out-there-on-the-maroon:

Listen, the reason I like Caleb as a character is not because he’s the “scarf dad” or an innocent cinnamon roll or the “team dad,” like I’ve seen people calling him from the start.

The reason I like Caleb as a character is because he’s a dirty, antisocial con artist who targets dirt poor farmers. He has no regard for anyone other than himself and his cellmate from prison. He’s not here to make friends, he’s here to make money. He very possibly burned someone alive in his backstory. 

I like Caleb because he’s very different from Vax. Vax took great pains to make the smelly armor he wore smell better, did other people’s hair, and wore his heart on his sleeve especially in regards to his sister and later his girlfriend and found family. Vox Machina was his family. I’m really enjoying seeing Liam play a different type of character. (I’d argue both are depressed but that’s another post for another day.)

Caleb’s not starting out as a kind, compassionate person who loves the team. He’s starting out as a jerk who cons the poor and calls his allies “lunatics.” I cannot wait to see how his character develops over time, but he’s not beginning this show as a particularly nice person at all. 

(If you want a Team Dad archetype, who cares about their allies and makes sure everyone is bathed and taking care of themselves … Molly is right there. There’s your Team Dad archetype. Have at him.)