Fred/Willow

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Pairing
Pairing: Winifred "Fred" Burkle/Willow Rosenberg
Alternative name(s): Frillow, Willfred
Gender category: femslash
Fandom: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel the Series, Buffyverse
Canonical?: no
Prevalence:
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Fred/Willow is a femslash pairing in the Buffyverse fandom between Winifred Burkle and Willow Rosenberg.

Canon

Fred and Willow's one significant interaction in the Buffyverse occurred in the episode, "Orpheus", in the fourth season of Angel the Series. Fred enlists Willow's help to re-ensoul Angel. During Willow's time in Los Angeles, she and Fred have several enthusiastic conversations, and Willow notably asks Wesley what Fred's "story" is immediately after she dodges revealing to Wesley that she is now gay, suggesting that she is thinking of Fred in a romantic light. When Fred suggests at the end of the episode that she and Willow meet up again, Willow turns Fred down, stating, "I'm seeing someone."[1]

Fannish Opinion

From the Fred/Willow shipper's manifesto by wisdomeagle:

For me, Fred and Willow are a balancing act. Willow is a witch with a strong background in the physical sciences; Fred is a physicist with some training in magic. Both women are struggling to create adult identities, yet are trapped by the assumptions of their girlhoods. Both women have darker impulses that the struggle to suppress. Fred wants to be able to take care of her family of choice; Willow wants to be able to use her magic for good. Both have things in their past that they're trying hard to forget: Fred's time in Pylea, Willow's stint as a super villain. They're both sweet and stammery and shy, but both of them are capable of murder.

On another level, Fred is exactly Willow's type, and Willow is Fred's. Fred is adoring and trusting, flirty and sweet, and she puts Willow at the center of her universe as soon as she steps over the threshold. Willow has always loved being loved, and Fred is someone who both understands her magical side and respects it, but is not afraid of it the way Willow's Sunnydale friends are. And Willow plays the hero, coming onto the scene and saving the day. Fred has always had a thing for heroes, for saviors. She loves people who are willing and able to protect her, and Willow is strong and sweet and smart and funny.

They fit together perfectly.[2]

Redditor Chillocks provides an alternate perspective on Fred and Willow's relationship, arguing that Willow mistakenly perceived Fred's friendliness toward her as romantic:

So this episode of Angel falls right after the episode where Kennedy is teaching Willow how to tell when a girl is flirting with her. She explains to Willow that it's more subtle, and the flirting happens more in code, so you have to sort of feel it out and read between the lines of what the other person is saying.

Then Willow goes to LA and Fred starts totally gushing at her. I don't think that Fred was necessarily flirting with her (as opposed to just being star-stuck and fangirling)

The scene seems like it could be either a joke in that Willow messed up interpreting the signals that Kennedy taught her, or Fred was interested (maybe even just subconsciously) since she did seem kinda let down finding out Willow wasn't available.

I think really though the scene was just supposed to be a joke/throwback to Willow and Kennedy's talk. But I totally wish Fred and Willow got together - I think they'd be so cute.[3]

Notable Fanworks

Fanfiction

Fanart

Meta

Archives & Links

References

  1. ^ Transcript of "Orpheus" (accessed 29 July 2020)
  2. ^ Fred/Willow (BtVS/AtS) (accessed 29 July 2020)
  3. ^ Fred and Willow (accessed 29 July 2020)
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