Liberty Van Zandt

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Liberty Van Zandt

Sarah Barrable-Tishauer as Liberty Van Zandt
First appearance Family Politics(103)
Last appearance n/a
Statistics
Nickname(s) Lib, Libby
Status Enrolled at Degrassi Community School (Senior Year)
Year of Birth 1990
Occupation Student
Family 1 son w/ JT Yorke and Danny Van Zandt (brother)
Episode Count 28
Portrayed by Sarah Barrable-Tishauer

Liberty Van Zandt is a character on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation. She is portrayed by Sarah Barrable-Tishauer.

Contents

[edit] Season 1

[edit] 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 Treasurer very seriously. In subsequent episodes, it also became apparent that she was a stereotypical geek.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Season 3

[edit] First Real Boyfriend

In season 3, Liberty tried to be big and bad as Sean was, so to get her off his back, Sean hooked Liberty 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.

[edit] Season 4

[edit] Crushing on Chris

In the episode of "King Of Pain", Liberty had shown an interest in Chris, which made Emma kind of jealous, so Emma invites Chris over to prevent him of going on a date with Liberty Friday. 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." But Chris wasn't really looking forward to a relationship with Liberty.

[edit] Liberty In Love

Liberty's crush on J.T. began in the episode "Secrets and Lies," and continued all the way to season 5. 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. 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.

[edit] JT and Liberty get Together

Yet in season 4, after the shooting, Liberty writes a version of the play Dracula, and JT, head of the drama club, decides to use it for the 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.

[edit] Season 5

[edit] Pregnant Liberty

When Liberty and boyfriend JT have sex over the summer, they decide to use an extra-large condom which falls off in coitus 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 to. 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. She eventually gives her son a box of personal items to remember her by as the baby's family relocates.

[edit] Season 6

[edit] Jealously over Mia and J.T.

In the episode Eyes Without a Face, Pt. 1 Liberty started to show a vibe of jealously 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.

[edit] 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'.

[edit] Relationships

  • Trey "Towerz" Hightower
    • Start Up: (Accidents Will Happen, Part 2) (315)
    • Broke Up: (Summer before Ghost in the Machine, Part 1) (401)
      • Reason: Unexplained.
  • 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.
  • Toby Isaacs
    • Start Up: (The Bitterest Pill) (612)
      • Broke Up: (The Bitterest Pill) (612)
        • Reasons: Toby didn't tell Liberty that J.T. loved her
The Degrassi Universe
The Degrassi TV Series: The Kids of Degrassi Street - Degrassi Junior High - Degrassi High - Degrassi: The Next Generation
Out of Continuity
Degrassi Series:
Degrassi Talks - Degrassi Unscripted - Degrassi: The Next Generation Minis
Degrassi Junior High + Degrassi High Characters - Episodes - VHS and DVD Releases - School's Out (Film)
Degrassi: The Next Generation Main characters - Minor characters - Cast & crew - Episodes - Plot - Issues addressed - DVD Releases - Books - Quotes
People Degrassi Junior High & High:

Stephanie | Joey | Snake | Wheels | Mr. Raditch | Lucy | Caitlin | Spike


Degrassi: The Next Generation:
Emma | Jimmy | Terri | Ashley | Liberty | Manny | Mr. Simpson | Toby | Spinner | J.T. | Paige | Sean | Mr. Raditch | Joey | Craig | Ellie | Hazel | Christine | Caitlin | Marco | Jay | Alex | Peter | Ms. Hatzilakos | Darcy

Places List | Toronto | De Grassi Street | Degrassi Community School | Jeremiah Motors | The Dot
Music Tracklist | Themes & intros | Bands | Songs from Degrassi: The Next Generation | The N Soundtrack
Miscellaneous Canon & continuity | Index | Timeline | Chronology | Family trees | Awards & nominations