Betrayal
Mostly just The Vampire Diaries thoughts beneath the cut. No substantive update of any other kind.
I composed a much better rant in reaction to this episode before falling asleep in a haze of rage last night. Sadly, I think the rage caused me to forget most of it.
As a Damon/Elena shipper I figured I was destined for disappointment. I mean, the narrative of the show would indicate a certain rigidity concerning Damon being an unacceptable partner for Elena. This may not reflect cannon, as I think there are a lot of us viewers out there, that do not share that line of thought based off of the show's evidence. Anyways, to me the show pretty much indicated that if Damon and Elena did happen in was going to be very problematic. No worries, I come from a long history of Buffy. I shipped Buffy and Spike, I am no stranger to problematic relationships. So I was expecting to be disappointed, I wasn't expecting to feel sick.
I understand that there is a lot of Elena hate out there. She is not a flaw free character (except that I love her desperately), but I feel like this show did so well with her one week, utterly betrayed her the next.Utterly. I am devastated for Elena. Because one of the things I love about Elena is her agency. She owns her decisions. She broke up with Stefan because she was owning her current feelings-she didn't feel the same way for Stefan, and she was finally willing to admit she felt something for Damon. Elena killed the Hunter to save her brother (and she was angry). Elena didn't kill herself because she was going to live as a vampire. Elena did all these really cool, character building things and now they're all a lie? What's worse, they're because of a guy controlling her?
I have so many problems with this, and what happened. Maybe I've been reading the show wrong all season, but I don't know, I thought Elena's problems were just that. Elena's problems.
I have problems with how Damon is portrayed by other characters in the context of this relationship. The indication to me from the show is that Damon cares for Elena. Damon has cared for Elena for a long ass time. Damon does not always make right (moral) decisions out of his caring, and he really doesn't give a flying fuck for (many) other people. He misses Alaric though (we all do). Damon has been working to help many a character on this show through problems. Damon is also not flaw free. He is a rapist. He is a killer. He has never really shown remorse for these things. That should probably be addressed (show). However, to continue to portray him as the bad guy is pretty unappreciative.
I never expect Caroline to be on board with Damon and Elena relationship. She should not have to be. She has every right to call Elena out on her potential feelings for Damon, in the context of her experience, and I would LOVE her to do so. However, making her the mouthpiece for Stefan and Elena and their 'epic' relationship is horrible. Stefan has done some really horrible things! Just look at what he did in this episode! Stefan is objectively no better than Damon character wise. I'm actually very sure he has a higher body count. Caroline is laughing and flirting with Klaus! It's very out of character for her. I weep for Caroline's character too as it turns out.
In the context of what we've seen Elena going through the end of last season and this one, her relationship building with Damon made sense. It would be hard to deny that Stefan is rejecting Elena as a vampire. Yes, Elena has new urges, but a lot of character's are reminding her of how they miss human her. Caroline, transitioned and went through trouble, but got accepted as a vampire. No one wants to accept Elena as a vampire except Damon. What a wonderful load off that must be. Granted, Damon would like for her to be a more playful murderous vampire (or maybe just a blood drinking one), but he's ok with her as she is. Given all of this everything Elena does/has said this season makes sense to me.
Which is why this whole sire bond between Elena and Damon should never have been allowed to be brought up, especially framed the way it was. I repeat, especially framed the way it was. I have flitted around various posts taking about Elena and her agency, and her relationships, and the idea of women being punished for sex and how unappealing that is. Well, low and behold, it happens. Elena wanting Damon the 'bad' choice is unacceptable, is wrong. Other character's attribute her desire to an 'other' or 'darker' element. It's not right. Thus, it must be magic! Magic made her sleep with him. Elena can't choose to want the darker brother, she is manipulated into it. What looks like a hot sex scene, is really rape because she's not giving her fully informed consent. Can't, actually give her consent, because of a magical bond she doesn't know about. And now the other(s) can fix her. She needs to be fixed. Without her wanting to be fixed, because of course she doesn't know this is happening.
I am concerned by the previews in which Stefan accuses Damon of knowing about the sire bond. I am concerned about what this show is saying about Elena's right to make choices, and her character in general. I am concerned that Stefan is still considered to be a better choice. I am actually, concerned by Stefan in general. And I am still utterly enraged about what they may have done to Elena.
On a completely different note-Jeremy. I hope you get over your sister killing urges soon because you and Elena are awesome together, and I would like some Gilbert siblings against the world.
I composed a much better rant in reaction to this episode before falling asleep in a haze of rage last night. Sadly, I think the rage caused me to forget most of it.
As a Damon/Elena shipper I figured I was destined for disappointment. I mean, the narrative of the show would indicate a certain rigidity concerning Damon being an unacceptable partner for Elena. This may not reflect cannon, as I think there are a lot of us viewers out there, that do not share that line of thought based off of the show's evidence. Anyways, to me the show pretty much indicated that if Damon and Elena did happen in was going to be very problematic. No worries, I come from a long history of Buffy. I shipped Buffy and Spike, I am no stranger to problematic relationships. So I was expecting to be disappointed, I wasn't expecting to feel sick.
I understand that there is a lot of Elena hate out there. She is not a flaw free character (except that I love her desperately), but I feel like this show did so well with her one week, utterly betrayed her the next.Utterly. I am devastated for Elena. Because one of the things I love about Elena is her agency. She owns her decisions. She broke up with Stefan because she was owning her current feelings-she didn't feel the same way for Stefan, and she was finally willing to admit she felt something for Damon. Elena killed the Hunter to save her brother (and she was angry). Elena didn't kill herself because she was going to live as a vampire. Elena did all these really cool, character building things and now they're all a lie? What's worse, they're because of a guy controlling her?
I have so many problems with this, and what happened. Maybe I've been reading the show wrong all season, but I don't know, I thought Elena's problems were just that. Elena's problems.
I have problems with how Damon is portrayed by other characters in the context of this relationship. The indication to me from the show is that Damon cares for Elena. Damon has cared for Elena for a long ass time. Damon does not always make right (moral) decisions out of his caring, and he really doesn't give a flying fuck for (many) other people. He misses Alaric though (we all do). Damon has been working to help many a character on this show through problems. Damon is also not flaw free. He is a rapist. He is a killer. He has never really shown remorse for these things. That should probably be addressed (show). However, to continue to portray him as the bad guy is pretty unappreciative.
I never expect Caroline to be on board with Damon and Elena relationship. She should not have to be. She has every right to call Elena out on her potential feelings for Damon, in the context of her experience, and I would LOVE her to do so. However, making her the mouthpiece for Stefan and Elena and their 'epic' relationship is horrible. Stefan has done some really horrible things! Just look at what he did in this episode! Stefan is objectively no better than Damon character wise. I'm actually very sure he has a higher body count. Caroline is laughing and flirting with Klaus! It's very out of character for her. I weep for Caroline's character too as it turns out.
In the context of what we've seen Elena going through the end of last season and this one, her relationship building with Damon made sense. It would be hard to deny that Stefan is rejecting Elena as a vampire. Yes, Elena has new urges, but a lot of character's are reminding her of how they miss human her. Caroline, transitioned and went through trouble, but got accepted as a vampire. No one wants to accept Elena as a vampire except Damon. What a wonderful load off that must be. Granted, Damon would like for her to be a more playful murderous vampire (or maybe just a blood drinking one), but he's ok with her as she is. Given all of this everything Elena does/has said this season makes sense to me.
Which is why this whole sire bond between Elena and Damon should never have been allowed to be brought up, especially framed the way it was. I repeat, especially framed the way it was. I have flitted around various posts taking about Elena and her agency, and her relationships, and the idea of women being punished for sex and how unappealing that is. Well, low and behold, it happens. Elena wanting Damon the 'bad' choice is unacceptable, is wrong. Other character's attribute her desire to an 'other' or 'darker' element. It's not right. Thus, it must be magic! Magic made her sleep with him. Elena can't choose to want the darker brother, she is manipulated into it. What looks like a hot sex scene, is really rape because she's not giving her fully informed consent. Can't, actually give her consent, because of a magical bond she doesn't know about. And now the other(s) can fix her. She needs to be fixed. Without her wanting to be fixed, because of course she doesn't know this is happening.
I am concerned by the previews in which Stefan accuses Damon of knowing about the sire bond. I am concerned about what this show is saying about Elena's right to make choices, and her character in general. I am concerned that Stefan is still considered to be a better choice. I am actually, concerned by Stefan in general. And I am still utterly enraged about what they may have done to Elena.
On a completely different note-Jeremy. I hope you get over your sister killing urges soon because you and Elena are awesome together, and I would like some Gilbert siblings against the world.