Tara Maclay

Willow first notices Tara, a shy girl who is a member of the somewhat disappointing Wicca group at UC Sunnydale, in "Hush" (4.10).  Tara notices her too, and when the Gentlemen steal the voices of Sunnydale, Tara risks her life to find Willow in order to try to help her reverse the spell.  The two girls bond after magickally barricading themselves inside a room with a vending machine, and their fingers remain interlaced when the spell is worked. Later that day, when Willow doubts her abilities, Tara contradicts her, telling her that she is a good witch.

In 4.13, "The I in Team", Tara gives her new friend a present - a doll's-eye crystal, a Maclay family heirloom - but Willow refuses it, as she knows how valuable it is. However, after spending the night in Tara's room, she brings the crystal back to the room she shares with Buffy.

In the same episode, Willow fails to invite Tara to the Bronze with the Scoobies, even though it's obvious that Tara is hurt by this. but in "New Moon Rising", 4.18, Tara gets an invite to a Scooby meeting, supposedly because she's a very powerful witch, but it has become obvious that she and Willow are more than "just good friends". At this point, Oz returns, hoping to resume a relationship with Willow, but she feels that she has moved on, and tells Oz and the Scoobies that she is now in a relationship with Tara.

Tara is played by Amber Benson.