Bad blood : sibling warfare

 By Stella Bednarz, Soap Opera Digest, 1985

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Ah, fate. You can choose your friends, but not your brother or sister, even on the soaps. Opposites may attract when it comes to romance, but not when they belong to the same family. Why do they clash ? Some of the duos share only one common parent, but that's not reason along to don boxing gloves. You can curse heredity, blame environment or claim that mom like him/her best, but it's really impossible to explain why one child blooms while the others turns into the bad seed. Funny, though, in each of the following families, the devious brother is the troublemaker while the long-suffering sister keeps the peace. Here's a look at some famous brother/sister combinations that were definitely not made in soap heaven.

Mason and Eden, Santa Barbara

Eden has always been the apple of her father's eye. Intelligent and high-minded, she earned his respect for her business acumen and desire to follow C.C.'s lead in the running of the family company. Eden deals from a solid emotional base, secure in the knowledge that she has her father's unqualified love and support.

Meet Mason. He's the family's designated ne'er-do-well.  He's also smart, savvy, rich and terribly insecure. Perhaps his problems stem from the fact that he has a different mother than all of the others Capwell kids. Maybe his nanny just drooped him on his head one too many times. Whatever the reason, Mason sees himself as the family outsider. He's jealous of Eden's favored status and the two rarely see eye to eye.  Plus, sleeping with dad's wife and telling him that his beloved son, Channing Junior, was not his natural child (and a homosexual) were not constructive methods to get back into the old man's good graces. Will the gentle guidance of Mary, the ex-nun, reform Mason ? Stay tuned.