10 Buffy Moments That Hit You Hard
2. Tara Dies In Willow's Arms
Tara's death at the hands of Warren in season six, by way of a stray bullet meant for Buffy, was criticized by many as a needless plot device, and below what the character deserved. While there might be some truth to that, the reaction of fans at the very least was a testament to the popularity of the character, and the superb job Joss Whedon and company did writing for her, and Amber Benson did portraying her.
Still, watching her senseless, violent death - by a bullet, not some monster or magical malady as would be expected - hit home. It was a little bit of real life social issues creeping into a show about magic and monsters, which just might be another reason why fans detested it so.
To this day, Willow and Tara remain one of the most popular gay couples to have ever graced television screens. When the United States finally legalized gay marriage nationwide, Twitter exploded with references to the pair.