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When the infamous Titans member, Tara Markov, was brought back to life, few fans were surprised, as characters die in comic books all the time, and it’s rare that they actually stay dead. But what DC did with Terra next was a major subversion of the superhero cliché that everyone was expecting.

The return of Tara “Terra” Markov was explained in the story “Who Is Tara Markov?” by Geoff Johns, Ben Raab, and Derec Aucoin from The Titans: Secret Files & Origins #2.

Tara was a former Teen Titans member who turned out to be a major antagonist. She revealed her evil nature in the pages of the infamous Judas Contract storyline by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez. This story included the death of Tara, but as with most superhero comic characters, she didn’t stay dead for long.

Teen Titans’ Terra Returns to Life – Only to Be Revealed as a Twisted Clone?!

Titans Secret Files #2 “Who Is Tara Markov?” by Geoff Johns, Jay Faerber, Ben Raab, Derec Aucoin, Clem Robins, Tom McCraw and Ande Parks.

DC revealed that Tara’s coffin was empty, and Tara was back in the pages of Titans comics for good. But she had no memory of being the monster she used to be, calling into question if the character was really Tara Markov. It’s possible that she was a clone or even a confused time traveler. This confusion eventually culminated in Tara seeking out her half-brother, Geo-Force, to ask for a DNA test. But the results of this test shocked everyone, as Geo-Force informed her that she wasn’t truly his lost half-sister, Tara Markov.

Tara Markov is one of DC’s most complicated characters.

Tara Markov is one of DC’s most complicated characters. She came to the Titans and seemed like she truly needed a family. She managed to approach the Titans when they were at their most vulnerable, and they, of course, accepted her with open arms. It seemed that Tara was truly a member of the family; she even got pretty close to Beast Boy. But her true motivations for joining the team were as a spy for Deathstroke. Together, the two of them very nearly destroyed the Titans from the inside. After being tricked into thinking Deathstroke had betrayed her as well, Tara was consumed by rage and was ultimately killed by her own powers.

Titans’ New “Tara Markov” Reveals Her True, Shocking Identity

No Wonder It’s Easy to Compare Superhero Comics with Soap Operas

Years later, a second Tara appeared with the exact same powers. It was unclear to everyone exactly who she was, especially since Tara Markov’s grave was empty. Many thought Tara had returned from the dead, but the truth is actually much more confusing. This Tara wasn’t from the future or a resurrected villain. This Tara was from Strata, a world deep below the Earth’s surface. She had Tara Markov’s DNA mixed in with her own and was sent to act as the new Terra, which is why her DNA test returned positive. Still, being a true hero, Geo-Force tried to give this strange Tara a new future.

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Heroes and villains returning from the dead happens almost every Wednesday in comics. But those returns are rarely as confusing as Terra’s. Instead of simply having Tara Markov return from the dead without her memory, she was actually a different being with entirely similar powers, who had amnesia, who was also displaced in time, and who also had the original Tara’s DNA mixed in with hers. Characters returning from the dead can be convoluted, but DC really surprised everyone with how they handled the return of this iconic Titans character.

The Titans: Secret Files & Origins #2 is available now from DC Comics!

“}]] This tragic hero finally got a happily ever after.  Read More