a werewolf. He feels he is a danger to Willow since he cannot control himself when he transforms. This is especially shown during the Halloween episode, when Oz runs from Willow when he believes he is transforming. While Willow and Oz make it work by locking him up at night, eventually Veruca changes things.

When Veruca enters the scene Oz's werewolf half is attracted to her. Even worse, Veruca has no interest in taming her werewolf side and works to persuade Oz to let his run free. Ultimately Oz and Veruca have an affair. Willow briefly considers using dark magic to get revenge but stops herself. Veruca, however, isn't interested in playing nice and tries to kill Willow. Oz stops Veruca, killing her while they are transformed. He then leaves Willow without any real explanation. While gone, Willow starts to fall for Tara. Oz comes back, in command of his powers, eager to resume their relationship. But Willow feels torn between Oz and Tara, and when Oz realizes Willow has feelings for someone else he loses control and tries to attack Tara. In the end he leaves, realizing that while he loves Willow he will never be able to control himself around her.

Oz and Willow's relationship has shades of Buffy and Angel to it. Two people from very different worlds, deeply in love, who constantly try to make it work. But it doesn't. Oz fears his supernatural half - and even fears Willow's supernatural half a bit. He seeks to contain himself, unlike Willow who rushes head first into magic (which is foreshadowed but comes to a head in season 6). Even when Oz does gain control, it is Willow who undoes that control. His jealousy for her causes him to transform against his wishes.

However, despite all of this their love is strong and Oz's departure is devastating. We see him and Willow grow together and overcome things that no ordinary couple should be forced to overcome. They make Oz being a werewolf work, even if it does mean he has to live in a cage a few nights a month. And even though Oz worries about Willow's magic he embraces it as a part of her and supports her for it. They survive two affairs alongside everything that the forces of darkness throw at them. As you watch them grow up together you can see them growing old together. Until suddenly it is all gone and you can't. And perhaps Oz's departure hurts even more because there was never hope for Buffy and Angel. After all, Angel will never grow old, never have a family with Buffy, never be able to go outside during the day. Oz could have had a real life with Willow whereas Angel never could have one with Buffy. And Oz's love for Willow would never have turned him into the enemy, again unlike Angel. But his exit also hurts because he is the first main character to go. Angel, Cordelia, and Wesley have left but they are in LA together having their own story. And yes, Doyle does die during Oz's absence, but as the story continues you cling to the hope that Oz will return while secretly knowing it is over.