Former vengeance demon Anya returns to her ways after being left at the altar by one of Buffy’s best friends, Xander Harris. The season really hinges on women gaining powers through trauma, and viewers see Buffy’s female characters continually suffer as they grow or regain said abilities. Not only does this play right into the “ bury your gays” trope, but it also closely ties Willow’s interest in women and magic with her evil “Dark Willow” transformation. Willow Rosenberg, played by Alyson Hannigan, becomes the big bad of the season after falling into the deep end of magic following the tragic death of her girlfriend, Tara ( something Noxon later said she regretted). While showrunner Marti Noxon took on a lot of the blame for the season’s harrowing subject matter, Whedon’s influence is still present. Vulture has compiled a complete rundown of all the controversies and allegations that have involved Whedon throughout his career.Ģ002: Season six of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a doozy, often cited as fans’ least favorite. Though new allegations have surfaced in the past few months (largely in the wake of coverage of Zack Snyder’s Justice League, the director’s definitive take on 2017’s Justice League, which Whedon took over late into filming), this is not the first time Whedon has been under scrutiny for his behavior on set, or for some less-than-feminist writing for women in film and television.

However, over the years, this mass appreciation has imploded with an increasing number of claims from actors and former co-workers detailing Whedon’s alleged on-set abuse dating back over 20 years, most recently with Buffy’s Charisma Carpenter speaking about the alleged bullying she endured on set while pregnant. Known for his work on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, and Marvel’s The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron, Joss Whedon was once celebrated for creating the feminist, Sarah Michelle Gellar–led hit series as well as his refreshing approach to male-dominated action and sci-fi entertainment.

Fray by Joss Whedon