The Originals: pre-gaming Elijah

[pocochina]

aka omg fuck it, I started writing this post the night after 4x18 aired and fandom made with the gnashing of teeth and rending of garments. This is my defense of Elijah's arc on TVD, and where I see the character as picking up in the new series. We'll all be sitting around laughing at me in the next couple of months, I'm sure, but that's part of

Comments

[pocochina]

lol, clearly it could've stood for a typo check before posting, but I just couldn't look at it for another second. So I'm glad it made sense.

Everything you say about Klaus makes me LOL. SO. HARD. I just. xD

Klaus makes me LOL SO HARD. Fandom tends to overestimate him, too, for a lot of the same reasons as Elijah - he doesn't need to be a super-rational master strategist any more than Elijah needs to be a good poker player.

IRL there are many people like A who, just by virtue of their personality, are constitutionally unable to have enough belief in their suspicions to really grit their teeth and go through with a pre-emptive move to forestall B, or to cut off B without giving them a chance to screw A over.This is the place that I think I sympathize with him the most on. Like, I think Elijah's overriding desire is to find someone to validate the faith in people that he wants to have. And the less reason he has to trust them, the more he doubles down. I can't quite get my arms around why I think that is, but it feels like it fits

[pocochina]

I was about to make a public post on the OSG trope but now I'm beginning to rethink it.

ooooh, don't put that on hold on my account, I'd be really interested.

[myfriendamy]

aw this is so interesting and helpful!

I never really paid a lot of attention to Elijah, to be honest, but I'm going to give the originals a shot and it's nice to have a clear way to look at it. Hopefully the show will live up to your great insight on it!

the piddly-ass Salvatores

lol

[pocochina]

ty! Elijah's totally my guy.

I hope I'm on the level with the show too! I feel like I need to start managing expectations because I just want so many great things from this show.

[rosaxx50]

Lol Elijah. I'M SORRY I HAVE NOTHING CONCRETE TO ADD. Your views are mine, your points are excellent. Is he moral? Well yes when he's privileged enough in terms of power to be so, and he buys into his persona so completely.

[pocochina]

lol Elijah indeed.

Is he moral? Well yes when he's privileged enough in terms of power to be so

Yeah, exactly. When it's a very, very low-cost behavior - or even when it benefits him far more than it costs him (a la trying to avoid the showdown with Klaus in S2) - then sure. But that's not very valuable in gauging who he is, either.

[rosaxx50]

Heh. I sort of enjoy him, but when I say that I usually mean "I enjoy Elena outwitting him". My f'list and their meta on him is always fascinating, though.

[lynnenne]

the projected persona is one put forth by the character, not one that we the audience should ever have taken as truth, and his arc on TVD was the painful, drawn-out crumbling of that persona.

Totally agree with this. Beautifully argued and supported.

[pocochina]

Thanks!

I'm really looking forward to this show. Like, I'm worried another month to anticipate is just going to send my expectations up too high and then anything will be a disappointment.

[lynnenne]

I honestly... kind of expect all three Originals to veer wildly, as far as character goes. I think the writers will make them jump through hoops - some of which will be riveting, others of which will be ridiculous and silly. But I think these actors are up for it, and can make sense out of whatever twists come their way.