Draft:New Moon Rising (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

New Moon Rising is the 19th episode of the fourth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It was written by Marti Noxon and directed by James A. Contner. It is notable for being the episode where Willow Rosenberg and Tara Maclay's relationship is shown to clearly be of a romantic nature, and Willow comes out to [[Buffy Summers|Buffy].

Plot
The episode opens with Tara and Willow walking across the UC Sunnydale college campus. Tara mentions she wants to get a cat and she and Willow talk about they could do with a pet cat, holding hands.

At Giles' apartment Buffy reports that she has been up against minimal demons and monsters. Giles cautions that this could mean something worse is building up behind-the-scenes. Willow explains the goings-on of the meeting to Tara, who has never been to a meeting of theirs previously. Riley says that The Initative has been interacting with more demons than normal. At this point, Oz shows up in the doorway. The group is suprised to see him and Willow specifically seems unsure. Oz makes plans to see Willow later. Tara makes up an excuse to leave once Oz leaves.

As Riley kills a demon, Buffy reveals to him that Oz is a werewolf. He is surprised Willow would date someone like that, who Riley sees as dangerous. Buffy takes personal offense and they continue patrolling.

Oz meets Willow at her dorm and they go outside. He points out that it is a full moon and she sees that he isn't a werewolf; when he was away he learned to control his transformations. She is happy for him. He expresses he'd like to be with her again if she wants that as well.

Riley and his Initiative coworkers Graham and Forrest are attacked by a demon.

The next morning, Oz and Willow are in Willow's dorm, having talked all night. She suggests they get breakfast and he touches her hand and offers that they could stay in. She says they should get breakfast, and steps out for a minute. While she is away, Tara knocks at the door and Oz answers. He invites her to stay but she leaves. Oz tells Willow upon her return that Tara had stopped by and Willow looks upset.

Buffy and Riley wake up together. They continue their conversation from the previous night. Buffy criticizes Riley for black and white thinking; that all demons are the same amount of evil. She starts to say that she has known vampires who aren't all like that, but Forrest comes in and calls Riley to deal with a casualty on an Initiative patrol.

Buffy visits Willow's dorm and asks about details about her night with Oz. Buffy notes that Willow doesn't seem as happy as she would expect. Willow says she is happy, but "it's complicated... because of Tara." Buffy misunderstands at first, then realizes Willow is saying she has feelings for Tara. Buffy reacts awkwardly, but when Willow asks she affirms that she's glad Willow told her.

Adam shows up at Spike's crypt and says if Spike helps him he will help Spike, implying he can remove the electrical brain implant that prevents Spike from harming people.

Willow stops by Tara's dorm. She clarifies that although Tara had seen her and Oz together they had only talked. Willow expresses that she's confused; she was happy with Oz in the past and she had really wanted him to come back, but more recently she's been very happy with Tara. The two hug.

Oz stops Tara on the UC Sunnydale campus, thinking she's Willow because of her smell. Oz realizes Tara is wearing Willow's sweater and asks if she and Willow are involved. Tara tries to leave but he grabs her, and, becoming agitated, starts to turn into a werewolf. He tells Tara, "Run."

She runs, he pursues her. She throws a chair at him, knocking him out. Forrest and Riley enter and put him in a body bag to transport him. They say if he has been violent they will put him down. Tara tries to tell them Oz is a student but can't due to her stutter.

Spike and Adam talk. Adam says that Spike should kill the Slayer, in return Adam will remove Spike's chip.

Tara tells Willow that Oz changed and the Initiative took him.

Buffy and her friends meet at Giles' apartment. She says Riley isn't answering his phone and they will need to act without him.

Reception
Comic Book Report describes the episode as delivering "fans closure that was respectful to Oz while still being a powerful new chapter for Willow and Tara."

This episode is an early example of sapphic women on teen poular television. One 2003 essay states that "“New Moon Rising” offers us perhaps the first tearjerkery, “extra-flamey,” lesbian moment in television history," referring to the ending of the episode. the content of this episode around Willow and Tara and around Willow's sexuality has been remarked on in Buffy studies and Queer studies.

One author notes that Willow's "[c]oming out is not dramatized as a sudden awakening or climactic social drama but is interwoven into the script as an unfolding intimate experience that eventually becomes common knowledge among her group of friends."

Another author argues that Tara's role in her relationship with Willow, who was previously assumed to be straight, is a contrast to harmful tropes about lesbians in fiction. Often, a woman might seduce another in a way shown as coerrsive, overpowering, or controlling, however Tara is sweet and accepting even as her relationship with Willow is challenged by Oz' return in this episode.

In Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosiphy, Carolyn Korsmeyer argues that Oz turning into a werewolf in this episode upon realising that Willow is seeing someone new is a continuation of a theme in the Buffyverse of anger leaving to violence and monstrocity.

Rolling Stone ranks the episode as the 78th best Buffy episode, declaring, "“New Moon Rising” should be remembered for nothing more than being an essential chapter in LGBT representation on television."

Doryjane Birrer notes this episode as notable also for how it is a turning point for Riley. She says that, in this episode, "Riley [...] explicitly voices his acceptance of the challenges to his us/them thinking posed throughout his romantic relationship with Buffy."