Summer Cohen (née Roberts) is one of the main characters of The O.C., she is portrayed by Rachel Bilson.
Summer initially was the classic spoiled girl from Newport, who only cared about three things : shopping, boys and parties. Although initially may appear a bit superficial, hers is just a mask that hides her insecurities and her doubts. In fact, when she grew up, she did not have an important female figure besides her mother, who left without any explanation. She has been best friends with Marissa Cooper since childhood.
Raised by a single father, she has built around herself the figure of the girl superficial and immature, to defend themselves from what people could think of her and her family. Slowly, however, also thanks to her love affair with Seth Cohen (who has always been in love with her) and her friendship with Ryan Atwood-Cohen, she changed her way of being, remaining, however, always true to herself.
In the fourth season, she left behind the old part of herself, that frivolous and immature, and became a committed animal rights activist and person who thinks it is better to give to others than to keep everything for herself. In fact, she was no longer the spoiled girl she once was. Her character maturation was fundamental part of her life, and helped her bloom like a flower.
At the beginning of the series, Summer is presented to us, as the typical snobby, party-goers and attractive girl ; is the daughter of a renowned plastic surgeon, while her mother left her father and her when she was twelve. At the end of the first series Summer you understand that it is useless to be so shallow to have a good reputation at school, so try to be as sweet and tender.
It is during this transformation that Summer will love Seth Cohen. Nevertheless, she decided to leave him alone because she is ashamed of him and thinks that this story can destroy her social life to the Harbour. Since his relationship with Summer does not go very well, Seth decides to give an opportunity to Anna Stern, who exhibits a strong character, she shares his sense of humor and loves comics. With the season progresses, Summer is often jealous of their history and can not stand that Anna and Seth are so good together. So Summer gets angry and begins to attend a date with a boy named Danny, but their relationship did not last long.
Towards the end of the season Anna leaves Seth because it is also clear to her that he is still in love with Summer. Seth and Summer thus become a couple and announce it before the whole Harbour kissing each other and declaring their love. Soon after, Ryan Atwood, adoptive brother Seth, starts from Newport. Seth fears his life may again be as it was before, because before Ryan takes up residence in Newport, had no social life and was quite marginalized. The arrival of the adopted brother instead had meant for him a new openness to relations with the boys of the school and especially the opportunity to know and be with Summer. For the fear of return to live that ugly period of his life, Seth part on a sailing boat, leaving home worried parents and Summer with the broken heart.
In Season 2 Summer begins dating Zach Stevens, following Seth leaving Newport to stay with Luke Ward in Portland. When Seth comes home, he tried everything to win her back.
Zach is the beautiful, protestant, quiet and self-confident version of Seth, the two boys are in fact very similar physically, they also have the same passion for comics and other things. Although Summer believes she has to be with Zack, because he is the "perfect guy" for a "person like her", she knows that deep down, she is lying to herself.
When Zach and Seth decided to create a graphic novel of their own and be friends, Summer and Seth become friends again, and get very close. Summer begins to have doubts about her relationship with Zac.
Zach and Seth are presented with an opportunity to show Atomic County (their graphic novel) to professionals comic book creators: a publishing house in San Diego, Wildstorm, takes interest in them. Enthusiastic, they travel with Summer (the inspiration for one of their characters, Little Miss Vixen). Later that night, Seth cannot sleep as he is nervous as to what Summer and Zach are doing together. He ruins the interview with the comic creators and invents a story between two superheroes in their comic: The Ironist (Seth) and Little Miss Vixen (Summer).
When the three return to Newport, Seth expresses his concerns to Zach and Summer, openly asking if they had sex. Zach and Summer are furious about this intrusive question, however they tell him that they did not. Summer later tells Marissa that she did not want to have sex with Zach because she kept thinking about Seth. Meanwhile, Zach is planning a trip to Italy for his sister's wedding and wants to bring her. Summer initially accepts, however at the airport, she realizes she is still in love with Seth. She leaves and returns to Cohen. Upon the return of Zach, a fight breaks out, but Summer and Seth reunite. However, Summer feels that Seth is too invested in their comic, Atomic County, and feeling left out breaks up with him again.
In the following episodes we discover that George Lucas (creator of Star Wars Saga) and Seth's idol, is interested in the comic book (Atomic County), and wants to meet the creator of the comic. Unfortunately, the meeting takes place on the same day as prom, so Seth and Zach discuss who should bring Summer to the dance and who will have to go to the meeting with Lucas.
Seth and Zach fight about what to do, and are conflicted as both are really important opportunities for both of them. In the end they flip a coin to decide, and Cohen goes to the meeting with Lucas, while Zach goes to prom with Summer. Eventually, however, the two realise that they would like to be in the other's place. So they switch places and even clothes, and Seth goes at the prom. Summer meanwhile, is elected: "Prom Queen", but since Zac is gone, she is left alone. Seth however, arrived in time, and after giving a heartfelt speech about how although he and Summer are not compatible according to their classmates he really loves her and wants to get back with her, Summer is impressed by his gesture, and the two kiss in front of the whole school, officially getting back together.
Summer, Seth, Ryan and Marissa are at the centre of the shooting in which Trey Atwood, Ryan's older biological brother, was involved.
However, having established that Ryan is innocent and Marissa shot just to defend him, the school board decides to only allow him to return to school. In addition, Jack Hess, the bad "guarantor of discipline", eager to wanting to ruin the lives of two boys, can also hunt him when, at the party earlier this year, Ryan comes up with Marissa. To defend it from Jake Hess who puts his hands on him, Ryan beats him and so both are out of the Harbor.
Summer and Seth, want to maintain the honor of their friends and especially Marissa (who now lives camped by her best friend and is enrolled in public school) by Taylor Townsend. Taylor has always been her rival in organizing parties at Harbor, so to prevent it, she is to take charge, Summer candidate herself against Taylor, for that place, despite not knowing anything about social activities.
Anyway, with his goals, a bit of intelligence, and Seth's help, Summer begins to gain the approval of others and therefore their votes.
This episode is to question the character of Summer, which begins to take an interest a little 'more to the current and slowly turns into a more mature and responsible, while remaining firmly "small force of nature" of the previous seasons.
When she and Seth discover that Hess and Taylor have a secret affair, they use this information, to make readmit at school, Ryan at least, later, we meet Marissa's new friends : Johnny, Chili and Jonny's girlfriend : Casey, that will depart away, more and more from Summer and Ryan Atwood-Cohen.
The luck of Summer manages to keep her down to earth, and after some quarrels with Seth, because of Taylor, who has fallen in love with him, organizes a campaign for the re-admission of Marissa to the Harbor School.
Just the four back on track, Summer finds out that she has a very high rating to the SAT (the entrance exam to college) and competes with Seth because he now feels he has also lost the advantage of intelligence, the only thing that made him "man" in her eyes. Passed this argument by the force that unites them, come other complications for the couple: Seth begins to make the pipes and jumps the appointment with the Rhode Island Brown's teacher (university of Rhode Island, where Summer, despite the cold, decided to follow him).
So he begins to lie to her, and on Valentine's day, to make amends, writes down anything that might make his parents mad and tells her that if he told some other lie, could have given the list to Sandy and Kirsten. Meanwhile Seth and Summer argue that perhaps only one of them can be admitted to Brown and Summer swears that if only she will be admitted, not attend but Seth will follow wherever he goes. Then come the university letters, to which she was admitted only Summer. Seth begins to lie again saying that he had been admitted, revealing only Ryan the truth. The two continue to fight as long as a school dance Seth tells Summer does not want to go to Brown, but not revealing the truth. Summer, not knowing the real reason, was hurt and the two break up.
Back home starts to tear the photo collage that she had made with her self and Seth at the university and starts crying, consoled by Marissa. The next day, Summer is destroyed and seeking help from Taylor, who asks if she still loves him, she says yes, so the two organize a plan. Taylor convinces her that something is wrong. Invigorated, she confronted him and asked him what he hides, not receiving, however, an answer. Thanks to Taylor's advice, Summer decides to make to Seth a declaration, in the kissing booth, where Seth made his declaration to Summer, in the episode : The Telenovela, around many hearts balloons. Seth arrives and soon after Summer. She climbs on the counter and said that when he left her, the recipe missing an ingredient, the most important : he did tell her that he did not love her anymore. At this point he is in trouble because Summer asks him to tell her if he really does not love her more, looking into her eyes. Seth, that want, Summer to go to Brown, rather than be with him, tells her that he does not love her anymore. Summer, shocked, begins to cry, and when he tries to console her, she goes off at him and Summer, trying to forget Seth in all ways, but when Seth is in test of the Brown college and meets Anna, the two are reunited and Summer sees them, thinks that the reason for their breakup is Anna. At the prom, Seth comes up with Anna to try to make Summer jealous, whose rider a famous Korean singer. Summer gets drunk and when she is elected homecoming queen, she falls from the stage and faints. Seth so he tells the whole truth about how it is not admitted to Brown and tells her he loves her more than before, and the two back together. Seth then smoking a joint and forgets to turn it off, setting fire to the Newport Group and being consequently arrested. Later, however, thanks to his father, Seth is released, and the fire is stored as an accident. A couple of days later, Summer, Ryan, Seth and Marissa graduate. While she will spend the summer with Seth and Ryan, Marissa plans on staying with her father in Greece, working on the boats, having decided not to go to university.
In this season premiere, Summer is at Brown University, and tries to pick up the pieces of her life, staying away from Orange County. Summer is broken by the death of her best friend Marissa Cooper. She can't forget her best friend, and becomes depressed. She believes Marissa is still alive, and 'sees her'. In order to get out of this frame of mind, she finds a new interest and decides to help protect animals along with her college buddy Che.
However, Summers place at Brown is compromised when she and Che decide to free rabbits from the science lab. When Brown investigates the incident, Che blames Summer and tells the investigators that it was all Summer's idea to free all the rabbits from the cages. She is not even given a chance to defend herself, and thus Summer is expelled from the university.
Following her expulsion from Brown, Seth decides to postpone his departure for Providence to stay with her, and they decide that they will instead leave together. However, before New Year's Eve, Summer takes a pregnancy test because she thinks she is pregnant. However because she manages to loose the bag containing the pregnancy test before finding the result, Summer and Seth are not able to discover the outcome until the next day. Seth decides to ask Summer to marry him before discovering the result, which proves to be negative. The two decide to get married anyway.
After bumping into his ex-friend Holly Fischer (who attended high school with him) Seth discovers that no one actually knew who he was. He feels confused, and wants to rediscover who he is, so he breaks off the engagement.
Summer is determined to continue her activism also staying at home and thus opened a blog in defense of seals, thus stands out from G.E.O.R.G.E. (Group of Geo-Energy Resources) that offers to go to work with them touring for nine months between the universities of America, to bring activism, living on a bus. Even if you think this is a part of her life and her destiny, while the other half is Seth, does not decide immediately who to choose between the two.
One day an earthquake destroys Newport Beach, but Seth and Summer fortunately manage to reach safety in Ryan's car. Six months after the incident, Seth urges Summer to accept the job offer and leave with G.E.O.R.G.E., because the two of them always stay together regardless of distance and time. She finally understands his point of view and at the end of the series appears in an article in a newspaper for the contribution she has made.
Summer and Seth eventually get married in 2013, in the series finale.
Personality[]
Summer Roberts is initially the typical spoiled young girl of Newport, who then evolved into a nice person thanks to her love for Seth Cohen. Summer is definitely one of those girls not to be messed about with. Some people think she's crossed between Darth Vader and a Vampire but the truth is she's definitely one for the boys. Despite her stunning looks, Summer has aged growing up from a teen into an attractive, ravishing and dazzling young woman.
The only things that initially interested her were parties, boys, and how to find a rich man who she would then marry, of course only for his money. Her personality (self-centered, superficial and "hysterical") was just a way to hide all her insecurities and fears. However, thanks to her love for Seth, her way of approaching others and the world will change. In fact, you know well that to please the guys in Newport, you must "behave in a certain way", and avoid “those like Cohen", considered by the boys of the elite, only losers.
Summer: The more time I spend with Zach, the less times I think about ... God, what's his face? Built like a bean pole, curly hair, runs away like a little bitch on his sailboat, leaving nothing but a note for his girlfriend who cried over and over for him until the Fourth of July when she decided she doesn't cry over bitches on boats.
Summer: What do you want from me, Cohen?
Seth: I just want you.
Summer: No you don't. You had me. You had me at Chrismukkah in a freakin' Wonderwoman costume and you chose Anna. You had me three months ago and you left.
Seth: I want to make that up to you.
Summer: It has nothing to do with me. It's about you. And it is always about you: what you need and what you want. You know, it seems you only want me when you can't have me. You like the chase, and that's all. And you know what? You can have it.
: Summer: I had a boyfriend and then he sailed away.
Summer: You know, I really thought things were going to be different this time, but you haven't changed at all. You've found new and even more public ways of disappointing me.
Summer: Oh, it is ass-kicking time, Coop.
Reed: Summer, Seth and Zach have talent. They could have careers in comics. But you are the Nico of the group.
Summer: I'm sorry. I don't get references before 1990.
Summer: Did I miss something? 'Cause for like a blip you two seemed actually happy.
Marissa: It's complicated.
Summer: Well, it's you and Ryan. It's supposed to be.
Marissa: So, everyone's saying you're going to be voted prom queen. Isn't that like your fifth grade dream coming true?
Summer: No. My dream involved an actual date. A hot guy in a tux with a carnation pinned in his lapel. Instead I'm drawing straws between Nerd Boy and Ass Clown.
Summer: Tomorrow I will be outside in front of my house in a dress and one of you will pick me up. Got it? Good.
Summer: He better be real sick. Like dead. Cause if he isn't I'm gonna strangle him with his wifebeater.
Zach: I saw your face when I got out of the limo.
Summer: And I saw yours. You want to be there, talking about your comic book with Reed. Look, my prom fantasy, it didn't quite happen. But you've been dreaming about this comic book your whole life. You should go.
Summer: She's got Dean Hess in her back pocket, front, and who knows where else.
Summer: You know, college fairs are kind of like shopping. It's all about brand recognition.
Seth: I got a room at the Mermaid Inn.
Summer: You mean the place where Ryan may or may not have conceived Theresa's baby and the place where Marissa's mom and Luke got it on?
Seth: Newport's very own den of sin.
Summer: Ew. But I like it.
Summer: Hey, skank.
Seth: You were expecting someone taller, blonder with a pageboy haircut?
Summer: Welcome to the terror dome, Townsend. You're busted.
Taylor: For what, exactly?
Summer: Hmm. A little extracurricular activity with Dean Hess? Yeah, I saw you two making out at the dance.
Taylor: So what if we did?
Seth: She'd make a hell of a poker player. I mean, she's pretty good.
Summer: Yeah, unless you and the dean want this little thing-a-majig...
Seth: Heinous crush, yeah.
Summer: to go public...
Seth: Whattup?
Summer: we have a few demands, don't we?
Seth: Yeah.
Summer: Yeah. Starting with the lifting of the ban of Ryan Atwood from Harbor.
Taylor: You can go ahead and tell anyone you want. No one's gonna believe you.
Seth: She like a block of ice!
Summer: Are you willing to bet your squeaky little reputation on that, Taylor Trash? Hm? Cause I have got a huge mouth and an even bigger buddy list. Mmhmm. See this right here? Sidekick. Walkie-talkie of the 21st century. Who should we radio first?
Seth: How about my dad?
Summer: Yeah, ten-four, good buddy. So what's it gonna be? You can either tell Seth's dad the perverted truth and save your sorry ass, or you can roll the dice. Over - and out.
Summer: I can't even pick out my shoes in the morning, let alone plan the rest of my life.
Summer: Could you imagine me on the East coast? I'd be like one of those animals that they rip from their natural habitat and put in a zoo. Their fur would get all mangy and they'd throw dung at people. It would be awful.
Summer: What is it with people showing up with bags?
Seth: What made you change your mind?
Summer: Taylor. She made me see that at Brown you're going to be surrounded by, like, really smart people that are going to make you feel really stupid. So you need someone around to makes you feel smart again.
Seth: You know I read a study once that said that if 1500 third graders took the SATs one would get a perfect score by probability alone.
Summer: Hm. Yeah. I'm not a third grader, Cohen.
Summer: Well maybe I never had a dream. You know, maybe for once in my life I actually want to do something in my life. Like something important. Be the first woman in space or win one of the noble prizes.
Seth: Summer, women have been going to space since the 60s. And it's not noble prizes, it's Nobel prize. Marie Curie won in 1903 for discovering radium.
Summer: I think you've made your point.
Summer: A vicodin love confession is still a love confession.
Summer: Yeah. Secure some key allies, go behind enemy lines.
Seth: Have you've been watching the War Channel again?
Summer: Yes. it's the new news network.
Summer: If we're going to launch a successful campaign to get Marissa back into Harbor we have to find someone who can organize the masses. Someone who they'll follow, you know, into battle.
Seth: You mean General Townsend?
Summer: Affirmative.
Summer: This school is apathetic. They need someone who can inspire. Someone who can intimidate.
Seth: They need Taylor.
Summer: Yeah. You know, maybe it's better to be feared than loved. Cohen, you have my permission to do whatever it takes.
Seth: What is it?
Summer: I'm picturing, like, Indecent Proposal. You're Demi. Naturally. And Taylor is the leather-faced guy who talks to horses.
Seth: You want me to trade sex for signatures?
Summer: Get her on board. I want Marissa back at this school.
Seth: I feel so dirty.
Summer: Surrender, much? I bet Napoleon never talked like this.
Ryan: Well, maybe he should have before he was defeated and exiled.
Seth: Summer, my little Empress, this is our Waterloo. Let's just retreat and minimize collateral damage.
Summer: Well, can't we just wait a couple of minutes before we raise the white flag? She's always late. I mean, maybe she got lost. Or something.
Ryan: Who's been the greatest influence in your intellectual development?
Summer: Um, Miuccia Prada.
Seth: You probably wanna say somebody more like Einstein or...
Summer: So you want me to, like, lie?
Seth: No, I just, I don't think that, uh, Prada is the answer that they're looking for.
Summer: Well, this interview could, like, determine the rest of our lives, right? Well, if I say something that I don't believe in, I could end up with the wrong life. How awful would that be?
Ryan: She has a point.
Summer: I have to go get a mani pedi.
Seth: Summer.
Summer: Cohen, if you wanna memorize answers you think that they wanna hear, that's fine. But I believe in being myself. And by the way, Miuccia Prada combined styles from time periods in ways people never even imagined possible. Her clothes teach you to change your perspective.
Summer: Hey, Cohen. I'm looking to see if Brown has a course in human sexuality. Cause, no offense, you are so taking that.
Summer: My dad has disastrous taste in women. If I don't step in he'll wind up with the first money-grubbing slutbag that gets into the backseat of his Mazerati.
Summer: My dad was whistling this morning. Julie Cooper makes my dad whistle! I can't tell him he can't have that.
Summer: Coop, you're tapping into core relationship mythology. It's romantic.
Julie: Well, I guess I better hury then...And buy me a new bikini.
Summer: Awwwwkwaaaarrrrdddd.
: Summer: We have a problem.
Seth: Oooh, yeah. Today's the day you were gonna tell Marissa about your parents doin' the bone dance. (Summer hits him) How did that go?
Summer: Don't ever say that again. I'm talking about Ryan and Marissa
Seth: No, we've gotten them back together before, you remember? What thanks do we get? They just broke up again.
Summer: Well, they need to make a decision. Either to get back together or to move on. Cause right now they are frozen in that post-break up "holy crap, what did I do?" moment. And the longer it goes on for, the worse it is for everyone. So you need to do something.
Seth: Me?
Summer: Yeah.
Seth: I'm in charge of Ryan's birthday.
Summer: Wait, Ryan's birthday is now? What is he thinking!
Seth: I don't know. He didn't exactly plan it. If you care so much, why can't you handle this?
Summer: Oh, because I have to worry about Julie Cooper giving my dad VD and taking all of his money, so my plate is full.
Seth: Fine...Dr. R and Julie Cooper are doin' the bone dance. (Summer hits him upside the head)
Summer: Um, hi. Two homeless guys just got into a fight over the crudité and knocked down Scientist Ryan.
Summer: Hey, Dad. If you really do like her, maybe don't wear the bathing suit you bought last year in Rome. Just a thought.
Summer: Well, if you count "pass the milk" and "don't be so skanky."
Seth: Well, he's eighteen. I just think college should come first.
Summer: Well, not if you're with the one you think you should be with, like forever be with.
Seth: Yeah, well, who really knows that at eighteen?
Summer: I do...Oh, my God...You don't.
Summer: Remember when the boys made us watch that movie about the gay guys on the mountain?
Marissa: Lord Of The Rings.
Summer: Yeah. And remember that Gollum guy? How he got evil and more evil the closer he got to that firey thing? That's kind of how Seth is about Brown.
Taylor: Hey, Sum. If it makes you feel any better, I just saw Seth and he looks as miserable as you do.
Summer: The only thing that would make me feel better would be seeing that ass-less, gut-less wuss skinned, flayed and served as ass-less, gut-less wuss tartar.
Taylor: That's very descriptive, Summer.
Summer: It's good to have you back, babe.
Summer: No way. No scheming, no plan Bs, no wacky hijinks. Cohen broke up with me. Only he has the power to unbreak us up. There's no way I'm gonna go groveling back to him like some pathetic brokenhearted little bitch.
Summer: He doesn't love me.
Summer: All right, look, T to the T, I know you're all up with life, down with God, you have a very positive, optimistic view on the world, but I ain't havin' it.
Summer: I haven't spoken to you in four days. You think that pancakes are going to make me forget about you and Anna behind my back.
Summer: Not only will I not go to prom with you, but if you and I were stranded on a desert island, I would take the nourishment that your meager frame has to offer and then I would feed your bones to the sharks.
Seth: I knew you weren't going to go if I didn't go, and I didn't want you to do that. I didn't want you to miss the opportunity so I broke up with you.
Summer: That is the stupidest thing I've ever heard.
Seth: Yeah, well, then I realized I couldn't be without you so I flew there to try and talk my way in.
Summer: Okay, now that is the stupidest thing I've ever heard. (Hopeful) Did it work?
Summer: I wish I could pluck out my eyeballs with a fork and rinse them in a tall glass of ice water.
Marissa: Yeah, that's a hangover.
Summer: Oh, my god. Nauseous tsunami!
Summer: (Stops kissing) Where was your dad going this morning?
Seth: ...You're thinking about my dad?
Summer: He had his briefcase with him. Does he usually keep important papers in there?
Seth: Ugh, you're turning me on.
Summer: I'm sorry. Cohen, there's something I need to tell you.
Seth: That you're using me to get to my father?
Summer: Serious!
Seth: So is this. We just got back together. The window for a make up hook up is rapidly closing, unless you wanna break up again.
Summer: No, definitely not.
Seth: Okay, so what'd you have to tell me?
Summer: ...I wanna be on top this time. (Pushes him down)
Seth: But you're always on top- (Summer kisses him)
Trivia[]
Summer was originally only meant to be a supporting character. Eventually, Rachel Bilson's performance and especially her scene with Seth in the diner in The Escape, convinced them to make her a series regular.
Her birthday is August 13th. This makes her a Leo. [1]
She worked as a candy striper at the Newport Hospital. [2]
She and Anna Stern are big fans of Golden Girls. Their nicknames for each other are “Blanche” and “Rose”, respectively.
Betty and Veronica from the Archie Comics had a big influence on her. [3]
She loves shopping, tanning and celebrity gossip. [4]
Her style is described as “A little bohemian, a little Californian. Her outfits are like eating an organic, dairy-free yogurt with $20 granola sprinkled on top. But, like, with a Dior saddle bag.” by Christian Allaire.
In an alternate reality, where Ryan never came to live with The Cohens, she never ends up with Seth. Instead, she’s a shallow bimbo and still friends with Holly. Her fiancé, Ché, is unfaithful and has an affair with Julie Cooper. [8]
She has a passion for environmental activism and is an animal lover. [9]
She has a tendency to abandon personal hygiene when dealing with personal problems. This happens when she adjusts to college life, after Marissa's death and after the destruction of the Cohen Residence. [10]
