The Eclare all Eclare fans should be shipping no longer exists, and there's no signs that they will ever return.
This is a looooong post, so I figured I can briefly sum it up with a couple of talking points:
1) The focus of Eclare nowadays seems to be targeted toward the stereotypical group of Eclare fans, who “AHHH#:LNKVSLKJ$” over anything and get their hopes up over nothing only to have them crushed then wonder why. For the specific people who consider themselves I guess “super fangirls,” what is it that makes you keep falling into the trap of having your Eclare hope/emotions stepped on when it’s obvious you’re being played to begin with?
2) For all Eclare fans: After observing Clare’s awful behavior in Nowhere To Run, what is the appeal of having Eclare reunite at this very moment in time? And yes, I’m well aware that a lot of Eclare fans don’t approve of them getting back together right now, and that they need get back to where they were when things were great between them. But do you believe that’s even possible? Or is Eclare always going to be just a hollow version of what it once was?
3) This lengthy rambling of mine is based on the semi-hypothecial, yet disturbing premise that Eclare will never again be what it once was, therefore rendering all love or hope for this couple’s future pointless.
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When it comes to some Eclare fans, I laugh at their silliness because like the age-old quote “boys will be boys,” one could say “fangirls will be fangirls.”
But after finally watching Nowhere To Run and having to endure nonstop twitter and tumblr posts of Eclare fangirls feeling hurt or betrayed because Eli and Clare didn’t immediately get back together in the middle of the woods at nightj, I was baffled by the absurdity.
The biggest complaint from within the Eclare fanbase I saw the 24 hours after Nowhere To Run (as I had yet to see the episode) is that the writers keep giving them hope that Eclare will get back together, then suddenly yank it away. But after watching it I’m wondering where is this hope that people speak of to begin with? Eli gives Clare his jacket, so now she’s magically going to fall in love with him again? They look each other in the eyes…that must mean they’re soulmates, right?
No.
The overly enthusiastic Eclare fangirls do a great job of getting their own hopes up, but there’s also no way that the writers aren’t toying with ALL Eclare fans as well on some level. The rest of us “know” how the “average” Eclare fan reacts, so we know that Degrassi doesn’t have to put Eclare together anytime soon (or ever) because they know certain fans will go “Ahhhh s3of;asu0vsndav” anytime they’re within 50 feet of each other. And they know that all Eclare fans are holding out that hope that Eli and Clare will reunite, regardless of why the fans want them to. Unfortunately, all Eclare fans are also unfairly generalized into this one category, because those who attract the most attention tend to make the most “noise” per se. And now Degrassi, everything from the show’s writing to Epitome’s interaction with fans online mostly panders to the teeny-bopper mentality of the Eclare “Super Fangirls.”
Clare’s eyes in Nowhere To Run say everything. Never once did she look at Eli in this episode in the same emotional, loving way she did anytime she looked at Jake. Clare was willing to USE Eli in order to get back at Jake, and she was this close to doing so. Then she actually DID use Eli at the end of the episode, giving him a ride in order to stick it to Alli. It’s a bitter pill to swallow, but it’s been written all over the walls since this summer that Clare Edwards is over Eli Goldsworthy. Her character, so deteriorated by the situations with 1) her parents’ divorce, 2) her and Jake’s parents getting married and 3) her heartbreak and infatuation with Jake, leaves her absolutely no room to even think about the “pedestrian” problems of her best friend Alli, let alone focus on an ex boyfriend.
Even in the episode Lose Yourself, when Eclare shared a very powerful moment, in retrospect it was not a moment of mutual love. You could tell Eli loved Clare deeply, but Clare had the look of someone who felt guilty and embarrassed…and course she’d feel that way since she’d spent the entire episode paranoid, criticizing him and his play.
This isn’t some sort of attack on Eclare fans, and I obviously know there are multiple types of Eclare fans. I’m not an “Eclare or Eclare fan hater,” though I have no desire to see them together because ever since the second half of Season 10 either one or the other has been behaving ridiculously. They will always have my respect as one of the most thoroughly-developed couples this show has ever had, a true rarity on Degrassi…until their issues made them implode. I just don’t understand why some of you insist on continuously torturing yourselves, needlessly hanging onto every word and every action of these two characters when 100% of these words or actions since Eclare’s breakup have led to absolutely nothing. “Fool me once…”
And for those diehard Eclare fans who truly believe Eclare is “endgame,” do you really want them to be together after what happened in Nowhere To Run? If so, I genuinely want to know why….I’m talking directly to those who want them together *RIGHT NOW,* in their current states (wanting them back together when they’ve both reached a good place is already a given, and everyone including myself would love to see that).
The real problem is that the real Eclare doesn’t exist anymore. It hasn’t for quite a while, and who knows if it ever will. When they first started, they had depth in the form of a well-developed friendship. They were intelligent and genuine, even as Eli’s mental state began to unravel. What’s left is that the concept of Eclare has transformed into a shallow fairytale, where the slogan is now “OMG ECLARE IS ENDGAME”, and Degrassi eggs on the fantasy with things like pointless “pastry” feuds.
I do believe Eclare will get back together at some point. Common logic dictates that the show is not going to let the most-popular couple in years fade off into oblivion. However, I’m more inclined to believe it’ll be done simply to give them a happy ending, or slap them together in order to pacify fans. This will be fulfilling to those who simply want to see Eli and Clare together again, them professing their love for each other the way Clare and Jake did in Nowhere To Run. But for those who understand the elements that make Eclare unique to any other couple on the show, the absence of those elements will make any Eclare reconciliation feel just as empty as it does while they’re apart. What would be the point of Eclare reuniting only to suffer fates like Semma and Cranny, becoming a shell of their former selves the second time around?
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There was a big ole discussion on twitter about this, and a couple of people sent me lengthy e-mails discussing it in depth. Man I wish I could just post them in full, but I’ve gotta share at least a portion from them.
from @sarenka222:
At the end of the day, I don’t care what a bunch of popular teen girls who feel like bullying others for their fictional character inclinations thinks. They can make all the derisive and condescending comments they want. But what does worry me is that they seem to have succeeded in perpetuating a certain stereotype about Eclare fans. Why is this a problem? Because I think it’s led the people to a serious misconception — namely that Eclare fans are empty-headed little girls who just want a fairytale relationship; so you can jerk them around all you want, as long as someday down the line, you put Eli and Clare back together. I’m worried that they’re eventually going to stick them togehter in some sort of special, where they will end up walking off into the sunset, happily ever after — and we’ll be supposed to be satisfied with that. No, no, no! What makes Eclare remarkable is the substance of their relationship and interactions, their compatibility as people. That’s what was special about this pairing. So unless they put them back together with enough time for that to rebuild, they might as well not do it at all.
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from @musiksnob
Most of us have been watching the show for years, and have very rational reasons for loving Eclare and are very frustrated with the show right now – not because Eli and Clare aren’t together – but because the current storylines for them barely make sense.
So yes. We’d really like Eclare to get back together. But not until they come up with a way to redeem Clare’s character and to develop Eli a little more on his own. Clare needs to show Eli she cares about him using her words and not her facial expressions. The problem is: we’re tired of waiting. Ever since DTW 2, the show has ultimately been very disappointing. I’ve actually gotten to the point where I hope that Eli and Clare aren’t in the episode because then I will probably enjoy it. But I’m terrified of two things: That the show will pull a last second deus ex machina and put them back together in epic fashion right before Eli’s graduation or that they’ll get back together tomorrow with no rhyme or reason to it. Because I want to see them portray a really special relationship on my screen and I don’t trust them to do it right anymore.
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Kary's Degrassi Blog 
Ugh… I meant the “the people at Epitome”, not “the people” … Wasn’t commenting on the proletariat’s views on Eclare. – Sarenka222
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Eli does not need a heavy weight on his shoulders. That heavy weight is Claire. And no, it won’t help if she gets skinny.
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I am not surprised the way Clare has been acting toward her friends. I kind of of blaming her parents especially her mom. Clare’s mom was in her own little world with her new man. I wish the writers would have that serious mother and daughter talk about relationships. I can forsee Clare having a complete mental breakdown kind of like what happened to Darcy. It seems to me that the Edward’s women just don’t know how to communicate and that is pretty damn sad.
I hope for Eli keeps up his mental health and move foward not backwards. Yes, Clare was already done with Eli after Jesus ETC. You can see it in her eyes.
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I’d personally like to see Eli with someone that’s not either Clare nor Imogen as most people wish to see. & most definitely not until he completely gets his head together, which so far seems to be the case. Anyway, my opinion regarding this post? I’m just not so much into seeing Eclare anymore, because I truly believe the writers won’t go about it the right way & it will just end up rushed or completely ridiculous. On a side note… WHAT HAVE THE WRITERS DONE TO CLARE EDWARDS?!?!?!
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I think Fiona will date Eli and turn bi
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clare and eli are my favorite couple. They just had a really deep connection and complimented each other so well. There was something really special there. Its really tragic how much clares character has changed into this really annoying person. and i was thinking that if clare and eli did get back together later on. jake is still clares “brother” and will live with her. so its really weird to have your girlfriend living with her ex. its down right absurd and disturbing. I just dont know how it would work unless their parents marriage doesn’t last much. which is also sad. right now im just living in the beautiful old eclare memories and just hope they find someone right for each other. i really want them to still be friends though.
if they are going to put them back together and have them not have the same connection did they before then theres no point of putting them back together.
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I agree with everything you said. Except I do think the old eclare could be together again if they backed off making Clare so selfish. Right at this moment i think Eli is in a state where he could get back with her and be okay mentally. Clare however is being a egotistical drama queen and needs a reality check. I find her feelings toward Eli confusing though. In the beginning of now or never, I felt she wasn’t over him, but then the second Jake came along it was “Eli who?”. Just more irritation at the fake chemistry of Cake.
Also thanks for saying there are different types of eclare fans. I admit to obsessing over Eclare a bit, they were a powerful couple and I USED to be able to relate to Clare very well. But I am not a screeching fangirl and knew this episode would not have a reunion.
Also I still haven’t given up on Clare. She’s become extremely unbearable but I’m holding out hoping she at least stop being so selfish. the sweet innocent Clare seems gone but maybe she can become a little less annoying.
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idgaf about eclare right now. i just want clare to go back to the person she used to be.
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Seriously. The bastardization of Clare’s character worries me far more than Eclare.
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I had a weird thought remember what Clare said at prom about breaking up Glen and her Mom to Jake. What if Clare is using Jake as a ploy to break up her moms marriage. She did the same thing with Eli. This is why I never shipped Eclare because I always thought she was dating him to piss off her mom.
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I doubt Clare is using Jake, cause they were together even before they knew their parents were dating.
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I was just babbling because I just bored of Clare emotional rollercoster. If she keeps this up she is going to lose her friends and Jake or have a complete meltdown. Clare needs open up before the cork pops (breakdown)
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Woah I don’t think Clare dated Eli to piss off her mom. Where on earth did you get that from lol.
At one point, she tried to use Eli so her parents would have something to agree upon, but even after the divorce was confirmed, she stayed with Eli.
Clare dated Eli because SHE wanted to date Eli, not so she could make her mom mad. Clare never wanted to piss off her mom, why would she want to?
As for Jake, I think she actually really likes Jake (sadly). after all, they were dating before Helen and Glen became official.
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I’m just going to repost what I wrote on my tumblr right after DOYS. Unfortunately, I still feel the same:
“After everything that’s happened between Eli and Clare so far… I can’t see myself legitimately shipping them ever again. They’ve caused each other so much pain, and they have such heavy history… I don’t know if they could ever get passed it, and if they do in the show, I don’t know if I could ever buy it. I mean, how could the writers possibly redeem this couple after all this bullshit is said and done? It’s only been two weeks into S11, and so much has already happened between them. There’s going to be even more turmoil that I can’t even imagine right now. Eclare’s reunion would have to be beyond brilliant, and as much as I love Degrassi, I don’t know if the writers could pull it off convincingly enough for me.
Sometimes I think it would just be better for them to just let go. Their love has become a burden on them both. They are way too damn young for that.
Basically, what I’m trying to say is that I’m an Eclare fan that probably will never want them back together.”
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And good God, that screen cap pisses me off. I want to put my fist through my computer just looking at it.
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I also think it’s hard to tell what exactly Clare’s true feelings are because this girl NEVER says what she really feels, and her character has been written too erratically to understand where her real feelings lie.
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Nicely done Kary. While I was never an Eclare fan, I can at least appreciate them getting back together if the time was right. The time is NOT right.
I am currently in a toss up about the WORST female character of all time. Right now, I’m in a three way tie between Emma (Season 3), Mia (Season 8), and Claire (Season 11).
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What was wrong with Emma in Season 3? Maybe you should put Manny there in Season 3.
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Emma was a huge bitch in season three. There was a reason everyone except MushMouth hated her.
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How? What did the girl do?
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She was getting in Sean’s business and a judgmental prick when dealing with Manny.
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The Sean stuff i get but Manny was WAY out of control in Season 3. Emma had a reason to give Manny a reality check.
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“Getting in Sean’s business?” He stole her cancer-stricken father’s computer and she had every reason to suspect Sean.
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You know what’s also bad about Eclare now? Not only the destruction of Clare but the fact that they’ve changed Eli so much from what he used to be to now like a Munro/Eli fusion. Eli acts more and more like Munro (*cough* goofball *cough*) when he should be that sarcastic. witty, Eli. I don’t want to see Eclare the second time around because the writers have destroyed not only the characters but their system of making plots that involve romance. The only good plot involving romance in the past season is Bhandurner (which they’ve destroyed as well just to make Alli a plot device to CLARE’S plot).
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Thank you Kari~~ I thought I was the only one who noticed about they way Clare looks at Eli. To me Eclare was after Jesus ETC. In my eyes I still think Clare was using Eli as a diversion to avoid the real problem at home. Clare is just so lost because of what she was taught about family and her faith. Then BOOM her family falls apart. This poor girl is so confused about her faith and probably afraid to get into a relationship because the lost since of family values. So I forsee her later on having trust issues with the opposite sex as we saw in Umbrella. Trust me I know what Clare is going through. I don’t hate Clare I am more scared for her because she is a walking time bomb ready to go off.
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Let’s hope that bomb goes BOOM
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I agree with a lot of what you said, Kary, especially previous comments in regards to the complete destruction of Clare Edwards, who was (from Seasons 8-10) my second all-time favorite Degrassi character. However, I do disagree on two things. 1. I don’t think Clare asked Eli to ride back with them to get back at Alli. Yes, Alli watches Clare do it, but Clare doesn’t get aggressive and stare down Alli as she does it. I think she legitimately cares for Eli and wanted to help him, which would set up a good possible Eclare FRIENDSHIP! (Which would be nice, because Eclare started as friends, first, one of the few couples to do so on this show.)
That being said, I think that Eclare is too popular to NOT get back together. The writers will play with us for a while, but I truly believe that Eclare is endgame. However, they have to take Clare’s head from out of her ass and get her to act like herself rather than some Manny/Marisol monster combination who is nothing but selfish and self-serving. (WHAT were the writers thinking this season???)
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Nice thoughtful post Kary. I have a lot of thoughts on this topic, but I guess my main one right now is that I don’t know if anyone can accurately base anything on the way Clare looks at people because: 1) even in real life, people who know each other very well can misinterpret facial expressions; 2) viewers will interpret these expressions differently based on their own wants and their own personal experiences- like in Lose Yourself, maybe her expression showed embarrassment, but is she ashamed of the way she acted like an ass, or ashamed because she has conflicting feelings about 2 guys and that goes against her sense of morality (not saying one or the other either way, but there are multiple possibilities); 3) Aislinn’s acting isn’t always spot on, especially when it comes to the more emotional scenes; 4) I don’t have cable so I have to watch poor quality degrassi, so I can’t always see people’s faces in enough detail to really analyze their expressions =P
The writers have gotten better at crafting these ambiguous scenes that can’t be definitely interpreted until the story has played itself out. I think it might be too soon to decide anything either way. And Clare has been acting so erratically that I don’t know what the hell she’s thinking anymore. She’s like 5 people in one right now. Maybe Clare will develop borderline personality disorder or something. It’d be cool if this show recognized that bipolar disorder isn’t the only form of mental illness.
I also don’t think Clare is really in love with Jake (although she may have convinced herself that she is), I think she just feels the need to make something work right now in order to cling onto her beliefs about love and loyalty. But who knows, maybe she is really into him for him, it wouldn’t be the first poorly developed serious relationship on this crazy show.
Based on what’s happened so far, there are so many scenarios that could be played out, I don’t know what to think.
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I’m an Eli fan. ever since the first time i saw him in the shark in the water promo, yet I HATE CLARE!!! not because of the typical reason “fan-girls” do(because she broke up with Eli), but because she is soo damn boring and needy and winy! its just so pathetic and annoying!! i really hope they don’t get back together! i love Eli and everything the character stands for and i don’t want him to be ruined by Clare the same way Jake is.
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It helps being a 31 year old guy who doesn’t ship couples. I like what I like, but I don’t need them to be Endgame. I thought Eclare had potential through The Boiling Point, but once we re-upped for the 2nd half of the season, Eli was far more interesting than Clare and I had no use for them any longer.
For me it’s not about a couple staying together forever and weathering the storm through every obstacle that’s thrown their way. It’s mainly about entertainment value (Are they interesting and fun to watch?) and storyline potential (Will they bring the drama?). I don’t even have to like the couple to enjoy the story, but I do have to enjoy the story to like the couple. Case in point: Kenna. Loved their story earlier this season, but not as a couple. Why would I ever like a Clare couple? It always comes back to her.
If we factor in Cake here, they have even less chemistry than Eclare, which I don’t even hold against characters on a show like Degrassi, but they need to have substance. They have no substance. It’s all about Clare getting over Eli and moving on with Jake. He gets no POV (He literally had like 12 seconds of POV with his father) and it always goes back to Clare whining about how disastrous her life has become. Drama queen much?
You can’t take a really intriguing character like Eli, who had plenty of opportunities to interact with several different characters earlier this season, and stick him with someone as self-centered and needy as Clare. The fact that they are still trying to push these 15/16/17 year old’s into these highly over the top and dramatic romantic relationships is absolutely mind-boggling to me. They have to stop with the “love of my life” and “together forever” dialogue. It’s really cheesy and highly unrealistic.
I’ve lost any rootable interest in Clare and now rank her well below Emma, whom I grew to hate very, very early on in the series. Like I mentioned in an earlier post, Eli and Jake deserve far better than Clare and I would love to see them both realize they are better than her and move on. Let them have a Brokeback moment and let Degrassi actually “go there.”
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Thank you, Thank you and Thank you. As an adult myself it boggles me too about heavy romances in High School. Eli and Jake are the only two characters that actually do need a more mature woman to date and Clare is not that person. I do blame Clare’s mom for not being there for her daughters when they needed her the most.
The other thing that bugged about the Degrassi writers they rushed a few characters like Fiona being a lesbian, Katie and Drew and KC and Marisol. I was WTH this does not make any sense. Sorry about the rant.
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Well, personally, when I was in high school, I knew quite a few super serious couples that always had something dramatic going on, so I wouldn’t say it’s highly unrealistic. I think with the type of romance Eclare had, it doesn’t surprise me that it developed into something very dramatic and serious. I don’t mind that though because I can buy it the way the couple developed and the type of person Eli was. I do mind the Cake drama because it makes absolutely no sense those two would be in love given the little amount of development they’ve had.
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I actually do agree with you that Eli had a sordid history, so any future relationship with him would be far more substantial than just puppy love and would require him to take a substantial step forward. I get Eli’s POV, but not Clare’s. Her only previous relationship was with KC and they were never really invested in and broke up even before they could be established into anything long-term.
It’s very difficult to tell a romantic storyline like Eclare giving Clare the same kind of levity as Eli, who we know has had a far darker past than she has. Eli will only work with someone who has more life experience, rather than someone who presents herself as his angelic savior.
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Thank you Scott. No one else seems to share my anti-Emma sentiments.
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Kary did you attend an ivy league?
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Random I know, but you have pretty good vocabulary and writing skills so just curious
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Here’s my feelings, Eli and Clare will be constantly thrown together in an effort to keep attention. And while I don’t see them ever being as genuine and real as they were in the beginning of season 10, I can still see them ending up together.
I am not, and never was, an crazed, die hard Eli/Clare fan. I did, however, really enjoy watching them because of the natural chemistry that so many of the current couples lack. There have been only a hand full of couples with as much development and emotional investment as Eli and Clare’s relationship. This makes me think that, eventually, Eli and Clare will somehow reconnect.
I disagree with everyone saying that the chemistry between them has changed. Even as both characters have developed and changed individually (Clare for the worse, Eli for the better), I think that watching them on screen is similar to seeing them at the beginning of season 10, just with reverse roles – now Clare is the troubled teen and Eli is the calm and collected one.
I also disagree with people who think that there will still be an Eli v. Jake battle for Clare. That’s over. I think that Clare genuinely likes Jake (at least, so we’ve been told but not shown) but that he’s a device to fill an empty void in her life made by her dad’s disappearance from her life, her mom finding a new love, breaking up with her boyfriend, and just all the drama she has faced,
While I totally agree that Clare’s character has deteriorated, I see a point in it. I think the writers are setting Clare up for an emotional breakdown when she hits the point of having no one and nothing (because, let’s face it, her and Jake are bound to breakup again). The writers are probably waiting and banking on the breakdown being a show changing plot line. It will probably happen near the end of this season or beginning of the next and then her character will begin to rebuild.
My hopes for Eli/Clare is that the writers are smart enough to build on the natural chemistry Munro and Aislinn have. But, they need to do so without building a false idea of rekindling their previous relationship. Both are two different people that, played right, can have very dramatic and engaging story lines that revolve around them but not solely them.
That being said, I do hope Eli and Clare find their way back to each other at a later point that way 1. the Clare boy drama is over, 2. EClare fangirls can live happily ever after and not be bothersome, and 3. because they are one of the few couples that the writers really built up and then broke down is such a way that things between them were left in a haze (the emotions never left, they were just pushed aside by others).
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Did everyone get the whole CAKE symbolization? Clare and Jake on the Cake..
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Never was an Eclare fan girl, but as an English major, I loved how Eli and Clare met in English class and got to know eachother on an intellectual level and were friends first. The relationship felt very natural and that was very sweet and endearing.
I had a lot of respect for Clare, but not anymore. She’s beyond self-centered, and Eli deserves better.
The moment when I offically became over Clare’s BS, was when she was making out with Jake in some type of tent, while Eli stood outside. That to me, was just tacky.
i do think that Eclare will be eventually get back together. Jake isn’t coming off as the best guy right now (kissing alli and then lying about how she kissed him) I don’t see how Cake can last, I honestly don’t think this couple was even created to be liked, because nobody seems to like CAKE(even those who don’t care for Eclare)
I just hope if Eclare gets back together, it is far down the road, when they are both in a good place.
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I honestly don’t care if Clare and Eli ever get back together. I just think Clare needs to get her shit together, because she’s a mess right now.
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Another thing. Can someone please explain what “Endgame” means? Is that slang or something?
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I was told as a kid that Endgame had to do with chess. What that it means in the fantasy world is forever, emotionally, spiritually and after death.
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Remember when Ms Dawes called Eli and Clare … Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath well
Silvia Plath committed suicide because she was suffering from bi-polar disorder and being
cheated on may times by her hubby. And then we all know how Romeo and Juliet died. To me this was a foreshadow of the fall of Ecare. Just think about it medaforicaly.
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Sorry about my spelling ~~~~ metaphorically
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My biggest problem with Eclare and Cake is that its clearly an example of the fans having an impact on the plots. Fan service is fine, but if used irresponsibly, it can be dangerous.
Eli was completely unnecessary, his role was interchangeable with any other male character on the show. Now while you could argue that Clare using Eli may have more of an impact than her using say, Connor, you could make an equal argument that KC could have just as much impact. In fact from a story standpoint, KC would make more sense and have more of a purpose in this story. I find it odd that if Jake wanted to not be reminded of Clare he would have chosen to invite Eli. His only knowledge and relationship with Eli is based solely around Clare. Let’s also consider the other people at the cabin, Drew, Katie, Marisol and Ali. Eli is the odd one out and really has no business hanging out with them, but KC would fit perfectly. KC is friends with Drew, probably has unresolved issues with Marisol, would make a great foil to Katie (he could easily become to Katie what Marisol is to Drew) and as far as we know, still friends with Ali and Bianca. KC being there opens up many logical and interesting plot opportunities, bad sadly, the writers knew that having Eli interact with Clare even for a second would ensure ratings and fan response.
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Frankly, Clare should end up all alone, she’s become so annoying lately. I’m kind of getting sick of all her relationship drama, first with K.C. and Connor, Eli and Fitz, and now Eli and Jake.
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LMAO @ CONNOR. CLARE AND CONNOR NEVER HAD ANYTHING REMOTELY CLOSE TO A RELATIONSHIP. CONNOR WAS JUST IRATE CLARE DIDN’T CARE TO GO TO THE DANCE WITH HIM
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I’ve been reading this blog for over a year now but never really wanted to comment until now.
The character that was Clare Edwards has diminshed faster than Emma Nelson. Emma was annoying at times but even in her worst moments she was bearable, considering that she was unofficially the face of the show. What happened to the Clare that would be there for her friends when they needed her most? What happened to the Clare that could see past the bullshit and move on? I long for the days of season 8-9 Clare when she was a little naive and uptight (with the excpection of K.C. leaving her for Jenna). I get that she’s going through her parent’s divorce and her mother’s remarriage and how its affecting her but that’s no reason to act like a selfish person. Shame on you Clare for wanting to use Eli for your personal vendetta.
I’m not a big Eclare shipper but I loved the way they builded up that relationship. They were potrayed more realistically than other degrassi couples and you wanted to root for them. Eclare is barely a shell of its former self. I do like that Eli suddenly rides a bike now. Maybe that’s a way of coping with everything that has happened to him.
When it comes to the Alli/Jake kiss, Alli and Jake were both in the wrong but they were vulnerable. If I were Alli, I would’ve said: “bitch, my boyfriend cheated on me and you’re complaining about how much you miss jake like your life depended on it? Please, get over yourself!” It’s ironic: Alli kissed K.C. back in season 8 when she knew Clare liked him and forgave her for that yet she pissed off at this? Whatever!
Jake and Eli deserve better and Alli deserves a better best friend. Jenna can fill that void, since she’s living at Alli’s house and have that sister bond since Sav is away at college. Yes, Jenna has her bad moments but she has grown up alot since getting pregnant.
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Man, my biggest problem with Nowhere to Run was not that Eclare didn’t get back together, but that Cake DID. I mean, historically, Clare’s a pretty smart girl. You think she could put two and two together and get four that they’re going to have to break up sooner or later and better to do it sooner.
Also, when did Clare and Jake become all heavy duty romantic soul mates or what have you? For Clare to have gone from being so completely hung up on Eli and broken up over their relationship to feeling the same way about ostensibly her rebound is just weird. Jake was good for Clare in the moment, but that moment’s over and everyone needs to realize it.
I get the Eclare hopes or what have you. I do think that some day in a much healthier place, they should get back together. Besides which, functional Eli is kind of hilarious. But they had their moments in this episode, which baffles me further on why Clare would get back with Jake and then flirt with Eli the next minute.
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Cake needs to just break up. How is Jake supposed to grow as an individual if Clare suffocates him and how can Clare redeem herself if she’s all Jake crazy.
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http://degrassi.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Degrassiman4497/MY_season_one_promo_for_my_upcoming_fanfiction can you guys read this please
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Before & IF Eclare ever gets back together some things need to happen. For one, Clare needs to get it together. This time a year ago, she was one of the most loved charecters on the show. Now, she’s become exactly what she opposed ; that being a drama queen, selfish, not understanding, etc. Someone really needs to give her a wake up call & I’m sure we’ll have a meltdown from her at some point. Her charecter can still be saved. And for another reason, Eli needs more time to deveolope without Clare. I’d love to see his friendship with Fiona continue to grow ; their friendship is just wonderful :’). So Clare get your shit together & Eli needs more individual plots without Clare overshadowing it.
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WHY DEGRASSI WHY???? Man im really upset with the state that Clares in. The writers have really missed her character up. I thouhght she was supposed to be this smart girl all about her boooks and not all boy vrazy likle other girls. But now shes turned into one of those girls. Wow degrassi why do you always have to ruin a good thing. I think once girl got that makeover her charcter went down hill after that. They also ruined Alli Chracter too. She was supposed to grow up and mature but know shes back to the same old Alli. Make bad decsions. And im also very very upset that they ruined Dalli. I mean why put them togeter if their gonna break up a few episode lat AND WHY MAKE DAVE CHEAT ON HER WHEN HES BEEN CHASING HER FOR SO LONG?????? Thanks degrassi, THANKS!!!!!
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I agree 100%. My question is, why did they make Dave likable again just so that the fans can hate him AGAIN when he cheated on Alli? During Alli’s gambling fiasco, I thought that Dave was finally maturing because he was concerned for her and wanted her parents to approve of him as him and not someone he’s not. Degrassi ruins everything!
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I still like Dave…I don’t even feel like they made him unlikable again, because him cheating completely came out of nowhere. That entire scene happened so fast and felt “unnatural” if that makes sense. It’s like him cheating actually had nothing to do with him and Alli, it felt like the writers used it solely as a plot device to give Alli a reason to go Jake’s cabin, ultimately putting them in a position to kiss and get caught by Clare. Plus I’m annoyed that Degrassi destroyed a good couple (Bhandurner) for the sake of pushing their Cake agenda.
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What is happening to Clare is what I like to call “The Peter Effect,” which is when the writers confuse character growth with completely ignoring established character traits and experience. It’s like how Peter in seasons 5-7 had this intelligence, ambition, and charm too him. He came off as a witty aspiring film maker who is willing to step on a few toes to get what he wants but deep down he’s just lonely and wants to be noticed. I always thought he was an interesting character that made for good drama. Then for whatever reason in the season 8, he just became stupid wanna be musician. Half is dialogue consisted of “WOAH NO WAY DUDE, SWEET.” While I’m sure the writers thought they were just evolving the character of Peter out of his shell but it just came out of nowhere and there were no traces of the Peter we saw before.
I feel the same thing is happening to Clare. Clare in season 8 and Clare in season 11 are two completely different characters. Clares growth from season 8-10 felt natural and made sense, but something went horribly wrong. It’s as if Clare and Ali switched personalities. Clare for no real reason at all is being selfish and stupid, and Ali is being rational and mature. While they made more of an attempt to rationalize Clare’s behavior with the divorce, they way she is handling it just seems out of character.Had this been a season or two ago Clare would have just given up on Jake so her mom could be happy, but now she has to be so dramatic and annoying and self centered. WHERE DID THIS COME FROM?
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Sad, but true. They are never going to be the same. I absolutely hate the way they made Clare, she was such a good, realistic (although some deemed her ‘boring’) character in the beginning of season 10. Now she just wants everyone to feel sorry for her. The writers are not going to put Eclare together anytime soon, and they are going to continue to throw in these moments of ‘hope for Eclare’ to keep the fangirls tuned in. The longer they do this, the longer people are going to stay engaged to see if they actually get together in the end. You can’t deny the natural chemistry between the two; it’s just too bad the writers screwed up both their characters so much that there chemistry is never going to be seen again at its fullest potential. The best Eclare was before they were even together; you know, the beginning of the boiling point when they were just friends. Want to see that chemistry again? Guess you’re just going to have to watch re-runs.
And I don’t understand Cake at all; Jake is a boring character (probably because we never see him in anything except for when he is with Clare), and there is absolutely no chemistry whatsoever. Not to mention they are STEP SIBLINGS.
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I feel that the step siblings element in the Cake relationship only skeeves people out because Cake is, for the most part, not that likable of a couple. If the audience really liked Jake and Clare together everyone would be saying, ‘Forget your parent’s marraige! Get on with your torrid, legally incestious relationship! You’re meant to be, damn it!’
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eclare forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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I think its so insane and crazy how degrassi made Clare and Jake a coupled again. It just pisses me off how they push Jakes development as a charecter just for Clares sake. I wanna now more about Jake.
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Jake is a glorified Blu Chessex
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Jake actually interacted with more people than Blue, even though he’s yet to actually lead a story. If he continues to have no POV, then you might be onto something. This is why Clare Edwards is a vortex of suck. She literally sucks the life out of all her guys (which is about the only sucking she’s willing to do.)
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LMAO, so true. Another reason I don’t get the enamor of Clare Edwards. These guys aren’t even getting any play!
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what i dont get is how everyone says that the rise & fall of these charecters and pelationships is “unrealistic” or that they’re “ruining” some charecters. sure clare is unbarable but in my eyesdownward spiral is beleave able everything her god fearing parents crammed down her throat is now down the drain thanks to the devorce and her mom getting remarried so soon, id be worried if she Wasnt destroyed after that.
what their doing with Eli, its called growing up. we all do it, why arent the degrassi kids allowed to? id be DAMNED if i still wore nothing but bondage pants and marilyn manson tees and talked with an air of snark to everything i said, looking back even i think it was annoying. P.S. half of the way Eli carried himself was becouse he was MENTALLY ILL, of corse hes gunna mellow out now that hes medicated.
as for relationships being unrealistic because every breakup seems like the end of the world. i call BS. how many times in highschool id we see some girl crying her eyes out in the bathroom, HELL during class even cause her boyfriend of less than a year dumped her? pathetic? yes. irrational? definantly. but it does happen…….alot. we’re all guilty of being on either the giving or receiving end of that situation at somepoint.
sp everyone should stop complaining about how their “ruining the charecters” everyone used to like this show cause it was true to life….. seems like now everyone wants to ditch that motif and have everyone have a happy ending
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Eli is a cool character though and can be funny. Clare is just a bitch.
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I guess these guys are gaga over Clare because they like the chase. Soon as one them conquer Clare they will dump her because she has lost her innocence.
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What worries mw about some Eclare fans that they don’t understand the difference between obsession and passion. Yes, Eli and Clare have their passion of writing but thats all I see.
The reason I think Eli was with Clare because Clare filled a void in his life at that time. Their coupling to me seem like reading a soapy romance novel. The reason I say this is everytime Eli gets to close or too intense Clare brings up Julia or her parents divorce.
Basically trashing Eli and his confidence and Eli has not once did that to her. Like DTW
Eli wanted to spend some alone time with her to talk. Then she flipped a bit probably assumed Eli wanted sex.?? Clare just does not no how to communicate when things get
tough or weird. If she can’t be mature enough why should she be dating. Eli needs a
woman that is mature and not afraid to try new things. Eli seems like a person who is
eclectic, eccentric, absurd and the list goes on. Eli is a weird guy this why I think Imogen
would be perfect for him as a girlfriend and Fiona as a best friend.
I know many people don’t like Elimogen. We really don’t know anything about Imogen
she could be a poor girl, abused, neglected or have parents with alcohol or drug problems.
To me she sounds like she has idiosyncratic personality. Many writers and artist have
this personality like Steven King and Clive Barker.
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I think Eli and Imogen could be an awesome couple, now that Eli seems to have his issues in check, and Imogen isnt being all stalker-y. better than him and Clare would be at this point. I hate Clare’s character right now as it stands, Im starting to prefer S8 Mia.
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Can’t lie, I like Munro’s character, but Clare need to change. Going back to when she wasn’t so annoying, that would be nice, and honestly I don’t see how anyone would dislike Eli and Clare being together. I’m just saying. I don’t see imogen with Eli at all, and I feel like Eli and Clare have this certain fire together.
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Everybody has there own opionons this is why I don’t ship couples especially teenagers. People change a lot as they grow up Maybe I can see Eli and Clare together in 10 years.
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people are still prattering on about eclare? i hadn’t noticed.
nothing beats Parcy. nothing.
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I loved Parcy and yes people are still pondering about the defunctional relationship of Eclare. And yes I am burt out and bored of this unrealistic loving couple. I would love to see Eli needs a emotionally mature woman that is not afraid to explore life. Not a little girl like Clare.
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hey can u guys comment on my fanfiction http://degrassipathershigh.wikia.com/wiki/Season_1_characters
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Ugh im so annoyed with cake. Degrassi yall know yall wrong for this mess!!! Why put us fans in this hell.
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I know im off topic but I just relaized how so many people on degrassi could of had real potinally as real good characters. But instead degrassi likes to ignore it. Heres all the people on degrassi who could of had really really good storylines that degrassi missed time with. Hazel- I wanted her to be more than Paiges follower. I wanted to know more her home life. I loved that episode about her religon and heragite. I wanted to know more. Blue- I wanted to know what inspierd him to take on art. But instead they push him aside. Chantay- I would have loved loved to see her hold her on storyline. I wanted to know why she was so fake and stuck up. What was the reasoning behind that. Danny- I wanted to know a little bit more about him then just being in a rock band and dating Chantay and Leia. And I also wanted to know more about the split between his friendship with Derek. Derek- I wanted to know more about him being adopted degrassi just shoved thta aside like it was nothing and I would have alos loved to seen the split between his freindship with Dannny.
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Kary, thank you very much for posting this. I could write paragraphs responding t all your thoughts, but there would be no need because you summed up my exact sentiments perfectly. I am definitely in the same boat as you!
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[…] pushed aside the core of Clare’s issues established in Should’ve Said No so they could focus on the “pastry wars” instead, but that’s an entirely different […]
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hey,degrassi writers,
its called highschool sweethearts,try it sometime.kbye.
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Honestly….I kinda fumed in Nowhere To Run. Clare has turned into the biggest drama queen ever, and she can’t make up her damn mind! She told off Jake when he said he still loved her, then crashed his party, ran blindly into the woods like an IDIOT, god rescued by her good old ex Eli, and ended up hooking up hooking back up with Jake because he blamed the kiss on Ali. I don’t get it. She got so mad at her for kissing her “boyfriend,” when at the time she was so called “over him.” Then there comes poor, poor Eli. Rescuing his lost love, then being totally ignored? Then, Clare just uses him to make Ali upset. I wanted to chuck my shoes at the TV when she was smiling at Jake in the car with poor Eli looking at her like…”Did I miss something?” Aurgh! Clares probably going to give up her virginity to Jake too… :( I’m positive Degrassi won’t just outcast Ecalre, because they were hinting signs they weren’t over. I think Clare is just channeling her feelings through Jake. He’s like a rebound. Ecalre will probably end up together because a step brother and sister relationship is NOT gonna work. I hate what has happened to my sweet nerdy Clare :(
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I think what’s making a lot of us EClare fans upset is that we rather have no cute EClare scenes at ALL if it’s just going to keep getting canceled out by other -Cake- scenes. (ex: Eli giving Clare her jacket in the woods, Clare saying she was happy that Eli found her, and then later, Clare telling Jake that she was considering kissing Eli to get back at Jake)
The writers aren’t stupid. They KNOW how emotionally attached a lot of their fans are to EClare, and they KNOW that a lot of the fans are bound to freak out every time Eli and Clare have a cute scene together. With that being said, is it REALLY necessary to keep showing us these cute EClare scenes if they end up meaning nothing a minute later?
Yeah, I understand that the writers keep having Eli and Clare interact to keep fans tuned in. But it DOES kinda bother me that they are playing with the EClare fans hearts in the process. Yes, the EClare fans are the ones allowing themselves to get played…..but like I said, the writers are smart, and they KNOW how popular EClare still is, and I’m pretty damn sure that they are perfectly aware that they are messing with the EClare fans’ heads like mad. And that’s frustrating.
Maybe we should all just get over EClare….but it’s like Degrassi doesn’t WANT us to get over EClare:
Even right after the EClare breakup, fans had no time to recover or get over the breakup. Instead, we kept seeing EClare interact even after they were thrown together with other people. They made Eli’s Now or Never this epic journey to try and win Clare back, and all throughout the journey, Degrassi kept giving the fans cute EClare scenes. By giving us these cute EClare scenes, they were reminding fans of why we fell in love with them in the first place.
It’s like the writers are trying to keep us attached to EClare. But why would they try to keep us attached if they’re just going to smash any meaning behind EClare’s cute scenes in the future? THAT’S why a lot of us fans are getting frustrated and upset lol.
I guess what I’m saying is that it would be a lot kinder for the writers to give the EClare fans’ hearts a little break for a while (ESPECIALLY while Clare is with Jake) instead of giving us cute scenes that later don’t mean anything.
But yeah. Also, in Now or Never, I don’t think Clare invited Eli to ride with them just to get back at Alli. Clare didn’t even glance Ali’s way when she offered him. I think she genuinely just wanted to help Eli out. But everything else you wrote: I COMPLETELY AGREE!
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Here’s what I actually see happening with Eclare– we’re being treated to a role reversal. The show begins with Clare being this wholesome, sweet girl with the perfect family but, she quickly learns that the foundation upon which her life is built is not at all stable. Her beliefs (which really do affirm who and what we are) are being tested, especially by her parents. It’s only natural that Clare is acting like a total nimrod– her role models are completely self-absorbed. Think about it– her parents get a divorce, without really considering her feelings whatsoever, and then her mother remarries within a year…to her boyfriend’s father! Again, her parents seem to make all these decisions without thinking about how they might affect their child. That is total lack of consideration and respect for their daughter’s feelings. Just because she’s the kid it doesn’t mean Clare is any less of a person. Of course, none of that seems to matter to her mom. Everything is about about her and how SHE got cheated on, how SHE needed to find a new life. WTF lady? You’ve got a child who’s essentially drowning and you’re so goddamn selfish you don’t even see it. Case in point– the person Clare looks up to, the person who guides her through life is acting like sanctimonious swine. If we look at this objectively we see that everything Clare was before now was a product of her family life. She was a little Helen Edwards, but a tinge more open and understanding. That said, she’s basically following in her mother’s footsteps at this point. Her mother moved through a period of self pity and so is Clare. Are we really saying that she’s not allowed to spin out of control? Are we really saying that she can’t become what appears to be a shallow and manipulative person due to the hard knocks in her life? The surface person is just a projection of the emotional rubble inside. You’re being treated to real physical evidence of how Clare feels about herself. It’s only natural that she clings to some obscure, ridiculous relationship because it gives her some phantom form of stability. The point is, if our family (which truly WAS the entire foundation for Clare’s character) suddenly fell apart we would certainly have some issues to work through. Change is hard, especially when you never see it coming. Despite what you might think about yourself, NO ONE is perfect so get used to the wack ass Clare for a bit. She’s going through trials and I expect them to get worse.
Now we come to Eli, who is finally turning his life around (hopefully). It’s interesting to me that they’ve virtually switched places. Though their problems are different, as are their reactions, it doesn’t change the fact that they’ve both dealt with some shit. I have a feeling that the small glimpses of that Eclare connection ARE meaningful. Despite all the crud going on around them we see this glimmer of possibililty, this tiny hint showing us that they really do get each other. I think it’s going to take a long ass time for any sort of reconciliation, mainly because I think Clare is going to get into trouble and really start to face some demons. Who better to help pull her out than Eli, a person who has BEEN THERE?? In fact, one of the most interesting interactions in Nowhere to Run was:
Jake: Eli…you found her…
Eli: I did.
Yuh-huh– very interesting and, perhaps a little foreshadowing? A dark wood at night is very nice symbolic reference. In Dante’s Inferno we have the main character wander into the dark wood and get lost before being rescued by Virgil. It’s a nice demonstration of what could come and I think, of all people, Eli is the best person to help Clare find herself because he’s actually done the work. He’s had to wade through some pretty heavy crap to find who HE is and he can point out the path to self awareness. Jake is just a distraction, a shiny bauble with no real purpose. He makes Clare “feel” like they’re in some healthy relationship because he’s so light and easy…but I don’t feel the committment. I don’t feel the honest to goodness stability I feel when I see Clare and Eli together. For me, Cake is burnt.
I could be wrong about all of this, of course. If I am, no skin off my nose. Writers will do what writers will do…but it’d be pretty cool to see this kind of depth in the storyline. I am very interested to see a friendship between Bianca and Clare– awesome dynamic. I loved them together in Nowhere to Run– clumsy, uncertain Clare and snarkalicious Bianca– they can definitely learn a thing or two from one another. :-)
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