in the original queer coding of magic in buffy's first five seasons, amy is allegorically an incest victim who discovers magic through her mother's abuse of her and then begins to experiment with it on her own terms. this implies that she has feelings for willow. consequently, the turn in season six from queer coding to substance use becomes amy battling addiction after a years long essential magical binge against her will because a spell backfired. after all, magic is dangerous. the show has always said this, even when magic was queer coded. it can kill people. giles and ethan both knew this after having practiced unsafe magic together, during the aids crisis. then fresh off a breakup with tara over her addiction, willow and amy go on a bender together, when amy has harbored something for willow since they were girls, before she was abused and her relationship with power and control changed.
we should talk more about the giles and ethan part later by the way
