Well, to be fair, Oz has always tried to solve his problems on his own, and hasn't been the best at sharing and communicating his problems. He was going to chain himself up alone when he first found out he was a werewolf, rather than tell anyone. But he should have told Buffy. Oz is normally so mature, that it is weird to see him mess up. So much drama in this show is fueled by a lack of communication. Hugs...

Spike monologuing about tempting the fates... was tempting the fates...

This is where Season 4 really begins, in my opinion. A bunch of banger episodes in a row starting with this one, even though it is sad.

Trivia: “Veruca” is a word, generally spelled “verruca”, for “wart”, dating back to (I had to look this up) the mid 16th century. Also used as a name in: “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” (and the Willie Wonka movies), and one of the books in the Discworld series.

It doesn’t excuse Oz, but I think he didn’t want to tell about Veruca partly to protect her from the possible consequences. He knew that while Buffy would try not to harm her, in the end if Veruca wouldn’t be willingly caged, Buffy would have to kill her to protect others. Buffy can’t imprison a human indefinitely, or track her down to force her into a cage three times a month forever. So in addition to his guilt and the wolf within influencing him, he may’ve also been hoping to convince her to cage herself to protect others. Still not a wise or morally ok strategy to lure him into the cage with him of course. Enjoyed your reaction as always though!

Yeah, the aftermath of this is gonna hurt. 😞

Yeah. This episode made my heart ache so much. They were my favorite couple for the time they were dating. I was upset with Oz because he didn't trust the gang with what was happening, but then it's all new to him because he hadn't been a werewolf for long. Having him kill someone after sleeping with her was pretty brutal, but it made sense that it was for a literal life or death situation. My heart was so broken at that last scene when Alyson brought on the tears, and then him just sitting in the van, as if to reconsider. I wanted him to run back to her so badly, but I got it. He has to deal with that side of him. I know Seth had other projects lined up, I just wish they could have worked around it. But that's the rub on a Whedon show...beware of Happy people...they're probably doomed. Lol😂

It was always the case with Oz that once the Wolf had taken over he had absolutely no control whatsoever over anything. Oz had best intentions trying to keep Veruca from doing any more harm, but of course this compromises himself. The only mistake he makes here is not telling Buffy what had happened, it could have been all so different. The ending was a big blow, as Willow and Oz were without doubt the nicest couple ever in The Buffyverse, but as with every relationship in this show it's never easy, there is always pain in it. By leaving Oz is showing his total love for Willow, as he knows things will always be that way once he is under the influence of The Wolf. A sad episode for fans, but once again adding the the drama of the show. It is because Oz loves Willow so much he knows he has to leave because he has no control over the wolf, and knows that in the long term he will only harm Willow. It's a shame to see Oz go too cos of his hair, cos Seth Green had the greatest hair in the show from Red to Blonde to Black etc, but it could never be as good as his hair when he was in the X-Files episode Deep Throat, now that was hair.

The episode gears Oz towards blame because of Willow being an original 4 main character. Not everyone sees his perspective in the episode, in-universe or real life. Behind the scenes Seth Green was getting job offers as well as turning some of them down, while becoming a more popular actor. So, when S4 came along, he met with the writers to talk to them about Oz's role in the series. It was decided that his movie offers would be more lucrative than trying to make Oz a more permanent person to the Scoobies, which wasn't Oz's forte. Thus this episode happened after realizing they weren't going to have the actor available the rest of the season. The writers had hoped to make everything that happened in this episode a season-long arc, but with Seth Green's offers, the arc was reduced from _Living Conditions_ to this episode. I used to think Veruca's tattoos were makeup mistakes (or something on my screen at one point also) because I couldn't make them out. I've seen so many people blame Oz for what happens in this episode (especially the sex when they aren't werewolves), but the point of his arc since _Living Conditions_ is that, ""The wolf is inside [him] all the time, and [he doesn't] know where that line is anymore between [him] and it." The werewolf has control over him and has been slowly taking control since that episode. Therefore fans cannot guarantee when Oz has been in control and when the werewolf has been in control, especially at the height of ID emotions. But not really at any time since Veruca triggered him in the same way post sex triggered Angel's curse. Willow assumes Veruca dying means things can go back to before Oz ever saw her, but the problem isn't Veruca. She just allowed the wolf to gain an upper hand (for use of a better phrase) over Oz, which was always going to happen eventually. Even as Oz is saying goodbye at the end, Willow still doesn't get that (still making a horribly wrong assumption about Oz feeling something for Veruca) and won't take responsibility for attempting the spell on taking away Oz's ability to love, which is why I dislike her asking Oz, "Don't you love me anymore?" Oz had to leave because of his werewolf being out of control, but also because Willow attempted a spell Oz wasn't even aware of to take his ability to love away. Relationship-wise, it doesn't matter that she stopped, it matters that she was willing to do so (to the point of getting that far into the spell) in the first place. Their relationship had problems beyond the werewolf and Veruca, if that was Willow's response and they weren't properly communicating. I think the Scoobies made a mistake now that they have a new Oz/werewolf cage. Thy stopped watching him. It wouldn't have stopped the overall Werewolf/Oz problem, but it could have prolonged it, thus allowing a different trigger besides Veruca to set off the werewolf gaining control. I don't mind Buffy being there for Willow, but I think this episode showed how much an outsider to the rest of the group Oz is. In _Lover's Walk,_ Buffy comforts Willow after she finds out Oz needs time and space for Willow's indiscretion. In this episode, Buffy looks at Oz point blank and says, "Now might be a good time for your trademark stoicism." It even says a lot that Xander doesn't ask Oz what's going on after Willow asks him guy territory questions. It shows Oz wasn't a friend to anyone in the group. Willow cheated and Oz was out of the group. When the werewolf had issues, Willow assumed Oz cheated and the group treats him badly for it. Even back in _Becoming Part 2,_ Oz says, "Okay, I pretty much missed out on some stuff, didn't I? Because this is all making the kind of sense that's... not." He wasn't really connected to anyone other than being Willow's boyfriend. Buffy told Oz that had she caught Veruca, she would have put said werewolf in the same cage with Oz, thus resulting in the same/similar outcome as what happened. So Oz admitting to the group what was going on wouldn't have changed much, if anything. Had Seth Green stayed for a whole S4 leaving arc, like what the writers hoped when he decided movies offers were more lucrative, Oz probably would have admitted what was happening to the group. In that scenario, fans would see the slow deterioration of Oz and Willow's relationship before he left town. This way was just more quick. And on top of that, even if things had changed, the wolf was still triggered as of _Living Conditions,_ and killing Veruca doesn't solve anything. Oz, by the point in the episode of when he would've told the group what was happening, was losing control. He just couldn't do anything about it except leave town. Telling Buffy and forcing her to find somewhere else for Veruca (not easy as Buffy would have come up with that herself if she had another place for a second werewolf to begin with) wouldn't have solved anything. Gaining a semblance of control back also involved killing Veruca, which was difficult with the wolf slowly gaining control. It took Willow being in danger for Oz to have temporary control as a wolf, which was gone the second Veruca was dead. And it also didn't take away the overall problem. This is a fantastic episode with so many nuances concerning the Willow/Oz relationship.

Your reaction is exactly how all of my fellow Buffy watching fans( all girls) felt after watching the show. Some were heartbroken and all of them just sad. I was not. Oz was an interesting character but except in The Zeppo Factor, being a werewolf often seemed forced and a needed horror trope checked off. I felt this way because he just wasn’t that important to many stories and except for some occasional laughs, he was just there.I know it’s not popular and I got grief back then. The episode is a heart tugging excercise to explore the fragile and very needy emotions of Willow. It has not been that long since that painful conversation Willow has with Buffy in the Bronze in the first episode.( boys want a girl that can talk and then I leave). Oz was Willows first boyfriend, first lover, and the first male that did not judge or make Willow feel inadequate.The feelings of losing someone like an Oz is overwhelming and the doubt of who she is would be devastating to Willow. I don’t blame Oz for the Viruca affair. When Oz first saw her he was attracted. This is primal. Animals check each other out but the mating process is not built on emotions but the need to mate. Oz may be cool but he is a wolf. We have seen many aspects of the animal wolf but the wolf like all animals has the desire to mate with its kind. Birds of a feather after all. The human part of Oz likes Willow but an animal/ wolf needs another animal. Once again the theme of duality that is a constant in BTVS is highlighted..It can be the public/ private( The Mayor), Proper/Rebel( Giles),or Hero/Anti-Hero( Buffy,Faith) the 2 conflicting internal personality traits of Oz have now become a decision to be made. Oz has never wanted to conform to standards set by others and the animal within has made him have to decide what he is to become. Being a slacker , musician, and non challenging Willow as his girlfriend has allowed him to be in neutral and not have to choose. He has to go and be apart to decide. The challenge is he can not be what he wants until he understands who he is.Very complicated but nothing in BTVS is easy and comfortable.Like so many relationships that seem solid Willow and Oz had problems that were being maintained and not addressed. But who wants to explore potential problems when everything seems so perfect?

99% of the time, Oz is a rock solid person, comfortable and secure in who he is, which makes him honest and helpful in his relationships. But when that stability is threatened? Not by vampires but a real existential identity crisis? The rock crumbles, and he makes all the awful choices.

Willow and Buffy crying breaks my heart. This wasn't supposed to be part of the season but Seth Green wanted to do a film and so Joss Whedon had to do a last minute rewrite.

It's true Seth Green had another project but even if he didn't, try to imagine things from his point of view. Oz really isn't in the show that much and when he is he doesn't have much to say or do. Even the writers have a hard time coming up with much for him to say while staying true to his character. It's easier for both parties when he is not around. And Seth Green is a multi-talented artist with so much more to offer than what you've seen him do on "Buffy". Do they get "Robot Chicken" in Canada? I like Oz, too. I think he's a great role model for guys who want to treat girls with respect (the way they should be treated) and I love how much you wanted to believe in him and stood by him as long as you could

You nailed it. Just another case of the actor having scheduling problems leading to the character getting the short shrift on this show. It does lead to interesting things down the road though.

Hey, Vic you are looking very nice today. Now, lets get Veruca. ~ minions

@5:10 Didn't you just warn Buffy not to jinx the fates beforehand and then you did the same thing.

Oz does what he needs to do to find out what he is and maybe find a way to control it. Oz isn't just running away, he's taking himself away from the person he loves because he is afraid he'll hurt her worse if he stays. Maybe the relationship is over. Oz screwed up this one full moon, and he wasn't thinking clearly when he cheated. He could have made a better choice. But it was true to his character to try to fix it himself; that's what he's done in the past. Willow and Xander cheated for freaking weeks, multiple occasions on screen and who knows how often offscreen...and Oz forgave her.

Yeah, Seth Green wanted to leave to do movies, so Marti Nixon wrote this episode of character-assassination to explain Oz leaving. There is no way S2 or S3 Oz would have behaved the way he does here.