tvd 3x14

[pocochina]

I had a lot of thoughts flooding around about this episode, but I'm kind of overwhelmed by the idea of trying to be coherent about it. (I know flu-brain is probably the least catastrophic thing in the world, but seriously, I can't even sit up straight to type this out.)

Comments

[angearia]

nd a witch who becomes a vampire is surely at least as innately badass as a vampire who becomes a werewolf, it'd be SO much fun to see her get that kind of power

Do you mean vampire --> werewolf --> hybrid == witch --> vampire --> hybrid?

So like Abby would somehow break the rules that say a vampire can't be a witch still.

I continue to adore Rebekah and her volatility and her infinite capacity for love and rage. And her fierce sleuthing skills

YES! I love how she instantly figures out how to use an iPhone and it becomes her greatest weapon. AGAIN. What can't Rebekah figure out if she takes a picture of it on her iPhone? Give a blondcheerleader and iPhone and she becomes Sherlocka Holmes.

[waltzmatildah]

Unless they ret-con the legend that witches can't be vampires then I'm pretty sure Abbey just lost her magic abilities.

(But hey, bigger legends than this have been ret-conned on this show before now, so...)

Also, I wonder what it is that makes 'vampire' dominant over 'witch'. I mean, she was already a witch, but she could become a vampire. Being a witch obviously doesn't prevent vampirism. And, presumably, she can't go back. I wonder why this is...

#questionsthatwillneverbeanswered!

[angearia]

Oh for sure! That's the show's mythos. I was just asking if Poco was speculating that Abby would somehow ~upset that mythos and change the rules somehow (not a retcon but within the story).

I'm guessing vampirism dominates because it's a total compromise of balance. Like being a vampire means you embody an eternal violation of the balance, so you can't channel the magic which requires you be in balance with nature. So it's like existing on a different frequency, cut off from magic.

[pocochina]

Unless they ret-con the legend that witches can't be vampires then I'm pretty sure Abbey just lost her magic abilities.

To me, that's always sounded more like a "no reported cases" because vampires wouldn't bother to turn witches instead of killing them, and witches wouldn't let another witch transition, so it's never happened that anyone knows about, and then with the way myths are usually about people playing telephone, it just kind of became commonly accepted that they couldn't. I don't think we've seen anything that indicates the possibility one way or the other.

[ever_neutral]

You didn't miss much in the beginning. Elena called Stefan, he ignored her call, then she called Damon, he was a little bitch, then she went over and found post-coital Damon/Rebekah and then Damon and Elena made unimpressed faces at each other, basically. ;)

Esther taps into such an ugly history there, of white women assuming that some level of shared self-interest with their "sisters" means that WOC will just gratefully fall into line. It's so on the nose, and the performance is so deliberately condescending and manipulative and egocentric, I kind of think it's on purpose? And it's complicated.

My feelings exactly. I kind of can't believe the writers are that fucking dumb? So I'm gonna go with the alternative theory.

after she completely earnestly tried to broker an alliance by throwing down with "you killed my husband, OF COURSE I LIKE YOU."

LMFAO! I totally missed that lulz.

And I don't know if that last scene made it better or worse. Is that the show implying that Caroline should be speaking for Bonnie? Yeah, my worry too. I

[pocochina]

I was so glad to see you enjoyed this episode for Elena, I thought she got such great characterization here. I really think we are getting an exploration of what it means to be the doppelganger, rather than what everyone else has decided for her that it means she can do for them. And so far, that hasn't been shown as something that is BAD, you know? Just that she is slightly learning that it's not a choice between NO SELF-INTEREST AT ALL and EVIL. She's particularly great this season.

[ceciliaj]

You know how I feel about Elena. ;) Flawless character work. Her outrageous self-centredness re: Rebekah was a thing of wonder. /pets Elena

Yessssssssssss! That was awesome.

[pocochina]

What's your opinion about Meredith btw?

I like her a lot even if she's not the killer! I think it is a really fascinating idea, to put someone in the mix who is curious about all that power, and who wants to test it and try to harness it. Using vampires as blood bags for humans - well, after a thousand years, fair's fair, and I'm really interested in a character willing to look at that.

[kwritten]

I continue to adore Rebekah and her volatility and her infinite capacity for love and rage. And her fierce sleuthing skills! She's the one who figures out about the tree.

These are my feelings. Almost exactly. I'm just so happy she's back!

This episode is full of the doppelganger metaphor and imagery...

Elena's characterization in this episode is flawless. She's going in some really neat places... and all on her own! She's the apex of so many triangles, and at the end of this episode, she's all alone. Bonnie/Caroline need to deal without her. Damon/Stefan need to deal without her. More importantly - she needs to deal alone. And as much as it kills me to think Alaric may be gone for a while - Elena is finally having time to just be with herself. All those shots of her tiny-body alone in that BIG HOUSE (seriously, usually she commands a room, but the end of this episode made it clear how small her body is in comparison to her surroundings) made it clear that, she's about to embark on solo-journey. Which. Please, show. Please

[pocochina]

REBEKAH 4EVA. Aw, other Originals, I like you and Imma let you finish, but she is my favorite.

Elena's characterization is a thing of beauty. I keep thinking "wow, she gets more depth than almost any other character like her I can think of!" and then she gets even more delightfully complicated.

[eowyn_315]

So, I don't know if the witches storyline shows they're just straight-up the most clueless people ever, or if it's the best indication yet that they're actually listening to some of the more thoughtful criticisms.

Haha, yeah, I'm in the same place. I mean, it's SO horrible in this episode that I almost think they can't be THAT CLUELESS. But. Underestimate a showrunner's cluelessness at your own peril, I say.

100% agreed on your Abby thoughts. Transitioning would make for a way, way better story than, "Oops, just lost another parent." DO NOT FUCK THIS UP, SHOW.

idk, this episode felt like it was ALL ABOUT THE BENNETTS for me, but I tend to make it all about Bonnie whenever I can, so I don't know. thoughts?Hmmmm, I actually felt like it was about the Bennetts in the sense that it was making a point by blatantly subordinating the Bennetts? Not just Esther drawing on their power, but also Stefan and Damon deciding to KILL one of them without bothering to bring them into the plan. Like, do we really think Bonnie would've gone ahead and

[pocochina]

Underestimate a showrunner's cluelessness at your own peril, I say.

WISE WORDS. But yeah, the Abby story could be great, I hope the show doesn't waste this potential.