Tara Mae Thornton

Season(s)

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

First seen

"Strange Love"

Last seen

"Save Yourself"

Appeared in

60 episodes (see below)

Mentioned in

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Also Known As

Toni

Status

Undead

Age

Made Vampire at 27

Date of birth

1982

Date of death

2009 (made vampire)

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Origin

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Profession

Fangtasia Bartender / Dancer
Merlotte's Bartender (formerly)
Cage Fighter (formerly) Sales Associate(formerly) quits episode 1

Species

Vampire

Powers

Enhanced strength, speed, senses, and endurance, healing factor, glamouring

Family members

Reverend Daniels - Stepfather
Lettie Mae Thornton - Mother
Pam - Maker
Eric Northman - (Pam's Maker)
Ruby Jean Reynolds - Aunt
Lafayette Reynolds - Cousin
Benedict Talley - Former Boyfriend (deceased)
Colin - Vampire Brother
Nora Gainesborough

Portrayed by

Rutina Wesley
Avion Baker (young)
Brook Kerr (unaired pilot)

[[:Category:{{{Images}}}|Images]]

"I am many things but sweet ain't one of them."

―Tara^[src]

Tara Mae Thornton is a major character in the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth seasons of True Blood. She is played by starring cast member Rutina Wesley and debuts in "Strange Love". Tara is a vampire. She has been Sookie Stackhouse's best friend since childhood. Tara is the daughter of Lettie Mae Daniels, the cousin of Lafayette Reynolds and the vampire progeny of Pam. Tara is a strong-willed person who has had to deal with a multitude of abuses in her life.

PersonalityEdit

According to Alan Ball, Tara is the smartest person in Bon Temps, Louisiana, but her cynical nature, born of her abusive background, has made her extremely blunt and often confrontational with others. She is, however, fiercely protective of her loved ones (including her best friend Sookie Stackhouse). Even to a fault, often hating those who could cause them harm.

History Edit

Powers and AbilitiesEdit

Tara, like her cousin Lafayette, has been said to have some magical potential. While conducting an "exorcism", Miss Jeanette drugged Tara with a harmless hallucinogen that made her see a younger version of herself with blacked out eyes. This characteristic is also shown in humans who were under the spell of the Maenad Maryann Forrester. Maryann later stated that even though the exorcism was fake, Tara summoned her.

Tara has been shown numerous times to be a skilled fighter. After drunkenly leaving Marlotte's, Tara finds two men and in a fit of anger punches one of them. He falls straight to the ground and as he gets up, Franklin Mott throws him against a car door. He then holds the other man while Tara repeatedly punches him. Later, Tara and Sookie fight and defeat a werewolf in order to escape Russell Edgington's mansion. After finding out that Bill Compton almost drained Sookie dry, tara kicks him out of a truck and into the sunlight. Tara also used to be a professional cage fighter in New Orleans.

In 2009 Tara returns to Bon Temps after hearing her best friend Sookie returned alive. While home, she joined her cousin Lafayette and his boyfriend Jesus Velasquez at a coven meeting. After reanimating a dead bird and getting willingly possessed by Antonia Gavilán de Logroño, coven leader Marnie Stonebrook gave a drunk Tara a vision. This showed he being raped by a vampire. Antonia proceeded to ask Tara to enlist a group of witches to perform a day-walking spell, in which Tara took part. After being trapped in the Moon Goddess Emporium by Marnie, Holly Cleary convinced Tara to cast a spell to free them from the Emporium. The spell was a success, but Marnie caught them and teleported them back inside the shop.

Tara is seen bearing a revolver pistol loaded with wooden bullets. She seems to be a skilled marksman, as seen in the graveyard battle when she successfully shoots and kills a speeding Vampire attacking her from behind.

Vampire abilitiesEdit

After Debbie Pelt surprises Sookie in her kitchen with a shotgun, Tara jumps in front of Sookie, taking a bullet and sustaining a shot to the head. Pam appears asking after her maker Eric Northman. Sookie and Lafayette plead Pam to change Tara into a vampire. Tara is made into a vampire about two nights later, and starts to hate Sookie and Lafayette.

Tara now possesses the normal powers and weaknesses of a vampire. ("Turn! Turn! Turn!") Tara will forever retain the appearance and health of a young woman. She has an infinite lifespan and cannot die by natural human causes such as disease or old age. She also has superhuman strength. Though she is weaker than most of her elders, Tara has proven to be the same strength as Jessica Hamby, a vampire older than her by almost two years. She also proves to be a superior fighter due to her previous skills as a cage fighter. She was able to hold her own against Jessica and throw her across a room with one hand. Tara can move at a blurring speed. Tara's vision has enhanced. She is able to see things in the dark and with more vibrant colors. Tara healed from the gunshot wound to her head after she was turned, and was able to regenerate her entire skin within minutes after burning it off in the sun parlor.

Tara has a high level of self-control for a vampire her age due to her dislike of vampires before being turned. She was able to resist feeding from a helpless girl she found in the woods.

QuotesEdit

• Tara: Don't you feel sorry for yellin' at that snoopy old bitch. She's been stickin' her nose where it don't belong for years.
• Tara: It's been a while since I been attacked by a vampire. And guess what? It still sucks!!
• Tara: I'd like to drag her in a cage and beat her ass good.
• Tara: I'm gonna rip open your heart and fry it with some Grits - and Collard Greens.

There is an image gallery for Tara Thornton

Notes Edit

• Tara is portrayed by actress Rutina Wesley. While actress Brook Kerr was actually the first choice to portray Tara, she was replaced immediately after the pilot episode.
• Tara is the second main character to be turned into a vampire, after Jessica Hamby. (Note: Jessica Hamby was not a main character when she was turned. Tara is the first main character to be turned into a vampire.)
• Both Tara and her maker Pam are considered bisexual having had sexual relationships with both men and women (and as of now each other)

AppearancesEdit

ReferencesEdit