Why do you think Tara is so popular?

[Aimee]

I never really got why Tara had such a strong following.
In her favour she's nice, sweet, and strong in a quiet way.
On the other hand she developed very slowly as a character. It wasn't until season 6 that I got a glimpse of real opinion and personality from her. Breaking up with Willow did wonders for her!

 

[Nix]

I liked her because she came across to me as gentle and she cared for everyone deeply. She cared also what others thought about her deep down and she knew right from wrong.

 

[Tuppence]

While she was never one of my top favourite characters, she is likeable and I understand why she is so popular with others.
I think part of it is she is the only completely non-negative or malicious character. All the others are either completely bad, turned bad briefly or have had moments when they've turned on those close to them for whatever reason. Yet Tara remains rather calm and a image of goodness and she is completely unbias- she is never motivated by taking sides, but rather what she believes is morally right. Even dating Willow doesn't seem to mean that she automatically choose her side. She also tries her best to understand everyone, no matter what their mistakes or decisions.

 

[TaylorSwift]

[MENTION=11693]Living Dead Boy[/MENTION] said it better than anyone else!

I didn't care much about Tara...I mean, I liked her but not so much that she's my favorite or that I truly love her. She was always nice and was there all the time for everyone. She was pretty selfless and sort of this incredibly sweet person.

 

[Ethan Reigns]

I never cared that much for Tara, but there is one thing to be said for her - she never did anything malicious. I can't think of any other character in the series you could say that about.

 

[SlayerFest]

Because she was a rare soul. Tara was the kind of person that alot of people can relate to, in more ways than one. She was this shy, insecure person who transformed into this confident, self-assured woman. She represented strength, kindness, and she actually restored my faith in humanity. 😉 The fact that she wasn't this stereotype, like the butch lesbian, made her even more extraordinary. Her orientation wasn't a factor. She was a human being, first and foremost, and a beautiful one at that.

Basically. I actually thought that most people disliked her because...she occasionally stutters? Haha I can't even think of anything negaive to say about her, but I didn't realize that so many people actually love her. She might be the only character that has never annoyed the crap out of me. Whenever I watch "Family" and I hear Buffy say that she doesn't "get" her I'm like, no kidding Buffy. No.kidding.

---------- Post added at 09:52 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:45 AM ----------

I cannot speak for "everyone" - or anyone who isn't me, so I'll just speak for me. 🙂

I love Tara because...

- when we first meet her (in Willow's wiccan group) everyone is sitting on chairs in a circle. Except for Tara. She's on the floor. When Willow mentions doing spells, she tries to speak up for her - to stand up for willow when the others basically laugh her off stage (as it were) - yes, she falters - she's not ready yet.... But she tries. when she didn't even try to speak up for herself and ask for a chair!

- She braves the monsters in Hush to try and find Willow in order to stop them

- Willow cannot move the vending machine, her magic isn't that powerful yet, but with Tara's help it goes zooming to the door

(just realized all that happened in the same ep - so her introduction was powerful - for me)

- I love that she stutters when she gets nervous

- I love that in "Family", she displays no hate or rage at her family, but only smiles when her cousin asks, maliciously, if she's "happy now"

- I love how supportive she is of Buffy when she tells her about spike

- I love that, after nearly being attacked by werewolf oz, her first thought is to tell willow that the innitiative took him - her thought was of his safety

- I love her crooked smile

- I love that rather than enable willow in her addiction, she leaves

- and I love when she comes back "can we just skip all that? can you just be kissing me now?"

🙂

that's some of the reasons I love tara.

---------- Post added at 10:35 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:16 PM ----------

Not to forget her background..... What she must have gone through..... the oppression and the fear.... No wonder she has trouble finding her voice!

Apparently you're the last person I repped...however long ago that was haha but I totally agree with all of that. Just because Tara is quiet or not as outspoken as the rest of them doesn't make her pointless or bland...in my opinion.

 

[Buffy Summers]

Has Joss every written anything about the character? I almost feel like she's his favorite or something, because she never does anything terrrible lol

 

[Once more wNeNe]

This is an easy one. Because she is neat and awesome. I hope that helps answer your question.

 

[Robb Stark]

But see, to me, the simple explanation of "she's so nice and sweet", or something of a similar vein, doesn't really explain much. I mean, Willow was built exactly the same way for the first three seasons of the show, but in a much more interesting way. I certainly don't dislike Tara, but there's just nothing interesting or compelling about her as a character.

 

[Evil Angelus 95]

I've thought more, and I can add more to my reasoning of why I like it that goes beyond the simple 'Amber played her amazing' and 'the character was nice'. 😛

I find it interesting that she was the one to bring out Willow's bisexual nature (Yep, I consider her to be Bi, since it makes more sense than her just becoming a Lesbian out of the blue and never having a chance of loving a guy again). Before the two of them met, Willow was just coming out of a traumatic breakup with Oz, and she needed something or someone to make her forget. This is kinda the start of her extended use of any kind of magick, since she does go to the Wicca group that Tara was in, and during S4 & S5 start to do more and more spells

Also, before she met Willow, Tara was just a simple, shy, Wicca interested girl that, apparently, didn't have very many friends. Once she met Willow, she started to come out of her shell, and deal with the issue of how she thought she was part Demon. When she also became involved with Willow, she also gained a 'family' with the rest of the Scoobies, something she was missing in her life considering the situation with her real family.

In short, I think that Tara brought out the best in Willow, and vice versa.

Also, I guess that I liked her character because she was one of the most 'normal', and I use that term loosely, people in the Scooby group. She really didn't try to be anything more than what she was.

 

[Blaze]

I absolutely ADORE Tara...and I mean when she died I cried for days and my parents were starting to wonder if there was anything wrong with me! Basicly I'm just going to agree with what everyone already said about her being this sweet, kind hearted character!

I also want to add that I think for anyone who grew up being bisexual/gay she was an amazing role model at the time. I feel like Buffy was the first main stream ("teenager") show that portrayed a gay relationship as actually being something normal. So I feel like a lot of people also looked up to her in that sense. I remember reading somewhere about Amber Benson saying she use to receive fan mail about how the characters Willow and Tara helped them come out or something like that, and I can absolutely believe that!

 

[cemeterybabe]

I think Tara is so popular because she is so relatable and the most unselfish character in the entire show. When Glory was crushing her hand, she still didn't tell her that Dawn was the key. She was willing to let Willow be with Oz even if she had feelings for her.

I love Tara because the actress who plays her is gorgeous and smart, so her personality shines through Tara's character already. She made Tara believable, but that doesn't mean that they other actors and actresses didn't either in the series. I love Tara because she is a shy girl who over came her shyness. She is a good role model for girls who didn't or don't know how to speak up for themselves.

 

[Joan the Vampire Slayer]

Now, this isn't a criticism of her at all, because I like her, but I've never quite understood how she's become one of the most popular and beloved characters in the Buffyverse. I like her, and she develops tremendously in the sixth season and in the back nine of the fifth. That was really cool to see.

Maybe it's because I've always had a soft spot for the early seasons and I was such a huge fan of Oz, but I've never really got the love people have for Tara. Could anyone explain it to me?

Tara is popular because she's down-to-earth. She's common. You could argue that, compared to the others, there was nothing special about her. Fans can relate to her.

Also, she died tragically. People always seem to love that.

 

[white avenger]

What I liked about Tara was her gentleness and quiet nature. Everyone else on the show was, in their own way, powerful, they knew it (even Xander was a super carpenter) and they pretty much showed it. Tara was just as powerful in her own way as any of them, but you would never know it just to look at her or be around her. She didn't have Buffy's or Spike's strength, and it's debatable whether or not she was as powerful a witch as Willow (I think probably so) but when it was required, she was quite capable of handling her share of a fight.

 

[thewordlover]

Tara represents a different kind of strength. She isn't loud or rambunctious or usually much of a physical fighter (although she is a talented witch (and more wise about the use of that power than Willow), but she has a core inner strength that grows as she heals and transcends her abusive childhood. She knows who is she by the end of "Family", and only grows more protective and loving of the Scoobies, her family, as time passes. She's smart, she's empathetic, and when Willow starts to abuse her, she leaves a situation that is dangerous and wrong, no matter how much she loves Willow. She has the ability to make the choice of what is both difficult and right for her. I love her quiet strength and caring (her relationships with Dawn and Buffy are particularly touching, and Willow/Tara is amazing (except when it's really terrible and sad...)). I love her, and I think that some of the things I've mentioned here have probably resonated with others, too.

 

[iShower4free]

I feel like i'm the only person who was really indifferent towards the character of Tara. When she died I was shocked but didn't exactly have an emotional response towards it. 🙁 don't hate me everyone

 

[Buffy Summers]

I think there are plenty of people who feel that way (myself included).

---------- Post added at 05:56 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:49 PM ----------

iShower4free agrees: Good haha, because the only responses I read were about how much everyone loved her

Read the "How did you feel when Tara was shot" thread 🙂

 

[makeupdoll91]

Personally, I thought Tara was boring, and overall just lame and insecure. I found characters like Faith and Spike more gravitating ..hell I even liked Anya and Dawn more! The only other person I disliked as much as Tara was Reily, he sucked. I couldn't stand Tara's goodie two shoe attitude, and the stuttering! I also don't think Tara was very cute. I mean sometimes Tara didn't bother me, but literally 90% of the time she did. I mean when she was mad at Willow for doing magic ..just shut the **** up already and let Willow be Willow. Tara was just a useless character and at least Oz had a different part in the show being a werewolf and all. They could have done better with that.

 

[WillowTaraHolic]

Personally, I thought Tara was boring, and overall just lame and insecure. I found characters like Faith and Spike more gravitating ..hell I even liked Anya and Dawn more! The only other person I disliked as much as Tara was Reily, he sucked. I couldn't stand Tara's goodie two shoe attitude, and the stuttering! I also don't think Tara was very cute. I mean sometimes Tara didn't bother me, but literally 90% of the time she did. I mean when she was mad at Willow for doing magic ..just shut the **** up already and let Willow be Willow. Tara was just a useless character and at least Oz had a different part in the show being a werewolf and all. They could have done better with that.

I respect your opinion and I'm not trying to change it, but on the topic of Willow's magic abuse and Tara's reaction to it...

Magic, in the Buffyverse, had the possibility of killing Willow and/or making her turn dark. (e.g. Dark Willow) Did you see what Willow did to Dawn? No one else knew what was coming; Tara's reaction was simply an early effort to stop Willow from becoming dark. How would you feel if Willow died instead of Tara? Referencing your opinion, you would probably feel pretty crappy, and you have Tara and common sense to thank for the fact that Willow didn't get permanently physically or mentally injured and/or died.

Magic is treated like a drug on the show. If Willow was smoking a bunch of Marijuana and taking a bunch of Heroin, (Which is basically the same thing as using too much magic) would you want Tara to at least make an effort to stop her?

I'll let you think on that. Again, not trying to change your opinion. Just letting you see the other side of the argument.

 

[Robb Stark]

I didn't care for Tara because she served very little purpose on her own. Her entire role revolved completely around Willow. Does she have one storyline, just one, that doesn't involve Willow? I guess there is the episode with her family, but that's done more to just explain who she is than for anything else.

I don't "hate" Tara, I just don't understand the love-in. Every other character has their own arcs, stories and purposes. Tara just has Willow. That's it.