SEASON 10: THE TEARJERK FACTOR (or TARA'S APART) // ISSUE 9 (SPOILER ALERT)

Hey Buffheads!!! ISSUE 9!!! SPOILERS AHEAD, MATEY!!!!

Last month's issue ended on something that I couldn't and didn't want to talk about. Other places such as (news-breaking) Bleeding Cool leaked it the day of. I will say it now: TARA's tombstone made an appearance at the end of the last issue. Also at the end of the issue, Andrew casting a resurrection spell. So if you see a tombstone in a comic, obviously There is a COMEBACK scheduled!!! Also no one can stay dead in comics. Let's just say I got super-psyched. SUPER PUH-SYCHED.

I really enjoyed Tara and Willow's relationship. Tara always keeping Willow's "magic problems" in check was very "When A Man Loves a Woman." Charming. While watching the show unfold season to season, I felt like I had seen the birth and death of Tara and Willow's relationship.  I was there from when they were curious college girls. I was there to see Tara & the Scoobies face her bigot family with Amy Adams. I was there to see Tara and Willow have their personal conflicts. Finally, I was there to see Tara's demise. She meant a lot to Willow and by watching all this - Tara meant a lot to ME!!

We lived through Kennedy. I personally found her to be abrasive. They didn't last. But Kennedy still exists out there in the Buffyverse. I will say that it doesn't feel as important to have Kennedy make a comeback. Tara has been gone for so long - it only elevates her importance.

As for this issue, the Buffy / Spike storyline is rather simple. Dealing with killing the Soul-Eater Monster from the previous issue. However, the monster is not really important to what is really going on. The storyline is about Buffy and Spike's "will they / won't they?" Are they going to fall back in love? Where are they at? I'm not exactly sure myself. Are they going to kill that monster they're fighting?  I mean of course. Wait - how did they wrap up Dowling?

What I want to see is Tara's "Will she / Won't she come back / And How Will This Go?" Willow comes just in the nick of time. A fight ensues. There is a struggle. Willow feels several different emotions. Andrew's reason for wanting to bring back Tara is heartbreaking. Willow's reaction is doubly heartbreaking. I sat there with some puffy fuckin' eyes.

This is where the tearjerk factor comes in.

I think what's so great about this issue is not so much about what it says out loud. It's great in what it doesn't say. There's a strength in the characters and their relationships that we can fill in the blanks.

The issue ends with some redemption and some resurrection. It was great. I really want to see where this all goes.

At this point, I feel like I would like to see some more Buffy-centered storylines. I would like to see where are they going with Spike and Buffy more. What is up with Xander? What's up with Dawn? How do we feel about Kid Giles? So many questions.