The Women of GH - Elizabeth Webber

I was a believer in fairy tales when Elizabeth Webber came to Port Charles.  Sarah Webber was in love with Prince Nikolas Cassadine and his half-brother, Lucky, was in love with her. It was a perfect fairy tale. (Would the stable boy (Lucky) win the princess's (Sarah's) hand?) Then a little spitfire,  named Elizabeth Webber, joined the show and I hated her. She was the evil step-sister in this fairy tale - she loathed Sarah. Elizabeth irritated me, she was vindictive, mean, and cruel; but slowly the actress, Rebecca Herbst, started to show chinks in Elizabeth's snarky armor. Elizabeth was lonely, she felt unloved and unwanted. She was a young woman full of teenaged insecurities and she was dealing with them the only way she knew how.

She began to fall for Lucky Spencer and my heart broke for her, I was sympathetic to this girl, a girl close to my own age, crushing on a boy who didn't know she existed. Elizabeth was invisible, a feeling I know only to well. Valentine's day, Elizabeth didn't have a date for the ball, I watched her play dress-up and put on a happy show for Grams, I watched her walk to the park and sit, feeling sad and alone, until she is pulled into the bushes. I was scared for her and held my breath until the next day's episode.

When Elizabeth crawled out of the bushes, pale and broken she crawled firmly into my heart as my favorite GH character. Until that day, I hadn't a favorite character. I loved GH, be all, end all. Now, I love GH and Elizabeth. I watch for her, I watch to see her with Audrey, Bobby, Jason, Luke, Sonny, Lorenzo, Lucky, Patrick and all the others,

I enjoy watching Elizabeth grow-up and mature as a woman. Her "push-and-pull" with Jason Morgan held me captivated. I understand her indecision. Lucky Spencer was her first love, the boy who brought her back after the rape, he is "safe". She thought she lost him in the fire, it took courage for her to go on living with out him. Elizabeth found herself falling for Jason Morgan, her best friend's brother, a dangerous, charismatic man. When Lucky came back, Elizabeth chose the boy; but part of her couldn't give up Jason, the man. Her greatest fear is to be unloved, unwanted, so when given the opportunity, she lacked the courage to stay with Jason, a man whose loyalties put her second.

Debonair, suave, and sexy Ric Lansing entered her life. He bought her a drink and poured on the affection just when she needed it most. Elizabeth needed the fairy tale, the appearance of love, so she married him, twice. He hurt her over and over but Elizabeth forgave, perhaps because she gave up on another man too soon. She grew up, took responsibility for herself and her son and left this emotionally abusive man. She learned that the appearance of love doesn't mean it's real.

In leaving Ric Elizabeth had to give up her dream of being an artist to become a nurse. Elizabeth is a dreamer but she is also a realist. So she's settling, settling for the safe world of the hospital and Lucky Spencer. I can't wait to watch her grow some more and go after everything she wants.

Elizabeth is not perfect; she lies, steels, snarks, and is hypocritical just like the rest of us, she's "real", and that's why I like her.. I am growing-up with Elizabeth Webber and we both have more maturing to do. I can't wait to watch the rest of her story and if a little fairy tale is mixed into her realistic world, I won't complain. We adults still need a little fairy tale now and again.

Loving GH,
Elizabeth F.

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