MovieChat Forums > Daria (1997) Discussion > Did Daria Actually Like Tom?

Did Daria Actually Like Tom?

posted 7 years ago by Takedi21
2 replies | jump to latest

Around the end of season 4 did Daria actually have feelings for Tom or did she think that she had feelings for Tom because everyone else (everyone else meaning Jane & Trent) was saying that she did?

I just watched the "Is It Fall Yet?" movie where Jane finds herself confused about her sexual orientation. She knew that she was straight, but for a while there she was worried that maybe she didn't know herself as well as she thought that she did because Allison said that she picked up a lesbian vibe from Jane & Jane was worried that maybe the world thought so too as well even though she herself isn't intentionally giving out those vibes at all. Granted it was hinted at that Allison herself was most likely lying about Jane "giving off gay vibes" so that she could get into her pants, but nonetheless it still had made Jane question herself.

I wonder if that's sort of how you could look at the whole Daria & Tom situation around the end of season 4. Daria knows herself better than anyone else would. And like she herself had said in defense of herself (prior to the Tom kiss, and I'm paraphrasing here) "I mean, yeah I don't hate the guy as much as I did originally, but I'm not romantically interested in him either." I feel like Daria was genuinely telling the truth (she would never lie to Jane anyway period). The same way that Jane was not "in denial" of her "true sexuality" I feel like Daria was not "in denial" about her "true feelings" about Tom. I feel like everyone else around Daria was trying to make it a self-fulfilling prophecy for Daria to get with Tom all but Daria herself (if that makes any sense?).

[–] rosepetals334 7 years ago

Well i think daria genuinely DID like Tom, also because it had to happen sometime, her getting crushes on boys (especially someone besides her best friends brother, how cliche). I think daria needed someone to help her grow up in that sense and balance her out. For her, Tom was another person she could not only talk to, but relate to, even though Tom was a tiny bit more likable and social than Daria.

As for Jane, the only reason Allison said she 'picked up gay vibes' from Jane, was because she was gay herself and i thought it was creepy how she just projects all of that onto Jane without taking into consideration that Jane is straight, it was wrong for Allison to screw with Jane's mind and keep making passes at her, especially after Jane repeatedly said NO, it was something a rapist would do, Allison certainly had so respect for boundaries.

The more personalities you have the less boring you are!

[–] Caffeine-Free 7 years ago

I think she did have a crush on him, but like serious romantic interest, probably not. She smiles a lot at his jokes and comments, and lightens up a lot around him in a few scenes. I rewatch this show so much and try to watch closely, and because of the animation it is hard sometimes to catch facial expressions. But if you watch Daria sometimes in her encounters with different characters, you see more.

Like in the parade episode, when Tom is making all kinds of wisecracks that Daria might normally say or find funny, she smiles and her eyes change sometimes, she looks actually happy. Or how sad she looks at the end when he looks back at her (walking away with Jane) when she had paint thrown at her. It seemed like she liked him for awhile.

There are some other examples of this, she did seem to like him and be happy around him (in the good times). Similar as when she got over her nerves about Trent and liked being around him.

Then she begins to fear long term commitment with Tom, struggles with different elements of the relationship, they have their fights, etc.

Then finally it does shift, where it is like they would just be better friends than a couple. So... it is hard to say. I say yes, but then later no. 