Oz first spies Willow at the Bronze when she's standing alone in her eskimo outfit in Inca Mummy Girl. He's onstage playing guitar and is immediately smitten with her. He's got no idea that she's got a big, unrequited thing for Xander, see Willow & Xander story arc. Anyhoo, when he goes to talk to her to find out who she is, she's yanked away by Buffy. Oz is left to wonder, "Who is that girl?"
In Halloween, Oz runs into Willow again, only this time she's wearing a ghost costume, so he has no idea that it's her. Suffice it to say that Willow, covered entirely in a big sheet, can't see Oz either. Which probably explains the bumping-into-each-other thing. Later that night, though, Willow's cast her sheet aside and is strutting across the street when Oz notices her again! He's pulled his van to a stop at the intersection just as she walks by. Again, Oz wonders, "Who is that girl?!".
Oz gets his big break in What's My Line...Willow's the only other student chosen for her computer skills by a company who's recruiting for Career Day. It's in part two of this episode that Oz saves Willow's life by taking a bullet in the arm for her. Later when she thanks him, he gets embarrassed, compliments her smile, and makes her laugh with his speculations about animal crackers. It's all about the monkey, the only cookie animal that gets to wear clothes.
Willow tells Buffy that she kind of does like Oz -- he has nice hands! -- and she's encouraged to talk to Oz about it. So Willow approaches Oz in Surprise and he asks her out. She declines, then invites him to be her date to Buffy's surprise party. Oz agrees, and it's in this episode that Oz becomes privy to the knowledge that "vampires are real, a lot of 'em live in Sunnydale" -- Willow fills him in.
In Innocence, Willow's upset because she's just learned that Xander and Cordy are sort of an item, so she asks Oz if he wants to make out with her. She's unhappy when Oz says no, he won't. But her mood picks up considerably when he tells her why he won't...Oz remarks that it looks like she's just trying to even the score with Xander, and "that's on the empty side." He basically lets her know that he wants her to be kissing him, not thinking of Xander. Oz tells her that he can wait for her.
So in Phases, Oz finds out he's a werewolf, but he also learns that Willow still likes him. This episode establishes Oz and Willow as a couple, finally!
The coupledom remains intact for the rest of Season 2. In Becoming part II, Willow's in the hospital, unconscious. When Xander tells her that he loves her in an effort to get her to wake up, she does. The first word out of her mouth? "Oz.."! And, wouldn't you know it, Oz has just come in to see her. Woo!
Looks like Oz 'n' Will are still quite the couple; in Anne, we learn that they've been together all summer. And since Oz had too many incompletes and blew off summer school, he's back again as a senior. Okay, Willow's not too jazzed about that, but hey...it works for me!
Okay, hit a slight rift here..in Lovers Walk, Oz gets clued in to the fact that Willow's sorta been cheating on him with Xander! Oz sees Willow and Xander in a clinch, and goes kind of non-verbal...well, I mean, later they show him strumming his guitar. This totally bites. Who knows, maybe a lot of the grovel thing will work for Willow??
Well, Willow's trying to hunt down Oz to get him to chat with her about what's happened and all. And she gets a rude awakening...this time Oz isn't letting it be all about her. He basically lets her know that he's angry and hurt and that no matter how much she wants to feel better about it, it's not his responsibility. He keeps his cool and doesn't burn any pictures of her..at least, not any we've seen! So right now the 'ship isn't back on track. Yikes.
Okay, so Willow and Oz have sort of gotten back on track in Amends. At least, they're trying. Oz wants to forgive Willow and try again because he misses her, they hug, and they hang out at her house for a night of romance. Sorta. Willow tries too hard to let Oz know that he's the one she wants, and Oz can't exactly deal with it. He's flabbergasted and tells her that he's not ready to be her first. Will's confused because she correctly thinks that Oz has been there, done that before, but Oz tells her that this is different. Woo hoo! The guy must love her or something. Dangit...Oz rocks. Where's an Oz when you need one? Heh.
Update! The couple that saves each other, craves each other? Well..if it's not Oz coming to Willow's rescue (as in Gingerbread), then it's Willow "saving" Oz (as in Phases or The Zeppo). You have to like the dedication. Sure, any slayerette will save any other slayerette, but it's nifty for the couple to keep it up. I just felt like saying that.
This was quite the unlikely match-up. It was probably not even a thought in the writers' minds during Season 1. At least, I know it wasn't in mine! Xander and Cordelia traded insults on a regular basis in Season 1. One of the best was in a scene at the Bronze in the episode Angel. (I'll add that to the episode page soon.). Xander looked pained whenever he'd have to deal with Cordy; he had to question her in The Puppet Show and the look on his face is hysterical.
In Season 2, it looks like Cordy had an eye towards Xander before he ever thought about giving her the time of day. She tries to thank him for saving her life in Some Assembly Required, but he just blows her off.
They insult each other more as the season unwinds, and it's not until Halloween that we see Cordy give Xander the once-over when she sees him in a military tank top. It's in this episode that Xander tells Cordy to give up trying to get between Buffy and Angel...he should know!
Xander protects Cordy in various episodes, but it's in WML part II that they kiss for the first time. It's not exactly a romantic-type kiss; they're stuck in Buffy's basement, fearing for their lives because an assassin from The Order of Turaka is upstairs trying to kill them. They argue, tempers flare, and the heat of the moment is upon them, so they kiss. Later in that episode, they decide to pretend that the kiss never took place, and they end up yelling at each other again. Best way to stop yelling? Why, another kiss, of course...
Xander and Cordy keep their smooching a secret from everyone; they hide in the janitor's closet at school so none of their friends will find out. Willow accidentally finds out, though, in Innocence; she goes to get a book from the stacks and happens upon them kissing...Willow feels betrayed, and Xander tells her that it doesn't mean that much to just kiss Cordelia.
But apparently it does in Bewitched, Bothered & Bewildered, for it's in this episode that Xander gives Cordy a necklace for Valentine's Day and brings up the possibility that maybe they have something more than a few stolen smooches in the closet. But Cordy's recently suffered being cast off by her friends just because she's dating Xander. So Cordy breaks up with him, and Xander's moved to get back at her by having her fall in love with him so he can break up with her. Xander enlists the help of witch Amy Madison. Cordy's the only chick who's not affected by the spell, though, and when she realizes that Xander caused all of this trouble for her, she decides to tell her friends to go jump, and continues seeing Xander. In public, no less!
Cordy and Xander remain a couple for the rest of season 2, and there's some real caring there. I mean, Cordy brings him donuts whenever he's keeping a vigil in the hospital. (see Killed By Death and Becoming part II.) mmm..donuts.
Cordy and Xander spent all summer apart, and when they first meet again in season 3's Anne, each isn't sure how the other feels. They exchange some barbs...one of the best is when Cordy accuses Xander of having fallen for a monster. She tells him, "...Inca Mummy Girl! Yeah, I heard about her!" (See Inca Mummy Girl.) Xander petitions to use Cordy as bait so they can kill the vamp of Andrew Hoblich, and she reluctantly agrees, saying she's only doing it for Buffy. Anyhoo, they do get back into their groove though...after dusting said vamp. Here, have some pre-smooch dialogue:
Is this love, is this love -- Tribute to Bob Marley?:
Well, in a few episodes, we've learned that Cordy is kinda having the love thing for Xander. Unfortunately for her, it's in Lovers Walk that she finds out Xander's betrayed her...with Willow, no less! Cordy's shocked and horrified and...when she falls through the floor and ends up in the hospital, she tells Xander to stay away from her. I think it is probably not very likely that Queen C will get over this or forgive Xander. But we'll see. Yowch.
Okay, Cordy's letting her pain out..by setting pics of Xander aflame, and not returning any of his 60 or 70 calls in The Wish. And she's also dressing her best to woo other guys to make Xander jealous. Xander's trying to get Cordy to talk to him, but he's failing miserably. Guess that's what they mean when they say "the phone works both ways." Who knows..maybe Cordy can forgive him. Right.
Well, Cordy's still giving Xander the cold shoulder in Amends. Literally. In the few minutes they're in the same lounge area at school, Cordy shames Xander by letting one of his big secrets out. The secret? The reason that Xander camps out on his lawn for Xmas is because of the fights his folks have, courtesy of alcohol. Not cool, Cordy.
Update! Okay, so Cordy's gone 'round the bend with her insults, belittling, and just plain nastiness. It would be a return to Season one insults (Angel and other eps. had plenty of verbal sparring), but these are way too much..In The Zeppo, Cordy attacks everything about Xander..it's way harsh and destructive. Sure they're not dating now and there was not a clean break and the cheating, but..to put someone's self-worth into question totally bites. The bitca's back. If this relationship ever became anything more than civil -- if it reaches Civil -- I'd be one surprised chick.
Cordelia: "What's the plan?"
Xander: "The vampire attacks you."
Cordelia: "And then what?"
Xander: "The vampire kills you. We watch, we rejoice." -- business as usual.
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