Taran, the Assistant Pig-Keeper is the main character of The Black Cauldron and "The Chronicles of Prydain". He lives on Caer Dallben with Dallben and Hen Wen. Taran is a very restless young man, hoping to become a great warrior and hero. Dallben tells him, in the meantime, Hen Wen is what Taran should pay attention to. Voiced by 14-year-old Grant Bardsley, Taran is a normal 14-year-old boy (minus the acne). Taran has ambitions way above his abilities, to become a great warrior even though he is only 14. He also has the personality defects of a yound adult, falling into daydreams at the wrong moment, letting Hen Wen get lost and letting the food on the stove burn.
Although Taran has these faults, he is ablt to display courage and bravery even when his life depends on it. Taran, for most of the movie, is aided by a Magic Sword. In the books, the sword is called Dyrnwyn, but is nameless in the film. Taran steals the sword from the dead king in the barrow when Eilonwy and Taran stumble upon it in the hidden passageways under the dungeons. In the books, it was King Rhitta of the Spiral Castle, and yet again in the movie is nameless. Yet, even when Taran lacks the sword after trading it with the Witches of Morva, he still displays courage. He is even willing to give his life to the defeat of the Horned King, but things don't turn out as he planned.
Taran is basically the same character and the Taran in the books. Although, personally I see them still as separate characters. Taran in the books is in love with Eilonwy, and a little of that spills into the movie. Taran in supposed to be someone which boys could identify with, but still be 'real' at the same time. And this job Taran plays well. The Taran in the movie is skinny, with small thighs and bony knees. His hair is a reddish-brown. Some places it's more brownish or more reddish. Taran's eyes are brown, but sometimes they look gret-blue (in the realm of the Fair Folk, where he says to Eilonwy: "But don't you see? If we find the Cauldron we can stop the Horned King!" I think the lighting made his eyes look that color.). Taran has a face that is not distinctive and his English accent changed classes. A careful ear notices that his voice is deeper in some parts of the movie. A careful eye, too, can reveal that his tunic changes color/ From brown, to brown-green to straight green. But most of the time it is not very noticeable.
