I guess I like the idea of Claudium.
I was prepared to like it even just a little given people made valid comparisons of it with Kataang, and I did for a little while as their moments were cute. However looking at it deeper, they just really don’t seem to be compatible simply based on the fact that they spend most of their time away from each other and with other people of whom Callum falls in love with which shouldn’t be much of an issue with Claudia as she didn’t like him that much anyways since she focuses on so many other things that don’t involve him or even went so far as to directly oppose him which potentially makes that tension personal. In the series, we don’t really get to see their chemistry yet even with that date scene and their interactions in early Season 1 that point out he doesn’t understand her, again, yet even if Claudia does like him back which is made explicit to me even without her saying it herself. I suppose I could get where people come from in seeing the potential in their dynamic as Callum can show her other ways to use her magic and give her good and healthy time away from her doomed family - maybe even allowing her to begin questioning her father - and Claudia could show him new things in magic and specifically dark magic so that he wouldn’t be as squicked out about it as he’s shown to be which is another BIG reason why they’re so incompatible. Different life goals, which makes their relationship shallow, especially on Callum’s side.
I’ve noticed people who compare this relationship to Kataang though don’t truly understand their relationship, or Katara very well or Aang very much, as you should like both characters in the ship you’re shipping hence why people call Kataang poorly written when really I think they mean Aang given no one refutes Aang liking Katara which leads to reads such as “Katara is Aang’s prize”...both of which I strongly disagree with.
I know I liked Claudium on first watch, but looking at both ships in depth reveals to me that Kataang’s dynamic and depth is nothing like Claudium:
They’re at best - good friends who knew each other for a long time.
They’re at worst - enemies who see each other as obstacles. *cough* in both cases are like the actually incompatible and platonic chemistry-filled canon Zutara *cough*
