Another setback for poor, lovelorn Willow (Alyson Hannigan) on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The recovering witchoholic's deceased love Tara (Amber Benson) will not be resurrected this season after all. According to series creator Joss Whedon, Benson — who was slated to be brought back to life as a different character — failed to reach a deal with producer 20th Century Fox.

"It was a question of negotiations, as it sometimes is," he tells TV Guide Online. "It's sad, because I love Amber. But that's between her and Fox." Adds Benson's rep: "She's very proud of her work on the show, but ultimately, we couldn't work out the right deal."

Well, Benson's comeback, like her alter ego, was shot down, but that doesn't mean Willow won't fall under the spell of another enchantress. Whedon reveals that the sapphic Scooby "is going to meet someone" new. "I can't say whether or not it's going to work out, but she's definitely not joining a nunnery." Another definite: The onetime hetero won't be going back to boys. "This I will tell you without any equivocation," he says, "Willow's gay."

Well, there was that whole Oz (Seth Green) phase... "It takes a while for some people to realize it," reasons Whedon. "Truthfully, when we first started the [Willow-Tara love story], we were like, 'Is [Willow] bi? Is she gay? What do we want to say? What do we want to do?'

"We decided it would be unfair of us, particularly considering the circumstances of Tara's controversial death, to say, 'Oh, now Willow's over it.' Or, 'Willow's bi so we can have more storylines,'" he continues. "So, we do have somebody in mind that Willow will meet in the future who might shake up her world just a little bit — and it'll be a girl."

— Michael Ausiello