Tara Thornton
Encyclopedia
Tara Mae Thornton is a fictional character in Charlaine Harris
's The Southern Vampire Mysteries
and their television adaptation, HBO's True Blood
.
. Compiling a description of her character is a complex task because quite a few facts about her changed when her character was brought from page to screen.
The fact that Tara had a neglected childhood is one fact that remains the same, but in the books, we read that both of her parents were abusive alcoholics; on True Blood, the only parent we see and hear about is her mother. The television show also expands Tara's family to include the spared Lafayette Reynolds and his mother, Ruby Jean Reynolds.
, Tara is engaged to "Eggs" Benedict Talley, but this relationship ends when a secret sex party they attend ends badly. She then opens up a clothing store called Tara's Togs, and then briefly dates the vampire Franklin Mott. He soon dumps her and gives her to the vampire Mickey who turns out to be a sadist. The situation with Mickey gets so bad, Sookie and the vampire Eric Northman must take steps to rescue her.
After owning and operating her own business for a few years, Tara becomes ready to settle down. During the events of All Together Dead
, she and JB du Rone elope. Tara is currently pregnant with JB's twins. She confides this to Sookie, telling her that she did not plan on having a baby, but felt she should try her best and be the great mother that she herself never had. It is Claude who reveals that Tara is having twins, a boy and a girl.
. Actress Brook Kerr
was the first choice to portray Tara, but she was replaced immediately after the pilot episode.
In the beginning of the television show, Tara lives with her mother Lettie Mae, who is described as a alcoholic turned fundamentalist who brings nothing but misery to Tara's life. As a child Tara would run to Sookie's house to get away from her mother's beatings. It is because of this and the fact that Tara accepted Sookie for who she was without dismissing what she was (a telepath) that the two became best friends. Despite enduring years of abuse, neglect, and disappointment from her mother, Tara still cares deeply about Lettie Mae's well-being, however, Tara is a very angry and wounded individual.
Tara leaves her mother's house and moves into Lafayette's home. The discovery of a hidden web cam in his bathroom results in her moving out and into her own apartment. After her mother undergoes an exorcism, Tara briefly moves back in with her, but then Tara is arrested for DUI, so Lettie Mae kicks Tara back out. Tara is later bailed out by the mysterious "social worker" Maryann and she takes up residence at Maryann's luxurious estate.
Sam Merlotte
, Tara's boss, and Tara explore the possibilities of a romantic relationship, but it never establishes, and before they can give it another try, Tara meets "Eggs" Benedict Talley. "Eggs" also lives with Maryann and it is at the "social worker's" house that the two meet. Sensing that something is not quite right with the mysterious lady, Tara resists the temptation to live with them permanently and moves in with Sookie. However, Sookie goes to Dallas, Texas and leaves Tara alone. A vulnerable Tara succumbs to the draw of Maryann and Eggs, but instead of moving in with them, Tara invites the pair to move into Sookie's. Tara and Eggs use this opportunity to get to know each other, and Tara even falls in love with him despite his questionable past. The relationship ends when Eggs is killed by Jason Stackhouse
.
Tara then crosses paths with the sociopathic vampire Franklin Mott. Franklin glamours and bites her, kidnaps her and holds her bound in a bathroom and takes her to the Mississippi mansion of Russell Edgington. Franklin mixes romantic talk and the prospect of turning her into a vampire with coercive actions, while Tara attempts to soothe him with compliant words, while plotting her own escape. She escapes him on her second attempt, and makes it back to Bon Temps, where she seeks help in a rape survivors' group. Franklin confronts her once more in the parking lot of Merlotte's a few nights later. Franklin is also killed by Jason Stackhouse.
Jason, the object of Tara's affection since she was a little girl, takes her back to his house to recover. They kiss, but then Jason confesses to being the one who shot Eggs. Tara leaves his place and goes back to Merlotte's where she finds a very angry-at-the-world Sam. The two end up spending another night together, and in the morning Tara feels a little less frayed around the edges. The feeling does not last, however, as Sam decides to reveal his shape-shifting secret to her. She leaves his house and goes back to her mother's house where she finds Lettie Mae in an intimate situation with the Reverend Daniels. It is all too much for Tara, and she leaves Bon Temps for destinations unknown.
In season 4, Tara has changed her name to Toni, and moved to New Orleans, working as a cage fighter. Tara is seen dating another female fighter, Naomi. In the final minutes of the season finale, she is seen pushing Sookie Stackhouse out of the way of a shotgun
blast but the buckshot hits her in the side and back of the head and neck.
Charlaine Harris
Charlaine Harris is a New York Times bestselling author who has been writing mysteries for over twenty years. She was born and raised in the Mississippi River Delta area of the United States. She now lives in southern Arkansas with her husband and three children...
's The Southern Vampire Mysteries
The Southern Vampire Mysteries
The Southern Vampire Mysteries, also known as The Sookie Stackhouse Novels, is a series of books written by bestselling author Charlaine Harris that were first published in 2001 and now serve as the source material for the HBO television series True Blood...
and their television adaptation, HBO's True Blood
True Blood
True Blood is an American television series created and produced by Alan Ball. It is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris, detailing the co-existence of vampires and humans in Bon Temps, a fictional, small town in the state of Louisiana...
.
Biography
Tara Thornton is a twenty-something Louisiana native and life long friend of the main protagonist, Sookie StackhouseSookie Stackhouse
Sookie Stackhouse is the fictional protagonist and narrating voice of Charlaine Harris' The Southern Vampire Mysteries and the television adaptation, HBO's True Blood.-Biography:...
. Compiling a description of her character is a complex task because quite a few facts about her changed when her character was brought from page to screen.
The fact that Tara had a neglected childhood is one fact that remains the same, but in the books, we read that both of her parents were abusive alcoholics; on True Blood, the only parent we see and hear about is her mother. The television show also expands Tara's family to include the spared Lafayette Reynolds and his mother, Ruby Jean Reynolds.
The Southern Vampire Mysteries
Tara has two siblings, a brother and a sister. They both left Bon Temps and Tara behind as soon as they were able. In Living Dead in DallasLiving Dead in Dallas
Living Dead in Dallas is the second book in Charlaine Harris's series The Southern Vampire Mysteries. This second novel follows the adventures of telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse of Bon Temps, Louisiana, as she is employed by Dallas vampires to use her telepathy to help find their lost companion...
, Tara is engaged to "Eggs" Benedict Talley, but this relationship ends when a secret sex party they attend ends badly. She then opens up a clothing store called Tara's Togs, and then briefly dates the vampire Franklin Mott. He soon dumps her and gives her to the vampire Mickey who turns out to be a sadist. The situation with Mickey gets so bad, Sookie and the vampire Eric Northman must take steps to rescue her.
After owning and operating her own business for a few years, Tara becomes ready to settle down. During the events of All Together Dead
All Together Dead
All Together Dead is the seventh book in Charlaine Harris's series The Southern Vampire Mysteries.-Plot summary:The summit, which has attracted undead power players from all over the central United States, is sure to be tense, due partly to the ramping up of protests by the conservative,...
, she and JB du Rone elope. Tara is currently pregnant with JB's twins. She confides this to Sookie, telling her that she did not plan on having a baby, but felt she should try her best and be the great mother that she herself never had. It is Claude who reveals that Tara is having twins, a boy and a girl.
True Blood
In the HBO series True Blood, Tara is portrayed by actress Rutina WesleyRutina Wesley
Rutina Wesley is an American film, stage, and television actress best known for her role as Tara Thornton on the HBO series True Blood.-Early life:...
. Actress Brook Kerr
Brook Kerr
Brook Kerr is an American actress who is best known for her portrayal of Whitney Russell Harris on the television soap opera, Passions.-Biography:...
was the first choice to portray Tara, but she was replaced immediately after the pilot episode.
In the beginning of the television show, Tara lives with her mother Lettie Mae, who is described as a alcoholic turned fundamentalist who brings nothing but misery to Tara's life. As a child Tara would run to Sookie's house to get away from her mother's beatings. It is because of this and the fact that Tara accepted Sookie for who she was without dismissing what she was (a telepath) that the two became best friends. Despite enduring years of abuse, neglect, and disappointment from her mother, Tara still cares deeply about Lettie Mae's well-being, however, Tara is a very angry and wounded individual.
Tara leaves her mother's house and moves into Lafayette's home. The discovery of a hidden web cam in his bathroom results in her moving out and into her own apartment. After her mother undergoes an exorcism, Tara briefly moves back in with her, but then Tara is arrested for DUI, so Lettie Mae kicks Tara back out. Tara is later bailed out by the mysterious "social worker" Maryann and she takes up residence at Maryann's luxurious estate.
Sam Merlotte
Sam Merlotte
Sam Merlotte is a fictional character from the The Southern Vampire Mysteries/Sookie Stackhouse Series by author Charlaine Harris.Sam lives in the fictional town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, and is the owner of a bar named Merlotte's. Sam has strawberry blond hair with blue eyes. He is both a close...
, Tara's boss, and Tara explore the possibilities of a romantic relationship, but it never establishes, and before they can give it another try, Tara meets "Eggs" Benedict Talley. "Eggs" also lives with Maryann and it is at the "social worker's" house that the two meet. Sensing that something is not quite right with the mysterious lady, Tara resists the temptation to live with them permanently and moves in with Sookie. However, Sookie goes to Dallas, Texas and leaves Tara alone. A vulnerable Tara succumbs to the draw of Maryann and Eggs, but instead of moving in with them, Tara invites the pair to move into Sookie's. Tara and Eggs use this opportunity to get to know each other, and Tara even falls in love with him despite his questionable past. The relationship ends when Eggs is killed by Jason Stackhouse
Jason Stackhouse
Jason Stackhouse is a fictional character from The Southern Vampire Mysteries book series by author Charlaine Harris. Introduced in the first novel, Dead Until Dark, Jason is Sookie Stackhouse's older brother and road crew supervisor for Bon Temps....
.
Tara then crosses paths with the sociopathic vampire Franklin Mott. Franklin glamours and bites her, kidnaps her and holds her bound in a bathroom and takes her to the Mississippi mansion of Russell Edgington. Franklin mixes romantic talk and the prospect of turning her into a vampire with coercive actions, while Tara attempts to soothe him with compliant words, while plotting her own escape. She escapes him on her second attempt, and makes it back to Bon Temps, where she seeks help in a rape survivors' group. Franklin confronts her once more in the parking lot of Merlotte's a few nights later. Franklin is also killed by Jason Stackhouse.
Jason, the object of Tara's affection since she was a little girl, takes her back to his house to recover. They kiss, but then Jason confesses to being the one who shot Eggs. Tara leaves his place and goes back to Merlotte's where she finds a very angry-at-the-world Sam. The two end up spending another night together, and in the morning Tara feels a little less frayed around the edges. The feeling does not last, however, as Sam decides to reveal his shape-shifting secret to her. She leaves his house and goes back to her mother's house where she finds Lettie Mae in an intimate situation with the Reverend Daniels. It is all too much for Tara, and she leaves Bon Temps for destinations unknown.
In season 4, Tara has changed her name to Toni, and moved to New Orleans, working as a cage fighter. Tara is seen dating another female fighter, Naomi. In the final minutes of the season finale, she is seen pushing Sookie Stackhouse out of the way of a shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
blast but the buckshot hits her in the side and back of the head and neck.