My Favorite TV Brothers

                      Everyone has family issues but nothing seems to compare to the love/hate relationship between brothers. It's so Biblical! Also widely entertaining which is why I want to point out my favorite brothers on the small screen. 

Pudding is way better than cookies!

1. Michael (Tom Wisdom) & Gabriel (Carl Beukes) from Dominion

Gabriel is quite the art lover...

          They're the yin to each other's yang.  They never seem to sync up despite the fact that they're twins. It used to be that Michael was the loose cannon and Gabriel had to be the one to reign him in. Now Gabriel has snapped and the reverse is true leading to an all out war. They are on opposite sides but we see in small moments that there is still this bond between them. Gabriel has shown that he has a deep love for his brother and hates to see Michael in pain especially when he's the cause (though he believes he's doing this for all the right reasons). I mean when Furiad stabbed Michael in the gut, Gabriel retaliated. No one lays a sword on Michael except Gabriel. Then when he crushed Michael's romanticized vision of the humans, Gabriel appeared to be genuinely sad. And Michael chose to have clandestine meetings with Gabriel trying to talk some sense into him. Even when Gabriel was locked in a cage there seemed to be no real hard feeling between the Archangels. I don't know if that was because they were both confident in their plans or what but it felt natural for them as if they were in the open air. 

Who's playing who in this eternal game of cat & mouse?

            Michael and Gabriel are two sons who interpret their father's will differently which is the source of their tension. Gabriel believes that exterminating the human race will bring God back while Michael believes the opposite. Personally I agree with Michael though who knows what God ever wants? He speaks in riddles. I have no doubt that Michael and Gabriel will meet again and it'll turn into a talk or a battlefield... or both!

Two men I wouldn't mind being caught in the middle of

2. Klaus (Joseph Morgan) & Elijah (Daniel Gillies) Mikaelson from The Originals

Elijah threatens to give Klaus a century's worth of head nuggies

         These 2 were as different as day and night. Klaus was the black sheep of the family, tyrannical, paranoid, and full of wrath often merciless in his punishments. Elijah was the rock, the stability of the family, always neat and clean, courteous and noble. Elijah refused to give up on finding Klaus's humanity and Klaus would always take advantage of that after daggering his older brother time and again. But then Klaus became a father and it changed him.

You forgot to bring him a shirt! Not that I mind

        Where they were once day and night it seems Elijah and Klaus are more similar like twilight or dusk; different but some qualities that make them somewhat indistinguishable from each other. Elijah turns out to be not the noble vampire that he thought he was but also a monster lurking in the shadows and Klaus has learned restraint as well as gained the ability to forgive without using violence as retaliation. There are still times where Elijah has to reign in Klaus but now Klaus can be seen to do the same for Elijah. Both give each other speeches of encouragement and they remain each other's confidant. When it comes down to it these two would die for each other, always and forever.

Who wants a scary ghost story?

3. Sam (Jared Padalecki) & Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester from Supernatural

"Red vines are not good candy, Dean!"

           These brothers are the definition of dysfunctional. Sam was the rebellious younger son and Dean the dutiful one and they clashed on more than one occasion but they also came together on more too. Sam was more reasonable, merciful with a world view while Dean was all shoot first, ask questions never. But as time went on, their father dying, losing the women they loved, Sam and Dean clung to each other as they were the constant in each other's lives and now they can't imagine life without each other. They've both been to hell and back heavily scarred. 

Poor Dean is caught in the middle

       They've developed a severe co-dependency on each other though when Dean went to Purgatory and came back to find Sam had moved on with his life, he was pretty hurt that Sam didn't bother to try and find him a way out or when Sam came back from hell and didn't give Dean a call. More than anything despite his rough, wise cracking exterior Dean is very vulnerable; he has a horrible fear of abandonment where Sam has always wanted to distance himself from their dark, harrowing lives.

That's it, boys, hug it out!

           Throughout the 10 seasons we've seen Sam and Dean fight, make up, fight, break up then make up and die together only to rise from the grave. They keep telling each other that if one of them died for the other to move on but we all know they won't because one way or another they find their way back to each other. They've become so in tune that they pick up on what the other isn't saying and do everything in their power to rescue their brother from the inferno. Like I said, they seem to have a severe co-dependency issue but who wouldn't want a brother who would die for you or move the universe to get you back home?

Another pair I wouldn't mind getting stuck between

4. Stefan (Paul Wesley) & Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) from The Vampire Diaries

Stefan has jipped on the last 5 rounds

         Hello, Brother and oh brother talk about baggage. Like Michael and Gabriel, Stefan and Damon Salvatore were the yin to each other's yang. They seemed to have switched personalities over time when Stefan was the uncontrollable ripper and Damon the more reserved and level headed. They displayed a love/hate relationship where Damon promised Stefan eternal misery though there were moments where he tried to repair the damage. He did a poor job of course perhaps he wasn't trying hard enough. There was that time in New Olreans during the 1940s where Stefan wanted Damon to go to war with him but Lexi stopped Damon and he watched as disappointed Stefan went off to fight in Europe. These brothers would hurt each other emotionally and sometimes physically with their mind games. Damon killed Zach, their nephew, and Stefan killed Damon's fake girlfriend. But they forgive each other every time.

They'll walk through fire for each other

         After Damon fell in love with Elena he became a better brother. Damon and Stefan became united in their desire to protect Elena and when it seemed like that love would tear them apart again, they somehow found a way to bury the hatchet. Damon is trying his best to be a better person and a better brother. Stefan is Damon's only family and he will do anything to save him. It may have taken them a long time to get there or maybe they've always been there, but Damon seems determined to make his relationship with Stefan a better one and they'll be the stronger for it.

Put down those guns and give us a hug!

5. Miles Matheson (Billy Burke) and Sebastian "Bass" Monroe (David Lyons) from Revolution

Hey, buddy, something you wanna talk about?

        The show may have been cancelled but the brotherhood of Miles and Bass is eternal. Miles and Monroe are not blood related but they have been through enough for their bond to be just as strong if not stronger. It's clear that like Sam and Dean Winchester, Miles and Bass are every bit as dysfunctional. It's unfair to say which one of them had to be the level headed one and which one was the extreme because they performed both roles for each other. Bass lost his family in a tragic accident and was ready to end it all but Miles got Bass to throw away the gun. Then Miles was very militant during the first years of the Blackout and Bass had to be the reasonable voice in his head. Down the road they fell apart and so Bass became the extreme and it seemed that the best thing was for Miles to kill Bass to save the Republic but when it came time to pull the trigger he froze. When Miles left there was no one to reign Bass's crazy in so Bass went rabid. 

No one puts Baby in a corner especially drunk and with a loaded gun

          In season 2 Bass proved himself to be very toxic for Miles. The guy was spiraling in his self loathing and misery. Bass was so terrified of being alone or left behind that he tried to drive a wedge between Miles and Rachel (though it turns out that Bass may have also wanted Rachel). Most of the time Monroe just whined and complained how Rachel was destroying Miles but luckily Miles knew his "brother" long enough to know he was just being a jealous child. Miles gained enough strength to tell Bass as much that he didn't need him (though through out the season both Bass and Miles kept saying they needed the other to fight the war) which must have hurt Bass really bad but when Tom was ready to blow Miles's head off, Bass stepped in with a gun to Tom's head. In the end, Miles forgave Bass for everything and gave him another chance and Bass came through. In terms of closing character arcs, Bass and Miles are back on good terms and even if they fell out and swore to kill each other we know they wouldn't. They both had the chance and decided not to pull the trigger. For better or for worse these two are brothers to the very end.

How many chances should Ragnar give Rollo?

6. Ragnar (Travis Fimmel) & Rollo (Clive Standen) Lothbrok from Vikings 

Rollo puts himself at Ragnar's mercy

       Ragnar and Rollo remind me a lot of Cain and Abel. Ragnar is the younger brother but favored by not only his parents but also by the gods while Rollo feels under appreciated and forsaken. In season 1, Rollo doesn't hide his jealousy, making passes at Lagertha and scheming behind Ragnar's back. Thing is Ragnar seems to notice but he doesn't do anything about it. When Rollo goes into battle against Ragnar and is put on trial, Ragnar goes out of his way to save his older brother's life. Why? Love and Rollo has proven in battle that he has Ragnar's back even when he's acting like a jerk and his envy for Ragnar is at a high. 

Shield Wall!

      Ragnar is not an idiot. He did punish Rollo for his betrayal and while he loved him, Ragnar questioned if he should ever trust him again. While Ragnar was away, Rollo held down the fort protecting Ragnar's family. They really came together in season 2 where Rollo became even more loyal to Ragnar. Wherever Ragnar went, Rollo went also.

My beard is better than your beard, Rollo

          However, now it seems after Siggy died, Rollo is once again showing his jealousy and hatred for Ragnar's success while he is once again forsaken by the gods but the seer hinted that the gods had bigger plans for Rollo. A bear (by interpretation I assume that's Rollo) marries a princess which spells some bad news for Ragnar... maybe. So the rivalry between Ragnar and Rollo continues. 

Can we have one day where no one ends up dead?

         
         Brothers are at constant war with each other followed by bouts of peace. They're so much alike and yet different at the same time which is probably the reason they fight a lot. But nothing seems to be stronger or able to break such a bond. As Rollo said, "Isn't that what brothers do? They love and hate each other all the time." 

The Originals: Klaus's Self Destructive Parenting

Wolf Mama better put her baby daddy's attitude in check

                  I for one love how dedicated a father Klaus is being for Hope. Every time I see Klaus hold his daughter (which isn't often enough since she got back) I see him swell with pride. But we all know that pride is one of Klaus's most self destructive qualities. He's so convinced that he's right and that his way of protecting Hope is the best way that he fails to see that this will blow up in his face like it did in Season 1.

Damn it Jackson you're making it hard for me
an Elijah fan to hate you entirely!

            
             Klaus's first problem is Jackson. Though Jackson's love and loyalty to Hayley would be beneficial for Hope because it would mean the new army of super wolves would be her protectors Klaus continues to antagonize his baby mama's husband. Why? Jealousy, I think. We all saw how threatened Klaus was by Elijah's relationship with Hayley during her pregnancy. Klaus feared his child would see Elijah more as a father than Klaus himself. Of course Elijah would never allow for that to happen because he cares too much for Klaus to do that to him. 

No biting! That's the rule in sparring

It's step-daddy vs real daddy

          But with Jackson... I don't think he would intentionally try to replace Klaus as Hope's father-figure if at all. Jackson is more a man who wants to do what's best for the woman he loves and his step-daughter. Another thing is that Jackson got to spend time with Ansel, Klaus's biological father, which is something Klaus desired most. Unfortunately Klaus had to kill Ansel. It was to protect his daughter so it was a noble reason but still Klaus was sad that he had to kill a man that would have nurtured him more than Mikael ever had. So now Klaus believes that getting rid of Jackson will help Hope but Aiden...

Klaus hasn't learned his lesson the first time
in his dealing with the wolves

              Aiden is a great guy but there have been moments when he's butted heads with Jackson over how the wolves should be run. It's clear that Aiden's loyalty is to the wolves. If it comes down to Hope's safety or his pack's I have a pretty good idea on which side Aiden will choose. Aiden has no personal connection to Hayley except that she provided their pack with the ability to change at will but she's not his type and he also has no personal connection to Hope either. In fact, since Hope is not only part vampire and part witch she's part wolf and someday could challenge him for dominance. Hope is more a threat to Aiden than Klaus. Replacing Jackson with Aiden could mean more trouble for Klaus than he may think. 

Hope has the look of the devil in her eyes;
she gets that from Klaus

         Freya I'm wary of but yet again Klaus is letting his pride get in the way. We all know he loves Hope; dangerously so. Klaus told Elijah while in his coma that the love for his daughter would likely destroy him and the monster in Klaus must be checked by the monster in Elijah. Elijah's monster needs to put in some over time because now Klaus is even pushing Hayley away and she's just as concerned with Hope's safety as Klaus is. I understand Klaus's self destructive desire to protect Hope. He has so much blood on his hands but now he has this one innocent thing in his life that he needs to keep pure at all costs. His daughter is the only truly innocent part of him that's left but like in season 1, Klaus's schemes with the wolves and the witches may end up blowing up in his face and this time could have even more dire consequences for Hope.

Klaus's iron will is stronger than a rusty gate

TVD: Ripper Steroline!

This is going to be K-Fed & Britney Spears all over again

                  I'm probably one of the few who wasn't crazy about Caroline's new Britney-hair do but that's not the thing we're gonna rave about. Stefan has turned off his humanity which was part of Caroline's plan to make sure she doesn't turn her humanity back on and feel the pain of losing her mother. 

Welcome to your nightmare. Margarita?

             I admit I like Stefan when his humanity is on hold. He's just more fun though terrifying. And it's about time Caroline had a chance to turn off her humanity. When you're a vampire you should at least try it once in your immortal life. You also have to admire the genius of Caroline's plan. Stefan without his humanity is her way of having him without having him trigger her humanity switch. Humanity or not, Caroline has a thing for Stefan though this plan will definitely back fire.

Ripper Stefan is more fun at parties... until he
rips the DJ's throat out. He shouldn't have played
Justin Bieber...

           Stefan without his moral compass is just one bloody drop away from going off the rails. Caroline's only a baby vamp so her immorality trip will be "mild" (I'm counting up to the point until she had Liam perform open heart surgery on Sara). Yet Stefan can be intense when his humanity's off; more aggressive, more ruthless. I feel like seeing Stefan this way will trigger something emotional in Caroline. Caroline's love has always ran deep and humanity or not that would be hard for her to shut off completely.

You screwed with the wrong A-Type Vampire Britney Spears

           How long will Caroline have her humanity off before the season's over? Hopefully long enough for us to enjoy her painting Mystic Falls red with a few more citizens' blood. Some complain that Stefan's humanity switch turned off is boring but I disagree especially since Ripper Steroline will be like a revved up Bonnie & Clyde! Though I'm hoping they don't end in a hail of bullets... or a stake through the heart.

Dominion: The Anti-Bromance of Gabriel and Alex

"I am what I am. I own all my mistakes." Your history says otherwise

               Super excited that Dominion is filming and happy that 12 Monkeys was renewed for a season 2. But back to Dominion, Alex is going to have a new mentor after his other one... winged out. Very unfortunate since Alex and Michael had gotten close over the course of the season but now Alex is left with Gabriel as a teacher. I have to wonder what that relationship will be like.

Rule 1: Never question Michael

          First off, the bromance of Alex and Michael had a real rocky start. Right from the beginning you could feel the animosity between them though beneath that animosity there was still this begrudging respect for each other. To me it was like a strict parental figure trying to deal with a rebellious offspring but once they opened up some communication they formed quite a bond where they finally met on common ground. Michael turned out to be the other estranged father-figure that Alex never thought he had so it was really devastating for him to have to fight a man who was his protector, mentor, and family then see Michael snap and fly out of Vega. Now here comes Gabriel, a person Alex right from the beginning has seen as the enemy; the man who represented everything Alex was fighting against, saying that he can teach Alex some new tricks... 

Gabriel has the worst timing in giving any kind of news

         I definitely expect some passive aggressive, frosty behavior on Alex's part. He was basically blackmailed into becoming Gabriel's protege. Doubt this coolness will bother Gabriel much. He may try to coax some things out of the Chosen One but I doubt our evil Archangel's charm will be enough to put a spell on Alex. Alex is no William. Though sometimes when characters who are on opposite sides are forced to interact with each other on a daily basis some feelings of understanding tend to bloom between them. Alex may start to feel a certain sympathy for the twisted Gabriel who's really just a son tortured over his Father's sudden abandonment and that's something Alex can certainly relate to. I mean God didn't even leave Gabriel a letter of goodbye! And I'm sure Alex's compassion will fascinate and surprise Gabriel as it has Michael on occasion though if it starts to interfere with his plan Gabriel may not like it so much.

Come on, have a beer, stay and talk awhile

          Season 2 will start with a time jump either weeks or even a few months ahead. Uriel will probably have her plan in motion which will put Alex in a difficult position and Gabriel I'm sure will be surprised (as well as super peeved) to find that his sister was playing him like a fiddle. But one thing I can surmise is Alex may start to get fed up with being pulled and played with like a chess piece in the Archangels' disputes. Alex is in this to save everyone, humans and angels, and it may reach a point where he may have to stop dealing with Archangels altogether and start relying more on himself in trying to figure out the markings.    

        

Arrow: The Magic of Olicity

I'm just a vigilante standing in front of his tech support side kick
asking her to love me...

         I feel like we've been leading up to Felicity and Oliver ever since she became a part of team Arrow. It felt unexpected but at the same time it's probably one of the most popular of Oliver's ships with anyone. Oliver with Shado was more that he needed guidance and she was someone who saw his potential, then with Laurel it felt like it was going backwards (which suited the time because he just got back and he was trying to adjust), then there was the Huntress (someone he could maybe help because he saw himself in her), then there was Sarah (a woman he cared about then lost then found and someone who knew exactly what he was going through), but all of those relationships died because Oliver was stuck in this darkness seeing no light whatsoever. But then he met Felicity. Why is Felicity more important to Oliver than any of his past love interests?

It's Beauty & the Geek. Felicity sees the prince in this beast

          1. When Oliver got back to Starling City he couldn't trust anyone. He couldn't look at anyone without suspicion but then he met Felicity. He just felt like here was a real person. Not that she was pure because we know she's not but because she felt genuine. She was so bright and clear in his mind that Oliver even remembered the color of the pen she was chewing on when they first met (officially; since he saw her 5 years ago). 

Don't think because you're hot I'll back down, Oliver

         2. Felicity may ramble on at times when she's nervous but she's the bravest of them all. She'll call Oliver on his crap. When she was first working in the Arrow cave she had a few critiques about Oliver's aggressive offense. We all remember how intense he was. Felicity went so far as to lock down Oliver's man cave to keep him from going off fully cocked. Felicity's influence seemed to temper him over time. 

Smile, Ollie, it's the girl of your dreams

         3. Every time Oliver is feeling down Felicity somehow manages to make him smile. It doesn't matter how he's feeling, Oliver just finds himself comforted by either Felicity's humor, insight, or even by her presence. While he may push everyone away (or try to) Felicity goes right in and lifts his spirits.

Maybe if you kiss it his boo boo will feel better

           4. Felicity sees the good in Oliver even when he doesn't. She knows he's better than he thinks he is and that he's a good man deep down. It's just that Oliver has so many demons and he's turned into something completely unrecognizable from 5 years ago that he can't see any good in himself despite his desire to make things right. He wants to be redeemed but doesn't believe he's deserving. Felicity just calls that "poppycock"! 

Felicity's hugs are all the balm Oliver needs

          5. I feel like Oliver's other girlfriends were "damsels in distress"; to Oliver they were women he felt like he needed to rescue from their pain and inner darkness because for one he knew that pain and darkness and two, if he could save these women he could somehow redeem himself. Felicity never needed saving. You could actually say that she was saving Oliver. She dragged him out of the darkness and gave him hope. She's his light at the edge of the tunnel. 

"Ummm you can get up now..."
"No I'm fine here"

            6. Felicity is possibly the only woman in his life that he can truly rely on. We've covered that she's not afraid to confront Oliver on his crap and she has strived to be honest with him even when it's uncomfortable for her. She opened up to him about her problems with her own parents to put Oliver at ease. Even when they fight, all Oliver has to do is say "please" and Felicity will do whatever he asks; unlike Laurel, Sarah, and the Huntress. I'm not saying that makes them all unfit to be with Oliver, every woman has a right to do as she pleases. I'm just saying that in terms of teamwork, Felicity is able to push her own anger aside for the good of the team.  

"Don't ask me to say 'I don't love you'."

          I feel like Oliver has finally reached a point in his life where he's on the emotional mend where he's seeking out more healthy relationships, romantic or otherwise. That's part of why Felicity has become so essential to Oliver's life and why he's fallen in love with her. It seemed to hit him out of nowhere. When Felicity was with other guys, Oliver got annoyed and somewhat possessive because someone was taking part of Felicity's time away from him. He didn't understand it and it was confusing but now he understands it though that hasn't stopped him from messing it up lately. Hopefully he doesn't become the next dread Ra's Al ghul because that would be him diving back into eternal darkness so Felicity needs to break up with Ray immediately or lock Oliver in the Arrow cave before he walks away from the Hood and everyone he cares about forever!

"I trust you..."