fruitless-nonsense:

Okay, so I didn’t actually think anyone would care what I had to say. I just saw a post that riled me up and I wrote that to let off some steam. That being said, to everyone who liked my post or just read it thank you from the bottom of my heart. Seriously it means so much to me that there are people who notice what I have to say. That being said, I want to do more of these cause I have a lot of opinions that aren’t widespread, and I’d like to start with a post gushing about a certain character that receives too much hate. However, seeing as this isn’t a rant out of agitation this might take a bit longer to get out. With that long introduction out of the way… Cami O’Connell!

As I said, Cami is my favorite female character in the whole of the tvdverse (Bonnie is a close second). The reason why I want to start with her instead of Bonnie or my favorite character (Marcel) is because while both were royally screwed with by the writers, there are plenty of fans online who sing their praises (as they deserve). However, when it comes to Cami the consensus online is either hatred or indifference by a vast majority of the fans (that being said there are still a good amount of people who do love her I’m not saying there aren’t, but they are in the minority). This is something I never quite understood, but I’m gonna try my best educated guess on it.

I suppose before I go any further, I have a confession to make. The way I watched both tvd and to was not a straight line. Several years ago, I decided to finally watch tvd and started with the first two season (which I really liked), then a youtuber dropped a video analyzing the pilot for to and the premise hooked me immediately so I started the first season and kept watching until finishing the third, then I decided to go back and watch tvd seasons three and four, then got bored so I switched back to finish to, and finally after a few months declared I wanted to finish what I started and slogged through the second half of tvd. Why is this relevant? Well I just wanted to inform y’all as this might’ve led to my different perspectives on many things in both shows, and it hopefully can somewhat explain my reasoning

Going back to Cami, why is she my favorite female? A multitude of reasons. Firstly, I love how different she is from other female characters we’ve seen. Characters like Elena, Bonnie, and Caroline are fun in their own right, with bubbly personalities and childish innocence. This makes sense because they’re teenagers! Even Elena’s angst comes off more like young naivety than a wayward soul. I’m not knocking this characterization, it makes sense that a show aimed at teenagers would have teenage girls as it’s main cast. Where am I going with this? Cami might be the most mature character we’ve seen in this universe that actually has a pretty big part in the cast. What I mean is that shows like this paint maturity on women as being motherly or a stick in the mud, but Cami is neither. She’s still fun and loose, but with an aura of restraint and intelligence that needs to be accumulated over time. She’s not even that old! My guesstimation puts her at 23 cause we know she’s graduated college with a degree in psychology and was already working at Rousseau’s in the pilot (you mean to tell me you don’t just get your dream job right out of college, you have to work some dead end jobs first? YA lied to me!). I don’t know how quite to describe it beyond that, Cami just feels like a real person to me, and that makes me invested in her life even more.

Secondly, is her personality beyond her intelligence. I love how empathetic and kind she is! In the span of three seasons, she had helped almost everyone in the show while never sticking her feet into the main drama. That’s another thing, she knows when something’s over her head and will step out when she can, when something is pushing her, she fights back. I love that despite how kind hearted she is, she’s not a pushover. If there’s something she doesn’t like, she will attest. She may be nice, but get on her bad side and her sass will cut you like a knife. Considering she’s only a human against these witches, vampires, and originals you would call this unrealistic, but it works because unlike most people on the show, she’s smart. I know I just said beyond her intelligence, but I just want to gush about how fun it is watching Cami get out of trouble on her own by using nothing but her brain (I just think it’s neat). Characters this complex are not usually reserved for women on the cw, which leads into my final reason.

I love how much agency Cami has throughout her run on the show! Like, her story isn’t stapled to Klaus, she does so much without him even being there. In tvd, I can’t think of a single storyline Elena had that wasn’t tied to one or both of the Salvatore brothers, Bonnie is constantly being abused by the writers, Caroline is forcibly impregnated, Hayley starts off with her own goals before being tied to Jackson and later Elijah, Davina also starts off with her own ambitions before also being shackled to her love interest to resurrecting Kol being her only storyline in season three. I’m sure there are more, but these are just ones off the top of my head. While this makes me wish she had her own storyline, I acknowledge she is a supporting character (which begs the question of why none of the women in the main cast get this luxury but I digress).

This has been very long, and we’re just getting to complaints. Unlike complaints about the ship, I have yet to find an argument about why Cami sucks that isn’t factually incorrect, so if you have one please share. The first complaint I hear is that Cami is a copy of Caroline (I’ll give y’all that have seen the show a second to stop laughing at the statement). I’ve already explained why Caroline and Cami are two very different characters (hint: one is bubble and energetic and one is calm and mature), I know they’re both blonde, nice, empathetic, and have names that start with c, but try paying attention to what you’re watching then maybe you’ll have a better grasp on it. Secondly is that Cami’s only purpose is being Klaus’ love interest. Like I stated, there’s a lot Cami does where Klaus isn’t even present, unless you’re saying everyone Cami has had a story with was a love interest (So Davina, Josh, Hayley, Elijah, Marcel cerca season two onward, Vincent, Lucien, that detective guy, and her uncle Kieran), in that case I think y’all are onto something with Cami being a Mary Sue cause she getting all the action (note the sarcasm)! That’s another thing, people say Cami’s a Mary Sue cause almost everyone loves her and she has basically no flaws. First of all, I don’t believe Mary Sue to be a character problem but a story problem, and above all an excuse to neuter powerful women lest they make fragile men uncomfortable. Second of all, we see Cami form these relationships in real time through her actions not by her existence. Third of all (not that she needs them to be a good character since other favs don’t), Cami has her stubbornness that eventually got her killed and the fact that strength wise she is the weakest character in the show by her being human.

Are you catching on to some of what I’m saying? Most of these complaints aren’t even true, yet it’s all we hear. My first inclination was to blame this hatred on klaroline shippers who were bitter that their ship could no longer sail, but then I saw posts of people who claimed not to ship them and still hated Cami because she was “just a love interest.” Which leads into the other problem with haters: the hypocrisy. Reasons people hate Cami are elements in other characters that these same people love. Never mind the fact that some of these complaints don’t even apply to her like the love interest thing. To use something that isn’t a lie, people will hate on Cami for sleeping with Marcel in season one when Marcel is Klaus’ son, meanwhile y’all seem to forget Elena not only dated but cheated on Stefan with Damon in the finale of tvd season two (spoiler: she kissed him on his deathbed while her boyfriend and his brother was searching for a way to save him, which doesn’t even go into all their kisses in season three) and furthermore shipping Marcel with Rebekah who would be his aunt (I know some people who ship them acknowledge this but damn). I also know these people jumped at the chance to attack Cami for stealing the white oak stake in season three and ignoring what she was going through meanwhile will wave past everything Elena, Damon, and Caroline did when they had their humanity turned off as “they were going through a lot” (disclaimer: no hate to either of those girls, they were understandably in much pain, just wanna expose the hypocrisy). This all made me reevaluate the reasoning as more than just shippers being bitter, this seemed much more malicious to just be that.

After a lot of thought, my only conclusion I can come to is sexism. Cami is a very different female character than what we’re used to, she’s strong willed, opinionated, smarter than the men, and more mature. I guess fans weren’t ready for a character like that so assumed it was bad or just wrote her off as too different, but that’s giving the benefit of the doubt. To be honest, I still don’t know why she was so hated and continues to be ignored by fans, but maybe it’s time we start asking that question. It’s time we appreciate characters like this so maybe we can have more of them on the cw. It’s time to give Camille O’Connell and Leah Pipes the respect they deserve!

(P.S - Can someone far more talented than me please put out some Cami x reader content? I’m starved of my girl and Leah is too pretty for my gay brain to function!)

chunkymary:

I do not like when Camille is compared to Caroline, there is so many differences people tend to ignore, they are just both blonde and caught Klaus’s eye and that’s all. If there is a tvd character i would compare her with, it’s Elena, They both lost people they loved tragically and they took the blame on themselves for it, they both shared their desire to help people, Cami as a therapist. Elena as a doctor, as a result of their tragic past, even before the supernatural world was exposed to them. They both were incredibly brave even as humans, did not think twice to get physically or mentally hurt to save people they love or to just save their lives, they both never wanted to become vampires and initially wanted to die than turn. Only with difference that Cami was more matured. Cami is how Elena should have look as an adult. Klamille is how Delena should have looked. Not “this is who i am and not going to change” but “ Because you wished it. Because what’s important to you is important to me. What makes you happy makes me want to keep you so. What scares you I want to tear apart. I do not wish to watch you from behind glass, Camille. “

If there is a character in the originals i would compare to Caroline, it’s Davina. They both were tired of being underrated, they both were thrown into mess and had to find a way to deal with all of these changes around them, they got stronger than they even thought they will be, anyway they always tried to keep their innocent soul, even tho they were not innocent anymore. You would say Davina is like Bonnie…yeah, a bit, but actually i see more of Bonnie in Freya than in Davina. 

This is not a post about ships, just about a fact that Cami’s character structure is far from Caroline’s.

Why Is Camille O’Connell A Mikaelson?

justsomeitgirl:

This post was initially a response to the ask above, but then I thought it would be best to turn it into a meta of sorts because I had a lot more to say than I originally thought.

Anon: I have to say, I absolutely love reading your meta’s and enjoy how much depth, observation and time you put into them! Thank you! My question is, you’ve mentioned before that Camille O'Connell has become a part of the Mikaelson family, and not just because of Klaus’ feelings towards her. Can you explain further how she got to be someone they care for and someone they consider part of their family? The Mikaelsons are family -forever & always- so we know it’s not easy when they let someone else in

Anon (Part 2): Hi! I just wanted to say I love your meta’s & the detail, observations & time you put into them, thank you! I was wondering if maybe you could elaborate on how Cami had become a part of the MIkaelson family - other then the fact that Klaus has feelings towards her, because hopefully it isn’t just that. With a family as close as the Mikaelson’s & with their promise of forever and always, it must be hard to allow anyone else in, & I was wondering how Cami had managed to do that with each member.

I’m assuming this is the same person because the asks are very similar, so before I dive into the incredibly interesting question you just raised, I’d like to point out that if I don’t reply to your ask immediately it doesn’t mean I didn’t see it or won’t eventually answer. I give an immediate response to those which don’t take much time to answer, but when people such as this anon pose questions where I actually have to think about them for a while before giving a decent answer, I prefer to let it sink for a few days and then get back to them. So if you’ve sent me an ask and haven’t got a reply for me yet, just wait for a couple days. I see you, your question is just too complex for me to answer in a few paragraphs. ;) Also, thank you for taking the time to read my metas and ask me this wonderful question which I had so much fun answering. You’re the best, anon!

Being a part of the Mikaelson family is much more than sharing their blood: Hayley and Marcel, for example, are accepted and viewed as family members when they don’t share the siblings’ blood or last name. So what is it that makes someone a Mikaelson? Well, for me, there are two things which define them: who they are and how they love. This is what I take into consideration when I say someone belongs to the Mikaelson family, such as Camille O’Connell.

You ask why I consider Camille a part of the Mikaelson family. Well, in order to answer that, I have to show you why I believe her character and her storyline have led her to earn that name, and I will do so in three sections. It’s just easier to make my point if I talk about them separately so I can bring them together as a whole at the end.

Keep reading

geektastic08:

In 2x06 Cami lies to Finn about her reason for being there for Klaus is “professional obligation” and in 2x22 she’s honest with Vincent about her feelings for Klaus. Because Finn was pretending to be Vincent-a deception- similar to Cami deceiving herself about how she feels for Klaus; but in 2x22 it’s actually Vincent mirroring Cami’s honesty in the scene. Not only that but Finn calling Cami out in 2x09:

And Elijah calling her out in 2x20:

Those scenes also contributed to her finally admitting the truth, which is part of Cami’s arc in s2 which is acceptance. Accepting the O’Connell legacy, her role in the supernatural, and accepting her feelings for Klaus. They really developed that lowkey throughout the season.

spoilingthings:

Cami was the first person Klaus said “I love you” to, at least on screen, and as Hayley said herself, she deserved better, so much better than that. She was everything he needed in the sea of demons that he had; something that the haters of her won’t ever understand, also she was a complex character too, strong and so smart and caring. That’s such a shame to this show, they could’ve had a beautiful storyline. I don’t know if they’ll bring her back but I doubt it, they’re been meaning to kill her for a long time. I’m just very disappointed.

heartsoulspirit:

Camille O’Connell appreciation week- Day 6: A song that reminds you of Camille

Camille is a french name after all… so maybe it’s because of the french accordion melody. I love how carefree and pure it sounds, yet it’s filled with a glimmer of fantasy… like it was the soundtrack of a fairytale.

Then the lyrics talk about having courage and loving every single aspect of a person, even their deepest flaws and darkest demons. That’s who Cami is.

It kinda applays to Klamille too.

curious-scholar:

Camille O’Connell Appreciation Week

• Day 3: Favorite badass moment

Cami has had to be badass pretty much 24/7 since she discovered the supernatural side of NOLA, but one or two moments stand out. My favorite badass moment takes place in episode 2x05:

Here’s a woman who’s been through hell, kidnapped by a fanatic hellbent on destroying Klaus, dragged through the night, subjected to a tirade, fed on almost to the point of being drained, nearly stabbed by a flying blade, slapped halfway across the room, and left to watch as someone she cares about dies right in front of her. But instead of lying down and giving up or getting the hell out of there, she goes into protective mode, as Cami always does.

She’s not just protecting herself, she’s ready to kill Mikael for “us”! There’s no way she’s letting Mikael get to Klaus again, even if it means she has to kill him herself. Not only was I impressed by her courage yet again, but my Klamille heart swelled at the idea of her protecting her man even in the face of extreme danger. Plus it was great to see her being the hero as well.

Honorary mention: episode 1x06:

This gets my vote for runner up because even though she had balls for slapping the smirk right off his face, and it’s always entertaining to watch, what she did was more or less instinctual here. Plus I don’t generally approve of this sort of thing, even on TV shows, and this show has had the female characters slap the males around a fair bit. But I think I said before that I’m okay with this one, because Klaus deserved it. Really deserved it. He really thought he was going to be in her good books for ‘solving’ her witch problem. But as usual, Cami gave him the surprise of his life. And as usual, he just stood there and took it. His reaction alone makes this moment priceless.

Gifs by fuckyeahcamilleoconnell and supagirl

Cami Appreciation Week Day 3: Favorite Badass Moment

geektastic08:

She slapped Klaus, the moment I started stanning her. Cami had been fighting him compelling her, but this was he moment it all came out. All her frustration and anger and boy did Klaus feel it. That’s right Cami read him for filth. Best part was the next time we see her she has that code and she’s starting to work around the compulsion. Cami makes good on her promises.

That look in her eye. Cami knew she was going to die going up against Mikael but she was going to go down fighting. She was going to return the favor to Klaus and defend his body to the death. Cami didn’t run, she didn’t beg, she stayed right there with Klaus. THAT is loyalty.

I have never seen Cami so deadset, so ready to end somebody. This is Camille, the compassionate one who has violence as a last resort. She was going to try to kill Mikael. The man everyone’s afraid of, who dragged her through the countryside, fed on, and abused her. All because he hurt the man she loves.

(gif from thisoneisfamily)

I don’t need to explain this one. That gif is perfect, the hair, the expression on her face, she was so confident. That look, is the definition of badass. Finn was looking up at her &I was like:

soaba:

Camille O’Connell Appreciation Week

➭ Day 3 (Favorite Badass Moment): compound scene from 2x21

Klaus: “Just another victim.”

Cami: “No. Klaus, I know you won’t hurt me. I’ve known that from the second we met. I trust you.”

I love every single time Cami is being badass, but this one has to be my favorite (it is, after all, from my favorite TO episode so far). So, let’s think this through, shall we?

Weiterlesen