When the infamous Titans member, Tara Markov, was brought back to life, few fans were surprised, as characters die in comics all the time, and it’s rare for them to actually stay dead. But what DC did next with Terra was a huge subversion of the superhero cliché everyone was expecting.
THE 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 and origins #2.
Tara was a former member of the Teen Titans who turned out to be a great antagonist. She revealed her evil nature in the pages of the infamous Judas Contract plot by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez. That story included Tara’s death, but as with most superhero comic book characters, she didn’t stay dead for long.
Earth of the Teen Titans returns to life – only to be revealed as a twisted clone?!
Titans’ Secret Archives #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 the Titans comics for good. But she didn’t remember being the monster she used to be, questioning if the character was really Tara Markov. It’s possible she was a clone or even a confused time traveler. This confusion culminated in Tara reaching out to 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 was not actually her 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 really needed a family. She managed to get close to the Titans when they were at their most vulnerable, and they, of course, accepted her with open arms. It felt like Tara really was a member of the family; she even got quite close to Beast Boy. But her true motivations for joining the team were as a spy for Deathstroke. Together, the two nearly destroyed the Titans from within. After being tricked into thinking that Deathstroke betrayed her too Tara was consumed by rage and ended up killed by her own powers..
Titans’ New “Tara Markov” Reveals Her Shocking True Identity
No wonder it’s easy to compare superhero comics to soap operas
Years later, a second Tara appeared with exactly the same powers. It wasn’t clear 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 much messier. 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 mixed Tara Markov’s DNA with her own and was sent to act as the new Earth, which is why her DNA test came back positive. Still, being a true hero, Geo-Force tried to give this strange Tara a new future.
Heroes and villains returning from the dead happen almost every Wednesday in comics. But these results 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 Tara’s original DNA mixed with the her. Characters returning from the dead can be tricky, but DC really surprised everyone with how they handled this iconic character’s return. Titans character.
The Titans: Secret Archives and Origins #2 is now available from DC Comics!