Vampire Diaries. Can’t a council meeting ever just be a council meeting?

January 13, 2012 in off-color commentary by offcolortv | 50 comments

Let me tell you. If it weren’t just way too long to be a title, the title of this post would absolutely have been, “Carol, and don’t take this the wrong way, but do you know that you have been kissing the ass of an immortal hybrid who ruined your son’s life?”

Um. Fucking FANTASTIC.

Also in the running, except in like a distant third, was “A Pissing Contest Between a Hybrid and a Vampire.” Oh, Lizbian, you really made your thirty seconds of screen time count tonight. Good for you! (You guys, can we have a sidebar? We can? Okay, good. Sidebar. Don’t you think that Caroline would’ve had a talk with her mother by now about That Haircut? It’s just … Lizbian is SUCH a pretty, pretty woman. Don’t you think she’d look SO much better with a nice bob?)

Okay. I admit it. I got distracted there, and I wasn’t done talking about fun quotes/title options. Although we heard it several times in the promo, I still enjoyed, “To beat the villain, you’ve gotta be the better villain” IMMENSELY. It was just as badass as the first time we heard it. And I loved Caroline asking Klaus, from her DEATH BED, Y’ALL, “Aren’t you like … a billion or something?”

Not much in the way of HoYay! tonight (unless I just missed it), but I do have a couple of tidbits for you (I feel like this is my responsibility and my pleasure). First of all, Damon telling Alaric, “I’m gonna get a drink, write a check, and then we’re out,” sounded more than a little protitutey, no? Well, I thought so, anyway. And while it would’ve been better with Alaric than with Stefan, we also got this magic moment:

Pretty sure I saw Tiki's grandad off in the background of this scene. Darren's a magician with them bath oils!

Alright. Let’s get down to business, beginning with Jeremy leaving. I kind of thought that we’d come back from the last episode and he’d just be gone, but instead, Elena blabbed to Bonnie about having Damon vampire mindfuck Jeremy into moving to Denver. As if Tim Tebow isn’t reason enough to move there. Bonnie took this news the way that she always does–bitchily and judgmentally.

You guys … I don’t even know anymore. What can I say about Bonnie that we haven’t all already said a million times? I really WANT to like her. I TRY to like her. I even feel like the show brings me close to it, making her all best girly buds with Elena and Caroline, or having an actual function to the story, or crying over Gram, and then they do shit like this. It pisses me off that even when Bonnie has a valid point, there’s just SOMETHING that happens that sours me on her and I end up rooting against her. Case in point: it’s completely valid to argue with Elena that she doesn’t have the right to make Jeremy’s choices for him. I mean … it’s really debatable. Jeremy is only sixteen, and Elena is the closest thing he has to an actual guardian. And it IS for his safety, and she is at least acting like it’s not permanent (assuming Klaus isn’t permanent). And I can even get over Bonnie not really getting that far into it with Elena, given that she did at least mention it and given her history with Jeremy. AND I can forgive her stomping around, freaking Elena out about whether or not she’s going to tell Jeremy he’s been compelled, because that’s at least a pretty teenage girl thing to do.

But I was not cool with Bonnie shitting all over Caroline’s birthday funeral, and not even JUST because it was unbelievably douchey. I hated it so much because I felt like it was out of Bonnie’s character. I mean, yes–she is the ultimate buzzkill and ruining the first birthday … event … for your friend after she gets turned into a vampire does fall under that umbrella, but Bonnie has never really been inconsiderate like that in the entire run of the show. It just didn’t seem like something she’d do to Caroline, you know? So throwing a fucking hissy fit and stomping out of the tomb (god, the sentences I write while discussing this show) just made me want to throw shit at the TV. Ugh, let’s stop talking about it.

Except, before we do … does it REALLY make sense to tell the entire town that Jeremy is going to Denver, if the goal is to keep him safe and get him away from shit? I mean, yes, technically, he will be “away” from it, but if Klaus (or whoever) wants to find him, it’s not like they can’t just fucking go to Denver, AM I RIGHT?

Anyway. Moving on. Alaric and Meredith flirted some more, and she may or may not have staked her ex-boyfriend, the (human) medical examiner … right? I mean, that IS what we were supposed to get out of that, right? If not, someone explain it to me. But all that aside, I like Meredith. And I like her banter with Alaric, and I’m actually happy to see him do something besides be on the receiving end of Damon’s eyefucking. (Although I’m good with that too–don’t take ALL of the eyefucking away, Show!)

Okay, so let’s talk about Elena and the Salvatores (which sounds like a band … of chipmunks. Right? Doesn’t it?), which of course ties into the Klaus plot. Stefan and Klaus are … well, they’re basically playing the penis game. You know, the one where you alternate saying penis until someone is saying it the loudest? Except here, it starts with idle threats, escalates to heads being chopped off, and ends with a full-blown dick-measuring contest, wherein we discover that it’s actually Stefan that has the biggest ding-dong. (I wonder if there are trophies for that? No … don’t google it. I’m SURE there are.)

Stefan is beating Klaus by caring the least, which is ALWAYS how you obtain the most power. But it’s weird, really, and I like this story a lot because it seems that way on the surface, but it’s much more complicated. Stefan is working with his emotions not entirely shut off, so much, but on a “dimmer switch”, as Damon called it. And Damon is running around behind Stefan, partially to protect Elena and partially just to try to keep Stefan to hold his shit together. Klaus, meanwhile, has exploited maternal instinct to get the council on his side (also, this is PRECISELY why it was necessary for Alaric to claim his spot on the council). Stefan and Klaus appear to be at an impasse when Stefan refuses to give Klaus his family, and Klaus threatens to kill people, and Stefan tells him to knock himself out. And not only does he give him the go ahead to kill whoever he wants, he says it with a SMILE. So creepy, man.

And this is where it gets good. Stefan kidnaps Elena. And they haven’t really been together very much, since he’s had his hands full of coffins and whatnot, that aspect was interesting too. Really, I like how he threw her phone out the fucking window. Who DOES that? It’s not like she’d be able to get it back from him if he didn’t want her to have it, Buffy training aside! It was just so RUDE! I don’t know, I’m even kind of laughing about it now. I mean, HONESTLY, who throws a phone? ANYWAY. I digress.

To review, for anyone who isn’t here regularly or who reads so many recaps that you can’t keep all of them straight (it’s a good problem to have, no judgment here), I was more of a Damon fan in S1, and really not much of a Stefan fan at all. And then he really grew on me in S2, and I grew to have real appreciation for Stefan and Elena’s relationship. And in S3, I have seriously LOVED Ripper Stefan. Damon … well, he’s had some good moments. And I feel like things with Elena have taken a believable course, but … I don’t know. I think mostly I just have a thing for bad boys. I just miss the heat that there used to be with Damon and Elena. And like I said, there have been MOMENTS. I loved the scene where she crawled into bed next to him, and oh my god, who DIDN’T get an accelerated pulse during the vampire anatomy lesson, OMG. Buuuut …

Okay. I am going to put this out there. It might be a supremely unpopular opinion, and feel free to flame on in the comments. But I’ve gotta be really real for a minute. Have you ever been around a couple who are like, SO all up in each other’s space that it makes you feel vicariously claustrophobic? Like, sometimes they kiss and you’re across the room but you just want to lean back, like YOU’RE trying to get away from it, and it makes no sense at all, but it’s just kind of visceral? There is just something about the way things have gone in the last few episodes that has given me that feeling about them. I don’t know what it is. Maybe it’s that they’re not a couple? Maybe it’s the unrelenting eye contact? MAYBE IT’S ALL THE FACE TOUCHING. (Seriously, props to whoever pointed that out in the comments last week–I think it’s a big part of it. It makes me feel weird, and not in the USUAL way that this show makes me feel weird, if you know what I mean. And I know you all do.)

Anyway. Nina Dobrev kicked all kinds of ass in the crying department tonight. Obviously, the People’s Choice Awards annoyed the ever-loving SHIT out of all of us on Twitter, but goddammit if she didn’t earn that award. How can someone cry so many different ways in one episode? She’s pretty amazing.

And maybe it’s because they’ve got a new dynamic to work with, or maybe it’s because they’ve been away from each other for so long, but I thought that Nina and Paul Wesley were absolutely incredible in the scene outside the car. The yelling and the crying was devastatingly believable. And you know, after two and a half years of real time (and a year or so of Show time), it was nice to see Elena really facing her parents’ death in a real way. And everything with Stefan was just so complicated, you know? And Klaus … kind of nailed it. He told Damon that love like that never really dies, and he might’ve been right. So he knew that Stefan wouldn’t kill Elena, and he didn’t. And it didn’t seem like that was EVER really the plan. But Stefan in his current state found a way to both hold onto Elena and to take something from Klaus. And you know? Doing something like that to Elena (taking away her options, essentially) is something that Good Stefan would never do. And it was astoundingly selfish. But still, it wasn’t completely devoid of caring, either.

And then when they were standing there, and Stefan told Elena that he had nothing left and she yelled at him that he had her, and he told her that he lost her the second he left and that she just wouldn’t admit it to herself … she asked him if he was just trying to make her hate him but I really feel like he’s using Elena’s feelings for Damon to push her away, maybe to hate her a little bit, so he can focus. And maybe to make it easier on himself, because anger can definitely be easier to manage (and to channel into other energies) than pain.

Do you guys see what I mean? Complexities. Goddamn.

And I like how Stefan left Elena there. I feel like that was the final perfect bookend to Stefan proving how far he’ll go to Klaus. He’s also proving it to Elena. He’ll feed her his blood and possibly kill her. He’ll take her to the most emotionally traumatic location in her world. And he’ll leave her ass on the side of the road at the end of the day. Elena had a moment there at the end of the episode with Matt where she was basically acknowledging that she’s no longer the person that she was, and she’s trying to figure out what that means. I think Stefan is going through the same thing. And even though they’re very, very far apart right now, I like the idea that their stories are still running somewhat parallel, and that connection still exists, albeit tenuously.

The only thing I really didn’t understand about this was … how did Damon end up picking Elena up, when she was stranded in the middle of nowhere and Stefan had chucked her phone out of a moving vehicle?

Alright. Move over, Elena and the ~~Chipmunks~~ Salvatores, there’s a new triangle in town, and it’s Tyler, Caroline, and Klaus. I know there’s a fair amount of Tyler hate out there, and he’s doing a lot of bad things and generally being kind of a turd. I KNOW. But I have a lot of leftover goodwill for Tyler, and I WANT him to break this Klaus thing, and I want him to move past it. AND YOU GUYS. CHARM BRACELET. That was just … I died. It was the perfect birthday gift for Caroline, you know? And then he told Klaus he didn’t want to bite her, and he didn’t take no for an answer (not that it ended up mattering, but HE didn’t know that), and then HE SAID HE LOVED HER. Do you hear how much I am freaking out over here? I love them so much.

WAIT! THERE IS A GIF FOR THIS!

Hola, Mishamigos!

Okay. So all that happens and Tyler bites her anyway, and I really, really feel from his reaction like he didn’t mean to and didn’t know he was going to do it. And I think he was horrified, as he should be, because the first rule of TVD is OH MY GOD DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE ENDANGER CAROLINE FUCKING FORBES! (The second rule is: ~~talk~~ obsess about it constantly. Obviously.) But I also think that this has set into motion a chain of events that I sincerely hope leads to Tyler killing Klaus. But that is strictly my unspoiled, wishful thinking.

Also, it leads to Lizbian inviting Klaus into her house (SIGH–when are these assholes gonna learn?) and Klaus healing Caroline with his blood. And you guys, I know that Caroline Forbes, may she live forever, has smoking hot chemistry with everyone, and I was STILL caught off-guard by her scene with Klaus. It was so, so good.

Y’all … something about Caroline (as always, with everyone) really brings out the best in Klaus. He seemed more human with her than anyone else. I really thought, at first, that it was that she reminded him of Rebekah, who he obviously loves and probably misses. But it became really clear, really quick that that was NOT the only thing there. And those two, and that conversation, and the TEARS …

I’m not talking in real sentences anymore, am I?

Okay, listen. We get so much goddamn brooding and tortured soul shit on this show that it was really nice to hear someone talk about the magical and limitless aspects of being a vampire. Just … yeah. If you’re going to live forever, something has to make it worth it. There’s more than just survival. And for someone as vivacious as Caroline, I think that was a really important thing to hear. And I love this scene so much, because it felt like you were watching the whole world open up for her, and that she had never even considered how much was out there. She was Miss Mystic Falls, you know? And Miss Mystic Falls had a funeral tonight. So.

And if someone looks you in the eye, and they have tears clinging to their bottom eyelashes, and they’re telling you all the things that there are to see and do in the world, and telling you that they can be YOURS … and they let you decide if you want it but of COURSE you want it, because who doesn’t want the whole world? In spite of everything you know and everything that’s happened, I just kind of feel like it would be hard NOT to fall in love with that person, even if only for a moment.

And holy shit with the symbolism, the bracelet he left her. You guys. It was just so romantic and old school, and very classy and beautiful, but also very adult and a stark contrast to the charm bracelet, which had been so perfect earlier. And I feel like that bracelet, and if she puts it on, represents a dramatic shift from high school cheerleader Vampire Barbie Caroline into … maybe just whatever is next. She’s not aging, but she’s still growing up. Maybe moving on. And that’s in keeping with the whole theme of the episode, right?

So, I was just sitting here wondering if the writers actually plan this shit or if it all just happens to work out, like a happy accident, which seems unlikely, and then I remembered that the name of the episode was “Our Town”, which is basically a play about a dead girl saying goodbye to her town and her life, right? Nice. (Also, I feel smart for making the connection.)

In fact, the only scene that I thought was a LITTLE ham-fisted was Elena and Matt on the bridge, with the dandelions, but I can see the necessity and we needed to hear Elena’s thoughts. And Matt is a natural person for her to talk that over with. And the photography geek in me DIED over how beautiful the dandelions were, floating in the water. So I ~~forgive~~ embrace it.

Alright, guys. I know this was really long, so thank you for sticking with it and I hope this can just be the jumping off point for many more discussions in the comments, because I feel like this episode had a lot to it and will provide a lot for us to dissect and debate. As always, let me know if I forgot anything or got anything wrong. And tell me what your favorite moments and scenes were. I can’t wait to hear everyone’s thoughts! And you know I’m a comment whore, so don’t be shy!

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Tags: Vampire Diaries

M Mallia

The scene with Elena and Stefan outside the car broke my heart. Elena’s “You had me!” line was upsetting to hear even just in the previews, but in the context of the entire scene it was just devastating. Nina absolutely deserved that PCA.

I also think it’s funny how one simple scene can change how a character is viewed. Caroline is awesome, we all know that, and Klaus is awesome too, albeit in a very different way. A few episodes ago if you had suggested there would be something romantic forming between them I would have thought you were insane. I also would have immediately been annoyed that the writers would try to make something so unlikely happen. And then this one scene happens and it seems like the most natural path in the world and I find myself wondering how something I would have been protesting against a few episodes is suddenly my new favorite story line.

I love the contrast that you pointed out between the bracelets. The charm bracelet Tyler gives her is something the very fitting of the old Caroline, the Caroline that she said goodbye to in the tomb. Klaus’ gift seems symbolic of what she is becoming.
Anonymous

I so agree about Bonnie. Even though last week I was expressing the SAME thoughts Bonnie expressed tonight, doing it at Caroline’s funeral/birthday was just so selfish and bleh. I don’t know how to like Bonnie. I mean, not to bash her, but it’s like even when I agree with her she’s still being the WORST.

Anyway, that Stefan and Elena scene shattered my heart because it’s just so SAD. Stefan’s inevitable self-loathing over his time with Klaus, and Elena’s “you had ME.” Taking her to the same bridge where her parents died, where he saved her, man that was just INTENSE. And I was so mad at him for doing that to her. But I understand what was going on in his head and it’s so fascinating because he’s just an entirely different Stefan, one I didn’t truly believe they’d commit to, but they HAVE. And the new dynamic between him and Elena right now is fascinating. And I have NO idea where it’s all going. Elena, Damon, Stefan…no idea.

The Klaus and Caroline scene was beautiful and I have nothing to add to it because what you said was perfect.

Matt was really wonderful last night and I thought he provided a perfect contrast to everyone. He really is the only HUMAN-human left. And it’s so sad for him because he must feel lonely, but it’s also sad for them because part of all of them must envy him. But they find a way to have fun the way normal teenagers do: with tequila. Am I just repeating what you said? I probably am.

One thing I disagreed with sort of was that I LOVED the scene on the bridge with Matt and Elena. I am sort of kind of hoping they’ll just end up together at the end of the show, because they are good people and I’m hoping they remain human. And because I think Matt would understand the connection to Stefan and Damon the way that some other random human male for Elena would not. Not that I actively ship them or anything, because basically I ship everyone on this show with everyone. But anyway, BACK TO THE SCENE, I thought it was really beautiful. I don’t know why. The dandelions, and the fact that it was just them, and that she was turning the traumatic place from the night before and from the day her parents died to a place for healing…I really liked it.
Anonymous

ALSO, OH MY GOD THE FACE-TOUCHING. Someone make it stop.
http://twitter.com/BeccaLeigh002 Becca Leigh

Klaus & Caroline scenes were perfection. They are officially my two favorite characters, I don’t care what the writers do with them as long as they have scenes together.

Only TVD could make me love the EVIL VILLAIN so much. This is very out of character for me & a testament to the writers and JoMo.

Seriously, is there anyone that Candice Accola cannot bring out the best in? Ray of sunshine, may she live undead forever.
Sam

I absolutely LOVED Bonnie (or anyone, really) finally calling Elena out on all her bullshit. I mean, since when has she ever really cared about Jeremy anyway? In 2×22 he freaking DIED and has never really shown any concern over it like, ever. And when he and Bonnie broke up, whose side does she take? Bonnie’s. Which makes no sense either because she’s never been much of a friend to both Bonnie and Caroline either. I mean, yes, Jeremy kissed Anna while he still taken, and that’s not ok, but he was dealing with some serious mindfucking shit. He’s lost so many people in his life, and when two of them actually come back, how is he SUPPOSED to feel? Of course he’s going to be confused and distraught and he’s going to want to hang on to them. Don’t even get me started on how much of a hypocrite Elena’s been about that ghost issue. If anything, he’s handled it better than her. Jeremy may have ruined his relationship with Bonnie, but he didn’t let Vicki or anyone endanger the town. Whereas when Elena still put up with Stefan in hopes that he would go back to inflating her ego, she put at risk everyone she “loved”.
I like drunk Elena though. It’s the only times she’s been tolerable this season was when she was drunk. I think it’s because alcohol gives her an excuse to show her true colors.
Enough about my rant with Elena.
Klaus and Caroline. Just… UGH. VOMIT EVERYWHERE.
Plec and Dries must really not give a fuck about Caro or Tyler, bec. they never cease to come up with ways to COMPLETELY RUIN EVERYTHING. Admittedly, there was something compelling about Klaus’ scene with her, but that’s more due to the fact that Accola could be paired with a plant and there would be chemistry. She’s just that awesome. I understand the need for it though. Caroline has to come to terms with being a vampire in order to move on with her life. But the fact that Klaus has to keep fiddling with the charm bracelet and then “top it off” with diamonds is just sickening. I’m pretty sure he’s doing all of this mostly to fuck with Tyler. But even so. Here’s Caroline, who would do anything for her friends, and here’s Klaus who wants to KILL all her friends (sad that Elena isn’t on the list. But then, I did say it was a list of friends). If these two actually end up hooking up, it would just be the greatest form of character assassination of all time. Caroline falling for Klaus would be way too OOC for anyone to fall for it. But since Accola can sell almost anything, there’s that horrible chance that people might actually buy it. An arc like that would make her just like Elena. DO NO WANT. The best thing about her is how unlike Elena she is. How all her love and compassion are not just words, but she puts them into actions. She doesn’t have to jump up and down saying “I care too much about everyone because I have such a big heartblahblah” like Elena has to to convince the audience that she is who she says she is.
I’m so pissed off at the writers, particularly Plec and Dries. They play favorites and leave the other characters in the dust to fend for themselves, or they use them to prop whatever woobie-ness is going on with Elena and the Salvatores. When is Brian Young writing an episode? He seems to be the only writer left who’s actually equally objective when it comes to the story of each character, even the ones whose lives don’t revolve around Elena (because in this show, the only way you get to survive is if you pledge you sire-bond to Elena).
Rant over. I’m sorry that it’s so long.
Tigergal12

Ok, I have too many thoughts in my head after this episode I just felt like I had to share them.

First of all, I understand the Bonnie hate, she’s far from my favorite character, but for me Elena is becoming the character I can’t stand. I can’t even pinpoint what it is but her actions and reasoning for everything are just annoying me. I mean how many seemingly definitive break-up fights is she going to have with Stefan? At some point she needs to actually move on and grow up instead of just talking about doing those things.

As for Jeremy, I refuse to believe he’s stupid enough to not take vervain right after he almost got ran over last episode so until proven otherwise I’m going with he was never really compelled and instead of living obliviously in Denver he’s off doing something super awesome like trying to find a way to stop Klaus.

Speaking of Klaus, I’M OFFICIALLY OBSESSED!!! For a while now I feel like he’s been the most interesting character and Joseph Morgan is amazing so I kind of loved him even though he was evil. And pairing him with Caroline? GENIUS! I love them (or just the tease of them) even more than I did her and Tyler. I’m not going to lie when I first saw that crying GIF I assumed it was about Klaus/Caroline because that’s exactly how I feel. I’m curious to see how they proceed with his character. I certainly want him around more than just this season so hopefully no one actually succeeds in finding another way to kill him. Whether he stays a bad guy or goes through some slow redemption a la Spike, I can’t wait to see!

I realize this comment is getting ridiculously long, but hopefully someone will actually read the whole thing because I have a serious question now. Can someone please explain the Original sibling math to me? They said there were 6 + Klaus but with the one who was killed by werewolves, Rebecca, and the three in the coffins (one being Elijah) I’m only counting 5. Did I forget something? Or are they including the one that died in Europe before Mom and Pop Original came to the Americas?
http://twitter.com/bethanyelarson Bethany Larson

1. SB, this: “We get so much goddamn brooding and tortured soul shit on this show that it was really nice to hear someone talk about the magical and limitless
aspects of being a vampire.” YES. Just yes.

2. Ok, I have to talk about the Dr. Meredith, Serial Killer biznazz for a second because I LOVE IT. Because I’m a creep. I love that it gives Mystic Falls something OTHER than vampires and werewolves and hybrids and probably eventually fucking faeries to worry about. And I like the idea that people can be just a terrifying as supernatural beings. And I love that the potential serial killer is a pretty lady doctor. (I may or may not have outlined a book about a lady serial killer at one point in time…)

3. KLAUSOLINE. I have loved Klaus since he showed up (again, because I’m an uber-creep) but that scene with Miss Caroline was incredimazeballs something fierce. And you know? As much as I adore sweet, sassy Caroline, I’d love to see her go full on vamp.

4. You are awesome.
Anonymous

I’m not a shipper. Until last night. Klausoline 4 ever! With hearts and rainbows and flowers galore.
http://honeyishrunkthegretchen.com/ Gretchen

I don’t even really know where to begin. I LOVED this episode. I actually was really caught off guard by Klaus beginning to court Caroline (because you know with someone as old school and refined as him, it’s all about courting and wooing and, well, you get it). The scene with her on her death bed and him as her enemy and savior was just so good, and she was so vulnerable, and I half-expected him to rip off her head instead of healing her, but instead we get “… on your birthday?” with honest shock. I just love the development. Klaus is so, so, SO complex, and I just keep thinking: is this what he was planning all along when he told Tyler to bite her? To make her hate Tyler so he could swoop in? Or is it in response to Tyler’s defiance, and he’s going to punish him by being with her, knowing Tyler loves him? Is he just doing this to eff with the whole Mystic Falls Gang, finding another way to “get at Stephan” like he said? Or, just like his motivation for lugging around his coffinized family and creating mountains of worshipping hybrids, is it all stemming from the knowledge that immortality is lonely if you don’t have someone to share it with?

God I love this show.
http://twitter.com/hockeybychoice hockeybychoice

Um. What could I possibly say but, YEP. Pretty much, yep. All of it.

It bothers me that we still have a reason for Bonnie to be around. Can someone compel HER to leave?? At this point, I’d be happy with a Secret Circle witch bitch joining the story and we all know I’m not the biggest fan. Damon going violent on the mystic coffin with the shovel was actually pretty funny.

Why so much face touching?! Personal space, vampire! Face touching should not come before hand holding. (What? GET OFF MY LAWN!)

Joseph Morgan is so pretty, I think I might ship Klaus with everyone. He’s starting to make Damon look like an old dirty crow. (Pilot shoutout what wha.)

And A+ for including a sobbing Misha gif – poor bastard certainly gets around these days.
http://honeyishrunkthegretchen.com/ Gretchen

Oops, that’s supposed to say “knowing Tyler loves HER”. Point remains valid either way though, I suppose.
Jsage79

Wow, I’m floored. I think you totally nailed it. Everything. 100%.
Anonymous

GOOD QUESTION! I just sat here typing like 4 different responses and realizing I was wrong every time. There’s 5 Original Siblings (including the one who died in a werewolf attack) INCLUDING Klaus, right? And since Klaus most likely isn’t carrying about a coffin for himself, there’s still 2 mystery coffins by my count. The one that won’t open, and then what’s the other one? OH MY GOD I feel so dumb. Help!
http://twitter.com/ecotwin1 Heather

First time reader here. Bravo! I could comment on and agree with you about everything, but I’ll choose one thing. I completely agree with your dissection of the significance of the bracelets! Moments like those just further prove to me how meticulously the writers develop their stories. The details! I love the details!
M Mallia

You bring up some really good points that I failed to even think about in all the excitement of this scene. Like how Tyler will react if he finds out. We already know he kind of has to obey Klaus even if he doesn’t want to, but would something like that push him too far? Or better yet, how would Caroline ever be able to explain that to Bonnie or Elena? Of course I’m just kind of assuming that the whole Klaus/Caroline romance thing is actually going to come together and not just be something we’re teased with.

Also, Caroline was an okay character when she was human. She’s been absolute perfection as a vampire. Imagine how excellent she’d be going off the deep end with Klaus? Not that I want her to be evil or anything, but she adopted the Stefan lifestyle really quickly after becoming a vampire and I think it could be fun to see her let loose a lit bit. (And then immediately turn normal again she doesn’t have to be killed off lol).
Alta

Bonnie is such fail, ya know? 1 point for being considerate to Jeremy, but minus 10 points for not being considerate to Caroline. Isn’t being considerate to everyone at all times, like, ingrained in her or something? She’s supposed to be emotional ENOUGH but NEVER to the detriment of the other characters’ good time. Whatever’s happening to someone else must always come first no matter whatever the hell she might be going through. You think Bonnie would know that.
Anonymous

I have throw in my 2cents on the bracelets (side note where the hell did the cent sign go? It is no longer on key boards.) anyways bracelets when Tyler gave her the charm one I said “oh I love charm bracelets!” then when klaus gave her the BRACELET I said “now THAT’S a bracelet.”
Caroline & Klaus are two amazing characters but together the are better then all the other combined then multiplied by 1000!
Charlie

I loved this episode – it was so charactery yet still had heart snatches and decapitation ! And 100% agree with everything you said about the Caroline / Klaus scene. Literally can’t wait to see where they are going with that one.
Damon and Elena : They are so in each others space all the time and I think I feel uncomfortable watching them sometimes because they are inappropriately close for two people who aren’t doing it. And not always in a sexy way…in a strange co-dependent/ frustrated way.
Bonnie…whenever I think I may be starting to like her, she is judgemental and just a pain in the ass.
http://twitter.com/onlymystory Melissa Leaman

If this show ever gets a fucking faery on it I will kill someone. And not in a nice way like Klaus.
Anonymous

I guess it comes down to opinion, but I don’t think you can ever apply a strict moral lens to the characters in Mystic Falls. That’s what makes the show fantastic, and this episode one of my new favorites. The ability to take a psychotic madman, and make him look vulnerable and truly sympathetic was scary/sexy/fantastic. And Bonnie can preach all she wants, but she just comes off as a judgmental wet blanket. If routine days were filled with hybrids and vengeful originals, I would pack my brother up and send him away too.
http://twitter.com/hockeybychoice hockeybychoice

I don’t think I’ve ever read anyone actually defend Bonnie before. You’re like a yeti.
http://chevyscreations.weebly.com/ Anieta

Oh wow what a show. It keeps getting better and better, although they shipped Jeremy off, which I do not agree with. He is coming back right? Even though I’m waaaaay older, I think that I’m allowed to perv. *nods* I watched Klaus talk about the world twice. He made the world sound wonderful, like ancient vampires do. Not that an ancient vampire ever talked to me about the beautiful world like that, but I watch movies, you know. With ancient vampires in them. So…. I could probably come up with more praise for this episode, but above review says a lot of what I would say, so I’m shutting up and I’m going to think about our beautiful world. Or sleep. #deadtired
http://twitter.com/hollye83 Holly

Lest we forget, Bonnie is also being pretty hypocritical too. She manipulated the laws of nature to bring him back to life, even though she was told that there would be consequences. She had no idea if those would be for her or for him.

That said, I don’t think Bonnie is necessarily wrong to believe its a bad thing to take Jeremy’s choice away. There’s certainly two sides to that decision Elena made. It just really wasn’t the time or place to have that out with Elena. Add that to the fact that Bonnie has gotten so little character development unless somebody needs her to yammer a spell, it makes her unlikeable quite often.
Anonymous

Well said, Holly. It’s not exactly what Bonnie has to say, but her timing and attitude while doing it. Also, Bonnie storming out in holier than thou fashion was a selfish way to finish off Caroline’s awesome tequila-tomb party.
http://twitter.com/clrumbaugh clrumbaugh

Oh, god, this episode. I feel like I’m praising Joseph Morgan in every comment I leave on one of your TVD recaps. And I’m gonna do it again. Amazing. And coupled with Candice Accola. Holy freaking oh my god. The two of them. I can’t even discuss it anymore because ALL the emotions were spent writing my own recap this morning.

BUT, I will comment on the whole TMI type relationship that you’re saying Damon and Elena have — the one that you have to pull away from even if you’re on the other side of the room. Do you remember that sex scene at the beginning of S2 of True Blood between Bill and Sookie (I think it was S2)? HOLY SHIT. That was fucking uncomfortable. They might as well have been fucking in public. Now that may be more extreme, but I think that’s what you’re saying Damon and Elena are like, at least a little. And I see it. Maybe THAT’s why the kiss last week made me feel kind of weird. Like I shouldn’t be witnessing it. Not because it’s special or raw and honest. But because I am seeing something I should not be seeing. I don’t know how else to explain it.

Also, reading your recap, I realized that I missed a lot of the episode. I think I was too blinded by Klaus and Caroline. I should go rewatch ;)
Jlw5884

Damon did the math for us at the witch house where the caskets are being hidden.
Jlw5884

There were TWO siblings whom were killed BEFORE. Then we have Klaus, Elijah & Rebekah
Anonymous

Initial thoughts on this episode and this recap: YES! YES! YES! The things you’ve said, they are hauntingly good. And it was a solid episode, especially when the previous one left me feeling so unsettled, for the reasons you talked about, SB. That exchange between Elena and Stefan on the bridge was crushing and electrifying at the same time. There was so much affliction conveyed in their faces, it was like heart-ripping out of body.

But the scene that surprised me the most was Caroline and Klaus. I did not see that coming at all. But probably should have because when someone gets bitten by a werewolf on this show, you know something AMAZE is going to unfold. Caroline is the sunshine. And to see this buoyant girl confront death and choose life in such an elegant way, it was just such a tragically lovely side of her. And then Klaus, OMG, Klaus. This might be the beginning of Klaus’s manipulation arc, but I don’t care, I am manipulated. We’re really beginning to see the refinement and wisdom 1,000 years has earned him. He explained to Caroline in the most intimate, seductive, tender, and intelligent way that vampires are not monogamous in their experiences. There is so much of the world to take in and the magic of her existence is something to relish. Who doesn’t want to cling a little hard to life after hearing that?
Nika

But didn’t Bonnie take away someone else’s choice as well when she used magic to make Jeremy pass out and then locked Alaric in that haunted house before fighting Klaus? Especially in Alaric’s case, he’s a grown man, his life was (is) his to risk. At least Elena can claim she’s somewhat responsible for Jeremy’s well-being.

I don’t mind Bonnie playing the moral police a bit (a bit!), it’s not going to make her the most beloved character or the most entertaining to watch, but someone has to do it. But I think I’d be less grating if her character was more developed. Here’s hoping. Hey, at least she’s got a room now!
http://twitter.com/onlymystory Melissa Leaman

Plus 2 more. Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah, Henrik (killed by werewolves), Original1 (Died of the plague in Eastern Europe), Original2 (in a coffin), Original3 (in a coffin). Elijah said 7 Original siblings in total.
http://twitter.com/onlymystory Melissa Leaman

I could’ve sworn I heard that Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer actually are having sex in some of their scenes, not just simulating it. I don’t remember where I heard it but I know it’s been said to me a few times. Ick.

And yeah, not that Damon and Elena are at an extreme its just still weird.
Jlw5884

Yup! I was paying attention when Damon broke it all down for me…I started to explain it but then I was like “If these people can’t pay attention to what’s going on then OH WELL.”
Anonymous

Hahahahha, OMG, your comment. I love it so much. This is a forum where I feel like I’ve found my people: people who aren’t afraid to voice Bonnie-hate.
http://twitter.com/ReelStina Lemonade

What can I say about this episode that all of you haven’t already said so beautifully? While last week’s episode just felt off to me, out of character even (the show in general), this one hit all the right notes. Last week I needed to rewatch to see if it would help make the episode better for me. This week I want to rewatch because I enjoyed the episode so much.

And the most obvious difference between the two eps? Caroline. That girl really is the best part of this show, and I honestly can’t think of any other character in the history of television (or at least in the last 20 years) that has stirred up this much love and passion within a fandom in the same way she has. I know that is a huge statement to make, but I really can’t think of anyone else that fits the bill.

I mean there have been TONS of amazing and beloved characters throughout television, but even they aren’t loved by everybody. It’s just that usually the more loved and iconic a character is, the more prone (s)he is to criticism. There are always going to be conflicting opinions within a fandom, (hence the prevalence of shipper wars), so most main characters tend to divide fandom, provoking love/hate reactions. But it says so much about Caroline, that pretty much EVERYONE in the fandom LOVES her as much as we do.

Now there might be someone out there who hates Caroline but I have yet to across that crazy person, though I admit I’ve never actively searched for Caroline haters. (Do they exist? I really am curious).

Now with all that said, back to the episode…

Oh Tyler. Tyler, Tyler, Tyler. Like you SB, I still love him. I loved all there scenes together, and I liked how the Timberwolf mascot was clearly in the background of the shot during the first Tyler and Caroline (Caroler?) scene. :) And as sweet as the charm bracelet gift was, I couldn’t help but laugh at the Twilight connection. Seriously, what is it with werewolves giving charm bracelets to the girl they love? haha. But despite all of the recent hybrid developments, I still ship them. I can’t help it, maybe because I was one of the (probably) few who have been a fan of Tyler since season 1.

Of course, thanks to that one UNBELIEVABLE scene, that will forever live in VD fandom infamy (way more than last week’s DE kiss), I now ship Klaus and Caroline too. I can only imagine what will happen with this new dynamic, and what it will mean for Tyler in particular–he really is in a sucky (ha!) position, isn’t he?

I am probably going to be torn throughout this season, but I always say the best triangles (or even storylines in general) are the ones in which you care about each character involved, and understand each one’s perspective enough to feel as conflicted as the characters are themselves (run-on much?). So I can’t wait to see how this all plays out! :D
http://twitter.com/ReelStina Lemonade

And like I commented on last week, I’m still really curious what Klaus has planned for Tyler. He seems to be treating him differently than his other hybrids (maybe because Tyler’s his “firstborn”?), as Tyler seems to be more independent while others are acting like slaves. Maybe it is just Tyler’s resistance that is causing Klaus to be different with him, or because his connection to Elena’s circle of friends makes him more useful. But I really get the feeling like Klaus has special plans for him. If not, why keep him around when he’s resisting so much? Was he just using him for the events in this episode? There just has to be more to it than that, and I fear what that might mean for Tyler.

I do have a couple of theories pertaining to the whole Klaus/Tyler dynamic, (in no particular order):

1.) Maybe Caroline uses her influence on Klaus to get him to somehow release Tyler. (The Caroline/Tyler shipper in me likes this one, and we still get Klaus/Caroline!)

2.) Maybe the sire thing works BOTH ways. Obviously Klaus has some control over his hybrids, but maybe they somehow have power over him, that we & they don’t know about yet.

2b.) Maybe Klaus CAN’T kill the hybrids. Unless I’m forgetting something, (has he ever actually killed a hybrid himself?), maybe he physically can’t hurt and/or kill them since he is their sire.

Who knows if any of these will happen, but I thought I’d throw them out there.

And here’s one theory not related to Klaus/Tyler:

~Is there any chance Alaric could be the one who staked the medical EXaminer? Maybe it’s a side effect of the wonky ring, or because he’s trying to change the Council? I haven’t figured out all the details, (I’ll leave that to the writers!), but it crossed my mind. Although let’s face it, Torrey plays psychotic so well (she’s my #1 suspect on PLL too), that it’s probably her.
km.tvd

Okay I know this might seem a little crazy and out there but did anyone else not suspect Meredith of the morder and instead think immediately of Alaric? Wait let me explain, … the ring something happened with the ring … soemthing more than a “shelf life” and the way the camera angle was on Alaric as he watched meredith leave the foundraiser, anyone else think that was remeniscent of his Klaus possession days? And if Meredith wanted to kill him don’t you think she would have done it by in all the years since prom? My opinion … something happened to Alaric because of the ring, he didn’t come back right or soemthing and it cause him to hallucinate or who-knows-what into killing that guy. But maybe its me over analyzing … maybe it is as simple as “Meredith dun it”
Anonymous

It might be Alaric because a stake was used, and we know how Alaric excels at whittling pneumatic stakes. Also, the victim had blood coming out of his nose, so it looked like he was punched in the face before being staked. But Alaric wouldn’t just murder someone without adequate provocation. It’s a toss up at this point. I hope it’s someone we know that did it and not a random. Why bring Damon into this one though? He has so much on his plate already, like killing Klaus, hiding coffins, growing vervain, holding Stefan’s shit together, touching Elena’s face, and now solving murders? For one of the town’s most morally ambiguous residents, I feel like he’s taking on the one million responsibilities they’ve given him rather well, but let’s not push it.
Anonymous

You brought up something interesting with Stefan and Elena ”
I like the idea that their stories are still running somewhat parallel, and that connection still exists, albeit tenuously.” I guess i’m kind of going to disagree with this the one thing that i’ve been thinking about all season in regards to Elena’s character development is that its ACTUALLY happening because she is not romantically involved with Stefan i’ve always felt that her relationship with him has always held her back. The scene with Matt and Elena really made me think that because she finally said it she needs to let go of her old life and quit thinking things would ever be normal. How many elena and stefan scenes do we have over the past 2 seasons in which they try to be normal and try to forget there problems and live in a fantasy land?Elena fell in love with stefan at a really vulnerable time in her life right after her parents died i think in a weird way stefan has helped elena hold on to her old life instead of move on. I think Damon and Elena’s story runs more parallel to each other. Damon has a had a very similar story with denial and living in a fantasy land when he was with katherine in a weird way i’ve always though DK and SE are very similar. Idk what you said here just made me think of things lol This season has just really opened my eyes to a lot of weird things in elena and stefans former relationship. Reading over comments i think if you never liked the possibility of elena and damon your just going to find them weird regardless! I think damon is just being supportive and boyfriend like so he cups her chin and face every once in a while LMFAO its funny you brought that up:) AND YES TO ALL OF YOUR KLAUS AND CAROLINE THOUGHTS
Anonymous

You brought up something interesting with Stefan and Elena ”
I like the idea that their stories are still running somewhat parallel, and that connection still exists, albeit tenuously.” I guess i’m kind of going to disagree with this the one thing that i’ve been thinking about all season in regards to Elena’s character development is that its ACTUALLY happening because she is not romantically involved with Stefan i’ve always felt that her relationship with him has always held her back. The scene with Matt and Elena really made me think that because she finally said it she needs to let go of her old life and quit thinking things would ever be normal. How many elena and stefan scenes do we have over the past 2 seasons in which they try to be normal and try to forget there problems and live in a fantasy land?Elena fell in love with stefan at a really vulnerable time in her life right after her parents died i think in a weird way stefan has helped elena hold on to her old life instead of move on. I think Damon and Elena’s story runs more parallel to each other. Damon has a had a very similar story with denial and living in a fantasy land when he was with katherine in a weird way i’ve always though DK and SE are very similar. Idk what you said here just made me think of things lol This season has just really opened my eyes to a lot of weird things in elena and stefans former relationship. Reading over comments i think if you never liked the possibility of elena and damon your just going to find them weird regardless! I think damon is just being supportive and boyfriend like so he cups her chin and face every once in a while LMFAO its funny you brought that up:) AND YES TO ALL OF YOUR KLAUS AND CAROLINE THOUGHTS
http://twitter.com/houseofvampires House of Vampires

OH MY GOD, Klaus and Caroline scene was brilliant. I still can’t stop smiling about it.
Em

I just watched the show (Finally!) and I have to agree with everything in the recap. Everything. I will have to go through and read all the comments in a minute, but I wanted to say a couple things really quickly:

I love every second that Caroline is on screen. Especially scenes that she shares with Tyler. I really felt badly for him tonight. He honestly thought he had found the loophole in the whole siring contract and he seriously thought that he could be with Caroline and it would be okay. I would absolutely LOVE it if he could be the one to kill Klaus!!!

Why didn’t Sheriff Forbes bring Caroline to the porch? Why do they always invite people in! So frustrating. I did not expect the scene between Klaus and Caroline to be so moving, but it was. I didn’t feel the romance in it specifically, but she was making a big choice and what he said had a lot to do with it. I wonder how attached she will feel towards him after that conversation and bonding moment.

Elena and Stefan’s scene was intense. You said it all brilliantly, but I do have to add that I can’t help but want them to eventually be together. Even though he was totally over the line and turning into a different character. The show has done an excellent job of showing us how he got to this point and it makes it more understandable to me somehow. Plus, all the close-proximity eye contact and (as I mentioned before) face touching gets to me.

I thought it was great that Damon made a point to tell Elena that he was a little proud of Stefan for what he did because Damon’s character shouldn’t change completely. It’s just like him to want to win and to keep the “end” in mind even when the “means” are all messed up.
Em

There are so many ulterior motive possibilities when it comes to Klaus…
Em

I just wanted to say “yes.” To everything.
Anonymous

One other thing about the Klaus/Caroline scene, and Klaus in general this episode. No matter where they’re going with this, it’s a “speech” Caroline and the audience needed to hear. Like you said, SB, we hear a lot about what an ordeal it is to be an immortal creature, but we rarely hear any extended dialogue about the profound beauty of it. Lexi talked about the heightened emotions vampires feel, but Klaus took it further and concisely said: “Our kind of love never dies.” Immortal love. That’s profound. And then Klaus didn’t just save Caroline, he told her that her life had meaning beyond Mystic Falls, beyond this time. He acknowledged eternity could be painful and appear abysmal, but it’s worth rising above that. And you could just see it in Caroline’s eyes, she wanted more of this life.
When we saw Damon and Stefan convincing Elena to fight for her life in S2, they didn’t explain it in those sweeping terms. They were both like “Live for me because I can’t lose you.” That just doesn’t have the kind of effect of someone telling you the world is yours. No wonder Elena is so hell bent on staying human. Those two are constantly telling her and showing her how much it blows to be a vampire, when the should be making her feel like love, and life, and they, and her will go on forever.
Anonymous

One other thing about the Klaus/Caroline scene, and Klaus in general this episode. No matter where they’re going with this, it’s a “speech” Caroline and the audience needed to hear. Like you said, SB, we hear a lot about what an ordeal it is to be an immortal creature, but we rarely hear any extended dialogue about the profound beauty of it. Lexi talked about the heightened emotions vampires feel, but Klaus took it further and concisely said: “Our kind of love never dies.” Immortal love. That’s profound. And then Klaus didn’t just save Caroline, he told her that her life had meaning beyond Mystic Falls, beyond this time. He acknowledged eternity could be painful and appear abysmal, but it’s worth rising above that. And you could just see it in Caroline’s eyes, she wanted more of this life.
When we saw Damon and Stefan convincing Elena to fight for her life in S2, they didn’t explain it in those sweeping terms. They were both like “Live for me because I can’t lose you.” That just doesn’t have the kind of effect of someone telling you the world is yours. No wonder Elena is so hell bent on staying human. Those two are constantly telling her and showing her how much it blows to be a vampire, when the should be making her feel like love, and life, and they, and her will go on forever.
M Mallia

I like your theory about Klaus having some connection to the hybrids that makes him want to protect them, but I’m not sure. He did have to kill all of those hybrids in the woods that time. After he changed them, but before he knew about Elena’s blood. Maybe they weren’t considered full hybrids without her blood, but they had all of the hybrid abilities … so I’m inclined to think Klaus isn’t bound to them the same way they are to him.

I think his treatment of Tyler has more to do with Tyler’s connection to the group and possibly the whole “first born” thing.
M Mallia

Ahaha, I love the “Why didn’t she bring Caroline to the porch?” comment. I wondered why Elena and Jer brought Alaric to the hospital after he was hit by the car when they had plenty of hybrid blood just pouring out onto their porch. The obvious answer I guess is that the writers needed to get Alaric to the hospital so he could meet Meredith. Which I assume also means that the writers have some need for Klaus to have access to the Forbes house in the future.

“Because the writers needed it to happen” is never a fun answer, but I guess we wouldn’t have an exciting show if everyone acted sensibly lol.
http://twitter.com/ReelStina Lemonade

I thought about the first set of hybrids too, but I couldn’t remember if Klaus physically killed them himself or if they just died on their own. I just figured I may as well throw the thought out there anyway. :)
http://twitter.com/ReelStina Lemonade

I just randomly thought of something I hadn’t thought about before, so I’m adding it as another Klaus/Tyler Theory:

Tyler became a werewolf because of a family curse, as a member of the Lockwoods, a Mystic Falls founding family. Klaus and the other Original children were apparently born in Mystic Falls, where they lived near the family of werewolves Klaus is also descended from.

So isn’t it quite possible that Klaus’s biological father is an ancestor of the Lockwoods? That would mean Tyler and Klaus are actually related (distantly, of course).

If Klaus is aware of this connection, then it could be another reason he seems to treat Tyler differently– he’s family. :)
http://twitter.com/bethanyelarson Bethany Larson

I really hate faeries. An addition of one would probably force me to stop watching this show.

Vampire Diaries. Can’t a council meeting ever just be a council meeting?

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