Tara (Kim Possible)

Tara is a supporting character in the Disney Channel series, Kim Possible. She is a member of the Middleton High School Cheerleaders a love interest of Ron Stoppable. 
== Role in the series ==
=== Background ===
Tara is an 18-year-old student attending Middleton High School. Aside from attending classes, Tara is also a member of the Middleton High School Cheerleaders being a leading member of the group. When the team captain, Kim Possible, decided to let her best and sidekick Ron Stoppable become the cheer-team’s mascot, Tara was the only one not to oppose this decision. She quickly warmed up to Ron and soon after developed a crush on him, but was to shy to admit it. Since joint the team, Tara has developed strong friendships with her fellow cheerleaders, including the captain Kim Possible who she looks up to as an older sister-figure. 
In "Sink or Swim", after receiving an invitation for an upcoming cheerleading competition outside of Middleton, Tara and the other Middleton Cheerleaders head out by bus to attend. Along the way, they chant their Mad Dog cheers, practicing for the competition, much to the annoyance of their driver and coach Steve Barkin. When Ron’s antics upset the other girls, Tara too is bothered by them but unlike her friends she silently tolerates them. Like everyone else on the bus Tara stares in concern at Ron when he starts to freak out after realizing that they are traveling on the road towards Camp Wannaweep, his old summer camp where he had to endure traumatic miseries.
At night, after the sun sets, the bus carrying the cheerleaders suddenly blows its front tires causing it to swerve off the road. Luckily, thanks to Barkin’s driving the bus does not crash and stops right in front of the Camp Wannaweep entrance. Barkin soon checks on the others to make sure no one is injured. Tara along with everyone else let’s him know that they are ok. With the tires flat all the cheerleaders including Tara pull out their cellphones in order to call for help, but to their shock they have no service. Barkin then tells Ron to lead the way to the camp’s pay phone so that they can call for help. Excited about being able to call the shots for once, Ron goes on to make speech about his expertise of the camp. This causes Tara to stare at him silent confusion unable to make out her thoughts on his odd behavior. 
After they all exit the bus Ron tells them about some of the dangers at the camp including poison ivy. This along with the eerie settings of the camp cause Tara to become increasingly nervous as Ron guides the team to the pay phone. Her nervousness only increases when the pay-phone is revealed to be out of order. Now officially creeped out, Tara starts to slightly panick; stating that they are in a horror movie situation where someone or something will pick them off one by one. Kim chastises Tara for acting panicking and acting like their situation is a horror movie; to which Ron claims it is. When Ron starts to lament about the bullying he was forced to endure from the other campers, Tara gasps and holds her mouth in shock before sympathetically inquiring if they call him names, which Ron confirms, Tara’s fellow cheerleader Crystal is then spooked and gasps. She claims to have seen something move on the ground, startling Tara and the other girls. Thankfully, it is revealed to just be a common squirrel. Soon after, Kim points out that with no way to leave they are stuck at the camp for night. Tara is visibility terrified at the prospect of staying at the camp, shuttering in fear once again. When Ron starts to lead the team towards the old campfire sight, Tara’s fear causes her to cling onto Kim’s arm in an attempt to find comfort. Though Kim disapproves of Tara being so scared and dramatic, she does give her friend support and comforts her on the way to the campfire sight. 
===Kim Possible: So the Drama!===
== Appearance ==
Tara is a young woman at 18 years of age. She possesses light blue eyes and wavy blond hair that reaches all the way down to her waste. For clothing she wears the standard Middleton High School Cheerleader outfit; purple sleeveless top with red lines on its upper and lower layers, a purple skirt with a small red line on top and a big red line on the bottom along with three yellow spiked-lines on the bottom of the back and front, and white strapping shoes with orange socks. The cheerleaders will also use a pair of bright yellow pom poms during their routines. 
== Personality ==
Unlike Bonnie who represents the stereotypical spoiled, selfish, and elitist view of a cheerleader, Tara is a kind, sweet, gentle, and friendly girl. This is shown especially through her interactions Ron Stoppable. Excluding Kim, Tara was the only member of the cheer squad who didn’t oppose Ron joining the team as its mascot. Instead she was quite accepting of Ron, finding him to be a funny and cute individual. This fondness for him eventually developed into a crush. While she could be sometimes bothered by his frequent antics, Tara, unlike the other cheerleaders, never complained and merely went along with them. 
Tara is also a very optimistic person. She try’s to see the best in everyone and everything, almost always looking for a way to brighten everyone’s mood. This optimism does make her gullible and often not the brightest person around, as noticed by Kim and Bonnie. Despite her optimism, Tara is not above panicking when things go wrong and she is also easily frightened. When stranded at Camp Wannaweep in the middle of the night, Tara started to overact and exaggerate about their condition be identical to that of a classic horror/slasher movie (which it was actually in some regards). This shows that when frightened she is prone to panicking. She can also be very shyat times, particularly around those who she has a crush on. It was this shyness that prevented Ron from first noticing her feelings from him as she was often unable to confess to him.
However, Tara is not entirely weak-willed. 
Though initially terrified after becoming entrapped by Gill’s slime, Tara’s fear was instantly gone after Ron seemingly abandoned her and the rest of the squad. Filled with anger over her crush’s supposed betrayal, she immediately and furiously denounced him as a ditcher. For the rest of her captivity with Gill, Tara no longer panicked like she would have before, instead showing defiance and anger towards the mutant who had impriosned her and her friends. Ironically, being hurt over Ron’s supposed betrayal brought the strong willed girl that Tara truly is.After being rescued by Ron and saved from turning into a mutant, her feelings for him returned stronger than ever, causing her to kiss him in gratitude, now more open to sharing her feelings with him.
==Gallery==
Tara (Kim Possible) Scare.png|Tara’s easily frightened and skittish side.|alt=|left|140x140px]]
Tara (Kim Possible).png|Tara constrained by her midriff and wrists in Gill’s slime.
File:Tara kisses Ron.gif|Tara kissing Ron after he rescues her from Gill.
==Navigation==
Category:Kim Possible characters
Category:Females
Category:Cheerleaders
Category:Heroines
Category:Teenagers
Category:Protagonists
Category:TV show characters
Category:Disney characters
Category:Fantasy characters