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| Liberty Van Zandt | |
|---|---|
| Degrassi The Next Generation character | |
| First appearance | Family Politics (episode 1.03) |
| Portrayed by | Sarah Barrable-Tishauer |
| Episode count | 77 |
| Information | |
| Age | 18 |
| Date of birth | 1989 |
| Occupation | Currently enrolled at Degrassi Community School |
| Family | Danny Van Zandt (brother),
Mother (name unknown Harold Van Zandt (father) |
| Children | 1 son w/ J. T. Yorke (given up for adoption) |
Liberty Van Zandt is a character on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation. She is portrayed by Sarah Barrable-Tishauer.
Contents |
Season 1
Liberty The School Marm
Liberty's first appearance on Degrassi was in the second episode, "Family Politics." It became apparent that she was the local school marm when she took an election for secretary very seriously. In subsequent episodes, it also became apparent that she was a stereotypical geek.
Ashley Kerwin
In "Family Politics", Liberty was running for secretary and Ashley Kerwin was running for student council president. At first, Ashley didn't seem to like Liberty, but as the season progressed, Ash and Liberty became somewhat friends after Liberty accidentally embarrassed herself on the morning announcements and Ashley helped her become better at them. In "Rumors and Reputations" a rumor goes around school about Liberty sleeping with Mr. Armstrong. Ashley is concerned and tries to help Liberty, but Liberty is too upset at the time. Then in "Jagged Little Pill" when Ashley was on E, Liberty came by with Emma and Manny ,who were excited to see her.
Rumors about Liberty
In the episode, "Rumours and Reputation" Liberty meets her first match at school: rumours. Rumours began spreading that she and Mr. Armstrong, her math teacher were having an affair. Liberty's friend Emma Nelson began the rumour unknowingly, and was the first to volunteer to find out who started it. Things got worse for Liberty when she was pulled into Mr. Raditch's office to be interrogated about the rumoured affair. Liberty is then forced to reveal the truth, not that she and her teacher were having an affair, but that she was receiving extra tutoring from him due to her dyscalculia.
Liberty in love
Liberty's crush on J.T. began in the episode "Secrets and Lies," and continued all the way to season 4, when they finally unite as a couple. It begins when she wants to interview him for the school newspaper, The Grapevine, and he blows her off by lying that he's gay because he isn't attracted to her. A new side of Liberty is seen when she asks Emma and Manny if maybe she and J.T. could be the next Jimmy Brooks and Ashley Kerwin, the school sweethearts. J.T. wards her off throughout season 1 continuously.
Season 2
Chasing JT
Although she's been crushing on JT for an entire year, Liberty still hasn't given up on trying to be his girlfriend. However, the more she came on to him, the less interested he seemed to be in her. In the episode "Shout Pt 2", Liberty gets into an argument with JT and then vandalizes a couple of lockers, leading the principal to think that he did it. Liberty later brags to Toby about what she did, but he tells her that he'd be sent to private school if he got in trouble again. To prevent that from happening, Liberty quickly confesses that she vandalized the lockers. JT is impressed and he even calls Liberty cool for doing what she did. JT has a secret talent that earns Liberty an "A" in sewing class. Towards the end of the school year, JT actually turns to Liberty for help to pass the final exams. Liberty only agrees to help him if he agrees to be her date to the year-end dance.
Season 3
First Real Boyfriend
In season 3, Liberty tries to get over her unrequited crush on JT by developing a new insterest in Sean. Just like JT, Sean was not attracted to Liberty, so to get her off his back, Sean hooked her up with one of his friends, Towerz. But the relationship didn't last long, they broke up over summer vacation. As heard in Ghost in the Machine.
Season 4
Crushing on Chris
In the episode of "King Of Pain", Liberty had shown an interest in Chris, which made Emma jealous, so Emma invites Chris over to prevent him from going on a date with Liberty. Liberty catches Emma in the gym flirting with Chris while he's stretching out, to make Liberty jealous. Liberty tells Emma that she is dead to her because "jealousy is really ugly."
JT and Liberty get Together
Yet in season 4, after the shooting, Liberty writes a play retelling the story of Dracula, and JT, head of the drama club, decides to use it for the school play. When principal Mr. Raditch decides that this is too violent and that he wants something cheery, Liberty and JT come up with a really bad song and when they present it to Manny, another drama club head, she doesn't like it. Liberty and JT brainstorm in Liberty's hot tub and think of a song of rebellion to sing to Mr. Raditch. JT chickens out but a raging Liberty sings the song. The two get detention. During the detention JT apologizes for chickening out and Liberty says, "You know what I should have done?" Then she kisses him and he kisses her back. They become a couple.
Season 5
Pregnant Liberty
When Liberty and boyfriend JT have sex over the summer, they decide to use an extra-large condom which falls off during intercourse and results in Liberty's pregnancy. During the course of her pregnancy, JT breaks up with Liberty because of her treatment of him. Later, they reunite but JT wants Liberty to give the baby up for adoption. Liberty refuses but she begs JT to come to the doctor's with her for a checkup. JT is nervous when they first get to the doctor's but is amazed after seeing his baby on the ultrasound. After the checkup is over JT and Liberty talk about what to do with the baby and JT finally gives in and decides to keep the baby and raise it with Liberty. They start looking for apartments but can't find any good ones in their price range. After this they finally tell JT's grandma and Liberty's parents about Liberty's pregnancy. Liberty's parents become furious. Liberty's father is willing to help her with the baby as long as she dumps JT. Liberty refuses. JT then realizes that having a baby is expensive and starts thinking of alternative ways to support Liberty and the baby. While working at a pharmacy, JT is approached by Jay who offers him a job which would involve stealing drugs from the pharmacy. After first refusing, JT takes Jay up on his offer and begins selling drugs. Afterwards, he realizes what he is doing is wrong and tells Jay he wants to quit but Jay and his friend threaten him. Realizing the trouble he's in, JT swallows a handful of pills and passes out. He wakes up in the hospital and when Liberty visits she's furious and breaks up with him. JTs actions then become the catalyst to Liberty's decision to give the baby up for adoption. A couple of months later, Liberty goes into a premature labor; however, she gives birth to a healthy baby boy.
Missing her baby
Months after her son was born, Liberty becomes depressed as she began to regret giving him up. She begins to feel worse about the situation when she learns that his new family is moving far away. To deal with the pain, she turns to alcohol. Danny's friend Derek tells Liberty that he was adopted as well and he gives her the idea to give her child a box of personal items to remember her and JT by as the baby's family relocates.
Season 6
Jealously over Mia and J.T.
In the episode Eyes Without a Face, Pt. 1 Liberty started to show a vibe of jealousy when she saw her ex, J.T. asking new girl, Mia Jones out for ice cream with Mia's daughter, Isabella. Her jealousy over Mia and J.T. escalated when Liberty told Mia all of J.T.'s dark secrets, putting their relationship in dire straits. During a Student Council meeting, she turned down J.T.'s idea of having a daycare at Degrassi without even hearing J.T.'s pitch, saying that it would only benefit his girlfriend. J.T. finally lashed out at her, reminding her that he supported her throughout her entire pregnancy, even when she gave up the baby that was also his, and accused her of wanting J.T. to be as miserable as she is.
J.T.'s Death
At Liberty's birthday party, two Lakehurst guys come and are thrown out for trying to cause trouble later on. At the party Liberty talks with J.T. and confesses that she still loves him and leaves when he doesn't say he loves her back. After talking with Toby, J.T. leaves to tell Liberty he still loves her, but before he can he is stabbed by one of the Lakehurst thugs (Drake). Liberty comes as the thugs run away and freaks out when she sees him and begins to scream "SOMEBODY HELP! PLEASE! SOMEBODY!". Later at the hospital it is revealed that J.T. died from his injuries. While Manny, Sean, Emma, and Toby were all in tears, Liberty was in shock.
Dealing with J.T.'s Death
After J.T.'s death, Liberty bottled up all of her feelings. Liberty, Toby and Mia opened up J.T.'s locker together and went through his things. Mia attempted to take everything from the locker much to Liberty's disapproval, but Toby wouldn't let her, believing that none of them were ready to deal with what had happened. Liberty was accused of being an emotionless robot by Mia, because she didn't cry or show any emotion at J.T.'s funeral. Toby defended Liberty. Liberty and Toby spent time together, with Toby suggesting that they go on a road trip together to get away from things, which failed after Toby's car broke down only a few minutes from the school. After the car broke down, Toby and Liberty shared a moment during which Toby kissed Liberty. Toby later apologized for kissing Liberty after being pressed by Manny to 'take back' the kiss. Toby then later accidentally revealed that J.T. still loved Liberty, which Liberty had mixed feelings about. During J.T.'s memorial at school, Liberty eventually broke down and cried, finally coming out of her shell and mourning for J.T. When Lakehurst comes to Degrassi for a cheerleading competition, Liberty joins in on the pack of students who chant 'Go Home Lakehurst'.
Season 7
Fights with Lakehurst
Liberty gets into a short fight with Lucas, a student from Lakehurst, while breaking up a fight with him and Danny. After she breaks it up, the Lakehurst thug says that he heard that J.T. was "asking for it" when he got stabbed, which sends Liberty into a rage, only to have the fight broken up by Spinner.
Relationships
- Trey "Towerz" Hightower
- Start Up: (Accidents Will Happen, Part 2) (315)
- Broke Up: (Summer before Ghost in the Machine, Part 1) (401)
- Reason: Unknown as it was never stated why.
- J. T. Yorke
- First Relationship
- Start Up: (Voices Carry, Part 2) (412)
- Broke Up: (Foolin') (504)
- Reason: JT believes Liberty is too controlling.
- Second Relationship
- Start Up: (Turned Out, Part 1) (507)
- Broke Up: (Turned Out, Part 2) (508)
- Reason: JT begins selling drugs to support the baby, then attempts suicide by overdosing.
- First Relationship
