In The Originals, I feel like a lot of fans are not really objective. They will always defend the Mikaelson brothers, even when their actions are clearly wrong, and judge other characters much more harshly.
Take Marcel for example. Yes, Marcel Gerard is not perfect, especially at the beginning of the series. He makes violent and extreme decisions. But his development matters: we understand that most of his actions come from his history with Klaus Mikaelson. Klaus raised him like a son, but in a toxic environment where control, manipulation, and constant betrayal were part of their relationship.
The important point is that Marcel’s conflict is not random hatred toward the Mikaelson family. It is mainly focused on Klaus and on what the Mikaelsons represent to him: a “family” that says you are one of them, but will still sacrifice you when their own interests are involved.
The case of Davina Claire is a clear example. Her death is not something that happens without responsibility. During the storyline involving the Ancestors and the ritual, the decisions made by the Mikaelsons especially Elijah Mikaelson and the choices made to protect their family and their power directly lead to tragic consequences. Whatever the intentions were, the result is the same: Davina is sacrificed within a system the Mikaelsons help maintain.
And that is the main issue: the Mikaelsons are not “misunderstood angels”. They are morally grey characters who have done many terrible things over centuries, often in the name of family. But this same logic is not applied to other characters.
People easily forgive their actions because they are attached to them, but they refuse to give the same context to Marcel. However, the show repeatedly makes one point clear: there are no real heroes or villains. Everyone is capable of doing terrible things depending on the circumstances.
So reducing Marcel to “a bad character” while constantly excusing the Mikaelsons is not objective analysis. It is simply bias based on preference.
