In Maestro in Blue, Charalambos is despised by many on the island of Paxos, as they know what he puts his wife, Maria, and his son, Spyros through.
When Orestis first meets Charalambos, he isn’t greeted properly. Charalambos doesn’t talk too much, but his silence does express that he isn’t excited about having a musician on the island who can revive their music festival.
Charalambos shows his true self when Fanis informs him about Spyros’ antics with Antonis. Whenever Charalambos is put in his place, he pours out his frustration on his wife, Maria, and his son, Spyros.
Charalambos didn’t like the idea that his son is into boys, and therefore, Spyros, from time to time, had to clarify that he is in a relationship with a girl.
Charalambos’ business with Fanis
Maria’s bruises often become the talk of the town and threaten Fanis’ business, as Charalambos is the one who works for him. Fanis is into illegal activities such as money laundering, and Charalambos is the one who does all the dirty work on his behalf so that Fanis can keep his image clean.
Orestis, who is new to the island, takes note of Maria’s bruises and complains to Fanis, who handles Orestis for now, but he wonders for how long he will do that. He starts seeing Charalambos as a liability who should be cut off from his life if he wants to secure his mayoral run.
Charalambos hears Fanis’ concerns and intentions to fire him. He reminds him that he won’t be able to run his money laundering business on his own. Charalambos bribes people and builds connections for Fanis. People out there know him, but they don’t know who Fanis is.
Charalambos’ past
Maria faces Charalambos’ abuse because she thinks he has been through a lot already. She somewhere believes there is some good in him. At times, Charalambos does try to be a good father, but only when things are going the way he likes them.
The seventh episode of Maestro in Blue reveals how Charalambos was raised. Charalambos’ father used to teach him that he must please women no matter what. If he is not able to, then people will laugh at him.
Charalambos has always intended to pass on the same mindset to Spyros. According to Charalambos’ father, men’s power only lies in their fists and their ability to please women; this is how a person succeeds in life.
The kind of abuse that Charalambos puts his family through comes from his father. His father gave him way worse than what he gives to his family.
Charalambos didn’t educate himself because he believed he would’ve accomplished nothing even if he had studied. According to him, only stuck-up people read.
When Charalambos was a teenager, he had gone boating with his father one time. In the middle of the sea, his father started feeling sick. Charalambos refrained from helping his father, who fell into the water. That day, he decided to let his father die.
Charalambos kind of knows that he will be sinking into the sea just like his father one day because, just like his father, he hasn’t said one nice thing to his son, Spyros.
Charalambos admits that his father was a difficult man, but still, according to him, his father taught him how to be a real man. He owes his father everything for that.
Does Spyros turn out to be like Charalambos?
Charalambos spent time teaching Spyros the same things that his father taught him. The same lessons forced Spyros to reject his sexuality. He dated almost every other girl of his age on the island.
When he came close to a boy, like Antonis, he kept their meetings a secret. While Antonis proclaimed his love for Spyros openly, Spyros didn’t. He continued to pretend to be straight because of which Antonis suffered.
Spyros not accepting his sexuality got to the point where his girlfriend, Yianna, started calling him out for not getting intimate. He then started hitting her whenever she questioned him.
Spyros saw himself turning into a monster, just like his father. When Spyros’ affair with Antonis came to light, Charalambos got more strict.
Charalambos regrets not teaching Spyros things properly. He tells Spyros that he won’t go to any school as long as he is with him. Furthermore, he won’t see Antonis either, or else he will kill Antonis right away.
Spyros doesn’t really turn into a monster like Charalambos. He comes back home and falls into his mother’s arms after having a fight with Yianna. He once again sleeps with Antonis, and when Antonis challenges him to walk downstairs together in front of his family, he finally takes the big step.
Charalambos’ death
During one of the nights when Spyros had fought with Yianna, Charalambos found her all alone on the street. He had his eyes on her ever since he saw her in their house, waiting for Spyros.
That night, he forced himself on her. Young Yianna didn’t realize that she had been sexually assaulted and moved on. Maria notices Yianna’s hair on Charalambos’ shirt, and that day she decides to reach out to the authorities. The authorities don’t do anything, as she hadn’t caught him in the act.
Sofia, who stands up for her son and Spyros’ relationship, later offers help to Maria if she ever plans to divorce Charalambos.
After finally accepting his sexuality, Spyros openly hangs out with Antonis near Orestis’ house. Charalambos follows them all the way around, and Orestis notices him.
When Charalambos watches Spyros and Antonis getting intimate, he pulls Antonis off and starts beating his son. He picks up a big rock to kill his son right away.
Spyros and Antonis carried a gun around with them. Antonis picked up that gun and, in a state of panic, shot Charalambos to death. Orestis and Alexandra help the boys cover the body up.
Orestis calls Antonis’ father, Fanis, for help. They both dispose of Charalambos’ body in the middle of the ocean and make it look like an accident.
Also Read: Maestro in Blue review: Sluggish narrative is filled with cliches
