First, a little on Mikael's character. I'm sure there was a lot of mixed feelings about the introduction of, "papa original" in TVD and TO. Some may have hated Mikael for his incessant plaguing of Klaus or his cold, callous demeanor. others may have liked him somewhat for his sheer level of badassery. But I have him as a favorite character! I first took a liking of him merely because of his identity, as a Scandinavian with viking ancestors I thought he was a cool new player. I then liked him for his principles, he had a hand in creating vampirism, (wanting desperately to protect his children during a cruel time) and dearly regretted the evil he had unleashed. In his hunt for his children he dedicated himself to feed on the monsters his mistake had spawned, rather than innocent people.
His relationship with Klaus is not as black and white as it appears. Mikael does mention that when Klaus was born Mikael was overjoyed, thinking that this was someone who had the eyes of a warrior. For some reason during Klaus' childhood this turned to hatred and abuse. Then of course it was revealed that his wife cheated on him with a werewolf, and the son who wasn't his later killed his wife and turned the whole family against him, fleeing and leaving him all alone.
Seeing the scene in The Originals as the picture depicts where Davina asks to be taught strength, and Mikael smiles makes me wonder. What if all he ever wanted from Klaus was respect and the wish to be taught his own way of doing things. Before Davina submits to his experience Mikael treats her quite alike Klaus, calling her weak and being threatening, and earlier in the attic he specifically complains about how Davina refuses his help. But as soon as she wants him to teach her his ways he changes his tone, a smile creeps up and he actually does help her. Klaus always tried to defy and best Mikael to prove himself, but perhaps that is what fueled Mikael's detest, because he wanted Klaus to see Mikael as his mentor and want him to make him strong. They did say his greatest quality in life was pride, magnified by vampirism.
Now to why Mikael is a great role model.
Mikael represents qualities sorely lacking in mankind today. Strength, resilience, independence, principles, a no-nonsense attitude and traditional values of family. All qualities which results in good people, capable of greatness. Mikael's ways are in contrast poignant to today's political climate. How free speech is continuously suppressed at fear of giving, "offense", how truth telling and directness in approaching difficult matters or topics is being swept away in favor of "safe spaces" and "tolerance". And how many people seem to want to glide through life without ever having any problems, and if they do encounter hardship it's Armageddon. Throughout the centuries you could always find Mikael with the greatest warriors of the time, he is also shown throughout the two series to be unwavering in the face of setbacks. He endures dozens of werewolf bites, assured death to any other vampire, but Mikael overcomes it by simply exercising. He's struck with Papa Tunde's blade and later pulls it out with sheer will, a weapon designed to inflict unimaginable pain, something not even Klaus could muster strength to overcome, and Mikael's principles allows him to just snap out of the pain-trance, grip it and pull it out.
As evidenced by Freya's return, Mikael wasn't always a hardass without emotion, he loved his human family incredibly strongly. He believes in the responsibilities of parents to imbue their children with all the good qualities needed in life, and not only those needed, but those who benefits them, helps them become people capable of achieving what they want in life, and prosper.
Mikael had his faults, but keep in mind that by real standards, you'd probably have preferred him over Klaus. Let's not forget how the hybrid spent his centuries, and how "cruel" Mikael is portrayed to be, he never killed a child, Klaus did kill the little girl of a Scottish warlord vampire, one of his great foes who makes an entrance in the later season of TO. Quite ironic, and, hypocritical of him, if you ask me.
All in all, Mikael may be a very underestimated character and to some extent, misunderstood. I'm not saying we should strive to be like him in *every* way, but fundamentally:
Be like Mikael, be strong!
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