Previous January 2003

More January 2003

It's ironic that the first time we see Tara (performed admirably by Amber Benson) is in Hush. She's a quiet sort, who stutters, and particularly in her first year spoke more through subtle actions then she did with words. Yet there were times when the slightest peep from her had serious repercussions. In "Family" Tara put a spell on her friends for fear they would learn she was a demon. She punctuated her spell with a nonverbal blowing of dust from her hand. When Tara was mad from Glory's powers, a mere look at Dawn & a slip of the tongue was all it took for Glory's season long search to be at an end. Tara was in a quiet way the most powerful of Scoobies when it came to body language. She could tell before anyone else when something was wrong. Second only to Giles, Tara stood up against Willow when she sensed Willow's use of magic would be her undoing. Tara quietly sat there by Buffy's side after Joyce's passing, and gave quiet comfort to the Slayer when no one else could. Tara read Spike's body language during the episode "Trapped" when Buffy had decided to try and go cold turkey from his affections, communicating both verbally & nonverbally to Spike in ways that kept the secret safe but made things clear with Spike where Tara stood. There were things about Tara we knew without her having to make a speech about them. We understood her loyalties and her dislikes. Much of this is to the credit of Amber Benson's exceptional acting talents - for she was able to put on the screen things that no writer could put on a page, while still being true to the material given.

When we first see her in Hush, her body language tells us volumes. She's not quick to speak up for herself. Her demeanor lacks self-confidence and certainty. She appears to have mostly gone through life seen and not heard. She let others speak on her behalf. She also seems to have quite a bit of fear behind those eyes, like a skittish but adorable little bunny rabbit who has had one too many brushes with noisy cars on county roads. What we don't learn in this first encounter is that the very concept of Tara attending college was an act of defiance against her upbringing. Only recently had she begun to take a stand for herself, and was uncertain with her newfound place in the world, like a newly born fawn just getting her legs underneath her. However, that too can be sensed from Benson's early performances.

Second perhaps only to Buffy in this episode, Tara herself has the most physical action of the episode. She fashions a plan for survival without any outside input. She puts it into action by collecting her magic books and rushing towards Willow's dorm room. On the way there, she is confronted by The Gentlemen, who chase Tara across the college campus and force her to run. This chase scene is slightly echoed later in the season when Oz learns Tara & Willow had by then become an item.

Rather haphazardly, Tara finally makes her destination. She runs into Willow, and together they continue the chase. Locking themselves inside a small room, with only a heavy soda machine to keep the fae at bay, they attempt to conventionally move the machine to the door. Willow noticeably twists her ankle and falls to the floor. Tara runs to her side.

Now comes the single most effective nonverbal moment in all of Hush, and perhaps the entire series. Tara looks into Willow's eyes. They take hands. Then immediately both look towards the soda fountain and the door. With their accumulated power of magic, they telekinetically accomplish what their physical prowess could not, thus protecting themselves from their would-be captors. It's a powerful, compelling moment. In that instance their relationship seems destined and locked. Friends. Sisters. Lovers. Fated.

Never in any appearance of Tara throughout the series did Tara seem incapable of reading body language. She wasn't good when it came to words, but she could sense from what people didn't say in a room whether or not she was truly welcome. Her empathy seemed unparalleled. Benson projected simultaneously a respect and joy for life coupled with a perpetual melancholy. Not easy to do. Much of it was without words. She is to be commended.

Now, on the opposite side of this body language spectrum character-wise (but certainly not acting wise as they're both very talented) was the role of Xander in Hush, played of course by Nicholas Brendan. While Tara communicated as much or more with deeds as words, Xander's always been mostly the opposite, and when The Gentlemen stole their voices, Xander was like a fish out of water.

[I have more to say but have run out of time presently. Perhaps Darby or someone else can step in and do the compare and contrast of Xander's actions both in Hush and elsewhere throughout the series. There are many moments where to the audience a character's body language gave one thing away but Xander was oblivious to it. An inability to read body lanuage is a very telling and consistent aspect of Xander's character throughout the run of the series.]