Caroline Forbes: Woman Love Fest, Day 4
The more time I spend writing meta posts about Caroline, the more I am tempted to put it aside just for a little while and write a huge meta about TVD friendships in general. So I'm just going to combine those two and write about Caroline's friendships, it should satisfy my need for a while :).
I believe some explanation is in order. The thing is, I'm quite a lousy shipper. I tend to ship canon (like Buffy/Spike or Jack/Ianto) and I usually fail to notice obvious yet not explicitly canon chemistry (like Damon/Alaric) until my friends point me at it and say: "See, this is chemistry, and you are not human if you can't see it." And even then I like to take sexual tension away from the equation from time to time ― a new angle is always refreshing.
So, four people and four dialogues I associate with their friendships with Caroline. It's a sort of experiment. I was wondering what kind of picture would I get if I just combined the first four scenes that come to my mind when I think about Caroline's friends. See what I got.
Another wonderful banner by juana-a. This is one of the most beautiful TVD scenes ever and I'm posting it here for me to remeber that, despite all those pretty glum things I'm going to write in this meta, I do believe in friendship and I think that TVD is awesome when it comes to stressing just how important friendships are.
You help your friend. That's what you do
1. Elena
Elena is mainly focused on Bonnie, or at least that's how Caroline herself sees it. Remember?
Elena: You are being ridiculous.
Caroline: And insecure, and stupid, but that doesn't change the fact that Matt's always gonna be in love with you, and I'm always gonna be the backup.
Elena: You're not the backup.
Caroline: Yes, I am. I'm Matt's Elena backup. I'm your Bonnie backup.
Elena: Now it's about me and Bonnie?
Caroline: You don't get it. Why would you? You're everyone's first choice.
(TVD 1x16, There Goes The Neighborhood)
It's not their brightest moment; it's pretty ugly actually. But it's good for depicting Caroline's starting point. She is insecure and angry, and her friends don't really notice, because she is Caroline and it's normal for her. I don't really hold it against Elena; when you are too close, some issues are hard to notice, and Caroline doesn't talk about problems. She rants sometimes, but she rarely talks about real problems. This conversation is one of the few exceptions, and that's what I love about it; that's what I love about Elena and Caroline in general. They don't have a perfect friendship, but when things get ugly, sooner or later they communicate, and then they make do. Giving up ― not an option.
2. Bonnie
I have a problem with Bonnie having such a big problem with vamp!Caroline in the beginning of season 2.
Bonnie: I gotta go.
Caroline: Well, I can come with you.
Bonnie: No, it's ok. [after a moment] Sure.
Caroline: Ok.
(TVD 2x06 Plan B)
But here they snap out of it and start building a bond again. They overcome a fundamental problem and start to be there for each other again. This is what you do when you mature. Caroline and Bonnie, and Elena, they've been friends forever. Those friendships differ from ones you start as an adult, and they need to grow up with you, otherwise they fall apart. The girls went through so many changes in such a short time, and they are still friends. Not because they tried to stick to the old scheme, but because they let it go and adjusted to the new needs. It wasn't smooth and it took time, yes, but... Just look how wonderful what they got in the end is.
3. Stefan
Stefan is a new friend for Caroline, and they start out with him trying to help her just like he'd tried to help Vicky. Only the outcome is very different.
Caroline: Why are you such a good friend to me?
Stefan: I don't know. I guess you, uh... You remind me of someone. My... my best friend, Lexi.
Caroline: You have a friend?
Stefan: You say that with such a discouraging amount of surprise, Caroline.
Caroline: No, I just... sorry. I just... Tell me about her.
Stefan: I will some other time.
(TVD 2x09, Katerina)
I love the comparison he makes, because it's surprisingly accurate, and Caroline can really grow to be like Lexi; she is just as compassionate and optimistic, and she only needs to get over her insecurities and perhaps let herself be a bit happier. And because Stefan doesn't know her since they were five and he is not so used to, well, Caroline being Caroline, he might actually be able to help her overcome those issues. He certainly will try, and not because he wants to have Lexi 2.0, but because that's who Caroline essentially is, and the likeness is just a coincidence which helps Stefan notice things. *blissfully overinterpreting, so sue me ;)*
4. Tyler
The way I see it, Caroline's friendship with Tyler was just an accident; but it's also the most mature one.
Tyler: Why are you helping me?
Caroline: What do you mean?
Tyler: Why do you care? We've never been friends before.
Caroline: That's not true. I've known you my entire life, Tyler.
Tyler: We've never been close. Not like this.
Caroline: I don't know. You just seem like you... Like you kinda need it. I was alone when I turned. I had no control over my body or... my urges. And I killed somebody. I don't want that to happen to you. I don't want you to be alone.
(TVD 2x10, The Sacrifice)
I have a strange feeling that Caroline's friendship with Tyler is the only balanced one she's ever managed to develop. She doesn't think she is "the second best." She doesn't need him in order to survive (the way she needs Stefan, at least in the very beginning). They just have similar problems and it draws them together. Of course sexual tension also appears, but that's not the point here. First of all they are friends who help each other out, and whatever comes later, will be based on this friendship. (Ok, so I ship Caroline/Tyler, but look at them! I'm such a sucker for relationships based on "I know everything that's worst about you, and I still want you.")/
I believe some explanation is in order. The thing is, I'm quite a lousy shipper. I tend to ship canon (like Buffy/Spike or Jack/Ianto) and I usually fail to notice obvious yet not explicitly canon chemistry (like Damon/Alaric) until my friends point me at it and say: "See, this is chemistry, and you are not human if you can't see it." And even then I like to take sexual tension away from the equation from time to time ― a new angle is always refreshing.
So, four people and four dialogues I associate with their friendships with Caroline. It's a sort of experiment. I was wondering what kind of picture would I get if I just combined the first four scenes that come to my mind when I think about Caroline's friends. See what I got.
Another wonderful banner by juana-a. This is one of the most beautiful TVD scenes ever and I'm posting it here for me to remeber that, despite all those pretty glum things I'm going to write in this meta, I do believe in friendship and I think that TVD is awesome when it comes to stressing just how important friendships are.
You help your friend. That's what you do
1. Elena
Elena is mainly focused on Bonnie, or at least that's how Caroline herself sees it. Remember?
Elena: You are being ridiculous.
Caroline: And insecure, and stupid, but that doesn't change the fact that Matt's always gonna be in love with you, and I'm always gonna be the backup.
Elena: You're not the backup.
Caroline: Yes, I am. I'm Matt's Elena backup. I'm your Bonnie backup.
Elena: Now it's about me and Bonnie?
Caroline: You don't get it. Why would you? You're everyone's first choice.
(TVD 1x16, There Goes The Neighborhood)
It's not their brightest moment; it's pretty ugly actually. But it's good for depicting Caroline's starting point. She is insecure and angry, and her friends don't really notice, because she is Caroline and it's normal for her. I don't really hold it against Elena; when you are too close, some issues are hard to notice, and Caroline doesn't talk about problems. She rants sometimes, but she rarely talks about real problems. This conversation is one of the few exceptions, and that's what I love about it; that's what I love about Elena and Caroline in general. They don't have a perfect friendship, but when things get ugly, sooner or later they communicate, and then they make do. Giving up ― not an option.
2. Bonnie
I have a problem with Bonnie having such a big problem with vamp!Caroline in the beginning of season 2.
Bonnie: I gotta go.
Caroline: Well, I can come with you.
Bonnie: No, it's ok. [after a moment] Sure.
Caroline: Ok.
(TVD 2x06 Plan B)
But here they snap out of it and start building a bond again. They overcome a fundamental problem and start to be there for each other again. This is what you do when you mature. Caroline and Bonnie, and Elena, they've been friends forever. Those friendships differ from ones you start as an adult, and they need to grow up with you, otherwise they fall apart. The girls went through so many changes in such a short time, and they are still friends. Not because they tried to stick to the old scheme, but because they let it go and adjusted to the new needs. It wasn't smooth and it took time, yes, but... Just look how wonderful what they got in the end is.
3. Stefan
Stefan is a new friend for Caroline, and they start out with him trying to help her just like he'd tried to help Vicky. Only the outcome is very different.
Caroline: Why are you such a good friend to me?
Stefan: I don't know. I guess you, uh... You remind me of someone. My... my best friend, Lexi.
Caroline: You have a friend?
Stefan: You say that with such a discouraging amount of surprise, Caroline.
Caroline: No, I just... sorry. I just... Tell me about her.
Stefan: I will some other time.
(TVD 2x09, Katerina)
I love the comparison he makes, because it's surprisingly accurate, and Caroline can really grow to be like Lexi; she is just as compassionate and optimistic, and she only needs to get over her insecurities and perhaps let herself be a bit happier. And because Stefan doesn't know her since they were five and he is not so used to, well, Caroline being Caroline, he might actually be able to help her overcome those issues. He certainly will try, and not because he wants to have Lexi 2.0, but because that's who Caroline essentially is, and the likeness is just a coincidence which helps Stefan notice things. *blissfully overinterpreting, so sue me ;)*
4. Tyler
The way I see it, Caroline's friendship with Tyler was just an accident; but it's also the most mature one.
Tyler: Why are you helping me?
Caroline: What do you mean?
Tyler: Why do you care? We've never been friends before.
Caroline: That's not true. I've known you my entire life, Tyler.
Tyler: We've never been close. Not like this.
Caroline: I don't know. You just seem like you... Like you kinda need it. I was alone when I turned. I had no control over my body or... my urges. And I killed somebody. I don't want that to happen to you. I don't want you to be alone.
(TVD 2x10, The Sacrifice)
I have a strange feeling that Caroline's friendship with Tyler is the only balanced one she's ever managed to develop. She doesn't think she is "the second best." She doesn't need him in order to survive (the way she needs Stefan, at least in the very beginning). They just have similar problems and it draws them together. Of course sexual tension also appears, but that's not the point here. First of all they are friends who help each other out, and whatever comes later, will be based on this friendship. (Ok, so I ship Caroline/Tyler, but look at them! I'm such a sucker for relationships based on "I know everything that's worst about you, and I still want you.")/