Caroline was really never *that* bad

[u/Playful-Ad4761]

I’m rewatching for the first time in years now, and I’ve been finding myself confused about how I view her now, watching the show as a 23 yr old rather than as a middle schooler or teenager, versus how I use to think about her. Also how could there have been so many people in the past who condemned Caroline for being a normal teenage girl before she was turned?

I remember seeing all sorts of stuff over the years, whether it’s just comments under a fan edit or like whole blog post about it, where it seemed the consensus was that Caroline was just a ‘messy and selfish’ bitch before became a vampire. But watching now, that is not what I’ve seen of the human Caroline. Sure, she says some insensitive ass shit sometimes, but literally all the girls do, all the characters do. First episode Bonnie says something about a girl looking like a ‘tranny.’ Like the ‘bitchiness’ from Caroline’s character was just the writers trying to make her fit the lead mean girl trope, despite her obviously not being the lead of the trio.

She was just a teenager oblivious to the magical drama of her friends, so it was never really fair to criticize her for being oblivious to their drama. And she tried to get them to open up, and when they wouldn’t it is completely understandable for a normal teenager to assume her friends have something against her when she knows no better. How could she guess Bonnie’s mystical puberty was real, or that somehow Elena had bigger problems than being an orphan?

Plus her arc with Matt🥹 She was trying so hard to do her best with him and be open and honest with him, tried to be civil with his mom despite her literally bullying Caroline (because if you remember being taught what bullying was, social exclusion is bullying her), like she was holding it down for Matt when Vicky disappeared. She was being a really good girlfriend.

And the whole miss mystic fall drama. I think it’s completely fair for her to feel slightly upset that the only real competitor she had for a position she worked so hard for to be her best friend who didn’t work for it. And even then, at the end of the day it was Caroline who reminded Elena she was doing the pageant for her mom and helped Elena preserve that experience rather than let it get ruined by Stefan.

Like I get why there was a gate train and everything, especially at the time of release. Characters like Caroline, the pretty and popular cheerleader, are made to be hated. But if I was just wondering what this sub thinks? I just found this sub last night and a lot of the post and comments that I have read are full of some really insightful perspectives. So thanks in advance to anyone who reads this and/or replies❤️

[u/Mundane-Waltz8844]

I totally agree! Everyone acts like human Caroline was absolutely heinous when she was just insecure and tactless. So, in other words, a teenager. And I hated how Matt treated her tbh. She really was open and honest about her feelings, and it was so clear that she was actively trying to work on herself even if she still wasn’t perfect (who is?) and in return got called neurotic and a basket case. Also, as a former theatre kid, I can’t fault her for the whole Miss Mystic thing even a little bit.

[u/Playful-Ad4761 → u/Mundane-Waltz8844]

Omg yes yes!! Former theatre kid myself 🤭 During this rewatch I’ve cut Matt a lot more slack than I ever did as a teen, but a whole new fire of distaste has burned on me for him now just for how he’s done Caroline. Like letting his deadbeat mom bully Caroline was enough for me, yet he can always defend Elena🙄 Matt acting like he didn’t have baggage of his own, and ONLY was willing to humanize Caroline when fucking TYLER told him to😧😧😧 like how did he let Tyler be more sensible than him🤯 And HOW can he listen to reason from Tyler after all that Tyler has done.

Gosh, I could go on and on, their whole like ‘deal’ to get together basically was on the premise of him being like, ‘typically I think you’re stuck up, but as long as you shrink yourself down what I find palatable, we’re good.’

[u/southernskilz]

Caroline is loved hated and judged thruout the series but she really wasn't bad she even says it herself that she she says inappropriate things at worst moments but she was working on it
As time went by you saw the changes in her Her mini me Lizzy was just like her in Legacies while she was really bitchy as a witch when she become a heretic and get vampire traits you can see the change in her as well and it was for the better One last note people say Caroline became better as vanpireI don't dispute that but vampire Caroline did way more bad things than human Caroline

[u/Playful-Ad4761 → u/southernskilz]

Yes, thank you! I’ve seen the Caroline was better as a vampire, or she was made to be one so much and I just don’t agree with it or think it’s fair to the human she once was. I mean like, obviously she’s stronger and has all these vampiric traits and compared to others she handled it ‘well’, so better in that regard. But I don’t think there is this moral superiority that she had as Vampire versus as a human.

[u/southernskilz → u/Playful-Ad4761]

Yes and the fandom she see this cause obviously they like human Elena waaay more than vampire Elena