As a big sister, I notice a lot of recurring patterns in how sibling relationships are written in series and films. Especially when it comes to older siblings — and sometimes, I find these patterns really interesting:
- first we have the responsible sibling: the strong one, the reliable one. Every one know they can handle themselves and rely on them. Which is an interesting trope. It often show how those persons put themselves after the others because if they aren’t okay no one can rely on them and the family falls apart. But they are also forced to act as adults, even when sometimes it’s not their roles because they are still young and not ready to handle some situations. Like Katara who was forced to act as an adult to take the role of her mom, even though she was still a kid even making it difficult for her to act like a girl of her age. She is always worrying about her family and acting like an adult because they are a bunch of kids who have to survive. Same goes with another character I love, Raph from Rottmnt, he is the typical older brother who raised his baby brothers. He is the most anxious about their safety and was put to be in charge of the team only because he is older (which can be discussed considering the boys have most likely be chosen an age by splinter based on size). I mean Raph is the caretaker and handles the responsibilities of the training, the health of his brothers and the fear of not being enough to protect them from a world of danger (best big brother if you ask me if it had been me I would have gone crazy). Which also lead to the over protective siblings, who seeks security and control as a defense mechanism but it pushes the other siblings to find freedom.
- the irresponsible sibling: we have 2 types of those the older sibling being irresponsible and the others: it’s more acceptable for a non older sibling character to be irresponsible and joking everytime. But most of the time it’s a mask they put because they are scared of not being interesting or loved as they are (which often is more sensitive personality). Weirdly enough in most of the show I watch those characters wear blue maybe a pattern there: Leo in rottmnt, Dewey in ducktales, Karamatsu Osomatsu san, Lance from Voltron (even sonic in the movies kinda fits the bill).
And then the irresponsible older sibling, which will often be perceived as lazy and immature for not taking up on their responsibilities as the oldest. Most of the time they act like that to reject that stressful role that is pushed on them. Because it would mean being held accountable for the way is younger siblings act, which can be worst than being blamed of not taking up the role. So I kinda lack of examples but I would say Sokka in the first part of Atla fit that and Osomatsu too of course.
-the rival sibling: the sibling rivalry is a classic I would say. It’s often a way to make the 2 characters opposed with one with talent the other with work. It’s also show the deep insecurities of some characters of being compared to their siblings, feeling only like an extension of their siblings and not their own person. It’s what happens to: Loki or Zuko. Overshadowed by their siblings who were favored by their father (it’s also an underlying emotional manipulation, to force those characters to push themselves to be more like their siblings to receive love). It’s also show the trope of the golden child vs the disappointment if you ask me.
- The manipulative younger sibling: so I guess it’s an old cliche but yeah the image of the younger sibling being a spoiled brat is pretty hard to kill. But it’s there so let’s see. So I guess those characters are often pictured as bad even villains sometimes like belfort sister in Versailles unleashed (I think it’s the English name). Those characters are often presented as people you can’t trust and use their siblings for their own gain: we have Louie who is often depicted as a really selfish boy and greedy it changes throughout the show luckily) or Todomatsu who is called heartless monster by his family (a bit exaggerated if you ask me considering how aware he is of people’s feelings). And it’s often a way for them to be noticed because they are overlooked by their family and especially their siblings because of the resentment there could be.
-The twins: in old shows there was 2 ways to write twins I feel. The clone twins who are literally the same characters but with opposite color patterns and then the opposite twins who had to be really different to tell them apart. Fortunately now it’s more diverse: the twins, triplets and more have different personalities or interest of course and clear way to tell them apart but they still have things that agree on or hobbies they do together. Like Mabel and Dipper or Huey, Dewey and Louie.
- the middle child: this the character which feelings will be overlooked as exagerating and annoying sometimes overcompensating to just exist in a house where they feel unrequited and even less talented: Donnie and Leo are middle children feeling useless if they don’t overcompensate with sarcasm or humor. They hide how they feel. Same goes for Dewey middle child and overcompensate every time he can. He feels so unimportant and excluded he seeks love in unhealthy ways to be noticed causing harm to him and his family. And then we have lance (voltron) please you can’t tell you don’t see him. The fear of failure, stuck with people who he sees as more talented, feeling replaceable and using humor as a coping mechanism. (They are also often dismissed for how they feel)
All I can say is I love those characters and to analyze how they work is so satisfying especially as an older sister. If you have any tropes or sibling dynamics you love feel free to share.
