Tara Mae Thornton is a fictional character in Charlaine Harris' The Southern Vampire Mysteries and their television adaptation, HBO's True Blood.
Profile
Tara Mae Thornton is a twenty-something Louisiana native and lifelong friend of the main protagonist, Sookie Stackhouse.
The books establish that Tara's parents were abusive alcoholics. The television show expands Tara's family to include her cousin Lafayette Reynolds and his mother, Ruby Jean Reynolds.
The Southern Vampire Mysteries
Tara has two siblings, a brother and a sister. They left Bon Temps and Tara behind as soon as they were able to. In Living Dead in Dallas, Tara is engaged to "Eggs" Benedict Talley, but this relationship ends when a secret sex party they attend goes awry. She then opens up a clothing store called "Tara's Togs" and 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 that Sookie and the vampire Eric Northman must take action 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 confides to Sookie that she's pregnant with JB's twins, 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. She later gives birth to a daughter named Sara Sookie and a son named Robert Thornton with help from Sookie. She and JB go through some financial problems after the birth of the twins. To Tara's annoyance, JB decides to work as a stripper at Hooligans, a bar owned by Sookie's fairy cousin Claude. After the events in Dead Ever After, Tara and JB divorce. Tara subsequently became successful in her business, opening a series of clothing stores.
True Blood
In the HBO series True Blood, Tara is portrayed by actress Rutina Wesley. Actress Brook Kerr was originally cast in the role but was replaced after the pilot episode. She first appeared in the BloodCopy.com's video “Maxine & Tara Thornton interview”.
Seasons 1 and 2
At the beginning of the television show, Tara lives with her mother Lettie Mae, who is described as an 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. Because of this and Tara's acceptance of Sookie as a telepath, they became best friends. Despite enduring years of abuse, neglect, and disappointment from her mother, Tara still cares deeply about Lettie Mae's well-being. Tara is depicted as a very angry and wounded individual.
Tara leaves her mother's house and moves into Lafayette's home. The discovery of a hidden webcam 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 Forrester, and she takes up residence at Maryann's luxurious estate.
Tara and Sam Merlotte, who is Tara's boss, explore the possibilities of a romantic relationship. Before they can give it another try, Tara meets "Eggs" Benedict Talley, who also lives with Maryann. 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 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.
Seasons 3 and 4
Tara then crosses paths with the sociopathic vampire Franklin Mott. Franklin glamours, bites, and kidnaps her, keeping her bound in a bathroom. He 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 Bar and Grill a few nights later and attempts to kidnap her again. Tara is saved when Jason Stackhouse arrives and kills Franklin.