8.11 - 'You Made a Choice to Be Good' (The Vampire Diaries)
So, I got a job! (Yay! It's not ideal, but it's a job!) I start tomorrow and I'm thinking that I will probably be getting the rest of these up on Saturday or Sunday from now on with my new schedule. So, yay!
This was one of those rare episodes where one storyline was not very good-although, there were still some good to great moments within it. However being the awesome that is The Vampire Diaries, everything else on display was pretty much made of, well, awesome (or so in character that one can't really complain… Matt, I'm looking at you). As is my wont, I'm going to tackle what didn't work for me first. This will come as no surprise, but, yeah, it's almost all to do with the Bonnie arc. Let me count the ways that issues abounded...
Bonnie and Enzo's over-the-top forever and ever love is still not doing it for me. More on that later, though (and, the option is available to skip it). Ah, but this go-round, there were other problems that didn't have anything to do with them, such as… Bonnie randomly announcing that she bought a house a few months back. Although, it actually would have been nearly a year ago since it's past mid-February 2018 in The Vampire Diaries timeline and Damon and Enzo took off in late March of 2017, but whatever… a few vs. ten, no big, right? Anyhoo, I think that buying a house is a pretty huge deal. You would think that would have come up at some point to someone she trusts, but, no, she didn't tell anyone about it. Not Caroline, not Enzo-yes, not even Enzo, the truest of all true loves!-before this VERY MOMENT! I mean, really? How much more 'plot point created for just this very episode' could it be? Not by much.
Ooh, and how did she buy the house? Just with money that she got from her father. OK, then. I'm just saying… that was a fairly big-ish house… in upstate freaking New York. Nothing we've ever read, seen, heard, etc. has indicated in any way, shape or form that Bonnie's family had that kind of money, or that her father had that kind of money. I mean… again, really? 'Plot point created just for this episode!' Finally, the kicker… only in the world of The Vampire Diaries (or at least this less-than-fantastically-written episode) would someone *not* have to sign papers with their realtor in order to lose possession of their house. Yeah, there is absolutely no way that Bonnie would no longer own her home just because her realtor was compelled to do all of that paperwork. Because it did not have Bonnie's signature on it. The owner's signature is needed, and the show made a big point of letting us know that Bonnie bought the house. Bonnie is the owner of the house.
So, yeah, that whole thing never, ever could have happened. Therefore, that never, ever should have happened. If they wanted Enzo out of the house they could (and should) have come up with some other trick. He went back out to the car to get something… boom! Stefan zoomed up behind him and stuck his hand through Enzo's back. Bonnie steps out to see what's taking him so long, she sees Stefan take out her forever-and-ever beloved's heart. There you go, same outcome without the huge, honking plot hole. Guess what? I literally came up with that in about ten seconds flat. It was easy… and it actually made sense. But, hey, Melinda Tsu-Taylor (co-writer of this episode), what do you expect? All but one of her outings has at least one major what-the-what? moment.
Then we come to Bonnie herself. *sigh* I love this character; I truly do. However, if I'm being honest, I have not loved Bonnie Bennett for a good chunk of this season. *double sigh* And it is because of this amazing, life-changing, epic, true, true love that she shares with Enzo St. John. I do not buy it. I don't and that is entirely due to the writing of this couple. Other than the flashback episode-which was good-and Bonnie miserable over losing Enzo and failing to get him back before she finally did, I have not been even remotely impressed with this pair's story. That means out of nearly a season and a half this couple has been together (their flash-forward kiss was in the fifth episode of season 07), I have liked them in exactly three episodes. And in the first one, I may have liked the flashbacks, but I still take issue with telling their entire love story in a handful of scenes in one episode. Also, my enjoyment in the other two revolved solely around my feels for Bonnie. And not Bonnie and Enzo. So not Bonnie and Enzo.
[Yet another block of thinky-thoughts on why Bonnie and Enzo do not work for me. Feel free to not open this cut and read.] Enzo and Bonnie fell in love in a heightened situation. This is what I wrote about the pair for "Somebody That I Used To Know," their flashback-heavy episode:
They fell in love in isolation. Bonnie fell in love with an Enzo who was essentially her "savior," and he held all the power. He was also the only person she felt she had on her side. Caroline was in Dallas, living her new life. Elena is off in a coffin playing Sleeping Beauty. Matt hates all things supernatural. Bonnie and Stefan were never particularly close and have been drifting further apart since Elena left and Bonnie became team!Damon.
This is one of the key reasons why I don't buy them. That was how their relationship began. For three years Enzo was literally the only person Bonnie saw until early March 2017. (Bonnie told Virginia that she checked into the mental facility "a few weeks ago" around the time that Stefan was possessed by Ambrose.) Think about that. Bonnie Bennett, not too long ago, was stuck in an alternate universe where she was the ONLY PERSON on the planet. She was so driven to despair that she almost committed suicide. Then she is put in a situation where she is all alone, *again* for nearly three years with only one person to talk to, to spend time with, to share space in the universe with. And that was Enzo. How am I not to question the psychological issue there in the formation of their grand romance? Seriously!
Moving on… At the beginning of March 2017, Bonnie checked herself into a mental institution. (Yeah, because that's healthy in her situation.) And then on March 20th, Enzo checked her out. Eight days later, he was sucked into the dark world of the vault. Separated for five to six months after that, Bonnie brought Enzo back to himself in early December. We are now in mid-February 2018. So looking at this timeline, Bonnie and Enzo have *literally* only spent roughly two months together as a couple in the real world without an unfair power structure between them. Compared to Damon and Elena, Stefan and Caroline (and, even, yes, Bonnie and Jeremy), it's incredibly difficult to believe that they have what it takes for the long haul. Especially since once they came out into the real world, they've had maybe one meaningful conversation, but it was one that they should have had during the three years Bonnie was in forced seclusion. So, yeah, no.
This episode did nothing to help my perspective on the pair. It was just more of the two kissing, talking about how they love each other so much, how they are going to be so happy, how Bonnie finally has true happiness, blah, blah, blah. Oh, and in the process, Bonnie continued to show an uncharacteristic selfishness. I don't even… *triple sigh* Look, I don't deny for one second that Bonnie has sacrificed more than anyone else. I've discussed this very thing more than once in past write-ups. Because of that, I shouldn't have had any problem at all with her disappointment over having to give up the cure to turn Enzo mortal.
But I did! Not only because of her Enzo-tunnel vision, but also because of the execution of this renewed cure storyline. We'd only heard a few lines about Enzo getting the cure, so it was still up in the air how this was going to be handled. The prior issues I had with Bonnie offering that cure to Enzo could have been mostly solved in this one. All that had to happen was that Bonnie had to tell Enzo that before she gave him the cure, she needed to talk to Damon about it. That's mostly it. Tell him that she'd put off that conversation because she knew it would be a hard sell since there was already a plan in place for the use of that cure. However, now was the time. This was it. Have her call Damon and before she could even ask him, have Damon bring up the possibility of giving it to Cade. The rest of the conversation as it happened would still have worked (for the most part). Bonnie upset because she had these plans for her happy human ever-after with Enzo, Damon throwing in that totally awesome and appropriately pissy: "At least I asked." Had it happened that way (or some variation of) then Bonnie would not have come across so selfish.
She was bitterly complaining about losing her chance at happiness with a human Enzo; that was understandable. Not so much was that she was doing so with zero acknowledgment that she would be getting that chance by stealing the cure from one of her best friend's very body. And that she would be doing without her permission and without the knowledge of her best friend-to whom Elena had already promised that cure. Therefore, Bonnie did not come across as sympathetic-which she so should have! Ugh, if only they had have her call Damon to talk about it with him. That's all it would have taken to erase most of the sting out of this plot point.
Alas, nope. Bonnie was planning on taking the cure for *her* vampire boyfriend away from her best friend's body who was planning on using that cure for *her* vampire boyfriend without telling a damn, single person. Argh! And it just sucks. That's not Bonnie Bennett. This season, she has mostly been written as self-involved and selfish. What am I supposed to take from that? Is it supposed to be that Enzo's love makes her so? Elena's love makes Damon better. Damon's love made Elena better (as in stronger). Stefan and Caroline's love makes the other better. That is how true, real love works. Not whatever this thing is that they are doing with Bonnie and Enzo. (Gah, why did Caroline Dries have to leave before the final season? I have zero doubts that this would not be happening were she still involved with the show.)
I mean, come on, I love this show… I really like the character of Enzo, and for most of this series' run, I have loved Bonnie. But you know what? When Stefan pulled Enzo's heart out, I literally said, "Yes!" and gave a fist pump of joy. Thinking back now, I can't believe that was my literal reaction to Stefan killing Enzo. I was happy. I should not have been happy about that. That makes me unhappy with the show because of how badly they have handled Bonnie and Enzo this season (and last, at least relationship-wise). Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!
Whatever… I'll give them this; I was not expecting Stefan to kill Enzo. Get the cure by episode's end? Yeah, that I was waiting for once we saw Bonnie filling up that syringe with Elena's blood. But ripping out Enzo's heart? Nope, I did not see that coming. Although, in retrospect, Enzo's death (oh, please let it stick-because it will mean the end of Bonnie and Enzo-but I know it won't... sigh) was so obvious what with all the talk of doing a bucket list, and actively planning on stealing taking the cure. So, yeah, all that aspect of it was really good. Oh, one more thing about Enzo's (so-not-going-to-stick) death that was good? I loved how Stefan killed Enzo because it was a parallel to how Enzo first died as a vampire. In "Man On Fire," Stefan had his hand in Enzo's chest, but he didn't intend to kill him. However, Enzo wanted Damon to hate Stefan so he pulled away and when he did that so suddenly, Stefan ripped Enzo's heart out. I loved that mirroring of his vampire death. I really love when the show does stuff like that. So cool.
Another parallel of sorts was the simple fact that Stefan got the cure from Elena, uhm, sorta. Remember when the first cure was found, Elena chose not to take it, but instead gave it to Stefan to use. He also didn't take it, still believing that Elena would and if she did, would come back to him possibly. (Hah! As if!) But he was the original intended recipient for the cure once it was within Elena's power to do so.
Ah, the cure. The cure, the cure, the cure. You know, I really enjoyed the first (and even second) go-round arc revolving around that blasted cure. This one? Not so much. Because I still haz questions. I am confuzzled. Like, really. I had to rewatch the Damon and Caroline scene where they discussed the use of it because I got a completely different take from it than did my friend. Upon that second viewing, I do think I mostly had it closer to correct than she did. But it was still freaking confusing, and honestly, I'm still not sure.
Firstly, Caroline did basically suggest doing what I thought was the intended plan by Bonnie. The only thing I didn't take into account was forcing it on Cade first-and didn't we already do a forced cure with Katherine? Just saying. So my thought was that Enzo would steal take the cure, and then years from now, Damon would take it from him to be with Elena.
Caroline: Look, all we need to do is capture Cade.
Damon: You're talking about the devil here.
Caroline: We give him the cure, he becomes mortal. Then someone else will take his blood. That'll make him age 4,000 years and then shrivel into dust.
Damon: You realize if you take the cure out of Elena's body, that little vial is our one and only dose.
Damon: And we're not even sure it'll work on Cade.
Caroline: This is our best chance to get Stefan back. Isn't that what you want?
Damon: No, it's what you want. You know what I want? I want to fix my brother, I want to get rid of the devil, and I want my future with Elena. But I am not becoming human while she sleeps for decades.
Caroline: You won't have to take the cure right away. Enzo will take it from Cade, and years from now, you can take it from Enzo.
Damon: Enzo? Enzo? What?
Caroline: Bonnie asked him. He said yes. They were going to tell you.
Damon: Before or after they stole it from me?
Caroline: It doesn't belong to you. It is in Elena's blood. She would want to save all of us, and you know it. Anyway, I've done the math. It can work.
OK, I see how that would have worked, but… how does it work now with Stefan? Damon specifically said "that little vial is our one and only dose." Uhm, but how? Bonnie took just a small amount of Elena's blood, if that is enough to work on Stefan than why can't they just get a few more small vials of blood from Elena and cure all of them of their immortality? Unless, they're going to find out via what happened with Stefan that it's really as simple as that. After all, everything they know about how the cure works is based on Silas draining Katherine and then the fall-out, but did Silas have to drain Katherine? Or did he just do it because he's a greedy son-of-a-bitch? Maybe it wasn't actually necessary? I don't know. And I'm not really sure what the plan is or would be or could be because the show really hasn't done a very good job of explaining how it's supposed to work.
Hey, do you know when they could have had that? Oh, you know, perhaps when Bonnie discussed getting the cure for Enzo with Damon and their other bestie, Caroline. That way all of the information needed would have been delivered organically, make Bonnie not look like a selfish bitca and nicely clear up the cure confusion. that would organically come up. Again, just saying! Still… I must admit that even that wouldn't have completely eased my issues with this new cure arc. I said above that having Bonnie discuss the cure with Damon (before this episode or intending to before taking it) would mostly resolve my disagreement with how this has played out.
One fairly major issue still remains. Taking Elena's blood for the cure from her 'Sleeping Beauty' cursed body without her knowledge, without her permission, and against her already expressed wishes is a violation. Period. End of. No discussion. This ties into Caroline telling Damon that the cure is not his to lose because "it is in Elena's blood." Right… in Elena's blood. Therefore, Bonnie has no right to it. But do you know who does? Oh, I know, the person that Elena-because remember it is *her* blood after all-already made the decision would receive her blood with the cure in it. That decision belongs to Elena… and Elena only. And she already made it. It goes to Damon. So, yes, Caroline, it *is* his to lose.
Now, obviously, I agree that in the Cade situation, yes, Elena would agree that it was necessary in order to save them all (and all the countless people who would die thanks to Cade's deal). Superseding Elena's already-expressed wish for the cure to go to Damon would make sense then. That would not be so much a violation because every single person who knows her knows that she would agree. But… taking the cure from *her* blood for someone else's boyfriend with all of the possible risks that could lead to Elena losing her happy human life… a decision that was already made? No. No, no, no. NO!
So, yeah, that would have been my remaining issue. As it is… I still have issues with the whole damn thing because Bonnie did intend to steal that blood for her own selfish purpose without talking to anyone else. *sigh* Now, even with my confusion regarding the one vial of the blood or not, I'm assuming (yeah, I know) that it is going to wind up being that they can just take a vial or two or three for different people and we're all good! So in that way all of our vampires are going to wind up being human once more in the end. Enzo* will do so because he wants to be human for Bonnie. Caroline-even though she doesn't want to lose her vampirism-will for Stefan's sake, and also so that she can be with her girls again. And, of course, Damon will take it once Elena wakes up.
* Yes, I still 100% believe that Enzo is coming back, and when he does, he'll take the cure.
Right now, though, Stefan's the one who got it. We are going to see a human!Stefan Salvatore for the remainder of the series. Damnit! I wanted to see DAMON human for longer than a few scenes. So, so, so, soooo much. I hope I'm wrong; I hope that Damon is somehow going to wind up human prior to the last episode with only a few scenes, but I'm not holding my breath. Frankly, most of my hopes for this season have not panned out, alas. One of the few things that has, though, is the (mostly) continued awesome of everything the Brothers Salvatore-related. Like the second half of their phone conversation in this one. I mean, damn, it was so good!
Damon: Stefan, listen to me-
Stefan: Let me guess. You're gonna appeal to my humanity and my brotherly bond. 'Think about Elena.' Blah, blah, blah.
Damon: You don't have to think about anything, just turn around. I'll meet you wherever you want.
Stefan: Yeah? And then what?
Damon: Then, whatever anger you're working through, man, you can just take it out on me.
Stefan: I am taking it out on you. I'm on my way to murder Elena.
Damon: Stefan. […] You don't have to do this for Cade.
Stefan: I'm not doing this for Cade. I'm doing this for me.
Damon: What?!
Stefan: When Cade first suggested this idea, I was like, 'God, why didn't I think of that?' Oh, I know why, because I've been too busy taking care of my brother.
Damon: You don't have to take care of me ever again. I got this. I'm good. I'll take care of both of us, Stefan.
Stefan: No, you won't, Damon. You're not capable of it, but you'll keep trying to interfere with everything as long as we're connected through her. That is why I want Elena gone.
Damon: I swear to God, Stefan, if you hurt her you are dead to me.
Stefan: That's exactly my point. I want to cause her death so you can blame me for it because then you will finally stop trying to save me and I will be free of you forever.
Damon: This is not the answer, man. Leave Elena out of this. I am begging you, Stefan.
Stefan: Listen to yourself. You are pathetic. She's the root of all your problems, and therefore mine. I mean, she's still coming between us, which is insane if you really think about it because, to be honest with you, in the grand scheme of things, she's really not that special. She's just a stupid girl. She's a stupid, human girl who will be so easy to kill.
Damon: Stefan…
Stefan: She's already in her coffin, prepped and ready to go. I'm thinking something symbolic. Maybe find a bathtub to drown her in, full circle kind of thing.
Damon: You can't do that. You won't.
Stefan: Oh, yes, I can and I will and I can't wait.
Yes, I know I quoted that entire conversation, but, ahhh!, it was so good! Damon and Stefan's talk about Elena and how even when she wasn't there, she was still coming between them was just so rich and full of their history. Even if Stefan was wrong because it's not Elena that is the problem now… nope, it's Stefan's no-humanity self. But, but, but… having him say those words, it's just… damn, the show really is doing a role reversal from the beginning of the series. In the last episode we had Stefan reminding Damon that he gave Elena the locket to protect her from Damon. And now we have Damon doing, saying everything he can to try and protect Elena from Stefan. I am beyond loving this so much.
And, of course, I continue to adore all of the Damon and Elena! There is just SO MUCH DAMON AND ELENA!! First there was his insistence that he was not losing his future with her when talking to Caroline.
Damon: You know what I want? I want to fix my brother, I want to get rid of the devil, and I want my future with Elena. But I am not becoming human while she sleeps for decades. [...] No. No, no, no, no. The cure is off the table. I'm not risking my future with Elena.
And then moving along from there to his actions when he found out that Stefan was going after Elena similar to the deal that Cade offered him to kill Caroline. When he thought that it was an 'or' instead of an 'and,' he just threw that redemptive path he was on down the drain and started attacking random people. Of course he did, because Elena's life was in danger and he was going to do everything he could to save her. Including reasoning and pleading with before finally threatening to leave his brother behind forever. (Hah! And people thought that with Nina Dobrev's exit, the show would drop the Damon and Elena love story. As if! Double hah!) Ah, but did you notice what he did not do? He did not go after Caroline to take her out, he was going the kill one hundred people in the 'them or the love of your brother's life' equation. Aww! Didn't even look in her direction, instead he looked past her to Dorian.
Fortunately, Caroline got Dorian out of there, but that's not the point! However quickly Damon slipped off of that redemptive path, he wasn't fully off-road. He didn't go after Caroline. Aww! My ♥ … and why would he? Apparently she is his new BFF! Seriously, how awesome are Damon and Caroline right now? So, so awesome. When he first came upon her at the Time Capsule ceremony, I loved their exchange:
Caroline: You are supposed to be on Stefan duty.
Damon: Well, there's no point now. Cade's in town. He set our boy free.
Caroline: What?
Damon: He also told me to kill you.
Caroline: Damon-
Damon: Of course I have a plan B, Blondie.
Caroline: Hold on, back up. Where is Stefan now?
Damon: I don't know. Wherever he is, he's not answering his phone. {Caroline tries to call Stefan herself.} Points for optimism.
Caroline: Voice mail.
Damon: Mm-hmm.
Caroline: How is this even possible? I thought Cade was supposed to live in some kind of psychic dimension.
Damon: You mean his realm of pain and fire? No, that's just his vacation home. He's here to stay.
Caroline: Does your plan B account for that?
Damon: Of course it does. This may come as a surprise to you, but you're not the only optimist in town. Now, let's get these yahoos somewhere safe. Stay clear yourself. Cade gave me till sundown to kill a hundred of these people or kill you instead, and I don't want to be tempted by either.
Just… they are so squeeful! Damon is still using a nickname for her, but it's affectionately done like how he does with Bonnie. And he made it clear that she knew he did NOT want to kill her and wouldn't do so. He also called Stefan: "Our boy." Aww! I love them together. Honestly, at this point… Damon and Caroline interacting as they have been since episode 08 has been my favorite thing about this season so far. I mean, their final wordless exchange after he left the Time Capsule ceremony and her little wave to him when he first walked into the grill? So cute!
And just the two conspiring together was… wait for it! AWESOME!
Damon: We need a plan C.
Caroline: What was wrong with plan B?
Damon: Well, apparently the devil can't be killed. At least not if you rip his heart out. Or set him on fire.
Caroline: I thought you said you weren't gonna try anything stupid.
Damon: When did I ever promise that? Listen, in my defense, he did both of those things to himself. Bastard's tougher than he looks.
Hah! "I thought you said you weren't gonna try anything stupid." She said to him. "When did I ever promise that?" he testily replied. Her reaction after he said that? So, so awesome! It was like the friendship-version (as opposed to the 'I secretly adore him, what is wrong with me?') of exasperation that Elena often displayed during the first half of season 03 whenever Damon was being, well, particularly Damon-y. So, yeah, Damon and Caroline? I. Love. Them.
Alas, do you know what I do not love? Damon (and everyone else) saying that Cade is in their lives because of Damon alone! Hello!! That is not how it happened, folks (writers!). Damon was sucked under Sybil's control because he was in the vault of the Armory to undo the Huntress-side of Bonnie and save all of their lives. Damon then made the deal with Cade, yes, so that he (nor Stefan, I want to point out) would not go to Hell for eternity. However, that was not the only reason for the deal. Nope, it was a 'kill two birds with one stone' kinda bargain. Damon Salvatore also freaking saved the twins from being in place of him and Stefan. And what has he gotten for doing that? Oh, you know, just being murdered by his friends and constantly blamed for Cade screwing with their lives. As if it is all his fault. It is not. *sigh* I really wish that Caroline would recall that little tidbit of information from Sybil (wah! Sybil!):
Sybil: My sister kidnapped them. I saved them from a life of serving Cade when I cosigned Damon's plan.
Yeah, Damon's plan. Grr. At least Caroline is continuing her streak of being mostly amaze-balls in so many other ways. Oh, like when she pointed out the reality of life in the town of Mystic Falls to Matty-Blue-Blue. Oh my, how much did I love that? So much. Mystic Falls has always been full of the supernatural, full of people dying in horrible ways because of that supernatural. As kids, they just weren't aware of it; that was for the adults to deal with and they (Caroline, Bonnie, Matt, et al.) are the adults now. Such a great speech.
Not that it made much of a dent on Donovan. Matt, Matt, Matt. I shake my head at you. However, as I pointed out at the top of this write-up, I don't think that it is bad writing at all. His attitude may not be awesome, but it is entirely in character. Frankly put, Matt Donovan is being an asshole right now, but I do get why. Still, he is being a jerk, and he is wrong. After all, as I've pointed out in the past, people are people, undead, witchy or not. Some are good and some are bad. This is going to *always* be the case whether they are human or supernatural. Also, in this situation, our supernatural folks are literally being controlled and/or manipulated by the Devil himself. As in… THE DEVIL! Matt, ya done saw him with your very own eyes! Hel-to the freaking-lo!
*sigh* I know it's in character how he is acting. I don't question that… I just, well, I wish that they hadn't sent Matt down this road character-wise-speaking. I have to admit that, like Bonnie, I haven't really loved Matt Donovan for a good chunk of this season. (Gah! Why, oh why couldn't Caroline Dries have stuck around for just the sixteen more episodes of this final season?) But still, it's Matty-Blue-Blue and I still really, really like him and because of that, I really want things to turn around somehow, someway with him so that I can love him again by the end of the series. (Ditto for Bonnie, of course.)
Maybe, whatever is up with that Maxwell medallion will do the trick! Because, yeah, that medallion is so going to matter somehow. After all, a Maxwell created the bell that could bring down the Sirens-and open the door to Hell, and create Hellfire and destruction on Earth--so.... yeah. That medallion is going to be an important key moving forward… somehow. Just like that Maxwell cipher. Uh huh.
Another key? Is totes going to be Dorian. Yah huh. As soon as Dorian, the friendly research assistant we met all the way back in the first episode, started to give his family's history that became clear. His family has seemingly being cursed for, like, ever. Or, oh, I don't know, maybe just four thousand years! As in the four thousand year-old age of Cade, aka, Arcadius! And, yeah, Cade also happens to be dark-skinned… like Dorian. (So not necessary, because you know, cross-race procreation throughout the millennia, but hey, they had to go and make it obvious, right?) Dorian (whatever his last name is) is so going to be a descendant of Arcadius, and thus, another key. Uh huh.
Speaking of Cade, well, I am totally thinking that my theory was right about Tyler being brought back to life. Either through the cure being used on Cade, the medallion, Dorian's relationship to Cade or some combination of the above, Cade is going to bring him back from Hell. (Again, I don't see how Tyler's not there, he's always been a bit of a dick and he's killed people.) I have more confidence in my theory for two reasons. Tyler is going to come back because, of course, Enzo is too. And if they bring back one that was killed by the younger Salvatore when his switch was off, they are going to bring back the other member of their Scooby gang who was killed by the older Salvatore when his switch was off. (Although, he was also being mind-controlled by Sybil at the time. Just saying times three!)
We know that Cade can bring totally dead supernatural creatures back. (Ooh! Maybe not just supernatural creatures… maybe Georgie can be brought back too-for Alaric! And because she is awesome). See: Damon (murdered by Alaric, assisted by Matt), and Stefan (taken out by Damon on the order of Cade; also, staked in the heart-though not really it was more the lower abdomen, but details-by Caroline to save the majority of Miss Mystic Falls contestants). They were dead-dead, but brought back from Hell with no problem by Cade, the Devil, who reigns in Hell.
The second reason I think it's more likely is not as strong admittedly, but I believe that it has some merit. I think that the reason that Tyler was probably in Damon's head was for possible spoiler reasons. Think about it, it didn't really make much sense that Tyler would appear to Bonnie with regards to Damon's forgiveness bid. If Matt had gone inside his head as well? Absolutely, but Bonnie? Nah. So, why was Tyler in there? I had surmised after the last episode that it was because Tyler (like Vicki and Grams) was about the people that were dead because of Damon but were living now since he had never become a vampire. However…
What if the reason that Tyler was in Damon's head was a way to throw people off for when/if Michael Trevino pops up again on set and that leaks? Most fans would just assume that it meant Tyler was showing up again in some sort of mind-trip related scene, right? Instead, he's there because he's coming back. And this just popped into my head… same could be the case for Kayla Ewell's Vicki. Now, yes, Damon apologized to Matt about her, but what if her appearance in his mind-which again would have tied to Matt, not Bonnie-was there to throw fans off if she shows up on set again? I mean, we all know that Vicki's ass is in Hell. She made a deal to come back that included killing people. Girl was no saint.
Obviously this wouldn't work for Jenna or Grams (or Lexi-thank goodness!), since those three are in a better place, going into the light, etc. However, it could be a way to bring back Vicki, Tyler and Enzo. We'll see. On the other hand, I could be totally wrong and it will just be Enzo that is brought back somehow. After all, Bonnie brought Jeremy back from the dead. Sure, he was on the Other Side and she died from it, but I'm thinking that Bonnie not only (a) has her witchy powers back now, but (b) they are about a thousand times stronger than they've ever been. I mean, ya'll saw how her cry of grief created a psychic sonic wave of sorts, right? (And, yes, I totally caught in the preview that it looked like Bonnie was doing witchy-woo magic over Enzo's body.)
And on Bonnie's 'over-the-top' lament for Enzo, let's head to the randoms-
- That opening scene with Cade was great. Plus, it was an organic way of explaining how Cade knew about Elena's location. Bonnie was taking Enzo there that day so naturally she would have been thinking about it.
- Hah! Damon being all rose-colored on his redemptive path was hilarious! And, yes, pancakes for the win! Plus, him calling out that Stefan would love them was awesome! Damon takes such pride in those bad boys now. It's adorable.
Damon: I dare you to have one of these and tell me that they are not the best pancakes you ever had.
- Speaking of Damon and his redemptive path… oh, Sybil, she really didn't know Damon at all. By forcing his humanity on him all at once, it's made him so determined to be a good guy. He was even intent on not killing anyone ever again. (Didn't last long… but, hey, Elena's life was on the line, can't blame him. What? It's not real; it's only a television show, I'm not heartless for not caring about random extra that Damon killed to save Elena.)
- Still not spoiled, but I totally think that the finale is going to be another Founder's Day just like the first season finale. See: Matt talking about the Time Capsule ceremony leading up to Founder's Day. Uh huh! That's the same thing they did in the first season; there were a bunch of events leading up to the Day.
- SO MUCH ELENA! All of the afore-mentioned Damon and Elena bits, alongside the afore-mentioned (and annoying) cure mentions. Also, in the girls' Tupperware container time capsule, pictures of young Elena! Aww!
Caroline: Elena, Bonnie and I made our own time capsule when we were 11 and buried it right under this tree. [...] Here's Bonnie, Elena and me. Wow, we look like babies.
- Matt saying that Stefan maybe shouldn't get a pass despite the switch, the Devil being involved, mind control, etc. was shocking! It was also really nice to see someone applying the same crappy attitude to Stefan as everyone always does to Damon.
- Aww, Damon meant it when he called Stefan 'our boy' to Caroline. Both of them really couldn't believe that Stefan would kill Elena.
Cade: Your brother understood the choice right away. It's not up to Stefan. Your choice was not. His choice was.
Damon: What do you mean, his choice?
Cade: The task I gave both of you was kill 100 people, or kill your brother's girl. Stefan chose option B, which is to kill your girl.
Caroline: Stefan would never hurt Elena.
Stefan: [...] Maybe find a bathtub to drown her in, full circle kind of thing.
Damon: You can't do that. You won't.
- Cade showing Damon all of the ways that he couldn't kill him was hilarious. I love this show.
- Except when we get scenes like the drag-racing one. Ugh, it reminded me of Stefan and Elena on the fucking motorcycle after she became a vampire! If anyone doesn't recall, I'll fill you in-I thought that scene was terrible… and stupid… and I hated it.
- Hmm, so every vampire on this show EXCEPT for Caroline has now died as a human *and* a vampire. Only in Mystic Falls.
- So, yeah, the sloppiness in this episode pretty much reached the zenith (I sure hope so) of what we've seen a lot of this season. There was Damon making the deal for the girls which seems to have been forgotten by everyone (including Damon). The questions over what exactly Sybil did to Damon's head re: Elena memories. Also, this cure confusion that still is at play. Oh, and why exactly did Cade kill Sybil and Seline? I mean, sure, they disappointed him, but they'd already done that. I guess. I don't know. See, I don't know!
Anyhoo, so yeah, awesome stuff in this episode with Damon, Caroline, Cade, Dorian, and Matt was totally in character, but, my goodness, just about everything involving Bonnie, Enzo and their story just was not good. Hopefully, this is the last even remotely subpar episode. I have faith.
This was one of those rare episodes where one storyline was not very good-although, there were still some good to great moments within it. However being the awesome that is The Vampire Diaries, everything else on display was pretty much made of, well, awesome (or so in character that one can't really complain… Matt, I'm looking at you). As is my wont, I'm going to tackle what didn't work for me first. This will come as no surprise, but, yeah, it's almost all to do with the Bonnie arc. Let me count the ways that issues abounded...
Bonnie and Enzo's over-the-top forever and ever love is still not doing it for me. More on that later, though (and, the option is available to skip it). Ah, but this go-round, there were other problems that didn't have anything to do with them, such as… Bonnie randomly announcing that she bought a house a few months back. Although, it actually would have been nearly a year ago since it's past mid-February 2018 in The Vampire Diaries timeline and Damon and Enzo took off in late March of 2017, but whatever… a few vs. ten, no big, right? Anyhoo, I think that buying a house is a pretty huge deal. You would think that would have come up at some point to someone she trusts, but, no, she didn't tell anyone about it. Not Caroline, not Enzo-yes, not even Enzo, the truest of all true loves!-before this VERY MOMENT! I mean, really? How much more 'plot point created for just this very episode' could it be? Not by much.
Ooh, and how did she buy the house? Just with money that she got from her father. OK, then. I'm just saying… that was a fairly big-ish house… in upstate freaking New York. Nothing we've ever read, seen, heard, etc. has indicated in any way, shape or form that Bonnie's family had that kind of money, or that her father had that kind of money. I mean… again, really? 'Plot point created just for this episode!' Finally, the kicker… only in the world of The Vampire Diaries (or at least this less-than-fantastically-written episode) would someone *not* have to sign papers with their realtor in order to lose possession of their house. Yeah, there is absolutely no way that Bonnie would no longer own her home just because her realtor was compelled to do all of that paperwork. Because it did not have Bonnie's signature on it. The owner's signature is needed, and the show made a big point of letting us know that Bonnie bought the house. Bonnie is the owner of the house.
So, yeah, that whole thing never, ever could have happened. Therefore, that never, ever should have happened. If they wanted Enzo out of the house they could (and should) have come up with some other trick. He went back out to the car to get something… boom! Stefan zoomed up behind him and stuck his hand through Enzo's back. Bonnie steps out to see what's taking him so long, she sees Stefan take out her forever-and-ever beloved's heart. There you go, same outcome without the huge, honking plot hole. Guess what? I literally came up with that in about ten seconds flat. It was easy… and it actually made sense. But, hey, Melinda Tsu-Taylor (co-writer of this episode), what do you expect? All but one of her outings has at least one major what-the-what? moment.
Then we come to Bonnie herself. *sigh* I love this character; I truly do. However, if I'm being honest, I have not loved Bonnie Bennett for a good chunk of this season. *double sigh* And it is because of this amazing, life-changing, epic, true, true love that she shares with Enzo St. John. I do not buy it. I don't and that is entirely due to the writing of this couple. Other than the flashback episode-which was good-and Bonnie miserable over losing Enzo and failing to get him back before she finally did, I have not been even remotely impressed with this pair's story. That means out of nearly a season and a half this couple has been together (their flash-forward kiss was in the fifth episode of season 07), I have liked them in exactly three episodes. And in the first one, I may have liked the flashbacks, but I still take issue with telling their entire love story in a handful of scenes in one episode. Also, my enjoyment in the other two revolved solely around my feels for Bonnie. And not Bonnie and Enzo. So not Bonnie and Enzo.
[Yet another block of thinky-thoughts on why Bonnie and Enzo do not work for me. Feel free to not open this cut and read.] Enzo and Bonnie fell in love in a heightened situation. This is what I wrote about the pair for "Somebody That I Used To Know," their flashback-heavy episode:
They fell in love in isolation. Bonnie fell in love with an Enzo who was essentially her "savior," and he held all the power. He was also the only person she felt she had on her side. Caroline was in Dallas, living her new life. Elena is off in a coffin playing Sleeping Beauty. Matt hates all things supernatural. Bonnie and Stefan were never particularly close and have been drifting further apart since Elena left and Bonnie became team!Damon.
This is one of the key reasons why I don't buy them. That was how their relationship began. For three years Enzo was literally the only person Bonnie saw until early March 2017. (Bonnie told Virginia that she checked into the mental facility "a few weeks ago" around the time that Stefan was possessed by Ambrose.) Think about that. Bonnie Bennett, not too long ago, was stuck in an alternate universe where she was the ONLY PERSON on the planet. She was so driven to despair that she almost committed suicide. Then she is put in a situation where she is all alone, *again* for nearly three years with only one person to talk to, to spend time with, to share space in the universe with. And that was Enzo. How am I not to question the psychological issue there in the formation of their grand romance? Seriously!
Moving on… At the beginning of March 2017, Bonnie checked herself into a mental institution. (Yeah, because that's healthy in her situation.) And then on March 20th, Enzo checked her out. Eight days later, he was sucked into the dark world of the vault. Separated for five to six months after that, Bonnie brought Enzo back to himself in early December. We are now in mid-February 2018. So looking at this timeline, Bonnie and Enzo have *literally* only spent roughly two months together as a couple in the real world without an unfair power structure between them. Compared to Damon and Elena, Stefan and Caroline (and, even, yes, Bonnie and Jeremy), it's incredibly difficult to believe that they have what it takes for the long haul. Especially since once they came out into the real world, they've had maybe one meaningful conversation, but it was one that they should have had during the three years Bonnie was in forced seclusion. So, yeah, no.
This episode did nothing to help my perspective on the pair. It was just more of the two kissing, talking about how they love each other so much, how they are going to be so happy, how Bonnie finally has true happiness, blah, blah, blah. Oh, and in the process, Bonnie continued to show an uncharacteristic selfishness. I don't even… *triple sigh* Look, I don't deny for one second that Bonnie has sacrificed more than anyone else. I've discussed this very thing more than once in past write-ups. Because of that, I shouldn't have had any problem at all with her disappointment over having to give up the cure to turn Enzo mortal.
But I did! Not only because of her Enzo-tunnel vision, but also because of the execution of this renewed cure storyline. We'd only heard a few lines about Enzo getting the cure, so it was still up in the air how this was going to be handled. The prior issues I had with Bonnie offering that cure to Enzo could have been mostly solved in this one. All that had to happen was that Bonnie had to tell Enzo that before she gave him the cure, she needed to talk to Damon about it. That's mostly it. Tell him that she'd put off that conversation because she knew it would be a hard sell since there was already a plan in place for the use of that cure. However, now was the time. This was it. Have her call Damon and before she could even ask him, have Damon bring up the possibility of giving it to Cade. The rest of the conversation as it happened would still have worked (for the most part). Bonnie upset because she had these plans for her happy human ever-after with Enzo, Damon throwing in that totally awesome and appropriately pissy: "At least I asked." Had it happened that way (or some variation of) then Bonnie would not have come across so selfish.
She was bitterly complaining about losing her chance at happiness with a human Enzo; that was understandable. Not so much was that she was doing so with zero acknowledgment that she would be getting that chance by stealing the cure from one of her best friend's very body. And that she would be doing without her permission and without the knowledge of her best friend-to whom Elena had already promised that cure. Therefore, Bonnie did not come across as sympathetic-which she so should have! Ugh, if only they had have her call Damon to talk about it with him. That's all it would have taken to erase most of the sting out of this plot point.
Alas, nope. Bonnie was planning on taking the cure for *her* vampire boyfriend away from her best friend's body who was planning on using that cure for *her* vampire boyfriend without telling a damn, single person. Argh! And it just sucks. That's not Bonnie Bennett. This season, she has mostly been written as self-involved and selfish. What am I supposed to take from that? Is it supposed to be that Enzo's love makes her so? Elena's love makes Damon better. Damon's love made Elena better (as in stronger). Stefan and Caroline's love makes the other better. That is how true, real love works. Not whatever this thing is that they are doing with Bonnie and Enzo. (Gah, why did Caroline Dries have to leave before the final season? I have zero doubts that this would not be happening were she still involved with the show.)
I mean, come on, I love this show… I really like the character of Enzo, and for most of this series' run, I have loved Bonnie. But you know what? When Stefan pulled Enzo's heart out, I literally said, "Yes!" and gave a fist pump of joy. Thinking back now, I can't believe that was my literal reaction to Stefan killing Enzo. I was happy. I should not have been happy about that. That makes me unhappy with the show because of how badly they have handled Bonnie and Enzo this season (and last, at least relationship-wise). Ugh! Ugh! Ugh!
Whatever… I'll give them this; I was not expecting Stefan to kill Enzo. Get the cure by episode's end? Yeah, that I was waiting for once we saw Bonnie filling up that syringe with Elena's blood. But ripping out Enzo's heart? Nope, I did not see that coming. Although, in retrospect, Enzo's death (oh, please let it stick-because it will mean the end of Bonnie and Enzo-but I know it won't... sigh) was so obvious what with all the talk of doing a bucket list, and actively planning on stealing taking the cure. So, yeah, all that aspect of it was really good. Oh, one more thing about Enzo's (so-not-going-to-stick) death that was good? I loved how Stefan killed Enzo because it was a parallel to how Enzo first died as a vampire. In "Man On Fire," Stefan had his hand in Enzo's chest, but he didn't intend to kill him. However, Enzo wanted Damon to hate Stefan so he pulled away and when he did that so suddenly, Stefan ripped Enzo's heart out. I loved that mirroring of his vampire death. I really love when the show does stuff like that. So cool.
Another parallel of sorts was the simple fact that Stefan got the cure from Elena, uhm, sorta. Remember when the first cure was found, Elena chose not to take it, but instead gave it to Stefan to use. He also didn't take it, still believing that Elena would and if she did, would come back to him possibly. (Hah! As if!) But he was the original intended recipient for the cure once it was within Elena's power to do so.
Ah, the cure. The cure, the cure, the cure. You know, I really enjoyed the first (and even second) go-round arc revolving around that blasted cure. This one? Not so much. Because I still haz questions. I am confuzzled. Like, really. I had to rewatch the Damon and Caroline scene where they discussed the use of it because I got a completely different take from it than did my friend. Upon that second viewing, I do think I mostly had it closer to correct than she did. But it was still freaking confusing, and honestly, I'm still not sure.
Firstly, Caroline did basically suggest doing what I thought was the intended plan by Bonnie. The only thing I didn't take into account was forcing it on Cade first-and didn't we already do a forced cure with Katherine? Just saying. So my thought was that Enzo would steal take the cure, and then years from now, Damon would take it from him to be with Elena.
Caroline: Look, all we need to do is capture Cade.
Damon: You're talking about the devil here.
Caroline: We give him the cure, he becomes mortal. Then someone else will take his blood. That'll make him age 4,000 years and then shrivel into dust.
Damon: You realize if you take the cure out of Elena's body, that little vial is our one and only dose.
Damon: And we're not even sure it'll work on Cade.
Caroline: This is our best chance to get Stefan back. Isn't that what you want?
Damon: No, it's what you want. You know what I want? I want to fix my brother, I want to get rid of the devil, and I want my future with Elena. But I am not becoming human while she sleeps for decades.
Caroline: You won't have to take the cure right away. Enzo will take it from Cade, and years from now, you can take it from Enzo.
Damon: Enzo? Enzo? What?
Caroline: Bonnie asked him. He said yes. They were going to tell you.
Damon: Before or after they stole it from me?
Caroline: It doesn't belong to you. It is in Elena's blood. She would want to save all of us, and you know it. Anyway, I've done the math. It can work.
OK, I see how that would have worked, but… how does it work now with Stefan? Damon specifically said "that little vial is our one and only dose." Uhm, but how? Bonnie took just a small amount of Elena's blood, if that is enough to work on Stefan than why can't they just get a few more small vials of blood from Elena and cure all of them of their immortality? Unless, they're going to find out via what happened with Stefan that it's really as simple as that. After all, everything they know about how the cure works is based on Silas draining Katherine and then the fall-out, but did Silas have to drain Katherine? Or did he just do it because he's a greedy son-of-a-bitch? Maybe it wasn't actually necessary? I don't know. And I'm not really sure what the plan is or would be or could be because the show really hasn't done a very good job of explaining how it's supposed to work.
Hey, do you know when they could have had that? Oh, you know, perhaps when Bonnie discussed getting the cure for Enzo with Damon and their other bestie, Caroline. That way all of the information needed would have been delivered organically, make Bonnie not look like a selfish bitca and nicely clear up the cure confusion. that would organically come up. Again, just saying! Still… I must admit that even that wouldn't have completely eased my issues with this new cure arc. I said above that having Bonnie discuss the cure with Damon (before this episode or intending to before taking it) would mostly resolve my disagreement with how this has played out.
One fairly major issue still remains. Taking Elena's blood for the cure from her 'Sleeping Beauty' cursed body without her knowledge, without her permission, and against her already expressed wishes is a violation. Period. End of. No discussion. This ties into Caroline telling Damon that the cure is not his to lose because "it is in Elena's blood." Right… in Elena's blood. Therefore, Bonnie has no right to it. But do you know who does? Oh, I know, the person that Elena-because remember it is *her* blood after all-already made the decision would receive her blood with the cure in it. That decision belongs to Elena… and Elena only. And she already made it. It goes to Damon. So, yes, Caroline, it *is* his to lose.
Now, obviously, I agree that in the Cade situation, yes, Elena would agree that it was necessary in order to save them all (and all the countless people who would die thanks to Cade's deal). Superseding Elena's already-expressed wish for the cure to go to Damon would make sense then. That would not be so much a violation because every single person who knows her knows that she would agree. But… taking the cure from *her* blood for someone else's boyfriend with all of the possible risks that could lead to Elena losing her happy human life… a decision that was already made? No. No, no, no. NO!
So, yeah, that would have been my remaining issue. As it is… I still have issues with the whole damn thing because Bonnie did intend to steal that blood for her own selfish purpose without talking to anyone else. *sigh* Now, even with my confusion regarding the one vial of the blood or not, I'm assuming (yeah, I know) that it is going to wind up being that they can just take a vial or two or three for different people and we're all good! So in that way all of our vampires are going to wind up being human once more in the end. Enzo* will do so because he wants to be human for Bonnie. Caroline-even though she doesn't want to lose her vampirism-will for Stefan's sake, and also so that she can be with her girls again. And, of course, Damon will take it once Elena wakes up.
* Yes, I still 100% believe that Enzo is coming back, and when he does, he'll take the cure.
Right now, though, Stefan's the one who got it. We are going to see a human!Stefan Salvatore for the remainder of the series. Damnit! I wanted to see DAMON human for longer than a few scenes. So, so, so, soooo much. I hope I'm wrong; I hope that Damon is somehow going to wind up human prior to the last episode with only a few scenes, but I'm not holding my breath. Frankly, most of my hopes for this season have not panned out, alas. One of the few things that has, though, is the (mostly) continued awesome of everything the Brothers Salvatore-related. Like the second half of their phone conversation in this one. I mean, damn, it was so good!
Damon: Stefan, listen to me-
Stefan: Let me guess. You're gonna appeal to my humanity and my brotherly bond. 'Think about Elena.' Blah, blah, blah.
Damon: You don't have to think about anything, just turn around. I'll meet you wherever you want.
Stefan: Yeah? And then what?
Damon: Then, whatever anger you're working through, man, you can just take it out on me.
Stefan: I am taking it out on you. I'm on my way to murder Elena.
Damon: Stefan. […] You don't have to do this for Cade.
Stefan: I'm not doing this for Cade. I'm doing this for me.
Damon: What?!
Stefan: When Cade first suggested this idea, I was like, 'God, why didn't I think of that?' Oh, I know why, because I've been too busy taking care of my brother.
Damon: You don't have to take care of me ever again. I got this. I'm good. I'll take care of both of us, Stefan.
Stefan: No, you won't, Damon. You're not capable of it, but you'll keep trying to interfere with everything as long as we're connected through her. That is why I want Elena gone.
Damon: I swear to God, Stefan, if you hurt her you are dead to me.
Stefan: That's exactly my point. I want to cause her death so you can blame me for it because then you will finally stop trying to save me and I will be free of you forever.
Damon: This is not the answer, man. Leave Elena out of this. I am begging you, Stefan.
Stefan: Listen to yourself. You are pathetic. She's the root of all your problems, and therefore mine. I mean, she's still coming between us, which is insane if you really think about it because, to be honest with you, in the grand scheme of things, she's really not that special. She's just a stupid girl. She's a stupid, human girl who will be so easy to kill.
Damon: Stefan…
Stefan: She's already in her coffin, prepped and ready to go. I'm thinking something symbolic. Maybe find a bathtub to drown her in, full circle kind of thing.
Damon: You can't do that. You won't.
Stefan: Oh, yes, I can and I will and I can't wait.
Yes, I know I quoted that entire conversation, but, ahhh!, it was so good! Damon and Stefan's talk about Elena and how even when she wasn't there, she was still coming between them was just so rich and full of their history. Even if Stefan was wrong because it's not Elena that is the problem now… nope, it's Stefan's no-humanity self. But, but, but… having him say those words, it's just… damn, the show really is doing a role reversal from the beginning of the series. In the last episode we had Stefan reminding Damon that he gave Elena the locket to protect her from Damon. And now we have Damon doing, saying everything he can to try and protect Elena from Stefan. I am beyond loving this so much.
And, of course, I continue to adore all of the Damon and Elena! There is just SO MUCH DAMON AND ELENA!! First there was his insistence that he was not losing his future with her when talking to Caroline.
Damon: You know what I want? I want to fix my brother, I want to get rid of the devil, and I want my future with Elena. But I am not becoming human while she sleeps for decades. [...] No. No, no, no, no. The cure is off the table. I'm not risking my future with Elena.
And then moving along from there to his actions when he found out that Stefan was going after Elena similar to the deal that Cade offered him to kill Caroline. When he thought that it was an 'or' instead of an 'and,' he just threw that redemptive path he was on down the drain and started attacking random people. Of course he did, because Elena's life was in danger and he was going to do everything he could to save her. Including reasoning and pleading with before finally threatening to leave his brother behind forever. (Hah! And people thought that with Nina Dobrev's exit, the show would drop the Damon and Elena love story. As if! Double hah!) Ah, but did you notice what he did not do? He did not go after Caroline to take her out, he was going the kill one hundred people in the 'them or the love of your brother's life' equation. Aww! Didn't even look in her direction, instead he looked past her to Dorian.
Fortunately, Caroline got Dorian out of there, but that's not the point! However quickly Damon slipped off of that redemptive path, he wasn't fully off-road. He didn't go after Caroline. Aww! My ♥ … and why would he? Apparently she is his new BFF! Seriously, how awesome are Damon and Caroline right now? So, so awesome. When he first came upon her at the Time Capsule ceremony, I loved their exchange:
Caroline: You are supposed to be on Stefan duty.
Damon: Well, there's no point now. Cade's in town. He set our boy free.
Caroline: What?
Damon: He also told me to kill you.
Caroline: Damon-
Damon: Of course I have a plan B, Blondie.
Caroline: Hold on, back up. Where is Stefan now?
Damon: I don't know. Wherever he is, he's not answering his phone. {Caroline tries to call Stefan herself.} Points for optimism.
Caroline: Voice mail.
Damon: Mm-hmm.
Caroline: How is this even possible? I thought Cade was supposed to live in some kind of psychic dimension.
Damon: You mean his realm of pain and fire? No, that's just his vacation home. He's here to stay.
Caroline: Does your plan B account for that?
Damon: Of course it does. This may come as a surprise to you, but you're not the only optimist in town. Now, let's get these yahoos somewhere safe. Stay clear yourself. Cade gave me till sundown to kill a hundred of these people or kill you instead, and I don't want to be tempted by either.
Just… they are so squeeful! Damon is still using a nickname for her, but it's affectionately done like how he does with Bonnie. And he made it clear that she knew he did NOT want to kill her and wouldn't do so. He also called Stefan: "Our boy." Aww! I love them together. Honestly, at this point… Damon and Caroline interacting as they have been since episode 08 has been my favorite thing about this season so far. I mean, their final wordless exchange after he left the Time Capsule ceremony and her little wave to him when he first walked into the grill? So cute!
And just the two conspiring together was… wait for it! AWESOME!
Damon: We need a plan C.
Caroline: What was wrong with plan B?
Damon: Well, apparently the devil can't be killed. At least not if you rip his heart out. Or set him on fire.
Caroline: I thought you said you weren't gonna try anything stupid.
Damon: When did I ever promise that? Listen, in my defense, he did both of those things to himself. Bastard's tougher than he looks.
Hah! "I thought you said you weren't gonna try anything stupid." She said to him. "When did I ever promise that?" he testily replied. Her reaction after he said that? So, so awesome! It was like the friendship-version (as opposed to the 'I secretly adore him, what is wrong with me?') of exasperation that Elena often displayed during the first half of season 03 whenever Damon was being, well, particularly Damon-y. So, yeah, Damon and Caroline? I. Love. Them.
Alas, do you know what I do not love? Damon (and everyone else) saying that Cade is in their lives because of Damon alone! Hello!! That is not how it happened, folks (writers!). Damon was sucked under Sybil's control because he was in the vault of the Armory to undo the Huntress-side of Bonnie and save all of their lives. Damon then made the deal with Cade, yes, so that he (nor Stefan, I want to point out) would not go to Hell for eternity. However, that was not the only reason for the deal. Nope, it was a 'kill two birds with one stone' kinda bargain. Damon Salvatore also freaking saved the twins from being in place of him and Stefan. And what has he gotten for doing that? Oh, you know, just being murdered by his friends and constantly blamed for Cade screwing with their lives. As if it is all his fault. It is not. *sigh* I really wish that Caroline would recall that little tidbit of information from Sybil (wah! Sybil!):
Sybil: My sister kidnapped them. I saved them from a life of serving Cade when I cosigned Damon's plan.
Yeah, Damon's plan. Grr. At least Caroline is continuing her streak of being mostly amaze-balls in so many other ways. Oh, like when she pointed out the reality of life in the town of Mystic Falls to Matty-Blue-Blue. Oh my, how much did I love that? So much. Mystic Falls has always been full of the supernatural, full of people dying in horrible ways because of that supernatural. As kids, they just weren't aware of it; that was for the adults to deal with and they (Caroline, Bonnie, Matt, et al.) are the adults now. Such a great speech.
Not that it made much of a dent on Donovan. Matt, Matt, Matt. I shake my head at you. However, as I pointed out at the top of this write-up, I don't think that it is bad writing at all. His attitude may not be awesome, but it is entirely in character. Frankly put, Matt Donovan is being an asshole right now, but I do get why. Still, he is being a jerk, and he is wrong. After all, as I've pointed out in the past, people are people, undead, witchy or not. Some are good and some are bad. This is going to *always* be the case whether they are human or supernatural. Also, in this situation, our supernatural folks are literally being controlled and/or manipulated by the Devil himself. As in… THE DEVIL! Matt, ya done saw him with your very own eyes! Hel-to the freaking-lo!
*sigh* I know it's in character how he is acting. I don't question that… I just, well, I wish that they hadn't sent Matt down this road character-wise-speaking. I have to admit that, like Bonnie, I haven't really loved Matt Donovan for a good chunk of this season. (Gah! Why, oh why couldn't Caroline Dries have stuck around for just the sixteen more episodes of this final season?) But still, it's Matty-Blue-Blue and I still really, really like him and because of that, I really want things to turn around somehow, someway with him so that I can love him again by the end of the series. (Ditto for Bonnie, of course.)
Maybe, whatever is up with that Maxwell medallion will do the trick! Because, yeah, that medallion is so going to matter somehow. After all, a Maxwell created the bell that could bring down the Sirens-and open the door to Hell, and create Hellfire and destruction on Earth--so.... yeah. That medallion is going to be an important key moving forward… somehow. Just like that Maxwell cipher. Uh huh.
Another key? Is totes going to be Dorian. Yah huh. As soon as Dorian, the friendly research assistant we met all the way back in the first episode, started to give his family's history that became clear. His family has seemingly being cursed for, like, ever. Or, oh, I don't know, maybe just four thousand years! As in the four thousand year-old age of Cade, aka, Arcadius! And, yeah, Cade also happens to be dark-skinned… like Dorian. (So not necessary, because you know, cross-race procreation throughout the millennia, but hey, they had to go and make it obvious, right?) Dorian (whatever his last name is) is so going to be a descendant of Arcadius, and thus, another key. Uh huh.
Speaking of Cade, well, I am totally thinking that my theory was right about Tyler being brought back to life. Either through the cure being used on Cade, the medallion, Dorian's relationship to Cade or some combination of the above, Cade is going to bring him back from Hell. (Again, I don't see how Tyler's not there, he's always been a bit of a dick and he's killed people.) I have more confidence in my theory for two reasons. Tyler is going to come back because, of course, Enzo is too. And if they bring back one that was killed by the younger Salvatore when his switch was off, they are going to bring back the other member of their Scooby gang who was killed by the older Salvatore when his switch was off. (Although, he was also being mind-controlled by Sybil at the time. Just saying times three!)
We know that Cade can bring totally dead supernatural creatures back. (Ooh! Maybe not just supernatural creatures… maybe Georgie can be brought back too-for Alaric! And because she is awesome). See: Damon (murdered by Alaric, assisted by Matt), and Stefan (taken out by Damon on the order of Cade; also, staked in the heart-though not really it was more the lower abdomen, but details-by Caroline to save the majority of Miss Mystic Falls contestants). They were dead-dead, but brought back from Hell with no problem by Cade, the Devil, who reigns in Hell.
The second reason I think it's more likely is not as strong admittedly, but I believe that it has some merit. I think that the reason that Tyler was probably in Damon's head was for possible spoiler reasons. Think about it, it didn't really make much sense that Tyler would appear to Bonnie with regards to Damon's forgiveness bid. If Matt had gone inside his head as well? Absolutely, but Bonnie? Nah. So, why was Tyler in there? I had surmised after the last episode that it was because Tyler (like Vicki and Grams) was about the people that were dead because of Damon but were living now since he had never become a vampire. However…
What if the reason that Tyler was in Damon's head was a way to throw people off for when/if Michael Trevino pops up again on set and that leaks? Most fans would just assume that it meant Tyler was showing up again in some sort of mind-trip related scene, right? Instead, he's there because he's coming back. And this just popped into my head… same could be the case for Kayla Ewell's Vicki. Now, yes, Damon apologized to Matt about her, but what if her appearance in his mind-which again would have tied to Matt, not Bonnie-was there to throw fans off if she shows up on set again? I mean, we all know that Vicki's ass is in Hell. She made a deal to come back that included killing people. Girl was no saint.
Obviously this wouldn't work for Jenna or Grams (or Lexi-thank goodness!), since those three are in a better place, going into the light, etc. However, it could be a way to bring back Vicki, Tyler and Enzo. We'll see. On the other hand, I could be totally wrong and it will just be Enzo that is brought back somehow. After all, Bonnie brought Jeremy back from the dead. Sure, he was on the Other Side and she died from it, but I'm thinking that Bonnie not only (a) has her witchy powers back now, but (b) they are about a thousand times stronger than they've ever been. I mean, ya'll saw how her cry of grief created a psychic sonic wave of sorts, right? (And, yes, I totally caught in the preview that it looked like Bonnie was doing witchy-woo magic over Enzo's body.)
And on Bonnie's 'over-the-top' lament for Enzo, let's head to the randoms-
- That opening scene with Cade was great. Plus, it was an organic way of explaining how Cade knew about Elena's location. Bonnie was taking Enzo there that day so naturally she would have been thinking about it.
- Hah! Damon being all rose-colored on his redemptive path was hilarious! And, yes, pancakes for the win! Plus, him calling out that Stefan would love them was awesome! Damon takes such pride in those bad boys now. It's adorable.
Damon: I dare you to have one of these and tell me that they are not the best pancakes you ever had.
- Speaking of Damon and his redemptive path… oh, Sybil, she really didn't know Damon at all. By forcing his humanity on him all at once, it's made him so determined to be a good guy. He was even intent on not killing anyone ever again. (Didn't last long… but, hey, Elena's life was on the line, can't blame him. What? It's not real; it's only a television show, I'm not heartless for not caring about random extra that Damon killed to save Elena.)
- Still not spoiled, but I totally think that the finale is going to be another Founder's Day just like the first season finale. See: Matt talking about the Time Capsule ceremony leading up to Founder's Day. Uh huh! That's the same thing they did in the first season; there were a bunch of events leading up to the Day.
- SO MUCH ELENA! All of the afore-mentioned Damon and Elena bits, alongside the afore-mentioned (and annoying) cure mentions. Also, in the girls' Tupperware container time capsule, pictures of young Elena! Aww!
Caroline: Elena, Bonnie and I made our own time capsule when we were 11 and buried it right under this tree. [...] Here's Bonnie, Elena and me. Wow, we look like babies.
- Matt saying that Stefan maybe shouldn't get a pass despite the switch, the Devil being involved, mind control, etc. was shocking! It was also really nice to see someone applying the same crappy attitude to Stefan as everyone always does to Damon.
- Aww, Damon meant it when he called Stefan 'our boy' to Caroline. Both of them really couldn't believe that Stefan would kill Elena.
Cade: Your brother understood the choice right away. It's not up to Stefan. Your choice was not. His choice was.
Damon: What do you mean, his choice?
Cade: The task I gave both of you was kill 100 people, or kill your brother's girl. Stefan chose option B, which is to kill your girl.
Caroline: Stefan would never hurt Elena.
Stefan: [...] Maybe find a bathtub to drown her in, full circle kind of thing.
Damon: You can't do that. You won't.
- Cade showing Damon all of the ways that he couldn't kill him was hilarious. I love this show.
- Except when we get scenes like the drag-racing one. Ugh, it reminded me of Stefan and Elena on the fucking motorcycle after she became a vampire! If anyone doesn't recall, I'll fill you in-I thought that scene was terrible… and stupid… and I hated it.
- Hmm, so every vampire on this show EXCEPT for Caroline has now died as a human *and* a vampire. Only in Mystic Falls.
- So, yeah, the sloppiness in this episode pretty much reached the zenith (I sure hope so) of what we've seen a lot of this season. There was Damon making the deal for the girls which seems to have been forgotten by everyone (including Damon). The questions over what exactly Sybil did to Damon's head re: Elena memories. Also, this cure confusion that still is at play. Oh, and why exactly did Cade kill Sybil and Seline? I mean, sure, they disappointed him, but they'd already done that. I guess. I don't know. See, I don't know!
Anyhoo, so yeah, awesome stuff in this episode with Damon, Caroline, Cade, Dorian, and Matt was totally in character, but, my goodness, just about everything involving Bonnie, Enzo and their story just was not good. Hopefully, this is the last even remotely subpar episode. I have faith.