Daniel "Oz" Osbourne
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 Seth Green as Oz |
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Daniel "Oz" Osbourne (born 1980 in Sunnydale, California), is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the cult television programs Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. The character is portrayed by Seth Green.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
[edit] Character History
A taciturn, guitar-playing teen, and eventually Willow's boyfriend, Oz first appears in "Inca Mummy Girl", becoming a recurring character throughout the second and third seasons. In the fourth season, Oz leaves Sunnydale, heading off on his own to seek control over his werewolf side. He is last seen in Willow's dream in "Restless".
Oz is introduced as a romantic interest for Willow Rosenberg. His most outstanding trait is his detached, ironic approach to life, masking a deeply philosophical interior. He is also the lead guitarist for the band Dingoes Ate My Baby, which performs frequently at The Bronze.
Oz finds that he has recently become a werewolf[1], turning into a monster on the three nights around a full moon, having been bitten on his finger by his young cousin Jordy. On his second night as a wolf, he is nearly killed by a hunter for his pelt, but saved by Buffy Summers and the Scooby Gang, with whose help he quickly finds a way to minimize the danger posed by the wolf: he locks himself into a cage for the appropriate nights, watched over by the Scoobies in shifts.
But the wolf personality gradually contaminates Oz's human side, and although in love with Willow he is irresistibly drawn to another werewolf, Veruca, a fellow student at UC Sunnydale, who unlike Oz considers the wolf to be her true self. After spending a night in the cage with Veruca, and killing her at the following sunset to protect Willow[2], Oz resolves to leave Sunnydale so as not to endanger his friends further.
Some months later, Oz returns to Sunnydale, believing that his lycanthropy is now under control through techniques learned in Tibet[3]. Although the moon no longer affects him, he can still transform into the werewolf when faced with strong emotion, such as anger, fear or pain, as he discovers when he finds that Tara Maclay has replaced him in Willow's affections, and when The Initiative seizes him for its experiments.
After that discovery, Oz leaves Sunnydale for good (reflecting Seth Green's decision to move on and pursue his film career). He is last seen in Willow's dream ("Restless"), as she meets Oz in college. Oz is not seen again for the remainder of the series' run.
He makes an appearance in the follow-up novel, Queen of the Slayers, by Nancy Holder.
The story takes place immediately after the final episode from season 7 - "Chosen". When the gang needs the assistance of the Golden One, they soon find out that their old friend Oz is in Tibet. Oz is 1/10th of a group of Werewolf guardians of the Golden One, the same monk who taught Oz how to control his transformation. When Willow sees Oz for the first time, in a very long time, they catch up on old times and Willow is pleased to hear that Oz has a completely different life than she would have imagined. He's not only learned to control his transformation, but he also appears to efficiently hunt/fight in a controlled pack of werewolves. The werewolf guardians, which never had a formal name/title in the novel, all serve the Golden One and are seen wearing modified helmets, which appear to have muzzles attached.
[edit] Powers & Abilities
Oz is a werewolf, meaning that he has the potential to transform into a berserk, lupine creature with enhanced strength, speed and sense of smell. From "Phases" to "Wild at Heart", he, like most werewolves, must change into animal form on the night of a full moon, the night preceding it, and the night following it. After "Wild at Heart", Oz acquires some level of control over his form by traveling around the world and learning about herbs, meditative techniques, and other forms of little-known treatment for his little-known condition. He prefers to stay human, and only changes under great emotional stress. (Compare to The Incredible Hulk).
Oz also has a highly enhanced sense of smell when in human form. During the episode "Lovers Walk", he is able to smell Willow from great distance although she "doesn't even wear perfume". He can also tell that she is scared from this scent, mimicking an animal's supposed ability to tell when people are scared by using scent.
Oz also demonstrates that werewolves can exert influence on their actions in bestial form. When Oz transforms for his battle with Veruca, he instantly attacks her until she's dead, completely ignoring Willow until killing Veruca.
Oz is also a skilled musician, specializing in electric guitar.
[edit] Trivia
Oz was originally going to be killed off in 'Passion' by Angelus. However, his character received such a positive reaction that Whedon decided that Jenny Calendar would die instead.
[edit] Romantic Relationships
[edit] Appearances
Oz has appeared in:
- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Oz became a series regular in the show's third and fourth seasons, although he did not appear in "Consequences". After "Wild at Heart", Oz disappeared from the opening credits. He appeared in 39 episodes in all, including guest appearances in:
- Season 2 (1997 - 1998) - "Inca Mummy Girl"; "Halloween"; "What's My Line, Part One" and "Part Two"; "Surprise"; "Innocence"; "Phases"; "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered"; "Becoming, Part One" and "Part Two".
- Season 4 (1999 - 2000) - "New Moon Rising"; "Restless" (dream).
- Angel
- Oz appeared as a guest in one episode:
- Season 1 (1999 - 2000) - "In the Dark"
The character Oz also made major appearances in the trade paperback, Oz and the novel Oz: Into the Wild
[edit] References
- ^ Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 2, episode 15, Phases
- ^ Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 4, episode 6, Wild at Heart
- ^ Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 4, episode 19, New Moon Rising
