Nice knowing ya, Rosie! Well . . . actually . . . it wasn’t all that nice. But to rank on the dead is just in poor taste. Don’t ya think?
Welcome back, fellow Fangbangers! How excited are you to have TVD back on your weekly TV viewing schedule? Because I’m positively THRILLED!
Tonight’s mid-season premiere episode DEFINITELY did not disappoint! The entire hour was JAM PACKED with massive makeout sessions (there were THREE!), major betrayals (Who’d have thought Jules would end up being a scarier super villain than Old Vampire Elijah?), suspense, oodles of sexual tension, and LOTS of dead bodies (I think this may have been the bloodiest episode in TVD history!).
But perhaps, most importantly, this episode showcased the PHENOMENON that is Ian Somerhalder. Damon Salvatore broke my heart, and RIPPED IT OUT, many times over, throughout this episode. And his final scene positively stopped my heart.
Would someone PLEASE give this man an Emmy? PLEASE!
So, what are we waiting for? Let’s RIP into this recap. Shall we?
(By the way, Katherine was no where to be found, anywhere in the episode. Bonnie and Jeremy were missing too, for that matter. Very strange . . .)
Worst Camping Trip EVER!
Question: Which TVD character would you most want to go on a camping trip with? Answer: Not JULES!
The episode begins with Jules waking up stark naked in the forest. “Well THAT sounds like a FUN Camping Trip,” you say! Ummm . . . yeah, but not when you wake up naked next to a HEAPING PILE OF GROSS DEAD BODIES AND DISMEMBERED LIMBS!
Realizing that her werewolf self must have REALLY gone off her diet last night (Campers are SO fattening!), Jules begins the process of torching the place, to destroy all evidence of her binge. But when a park ranger arrives on the scene, Jules knows she has to think fast. So she rushes into the bloody tent and starts fake crying about how “A Werewolf ate all my friends! Boo HOO HOO Wahhhh!”
Helpful Mr. Park Ranger decides to help “Poor Defenseless Jules” by “calling in the accident [to the local police].” BAD MOVE! Within a second, Jules has wacked Ranger Rick to death, with some nearby wood . . . and NOT in a good way. See what I mean about this episode being a BLOODBATH? We haven’t even SEEN the opening title card yet, and already there are approximately five dead bodies (4 campers, and one now-headless ranger).
(Something tells me there’s going to be some HEAVY competition for the Senseless Death Award tonight!)
Stefan rewards fans for surviving the hiatus, by taking off his shirt . . .
So, BEFORE the title card, we get LOTS of death and destruction, and within 30-seconds after it, we get a HALF-NAKED Salvatore! You’ve gotta hand it to those TVD writers! They sure know how to give us girls what we want! Elena is greeted by Shirtless Stefan in his bedroom at La Casa de Rich and Awesome. And, because she cares deeply about us fans and our SUPREME case of Vampire Love Deprivation, she takes FULL advantage of the situation, by pulling him in for a sexy kiss. (Wouldn’t you?)
Now, if this was DAMON, said kiss would be IMMEDIATELY followed by a raunchy sex scene of EPIC PROPORTIONS. But this is the “Sensible Vampire Brother.” And so Stefan decides he and Elena should “talk” instead. “I’m going to totally ruin the mood, aren’t I?” Stefan notes wisely, as he PUTS HIS SHIRT BACK ON.
Mood = Ruined
In typical Sensible Stefan fashion, he would like talk to Elena about her Bad Life Decisions. Specifically, Stefan is concerned about the Bad Life Decision, that caused Elena to “get in bed” with Elijah (See what I did there?), in order to, presumably, save the rest of the Scooby Gang from suffering Death by Santa Klaus . . .
Elena wryly notes all the times STEFAN has put HIS life in danger, to save her. Speaking of putting one’s life in danger, it appears that both Elena and Stefan have been taking daily shots of vervain together, which is not nearly as fun as “shots of tequila” . . .
The purpose of this exercise is two-fold. First, they want to provide Elena protection from ALL the evil vampires that will inevitably try to kill her throughout the rest of the season. Second, they want Stefan to build up a vervain tolerance, a la Vampire Katherine. Speaking of Vampire Katherine, Elena is postively THRILLED that her doppelganger is still locked away in that tomb. However, she can’t, for the life of her, understand how Elijah was able to COMPEL her to stay there . . . her being . . . you know . . . a blood sucker and all.
Recalling his “conversation” with Vampire Katherine from the previous episode . . .
I wish my “conversations” went more like this . . .
. . . Stefan notes that Elena’s Bad Mommy Isobel would be the best person to provide Stefan with the Cliff Notes version of the Original Vampires for Dummies Handbook.
“Remember ME, b*tches?”
Elena HATES the idea of Stefan getting involved with her Mommy Dearest. And yet, since she’s “in bed” with Elijah, she really doesn’t have the right to complain about who Stefan chooses to “hang out with,” now does she?
Tell Me Lies. Tell Me Sweet Little Lies.
You know how, when you ask your boyfriend if “these pants make you look fat,” you’re really asking him to lie through his teeth, to make you feel better? Well, apparently, the same goes for vampires Gnarly Grotesque Werewolf Bites. When we first reunite with Damon, after a TOO LONG HIATUS . . .
Man, I LOVE this GIF!
. . . he is playing Doctor Feel Good to an increasingly weepy Man Stealer Rose, who is waxing poetic about her LONG, LONG, LONG, LONG life. Clearly feeling generous with his compliments, Damon compares Rose to a fine wine, which, if you think about it, is really just a nice way of saying you’re an Old Hag. When Rose notes that perhaps her time has come to die (Oh, it HAS, honey! It definitely has!), Damon chastizes her for being a Negative Nelly. “If you are going to keep being maudlin, I’ll kill you myself, just to put ME out of your misery.” (Foreshadowing much?)
Doctor Damon then prescribes Rose some tasty vampire blood. (“Drink a cup of this, and call me in the morning.”) Rose announces that she thinks the blood is helping her back wound. But when Damon goes to investigate, it looks like TOTAL CRAP!
“That is one SERIOUSLY UGLY back!”
And yet, having 140 plus years of practice at being the boyfriend of COUNTLESS girls (and then eating them, of course), Damon knows well enough that Rose wants him to lie through her teeth. “It looks better!” He fibs. “And for the record, those pants don’t make you look fat AT ALL!”
Enter Elena . . . Damon wants HER to lie about Rose’s gnarly back too!
“Oh that sh*t is just GROSS! That’s what you get for screwing with My Man, HO!”
Elena has come to ask Damon to talk Stefan OUT of contacting Isobel, because she thinks Elijah won’t like it. Apparently, at some point, during the hiatus, Elena has become Elijah’s b*tch, in more ways than one. But Damon AGREES with Stefan about getting help from Isobel. (Hmmmm . . . I wonder why!)
So, Damon’s not going to help Elena. But he wants Elena to help HIM, by playing nursemaid to Brokeback Rose, while he heads out on the town. “Elena is a do-gooder. It’s in her nature. She can’t resist,” remarks Damon. (Awww! He so luuuuuuuuves her!)
Before Damon can leave, however, Elena pulls him aside. She wants him to talk about his FEELINGS because she luuuuuves him. You see, Elena understands Damon, and knows that he’s affected by Rose’s upcoming demise. Damon, however, isn’t quite ready to let Elena into his screwed up psyche again, not after what happened that LAST time . . .
“I luuuuve you. It’s just too bad you can’t remember that. Because we could have really great sex, if you did.”
“Death happens. The sooner she dies, the better,” explains Damon. (Awwww, Damon! I agree. But we all know you don’t really feel that way about your F*ck Buddy! And the sooner you accept those feelings, the better!)
But Damon’s right. All this death stuff is getting kind of maudlin. It’s time for a change of scenery. Don’t you think?
It’s Barbecue Time!
Given that the first 10 minutes of the episode feature a series of dismembered bodies going up in flames, and a gross-out shot of Rose’s charred and bitten back, I’d say the fact that Mystic Falls’ Event of the Week is a Barbecue is a wee bit inappropriate. Don’t you?
No matter though. Everything is all rainbows and cute puppies, when Caroline runs into Tyler (who is looking positively adorable in his football uniform, by the way) for the first time since, well . . . THIS . . .
Caroline, ever the cheerleader, is all peppy and friendly, as she congratulates Tyler on a a job well done, during Baby’s First Were Transformation. “Last night was a victory. Let’s take it!” Caroline exclaims. “So, what do you say we have a little Victory Party in your bed?”
Tyler, though slightly “sore” from the previous night’s adventures (hint, hint, wink, wink) clearly feels a lot of gratitude toward Caroline for helping him through this difficult time, and tells her as much. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been there,” he remarks.
Though their dialogue may seem benign enough, the whole scene is just CHARGED with delicious sexual tension. Caroline keeps tilting her head to the side flirtatiously, blinking compulsively, grinning from ear to ear, and giggling like a school girl. She also can’t stop staring at Tyler’s mouth.
Can you blame her?
For his part, Tyler is looking at Caroline adoringly, his head cocked toward her, like she’s the most beautiful Baby Vamp in the world. And he’s SMILING! Tyler NEVER SMILES! It’s enough to make me want to run through the television screen, rip off both of their clothes, and tell the two of them to JUST DO IT ALREADY!
So, it’s kind of depressing that Caroline has to ruin the mood, by telling Tyler that he sort of, kind of, almost killed her last night. “It’s no big deal, really. But . . . one bite, and it’s curtains for me,” Caroline notes nonchalantly.
Tyler wisely inquires as to how Caroline knew about the Legend of the Were Bite. But Caroline demurs, asserting that she must have “read it somewhere.” (Werewolf Bites for Dummies, perhaps?) Unfortunately, before Tyler can piece together the extent of the sacrifice Caroline made for him, Matt arrives and cock blocks him . . .
Caroline immediately starts babbling about how “there’s nothing between [her] and Tyler.” And, you know what? Me thinks thou protest WAYYYY too much! But Matt doesn’t notice, of course. Because Matt doesn’t really notice ANYTHING . . . ever.
To prove this, he starts telling Caroline what a sublimely HONEST person she is, and how refreshing it is that she never keeps anything from him.
Yeah, Caroline. It was pretty hilarious, wasn’t it?
Matt then tells her, he’s not happy about the “way things are between them.” (You mean because she’s in love with your best friend, Matt?) To prove, just how NOT happy Matt is, he plants a long wet one on Caroline. It was the third hottest kiss of the evening. #2 went to Stefan and Elena, from earlier in the episode. Number 1 is on it’s way . . . (How’s that for subtle foreshadowing? ;))
And how does Caroline respond to said kiss? Well, she runs away, of course. You see Matt? Werewolf Tyler tried to literally bite her head off in a dungeon, and she STAYED. You made out with her for five seconds, and she LEFT. That should probably tell you something. . . .
Doing Damon’s Dirty Work (Sounds Kinky!)
So, Team Bad Ass is back!
Well . . . sort of. I love how Alaric went from being Damon’s mortal enemy, to Damon’s ass-kicking buddy, to Damon’s b*tch in a matter of half a season. We see Mr. Chunky Monkey himself . . .
. . . lounging at the Only Bar / Social Establishment in Mystic Falls . . . again. (See, that’s one thing Damon and Alaric will always have in common, Alcoholism.) Alaric’s mission, should he choose to accept it, is to call Damon, when Evil Werewolf Jules arrives back at the bar. And arrive she has! Stefan has also arrived at the bar. And though he chastizes Alaric for getting Dirty with Damon doing Damon’s dirty work, he too has a favor to ask the Scooby Gang Errand boy. Specifically, he wants Isobel’s digits.
The Awkward Moment when the boyfriend of your Slutty Vampire Ex’s kid asks for your Ex’s number, so the two of them can hook up.
Alaric honestly doesn’t seem all that keen on Stefan contacting Isobel. But, being the good Errand Boy he is, he promises to text Stefan with Isobel’s updated contact information, once he is able to track it down.
Rose Goes Batsh*t Crazy – Take 1
Bed head and pasty face . . . NOT a good look for you, Rose.
Meanwhile, back at La Casa de Rich and Awesome, things are getting hot and heavy between Nurse Elena and bed-ridden Rose. For starters, they are hanging out in the Very Special Place where EVERY TVD viewer wants to be . . . DAMON’S BEDROOM!
Rose makes me like her a little more (a VERY little bit, mind you) when she forces Elena to admit that she’s massively turned on by being in Damon’s bedroom, and shocked that it’s not quite the Love Shack she expected it to be. Elena was secretly hoping that Damon invested in silk sheets (MUCH better for screwing!). No matter though, Elena. I strongly suspect that Damon will BURN his bedsheets, now that Rose and her cooties have been in them. His next pair will DEFINITELY be silk, for YOU.
Rose also forces Elena to see how lucky she is that two hot vampires LOVE her. (Thank you Captain Obvious!) She then chastizes her new Nurse for getting involved with Elijah, and risking her precious human life. “You really are determined to die, aren’t you? Rose inquires. (Woah, Rosie’s on a roll!)
But then, suddenly Rose gets all loopy, and starts mumbling about the horses. Next thing you know, she’s choking on blood, and spitting up. So, Elena rushes to get her glass of water. But when she returns, the Man Stealer is gone!
OK . .. I spoke too soon. She’s not gone. She’s just behind Elena, looking LIKE A CRAZED LUNATIC!
Rose pushes Elena up against a wall, and starts rambling on about how this is all HER fault. Elena holds her ground, forcefully reminding Rose that she is ELENA, not Katherine. Eventually, Rose snaps out of it, and starts blubbering about how sorry she is for trying to MURDER Elena, after having just told the poor girl not to risk her life. “Don’t be scared of me!” Rose insists, as she heads back to bed. (Worst . . . advice . . . ever!)
Back at the Only Bar / Social Establishment in Mystic Falls . . .
Salvatore Brothers Unite / Damon and Jules engage in a pissing contest
While he is waiting for his hot older brother Stefan gets a text from Alaric, including Isobel’s new number. He rings her up, and leaves her a message.
“Yo Izzie! It’s me, Stef! Heeyyyyy! We should totally meet up! Drink some bunnies, talk about how we can control Elena’s life — it will be just like old times!”
When Damon arrives, all smouldering and angry, and sexy, Stefan tries to calm him down long enough to talk about his “feelings” regarding Rose’s probable demise. (Am I the only one noticing a pattern here?) “I’m FINE!” Damon exclaims, which, by the way, is the Official Motto of the NOT Fine.
Stefan kindly reminds Pissy Damon that the Only Bar / Social Establishment in Mystic Falls is unusually crowded today. (Doesn’t anybody work or go to school in this town?) So, ripping Werewolf Jules’ spleen out of her throat here would probably be ill advised. (But A LOT OF FUN!) Damon then confronts Jules, and asks for a Werewolf Bite Cure, in exchange for her getting to keep her spleen. It’s not much of a bargain really, and Jules tells him as much.
“Spleens aren’t essential organs, anyway. So there!”
Jules tells Damon that the only way to “cure” Rapid Vampire Zombie Rose is to drive her stake through her heart, which we all pretty much already knew. She then tells Damon to bite her, before stalking out like the Evil People Eater she is.
“You want me to bite you, Jules? Well, that can be arranged . . .”
Meanwhile, back at La Casa de Rich and Awesome . . .
Rose Goes Batshit Crazy – Take 2
Someone get this chick a bib . . . and a muzzle!
Elena has kindly brought Rose some fresh bed sheets. (I bet they aren’t silk though!) However, when she returns to Damon’s bedroom . . . SURPRISE . . . Rose is gone again! (Honestly, I’m not sure why they didn’t chain that b*tch to the bed, the first time.) Unfortunately, Elena doesn’t have Evil Zombie Vampire GPS, so she tries the next best thing. She calls Damon.
“Get the f*&k home you, Bloodsucking Bastard! Your Lunatic Screw Toy is TRYING TO KILL ME!”
Elena finds Rose stuffing her face with Damon’s and Stefan’s soccer mom blood stash. When Elena confronts Rose, she GOES NUTS! (Must be a Closet Eater!) Looking bloody, gross and nauseating, Decrepit Zombie Rose chases Elena through the house. And suddenly, this has gone from The Vampire Diaries to Dawn of the Dead 2: Electric Boogalo0. When Elena opened her curtains and let the Sunscreen Ring-free Rose’s skin get burned by the sun, I CHEERED FOR JOY! (She deserved it, dammit!)
But then, Elena DUG HER NAILS in Rose’s gross werewolf wound! And, I must admit, I threw up in my mouth a little bit.
Elena then wisely holes herself up in Damon’s study. Dimwitted Rose never seemed like much of a reader. So, Elena feels safe there. Through the door, Rose starts apologizing to Elena, and telling her she “won’t try to kill her again. She promises.” (Yeah, Elena! And if you believe that I have a Statue of Liberty I’d like to sell you for real cheap!)
Fear not, though. Because Elena is smarter than I sometimes give her credit for. And she doesn’t trust that Rapid Zombie Vamp for a second!
When Elena finally finds the courage to leave the study, armed with a stake, she runs into Damon. “Where’s Rose?” He inquires, clearly concerned.
“Why, she’s at the Mystic Falls barbecue, gnawing on a janitor, of course,” replies Elena. . .(or, at least, that’s what she WOULD reply, if she actually KNEW what Rose was doing).
Civil Service is a MIGHTY dangerous occupation in Mystic Falls. Random Janitor guy, this award’s for you!
Matt Donovan, “You Can’t HANDLE the TRUTH!”
Also at the barbecue, is a decidedly less Bloody Matt, who wants to know why Caroline ran away from his tongue kisses, and what exactly she’s hiding from him.
“Watch this, Matt! Maybe it will help!”
A tearful Caroline tells Matt that she loves him, which, if you didn’t know she was a vampire, would probably seem like the biggest non-sequitur ever! Fortunately, before Caroline is forced to explain herself, Matt gets distracted by a Shiny Cheerleader seeking Hamburgers. So, Caroline takes that opportunity to escape.
“You Went on a Murderous Rampage. It Happens!”
Damon and Elena find Rose, at the barbecue, eventually. But not until AFTER she kills YET another unsuspecting Mystic Falls resident, by breaking in to the roof of her CAR! Rose feels kind of guilty for all the eating she’s been doing (PIG!) But Damon, ever the non-judgmental f*ck buddy, doesn’t seem to be bothered by it. “You went on a murderous rampage. It happens,” he assures her.
Back in bed, Rose starts monologuing about the joys of humanity, and how Elena, should appreciate her life, and blah, blah, blah . . . I just fell asleep typing that sentence . . .
Damon tells Elena to leave, and does a bit of Inception Mind F*king on Rose, placing her in a dreamy version of her home village, where she lived when she was human. Rose has long crimped 80’s hair now, and a fugly floor-length blue dress. It’s all very Little House on the Prairie. Rose and Damon have a perfectly idyllic time together in dream land, racing through the fields, reminiscing about old times. Meanwhile, in the REAL WORLD, Damon is cradling a sleeping Rose, with a stake poised at her chest. And he is CRYING . . .
Damon hesitates a bit. This is clearly hard for him. But eventually, he stakes Rose. It’s a mercy killing, really . . . She was in pain. And she was PAINFUL to watch. Now we have ALL been put out of our misery . . . well, except for Damon. And he’s miserable enough for all of us!
Damon drives Rose’s body out to Sheriff Forbes, who has been compelled to forget that he’s a vampire. So, she thanks him profusely for keeping the town “safe” from vampires, and bids him adieu. When he arrives back at La Casa de Rich and Awesome, Elena is waiting there for him.
Elena understands Damon in a way that nobody else does, not even Stefan. And she knows he’s hurting. Damon, however, is not willing to admit his pain to the woman he loves . . . yet. “You want to hear that I cared about Rose. I didn’t”
“I don’t believe that,” Elena presses. “You feel something.”
“I feel it, and it SUCKS,” Damon admits. “Especially, because it was supposed to be me.”
“You feel guilty,” Elena notes. “You are so close [to humanity]. You can’t give up.”
At this point, Damon fires back at Elena, telling her what everybody else has been thinking, ever since she made that fateful deal with Elijah. “All you’ve DONE is give up!” (And then again . . . perhaps, Damon’s talking about Elena giving up on her romantic feelings for HIM! Yeah, that’s probably just wishful thinking on my part.)
“Go home, Elena,” Damon repeats sadly. “I’ve had enough doom, gloom, and personal growth for one night.”
“OK,” Elena relents.
She then turns to leave, but not before turning toward him, and offering him a sweet and powerful embrace. Their eyes lock for a moment, and volumes of thoughts and emotions are exchanged in a single glance. For a moment, it looks like they might kiss. But it wouldn’t be the right time, not now. Instead, Damon puts his head on Elena’s shoulder and allows himself a few quiet sobs. It’s touching, and beautiful. And I only wish it lasted longer . . .
Speaking of scenes I wish lasted longer . . .
Hallelujah! It’s a Forwood Ambush KISS!
Remember earlier, when I was ranking the episode’s steamiest kisses? Here comes #1!
When Caroline arrives home from the Barbecue, Tyler is waiting for her on her porch.
“We need to talk,” Tyler opens.
(Usually, those are words signifying BAD NEWS. But that’s not so, here.)
“Why would you risk it?” Tyler asks, referring of course to the couple’s night of hot passion, and Tyler’s poisonous teeth.
Caroline downplays the extent of her sacrifice for Tyler, explaining simply, that he needed help, and she was there. But Tyler is not so easily convinced. He senses that Caroline has some romantic feelings for him, ones that mirror his own. And, so he presses further. “I don’t understand you, Caroline!”
Caroline can’t take it anymore. Overwhelmed with emotion, she lashes out at the Baby Wolf. “Why is it so hard for you to let people help you . . . to let someone care? Well, I’m sorry Tyler, but I cared. I care about you.”
And that’s all Tyler needs to hear. He rushes to Caroline, and presses her up against the wall, holding her face, and kissing her passionately. No longer able to control her emotions, she kisses him back with an intensity and fervor, she never knew was possible before. ( Intense Nights Spent in a Dungeon with a Hot Naked Boy can do that do a girl.) And yet, I had to wonder, whether, if a Werewolf Bite could kill a vampire, what would a Werewolf Hickey do?
Caroline must be thinking about this too, which is why she pulls away from Tyler.
Baby’s first Vampire-gasm
“We can’t do that,” she exclaims.
Rather than argue with her, Tyler actually apologizes, which makes me love him even more.
“Everybody needs to stop kissing me!” Caroline whines, as she rushes into the house.
(Coincidentally, Caroline, if you ever get tired of all that pesky kissing, I’d be MORE than happy to take your place. Just sayin’)
Evil Jules Does the UNTHINKABLE
His heart still filled with love, and his tongue still covered in sweet vampire saliva, Tyler heads toward the Only Bar / Social Establishment in Mystic Falls to meet up with Jules, who seems to have been there ALL FRIGGIN DAY. (Just what Mystic Falls needs! Another Alchy!) Jules doesn’t waste any time, clawing her way into Tyler’s head. Within a matter of about a minute, she’s dropped about five bombshells on the poor werewolf. And here they are:
(1) She knows about him and Caroline, and their (True Natures)
(2) Uncle Mason is DEAD.
(3) Caroline may have played a role in his demise.
(4) Mystic Falls is crawling with vampires, and Caroline is in league with them.
(5) Mystic Falls will soon be crawling with werewolves like Jules and Tyler.
Poor Tyler! It seems Damon isn’t the only TVD guy in serious need of a hug!
Speaking of unwanted guests invading Mystic Falls, did I mention that Creepy Uncle / Father John is back in town?
Hmmmm . . . I wonder if Elena’s less than proud papa is going to ask Jeremy for his Ring of Immortality back, now that vampires will most likely be trying to kill him again . . .
Damon has an Emotional Breakthrough (and Breakdown)
A highly distraught, emotional, and . . . you guessed it . . . WASTED, Damon is lying around in the middle of an abandoned road, when an unlikely driver comes upon him. Her name is Jessica, and she is definitely in for a ROUGH NIGHT!
Damon compels Jessica to stand still, but doesn’t compel her to be calm, which would have made things much more pleasant for her, I think. He needs someone to talk to, and she’s there for him, whether she wants to be, or not. He is lost . . . metaphorically, and existentially . .. and she . . . a human, and a female, represents the crux of his existential crisis.
Elena’s words to him about him being “so close” to humanity are clearly on Damon’s mind, when he says, “All I’ve got is trouble . . . I’ve got a secret . . . I can’t be what SHE wants me to be . . . This is who I am,” Damon cries.
He is unhinged, and more emotional than we have EVER seen him before. (It’s heartbreaking and fascinating to watch. And if Ian Somerhalder doesn’t get an Emmy nomination for it, I will personally drive down to the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and give them a piece of my mind. Anybody with me?)
Jessica pleads with Damon for her life. “Are you going to hurt me?” She whispers.
“I’m not sure,” he replies truthfully. “I’m NOT HUMAN . . . and I miss it . . . more than anything. That’s my Big Secret,” admits Damon, his voice choked by tears.
He then sets Jessica free, and the viewers breathe a sigh of relief. But, in typical TVD fashion, just when we think we’ve got it all figured out, EVERYTHING CHANGES. Moments after Damon let’s the girl go, he rushes her, and kills her. His bloody face filled with pain and remorse, once he’s done.
(“You went on a murderous rampage. It happens!”)
As we focus on Damon’s vamped out visage, the music playing in the background, creepily belts out the words “Who’s next?” as the screen fades to black.
Next week’s presumably werewolf-centric episode, entitled “Daddy Issues,” promises some tough times between Hot Couple, Tyler and Caroline, as the Bany Werewolf begins to question the Baby Vamp’s loyalties and true intentions. Oh, and Elena seems to be wearing an ABNORMALLY high PONYTAIL. What’s up with that?
You can watch the EXTENDED preview for the episode, here:
So, what did you think folks? Did you enjoy The Descent? Were you as NOT sorry to see Rose go, as I was? Do you want to KILL Jules for turning Tyler against Caroline, as much as I do? The comment section is all yours, my fello Fangbangers!
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TV Recappers Anonymous 
I squeed when this recap came into my inbox. One of the benefits of being from the future because of Oz Time is that I often get first comment!
Ian Sexyhalder absolutely blew me away this episode. Damon denies having any emotions constantly, but the truth is that he is the brother ruled by heart and not head. I think that he avoids his humanity with the protective bubble of his vampirism as much as possible, because feeling that irreversible loss of being human would be too much. Imagine an ETERNITY with that feeling eating away at you.
I admit that I was shocked by what happened with the girl by the side of the road. I expected him to let her go. It was an interesting parallel with DarkStefan’s twisted chase and release of blonde Miss Mystic Falls contender chock – Stefan had Elena and the memory of whatever turned him “good” to hold him back, whereas Damon had no such anchor to stop him from giving into his impulses. It is clear that he is starting to feel more and more remorse with every kill though.
In your own immortal words, KJewls, ding dong, the Rose is dead!
The white wife-beater Stefan puts on makes it clear that the Shirtfulness! Boo! message hasn’t fully sunk into Julie and Kevin, but we are making progress. 🙂
This recap was made of SO. MUCH. WIN. by the way! Closet Eater made me snorfle.
But it was the Forwood jokes that made me lose it completely and laugh uncontrollably until tears were running down my face.
“His heart still filled with love, and his tongue still covered in vampire…” and “Baby’s first vampire gasm” are among your wittiest gems, which is truly saying something 🙂
Speaking of gasms, I have a Trevinogasm everytime he came onto screen tonight. The EyeFlirting (TM Amy; a new favourite of mine!) during the “I really want to thank you” scene was like the equivalent of a horde of unicorns parading around my street block. Such rare sweetness from Tyler, and so gorgeous too. And I was completely spoiled with the Forwood kiss. I was expecting only one kiss, so when Tyler went back in for seconds and Caroline RESPONDED PASSIONATELY at first, I was completely thrown. Tyler’s little moment of hesitancy before going in full force was so different to the guy who would force himself aggressively on girls. His sweet Care Bear vamp really helps him keep his wolfiness under control. But it is also that wolfy side that makes him the impulsive type to go in for the Ambush Kiss in the first place! I also loved his little apology at the end of the kiss.
And Caroline Forbes, I have missed you baby! “Everyone needs to stop kissing me!”
Hey Cherie! Thanks for stopping by. You know, I probably look as much forward to your awesome commentary, as you do to my recaps! 🙂
Ian Sexyhalder (Smoulderhalder) INDEED! Between Ian’s acting, and Julie’s and Kevin’s writing of the character, Damon Salvatore is a masterpiece onto himself. Everytime, I think I have a handle on this character, they add another layer. One thing I was always so CERTAIN of, having watched Damon since Season 1, was his LOVE for vampire life. Unlike Stefan, and many of the other vampires we’ve met in pop culture, Damon seemed to truly ENJOY being a bloodsucker. And I liked that about him. Because it seems like a kind of fun life, I have to say. But the fact the it’s Damon’s LOVE for humanity, that, above all else, drives him to “turn off his emotions,” makes him all the more intriguing.
Often we’ve all talked about how when someone becomes a vampire, whatever character trait was strongest in them during their HUMAN life, is amplified in their vampire life. What if Damon’s trait was an extended amount of emotionality and humanity? That would be a mindf*ck, wouldn’t it? And yet, all the flashbacks we saw of Damon seemed to suggest as much.
Look at his reaction to Katherine’s death and his vampirism, in Blood Brothers. He was heartbroken, and ready to die. And then, even as a vampire, this was a guy who could love the same woman for 140 YEARS, despite having never seen her throughout most of that time. So it turns out, Damon is the way he is, not because he DOESN’T feel, but because he feels the pain of love and loss so much more deeply than your average human or vampire. IT’S GENIUS!
You are right, Cherie! This scene, and the Miss Mystic Falls scene were almost IDENTICAL. From their innocent, unknown victim, to the way in which the girls were only half-compelled, so they were still terribly afraid, to the existential crisis and inner monologuing each brother went through when ultimately making their decision. In fact, if I recall, the girl from Miss Mystic Falls was ultimately let go, not so much because of Stefan, himself, but because Damon and Elena were there to rescue her. Sadly, they weren’t there for Damon (or Jessica) this evening.
Another interesting comparison between the two scenes was how much MORE emotional and HUMAN Damon was in his “taunting” of the girl, than Stefan was. And the obvious remorse he felt after doing what he did was truly heartbreaking, as was Jessica’s death in general. Because I, for one, found myself more attached to Jessica in 2 minutes, then I EVER was to Rose, in all the time she was there! (Great acting, Ahna O’Reilly!)
I also saw a parallel between this scene and the whole “Neck Snapping Incident” from The Return. Again, an inebriated Damon (seriously, we NEED to get this guy into a twelve step program – stat!) committed a terrible, and self-destructive act, as a way of shunning the emotionality that pains him so much, and attempting to bury the humanity within him — something that we all know now that he is completely incapable of doing. Speaking of Damon’s drinking, we can see now, that like many alcoholics, Damon drinks in order to self-medicate his own depression, and dull his strong emotions. Damon Salvatore, if you EVER need an AA sponsor, I’m all yours! (Not that I’ve ever been in AA, of course. But I just wanted to put the offer out there, anyway.)
Oh Rose, how NOT sorry I am to see you go. I sincerely hope that Julie and Kevin weren’t trying to make us LIKE her in this episode (the way writers tend to do, right before they kill off a not too likeable character)! Because it DIDN’T WORK, Julie and Kevin! NOT IN THE LEAST!
We ARE making progress in the shirtlessness department, particularly given some of the Naked Damon teasers we’ve read for upcoming episodes. But I have to wonder was THAT the Stelena Sex Julie Plec promised in the premiere. Because that was SO NOT SEX! More like PG-rated foreplay. I know Damon will be getting MIGHTY sexy with his new main squeeze in a few episodes. But I’m not sure that it’s going to make me happy (because he’s NAKED, duh!) or sad (because he’s not naked with Elena).
I too was LOVING me some Forwood tonight. Damon’s scenes may have been the most heart-wrenching this week, but the Forwood scenes were, BY FAR, the most enjoyable to watch. They really are SO perfect together, that I kind of wish the writers gave us more of a chance to explore that, before RIPPING THEM APART, as it looks like they are going to do next week. BAD JULES! VERY BAD!
By the way, I think that Tyler will feel so wounded about the whole Caroline betrayal thing precisley because he opened up to her so completely, in a way he hasn’t with anyone else.
A very good point, Cherie. In essence, the passionate argument Tyler and Caroline had on the porch about Tyler never letting anyone close enough to him to help, was foreshawdowing of the utter betrayal Tyler would feel, when he ultimately came to realize that the ONE person he allowed to help him, has been lying to him, since the beginning. The realization will undoubtedly shake him to his core. (But that is NO EXCUSE to lock Vampire Barbie in a CAGE, DAMMIT! :))
Awesome review! I have to admit I have dual feelings about this episode:
1. OMG so much Forwood sexiness!!
2. Meh, why is Rose in yet another scene?
1. I never expected Care to be this into him! Man, the bashfulness in the first scene when they talk -before Matt as you so eloquently put it, cock blocks-, is on fire. And the kiss: it’s everything I imagined, since she actually kissed him back. Now if it were me (as Caroline :P), it would have been followed by steamy kiss as we made our way up to the bedroom, leaving a trail of cast off clothes as we went.
I’m not surprised seeing the preview. I always expected Tyler to lash out at Caroline (in my imagination he would also lock her up and then without her sunscreen ring). I think his reaction is pretty natural, I mean… finally he opens up and then he finds out the ugly truth (more or less) in which she does play a part. Even though Damon killed Mason, it was Caroline who really got to him. It was so nice to see him smile at her. I can relate to his sense of betrayal, even if I want him to confront it in a more rational manner than locking poor Caroline in a damn cage.. I hope it won’t drive a wedge between the two forever though, I do want them overcoming the obstacles. The angst along the way is going to be very interesting to watch.
2. I didn’t have the antipathy for Rose like you did coming into this ep, but I certainly ended the ep with a feeling of “good riddance.” Damn, that girl took way too long to die. The whole Elena/Rose mini-thriller was boring and the killing spree that followed wasn’t that harrowing compared to the mikado of limbs Jules (who rocks, btw) left behind. The only good thing it caused is that we got to see the sad and remorseful side of Damon. I never thought his desire to be human would still be so strong, but it make sense with the way he resented Stefan for turning him. And so I guess his bad ass side is really just a mask to cover his real desires. Bad case of reaction formation here.
Hi fauvish! Thanks again for your awesome insights! I agree with your assessment of the episode completely. Up with Forwood, DOWN with Rose! Seriously, did she have MORE lines than any of the REGULAR cast members this week? By the umpteenth time she started waxing poetic about her frigging horses, and her LOVE for humanity, I wanted to jump through the screen and stake her myself. For one thing, it would have saved my baby, Damon, some serious heartache. It may have even saved the life of the girl in the final scene.
And the rapid zombie theatrics, complete with home invasion-type stalking, slow walks down long corridors, and DRAMATIC MUSIC, really was a bit too much. I mean, I know Kevin Williamson is a Master of Teen Horror. But I think it could have been slimmed down to one long scene, as opposed to three-extended ones, that were more or less exactly the same.
But enough of that negative stuff, on to the positive. I too loved how incredibly obvious the sexual attraction was between Caroline and Tyler in that first scene. One of the things that frustrates me so much about my Delena ship, is how reserved Elena can be sometimes, when it comes to her feelings. It was really refreshing to see both Caroline and Tyler wear their hearts on their sleeves in the two momentous scenes they shared together. The way he grabbed her on that porch, and kissed her, like nothing else in the world mattered, literally took my breath away. And unlike most scenes where Ambush Kissing occurs, there was no debating it, Caroline DEFINITELY kissed back. She wanted it BAD! 😉
And the fact that Tyler didn’t even seem angry at her ultimate “sort of” rejection, and actually apologized for kissing her, made me love him SO MUCH. But that only means, next week is going to be so much more difficult to watch.
I definitely expected Tyler to lash out at Caroline. After all, it is so hard for him to let people in, and he TRUSTED her. Trust is a HUGE deal for Tyler. But the scene in the preview with her crying “Why did you do this to me?” and him sitting outside the cage, enraged, but clearly conflicted about his feelings toward the woman he was just kissing passionately the week prior, literally almost brought tears to my eyes. And it’s a PREVIEW! I can’t imagine what the whole episode is going to feel like.
Now, maybe I’m just defending Tyler, because I like him so much. But my prediction is that it will be Jules and the other werewolves, who ACTUALLY lock up Caroline. Tyler will learn about what happened a bit later. Then, I suspect, when Tyler arrives at the cage, Caroline will THINK he is coming to rescue her. But he won’t, because he doesn’t trust her anymore. He will have started to question everything she’s done for him, since he first turned. And THAT will break her heart (and mine!)
Damon’s vampiric antics ARE totally reaction formation! I love that analysis, fauvish. Someone should really start exploring The Vampire Diaries in psychology classes. There is SO MUCH meat there! Anyone who thinks supernatural shows are “silly and mindless,” clearly has never watched TVD, or read fans’ in-depth analysis of the show!
Sorry for comment overload, but just one other thing I forgot to mention – I am totally taking that Just Do It as a shout out to Just Do Him Tyler 😉
Of course, it was, Cherie! 🙂 Gosh, I’m such a bad fangirl sometimes, when it comes to giving credit, where credit is due! I apologize for that. I blame Damon as his compelling eyes, which make me lucky if I remember my own name, let alone where my snarks come from, when I’m typing up these posts at 3 am.
Luckily, I have the comment section to correct my mistakes. Tyler Lockwood Fangirls should definitely CLICK HERE, and enjoy the fabulousness of Trevino-flavored eye candy, my fabulous blogger pal Cherie has baked up for you . . .
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Hello again! Vampire Diaries returns and so do I! Your recap was PERFECT, as uuuuuuuuusual. lol I loved the episode, and if Ian doesn’t get nominated for an emmy, you can count me in to kick some ass! I cried like…5 times during this episode. Damn you, Damon Salvatore. 😉 Almost ALL his scenes were heartbreakingly delicious. I’m a HUGE Forwood fan-forbidden love is HOT. Period. You never mentioned the number on Stefan’s phone, which leads me to believe you don’t know what it does. Well, if you call the number: (919) 399 2507 you will get messages from Damon, Stefan and Katherine. It’s smile-worthy. Thanks for an awesome recap! See you next week! 🙂
Hi Jaimie! It’s great to see you on the blogosphere! I’m so excited to talk TVD with you this season. Fellow Team Damon, and Team Forwood fans are always welcome. 🙂 (Such great taste, we have!)
This week’s episode was definitely a tearjerker, and it had EVERYTHING to do with Ian’s amazing acting skills, and NOTHING TO DO WITH ROSE! It really does bother me, that CW shows never get recognized by the Academy for Emmy’s. Because I TRULY believe that writing and acting on TVD is just as good, if not better, than some of the other dramas that have received award recognition in the past.
Why the Academy has such a bee in its bonnet about teen dramas, is beyond me. After all, isn’t the 18-34 age demographic the MOST coveted by advertisers? And aren’t teen dramas the most POPULAR shows among females of that demographic? Giving these shows, and the actors on them, the recognition they deserve just seems like common sense to me.
Ahhh, the Forbidden Love of Forwood. Super hot indeed! It sounds cheesy, but the kiss those two shared this week was mesmerizing. They’re like Romeo and Juliet . . . if Romeo was a vampire, and Juliet was a werewolf, and Romeo once got mad at Juliet, and pushed her up against a wall, and locked her in a cage, because he was mad at her for lying to him 🙂 . . . Well, maybe we’ll have to work on that?
It’s funny you mentioned that telephone number, because calling it NEVER even occurred to me. (Bad Fangirl, I know!) When my friend (thanks AMY!) e-mailed me the number last night. I did some research on it, before calling, and found THIS:
I guess THIS was the phone message they recorded around the time “A Few Good Men” aired, to tease what would happen in the Blood Brothers episode.
So, I actually called it this morning. And, apparently, they CHANGED the message and added Katherine! It was hilarious. I love how Nina Dobrev makes Katherine’s voice markedly deeper and more breathy than Elena’s. The difference is even more obvious when hearing it on the phone.
KATHERINE: “Reconsider your allegiance . . . run, hide, repeat.” (Classic, Katherine! Doesn’t she kind of sound like one of the girls on those sex hotlines they show commercials for late at night? ;))
STEFAN: “For those of you who are Team Katherine . . . DON’T BE!” (Well, at least he’s succinct.)
But my favorite HAD to be this: “Screw Katherine, save Elena, down with Klaus . .. you know all that inspiring ‘Go Team’ stuff!”
Oh, Damon! How I love you . . . let me count the ways. 😉
It’s about 15 hours post-EpicReturn, and I am still speechless. Might have something to do with being sick in bed with pneumonia and wishing *ahem* somebody would hold me and put me out of my misery! #WhatAWayToGo lol Your recap was priceless, as usual. Kinda wished they wouldn’t have left the line Rose (to Elena) “It’s okay, you know, to love them both,” on the cutting room floor, but them’s the breaks. Maybe it’s too soon. Think the writers/editors read more tweets than they own up to (not playin into the Delena fans just yet).
I’m with kjewls (thank GAWD u don’t spell it “jules”–what a DOUCHCANOE who can’t die soon enuf for me), Ian (alias “Magically Delicious” deserves recognition for his acting. Too bad The Little Network The Could (aka The CW) isn’t eligible for some unknown and totes unfair reason for Emmy consideration. We need to revolt! He made me cry about 16 times last night (and this morning, and this afternoon, yadayadayada).
It was good to see Sheriff Mom back on screen–understand Marguerite has been sick “?”, something that involved crutches–have loved her since Kyle XY (another Julie Plec masterpiece that got cancelled OMG. And yea, a lot of missing players this week. We’re gonna have to have some mass murdering to get the cast back down to workable size.
In conclusion, I just wanna say, “Renew The Vampire Diaries for Season 3” *or else*.
Hi mak! I’m so sorry to hear that you are feel under the weather. Pneumonia, huh? That REALLY sucks! If it makes you feel any better, you are in REALLY good company. Did you know Ian himself, was suffering form Walking Pneumonia, while he was filming this episode?
http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/01/27/vampire-diaries-ian-somerhalder-walking-pneumonia/
I had no idea Sheriff Forbes was sick! Geez! Between Ian’s illness, her sickness, and Nina and Paul’s injuries, the TVD set seems like a pretty dangerous place to work! (Not to mention all those werewolves, roaming around. ;)) Personally, I’d like to keep the whole cast in protective bubbles until the end of Season 3.
Speaking of Season 3, of COURSE, there will be one! I’m pretty sure TVD remains CW’s most successful show. And with close to 4 million viewers this week, despite being up against American Idol, TVD is definitely holding it’s own against the “Big Dogs.” (Big Wolves?)
They DID cut out Rose’s “It’s OK to love them both,” line, didn’t they? I just kept thinking I’d missed it, or something. You know what else they cut out? That scene from the promo where Tyler has Caroline up against the car, and he’s holding her shoulder’s protectively and telling her “whatever you need.”
You can tell that Rose’s line, which she said in the promo, while she was laying in bed, was supposed to come up during her discussion with Elena about Damon’s bedroom. But I have to wonder where Tyler’s line was supposed to be. Given that the pair (Tyler and Caroline) only shared two scenes together this week (one at the barbecue, and the second on the porch) I wonder if there was supposed to be a THIRD scene between them. If so, it would have had to have occurred either BETWEEN the two we saw, or AFTER Tyler kissed Caroline.
Speaking of Forwood, now I think about it, there was a THIRD scene in the promo — where Caroline bangs her head against the wall, after getting TWO kisses in one day — that seemed to have also been left on the cutting room floor.
Geez, were ANY of those preview scenes for The Descent actually in the episode? 🙂 Those folks in the CW promo department are such COCK TEASES! Anyway, even if we didn’t see the scenes on our TV screen, we KNOW that they DID happen, in TVD world. And there’s a bit of satisfaction in that, at least. 😉 We may just have to wait until the Season 2 DVD comes out to be able to see them . . .
Thanks for dropping by and commenting, despite being so ill, mak! Speaking of which, a very special someone would like to send some “Get Well Wishes” your way . . .
🙂
OMG! I am seriously sobbing over here *and OUCH it hurts*! That scene is where the whole “Woobie” thing came from! TY!
*speaking of teases–isn’t next week supposed to be the infamous bathtub scene? See ANY of it in the promo?*
Hey mak! Oh, it’s IN THERE! 🙂
The infamous Tub Scene is not in the short promo, unfortunately. However, there’s a sliver of it in the “extended” one, that the CW just released this morning. If you go back to the bottom of my recap, I actually just replaced the short promo with the new one. So, you can check out Damon and What’s Her Face, necking in the bubble bath, there, if you wish. 🙂
(Just pretend he’s in there with YOU, instead of HER. It will make watching the scene MUCH more pleasant. Trust me! 🙂 )
Thanks for the extended promo heads up–I had only watched the short one they ran on TV last nite. Ah, what a relief!
Oh, and btw, I did know about the pneumonia–I met him in person in November *Yes, Lord!* and he is totes the sweetest person you will ever meet (personality-wise as well as eye-candy wise)!
OMG, mak! You MET HIM, and got to speak to him for a long enough time to discuss his walking pneumonia! I’m SO JEALOUS, both of the opportunity, and your obvious ability to keep your head, while standing so close to beauty and greatness. 😉 If I met him, I’d probably say something dumb and incoherent like, “Ahhhhhh, you’re hot. I luuuuuve you!” 🙂
My blogging friend, Amy (over at imaginarymen.wordpress.com) and I will actually be heading to the TVD Eyecon conference in Atlanta in March. But Ian hasn’t signed on to it yet. 😦 (Paul, Steven, and Michael T will be there though! :)) It’s still a few months away however. So, there’s a chance I might get to meet the legend as well . . . or at least, see him in person. 🙂
So happy you guys are getting to go to Eyecon–it is, of course, the talk of the Twitterverse, where I hang out mostly (@mak75231–ingenious, huh). Sadly, I will not be going since I’m committed to a little soiree in November (where it is guaranteed He hangs out as well, since he’s their honorary chairman). No, not a stalker, just an adoring fan! I’m sure more cast members *wink* will sign up as it gets closer–gotta feed the frenzy!
For the record, the first time I met him I couldn’t even get out incoherent words–I laugh now when I read the blogs I wrote about my Hot Topic adventure–yes, you are a blithering idiot the first time! I managed to maintain the second time (no thanks to the whispered “it’s okay” in my ear *dead*) And also yes, even better in person!
Well well,
I really don’t think that I could possibly say anything more than has already been said. Aside from the fact that I’m probably the only one who cried when Damon had to kill Rose. I was crying for him sure, but I was also crying for her. I actually found myself quite attached to her. She’s the only being (outside of Katherine and Elena) that I’ve noticed so far, had the ability to touch Damon’s inner humanity. To get him to care. Enough that he actually cried . It was heart wrenching but also touching. — She was right in my opinion, they both were pretty similar in certain ways and not just in the sense of running away when you start to care.
They’re also similar in that they both missed humanity, it haunts them both. But it’s not just that, there’s something else entirely. Rose doesn’t think she matters , Damon for some reason continues to convince himself that he’s not good enough to matter — But both of them did. Rose mattered to Damon, Damon matters to several. For some reason, both of them feel that they have to be completely isolated, yet together they weren’t so alone. — I started shipping them pretty hard in this last episode. However, I’m still a Delena Fan. Although, I’m a bit more of a Stelena shipper than I am of a Delena shipper. I’m starting to enjoy the thought of Damon and Elena as well and I would actually adore seeing what happened if Damon ever admitted his feelings for her again, or if she somehow remembered.
But while enjoying the possibly Delenaness, I would be so sad about the lack of Stelena because they are still by far my favorite couple. As for Matt/Caroline and Tyler/Caroline — I adored Matt and Caroline but I think that I adore Tyler and Caroline more, I would love to see more of them.
I’m also a bit disappointed by this episode too though, I was really looking forward to the scene between Rose and Elena — “I care about Damon, but I love Stefan.” — “It’s okay .. you know? .. To love them both.” I was also really looking forward to the moment between Tyler and Caroline “Whatever you need .. I’m here for you.”
At least Caroline’s “Everyone needs to just STOP kissing me.” was there, I had been really anticipating that one [: I still wish they hadn’t cut the other scenes but hopefully they’ll be in deleted scenes on DVD.
ALSO does anyone know what Damon is saying in his little monologue with Elena toward the end? Elena: “You feel guilty.” — Damon: “*says something I can’t understand* — And I’m NOT human. You’re one to talk about giving up, That’s all you’ve done is give up.”
It’s that little piece before he goes into “And I’m NOT human..You’re one to talk ..” — that I’m trying to figure out what he’s saying. Unfortunately I can only watch it online, so the quality isn’t the best. If anyone has the answer to that, I’ll be SUPER happy [:
D: You were supposed to leave.
E: I did. But then I came back to make sure that you were okay.
D: I appreciate the gesture. I’m just glad it’s over.
E: You know I don’t believe that.
D: Go home, Elena. Get some rest. It’s a whole new day tomorrow.
E: Damon, I’m your friend
D: I’m well aware of that
E: And a friend usually knows when their friend is hurting.
D: What do you wanna hear? That I cared about Rose? That I’m upset? Well I didn’t, and I’m not.
E: There you go. Pretending to turn it off. Pretending not to feel. Damon, you’re so close. don’t give up.
D: I feel, Elena. Okay? And it sucks. What sucks even more is that it was supposed to be me. Jules was coming after me.
E: You feel guilty.
D: That would be human of me wouldn’t it, Elena, and I’m NOT human. You’re one to talk about giving up. That’s all you’ve done…
Need anymore?
You are the BEST, mak! That’s positively perfect! 🙂
Thanks so much for taking the time to transcribe all that. I’m sure a LOT of people will be copying and pasting your transcription to their personal computers, and re-reading it many times over. (I may be one of those people ;).)
Hi BrittanyMarie! Thanks so much for your input. I’ll get to your intriguing Rose analysis in just a moment. But first, I wanted to answer your question. When Elena “accuses” Damon of feeling guilty for letting Jules bite Rose, and not him, Damon says, “That would be human of me, Elena. And I am NOT human!”
The line was a bit garbled (probably because Ian was sick that day 😦 ). However, you can hear it pretty well in this video:
(This video actually has ALL of the Damon and Elena scenes in it, as opposed to just the one you are seeking. However, it’s pretty high quality. And the scene I like to refer to as the Delena Hug scene, to which your referring, can be found at around 5:24.)
As you know, I was probably one of the staunchest Rose Haters around. 🙂 That being said, I really like your take on the character. I found it extremely enlightening and insightful.
I do think that Damon felt a connection to Rose, because they both shared the same “secret,” namely, a desire to return to humanity. They also, both coped with that secret, in the same way, by not allowing people to get close to them.
Given their similarities, Rose did have a unique understanding of what made Damon tick. She also understood ELENA’S feelings for Damon, in a way that Elena hasn’t really been able to yet. This is why that deleted scene would have been SO NICE to see. And it probably would have ingratiated Rose to me, in a way that the episode, as it was, couldn’t.
For me, I felt like Rose made her “I love life” speech multiple times. And it got a bit redundant. If one of those monologues could have been replaced for the “It’s OK to love them both,” line, that would have made me VERY HAPPY.
(You know, SO many people noticed the “deleted scenes” in this episode, that I can’t help but wonder whether the CW did this INTENTIONALLY to sell the Season 2 DVD. It would be a pretty ingenious marketing tactic. Don’t you think?)
As for Stelena versus Delena, I definitely think that the writers will eventually explore the Delena relationship. They’ve built it up too much not to do so. And it has such a large fan following. But Stelena has a large fan following too.
If Elena was to eventually start dating Damon, I don’t think her interaction with Stefan would just cease to exist. Just as Elena still interacts with Damon, even though she is dating his brother. I believe that Elena and Stefan will still share some sexually tense scenes together, if and when the proverbial shoe goes on to the other foot. This love triangle is so complex, that the writers would be remiss to forget either side of it, for any extended period of time.
As for Caroline, I have become a STAUNCH Forwood fan in recent months. But I do suspect that Caroline’s and Matt’s relationship will be explored more fully in coming episodes, particularly, since Tyler is undoubtedly about to turn his back on Caroline for at least a little while.
Right now, it’s hard for me to root for a Caroline and Matt relationship, because he knows SO LITTLE about the person she’s become. So, I feel like a lot of their relationship would be superficial at this point. But I guess, if Matt FINALLY gets clued in to what’s going on in Mystic Falls, that can change, particularly if he helps Caroline cope with what’s going on between her and Tyler. Then again, if TYLER is mad at Caroline for the secrets she kept from him, can you IMAGINE how pissed off Matt’s going to be when HE finds out all that he’s been missing for TWO YEARS?
You’ve definitely provided me with some food for thought BrittanyMarie. That’s what’s so great about this show. We all can watch the same hour of television, and come up with so many different opinions and interpretations to chew over and discuss. Few shows have the power to do that like TVD does! 🙂
THANK YOU SO MUCH Mak and Kjewls!
My day has officially been made being able to see the Delena scenes in synch , no slow out of synch lip movements or body movements. That’s the only thing I miss about t.v. is the HD quality whereas online sometimes it pauses a lot or even is just super out of synch or very laggy. So this youtube vidlet made my day and my night (as repetitive as that just sounded, I do hope my point was understandable. haha)
I was very pleased to be able to see some good quality Damon-Deliciousness ❤ I've been stuck in bed a-lot today after not being able to get to bed until about 6:30 this morning with the aide of some much needed aspirin. Unfortunately, I randomly came down with something last night that had me spending most if not all of the night on my bathroom floor with a blanket and pillow despite not being able to actually sleep until the aforemention 6:30am rolled around. And then I was left with a very ucky and sluggish feeling this afternoon after some much needed rest and an extremely sore throat, so much so that swallowing water is a bit of a task because it hurts ]:
ANYWAYS. Dr. Damon ❤ Mmm , that was definitely a helpful feel-good remedy, despite the fact I'm still feeling horribly ucky. Moving on though!
Ian was sick too? Poor guy ]: Seems like there's something going around I guess. He did extremely well for being ill. I think the reason the words were garbled is because I was watching the episode here, http://vidxden.com/52gtmvwfd9up/the.vampire.diaries.s02e12.hdtv.xvid-fqm.flv.html .
And it just wasn't the best quality but at least I was able to view it.
Yes, I became well aware you weren't much of a Rose fan when reading through the recap and comments haha. [: Glad that I could offer a bit of a different perspective for her you! I found myself incredibly sad that she was being killed of (I won't lie, some of that was due to my inner TVDgeekerfan squealing in my brain "Not yet! The scene you've been waiting for hasn't happened yet! She can't die yet! DAMN IT!" ) But a good portion of it was that I did find myself actually becoming attached to her.
Like you said, they shared a connection. It wasn't quite the connection he shares with Elena that has been exhibited from the very beginning when she takes off her vervain necklace and tells him to compel her if he has to but that he can trust her and she -will- help him find Katherine. ❤ I think that was one of my absolute favorite scenes.
But back on the subject of Rose, I have to agree I would have LOVED that scene .. I had been waiting and waiting and waiting for it and then it wasn't even there! ugh. Anyways, I failed to acknowledge it in my own perceptions of Rose and why I adore her but yes, She -does- understand Elena's feelings in a way Elena doesn't even seem to understand them yet. Which like you said .. that scene would have given a lot of insight into that and would have been well worth including. CW IF YOU'RE READING. INCLUDE THE IMPORTANT SCENES NEXT TIME DAMNIT ]:
I do understand how the "I love life" speech could have seemed a bit redundant but perhaps that was the point? Elena while I love her more than anything, is a very strong willing, stubborn, independent, and thick-headed girl. Maybe the redundancy was Rose trying to gain some sort of a breakthrough with Elena? Wouldn't that have been a nice little surprise ? ❤
(If they did leave those scenes out intentionally , I do have to agree it's a good marketing tactic I will most definitely be buying the DVD set. I have to yet to purchase Season 1, but I'm trying to hold myself back. To show a little bit of self control haha [: — I'm waiting because I'm hoping that a very, very, long time from now when the Vampire Diaries is over (god-forbid) and no longer airing anything more than a few old re-runs, there will be a new box set for me to add to the shelf with my BTVS and ATS box sets [: — While I am growing a tad more than desperate to just buy the first season already so that I have something to rewatch during breaks and hiatuses, I'm still very much stuck on waiting and just purchasing the full box sex when it eventually comes out. )
Before I move onto the Stelena/Delena bit, I do have to say that as for Rose's "I love life" scenes. One of those was actually one of my favorite scenes in this episode. It's the one where Damon is holding her in his arms and they share a very short teasing banter. "Who'd of thought you'd be a nice guy?" — "I'm not nice. I'm mean. I like it." — "You lie." ❤ I adored that but I also very much adored her dream state as ridiculous as she looked, the connection they shared in her dream was something that just tugged at my heartstrings. I loved it. Especially. "Thank you..The pain's gone."
That to me just made me fall in love with Damon even more. Because my understanding is that , he made her as comfortable as he possibly good, trying to ease into the process before he'd have to kill her. And what he did for her, the comfort, the humanity and compassion of it all … (*sigh* I love you Damon Salvatore) , I also adored the playful little ending of the dream "Want to race?" "You'll lose" "I'm older and faster." "Oh yeah? Well I'm controlling this dream, Maybe I'll cheat." — It seriously felt like along with Damon's little smirk, should have been a little poking out of his tongue as well. BUT anyways, that scene … that back and forth of his comforting her to the best of his ability to outside of the dream where Damon's true colors are showing and he's -actually- crying about it .. that was beautiful to me. I loved it.
Honestly, I half expected Elena to be standing in the door way, there as always to comfort Damon in his time of loss. Just like she was when Katherine wasn't in the tomb.
Anyyways moving on to Stelena/Delena.
I will be all too happy to see the Delena relationship explored. My concern is that .. while I understand your point. Damon didn't have a relationship with Elena before she dated Stefan, they hadn't even met yet before she became involved with Stefan. She meets him shortly after.
Whereas if Stefan and Elena ever broke up again .. (god forbid they do, it broke my heart enough the first time) IF she did ever start to explore her feelings for Damon … There's a history now between her and Stefan because they were in a relationship. (Damon and Elena were not) , things would be awkward and heartwrenching and tearjerking. I don't know how Stefan would be able to handle it if Elena chose Damon even for a short time and I honestly as much as I adore the thought of the two of them, don't know if MY heart could take it. (I don't mind the chemistry and tension.. but honestly. If she gets BOTH brothers … I might just have to… I don't even know. I love Stefan, she can have him though. Damon… there's just something about him that calls to me. She can't have him. She just can't.) Hmph.. enough of my little tirade lol.
As for Caroline and her little triangle, Whilst it would be nice to explore both relationships, I too feel a bit more drawn to Tyler and Caroline. Even if Matt knew about her … I don't think he'd be able to get past everything she's been hiding the way that Elena was able to for Stefan and Damon. I don't think he has the capability to harbor such an understanding and actually put it behind him and care for her. (Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised, but we'll see.) Matt just doesn't seem like the kind of guy that Caroline is meant to be with .. While Tyler on the other hand has my full support now.
Matt used to but something about him has just… changed and his grip on me loosened and Tyler managed to snatch me up in his fandom. — I didn't always like Tyler but around Caroline a side of Tyler that you don't ever think would exist within him is brought out and put on display. I'm really looking forward to the next episode. Impatiently so.
As for providing you with food for though, I'm glad I could be of service to you [: Again thanks you and Mak for providing me with the missing link to my little question. — I agree entirely on the power that TVD exhibits as is clearly showcased here. It's amazing to me how my simply google search to try to figure out what Damon was saying, led me to this website somehow, and to it's comments and then led me to ask if anyone -here- knew what he had been saying. Only to meet at least two seemingly amazing fellow fans so far. — The world/internet works in funny ways.
I forgot to mention, because I just -now- noticed as I was rewatching scenes you provided me with. In the part where she says “Damon…Is she gonna die?” — It’s completely opposite from the preview. In the preview she says “Is she gonna die Stefan?” — I just now picked up on that little difference, Was I the only one who missed that?
Oh, our pleasure, BrittanyMarie! I’m so glad we found such a good quality video for us all to study and enjoy. I agree with you that it’s hit or miss sometimes on YouTube these days. And with TVD, the episodes tend to be so complex, that I’m forever looking for videos online, so that I can rewatch one scene or another, that I might not have gotten the true “gist” of on first watch! 🙂
Good catch, on finding yet another difference between the promo and the actual episode! 🙂 I think, in this case, sound manipulation may have been involved. Because, STEFAN and Elena actually NEVER discussed Rose, during that scene where he was wearing the white tank top. They only discussed Elijah (and Katherine, and Isobel). You can rewatch it here:
The only reason I could think of for the marketing department doing this, would be to give the allusion that Stefan and Elena had more interaction during the episode than they actually did? (Stefan was definitely MIA for most of The Descent. Wasn’t he?)
It just goes to show you, CW Promos . . . they CAN’T BE TRUSTED! (Now I know how Tyler feels ;).)
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My goodness my goodness. I love your recaps and everyone else who respond. I am a hardcore Delena fan from day 1 maybe a lot of it has to do with me being a Team Damon fan? Possibly and Ian Smoulderhalder…. (name given to him by the cast) makes you cheer for him, even when he is at his as he said to Rose “murdering rampage”. You know deep inside is a tortured soul. A soul even as human has always been second best even with their father, now with Katherine, and Elena. Not a fun place to be. And living for 150 years made it is easier to just numb those feelings and switch it all. Far easier and makes the eternity bearable.
Never in his wildest dream would he ever meet or even have a friendship with a human. To care enough not to kill for her. He lived all these years with the idea to save the love of his life and turned out she betrayed him never loved him. And I do think he isn’t worthy of love, and especially Elena’s love and as much as he loves her, this is the most selfless thing he can do for her, let her go. It breaks his heart but he puts hers ahead of his.
By virtue of that I find his love for Elena is at the purest form. And as many said, Delena has to be explored. They are not even a couple but I think their fans are many and I think even more than Stelena. Imagine what happens if they do. This I credit a lot to Ian and Nina. Their chemistry, crackled and pop every time they just stand next to each other. Thinking about that dance where no ne spoke but my goodness it was burning.
At the same time, it is one of those love stories that needs to grow and bloom in it’s own time. It will be epic but there is still so much obstacle to face. Damon is such a conflicted character, by far the best right now on TV. And watching him grow and fall, while all the time really want to be better. It is journey I can’t wait to watch. And Ian’s portrayal is even more delicious. It isbas if with his looks, demeanor and just those blue eyes, he was made toplay Damon Salvatore. Love him!
First, let me say, you write beautifully, Nasha. Reading this comment was like reading lyrical poetry. I must say, I’m a bit jealous of your obvious talents. 🙂
And I love your take on Damon’s character. You bring up an excellent point. For about 160 years (I’m assuming here that Damon was around 20 or 21, when he was turned in 1864), Damon has been treated as second best to his brother in all aspects. (Because clearly EVERYONE he’s ever met is blind! ;))
All his life, he’s only known rejection. And yet, through all that, he’s still held a deep love for humanity. But, in a way, humanity has rejected him too. When you think of it that way, who can blame the guy for having some “issues?”
Elena has already broken through the hard core that Damon uses to shield his emotions from everyone else, on numerous occasions. If anyone can save Damon from himself, and begin the LONG process of healing over a century and half of pain, guilt, and remorse, it’s Elena.
The question is, does Damon want to be saved? I think he does. Notice those words he said to that Poor Jessica before he ate her. “I’m not who SHE wants me to be.” He’s trying to change. And the many sacrifices he’s made for Elena and his brother are evidence of that. But like an alcoholic falling off the wagon, every time he takes two steps forward, it seems he falls three leaps back.
Stefan may be a bloodaholic, but Damon is an emotion-aholic, I think. He tries so hard to push down his emotions, that they are destined to boil over every once and a while. Just as Stefan is trying to build up a tolerance to human blood by imbibing a little bit each day, perhaps, Damon can do the same with human emotion. And I think Elena is just the woman to help him do that. Now, if we can just get her to wake up and realize it ;).
Thank you. I am glad you appreciate it because I feel many times I think faster than I type and it gets a little jumbled up. As for talent, I am so drawn to everything you wrote that I am checking out all past projects. You have a very good sense of articulating your subject that I am ended retracing them again and again.
I personally feel a Delena ending and possibly Kethan? ending is the best. As we go deeper into Katherine’s past we see why she has been running. She obviously a selfish who seemed to look for no 1. But somewhere somehow that must have been cultivated. And given who Stefan is and his vehement hatred for her, it makes for a much better love story.
This whole I am drawn to you just because, how much can you explore as a love story. Sooner or later it will get drawn out. Without the angst Damon provides, they(Stelena) are really boring. In real life sure it make sense but in real life we don’t see vampires either.
I agree with you, as much as it hurts to be second best to never being good enough. Imagine looking like Ian Somerhalder but yet always no. 2. It has to play a lot on a person’s psyche. And that made being a vampire so easy and fun for Damon. Now he has to not worry about other’s emotions, the fall out. Far easier to live. I do think Damon is an emotional creature which makes all those emotions heightened and far easier to switch off.
Now what he has with Elena is independent of the baggage they both have. Ey have really developed this genuine relationship or whatever you want to call it. She is very much drawn to him too. She won’t admit it. And she cares, she cares what happens to him not because he is Stefan’s brother but because he is Damon. She wants what is best for him. That is love. Maybe right now it hasn’t developed into “in love” but she wants what is best for him without expecting anything in return. I really do think sexually she wants him to but I don’t think she is seeing any of this right now. That miss mystic falls dance was a perfect example. She wants him, she just need to realize it. So as of right now I am enjoying them discovering what exactly they mean to each other. And Damon will fall probably many times but I am hoping each time he is inching to be better, to get better.
What in your opinion would you like to see happen if say Delena should be the end game?
Reading your recaps has become a part of The Vampire Diaries experience, haha. There are always too many funny parts to pick out. One of my favorites (and by favorite I mean I scrolled up at random and chose the first thing I saw) is your advice to Matt about watching The Vampire Diaries. “I didn’t know Mystic Falls had Candid Camera!”
http://thecountchronicles.blogspot.com/
LOL! Thanks Noelle! My theory is that Useless Aunt Jenna has actually been (1) secretly filming all the goings on in Mystic Falls; (2) converting the videos into DVD; and (3) selling them on Amazon for a HUGE profit. That whole, “I have no clue what the heck is going on,” thing she does during the show, is all an act. Oh yeah, and she’s also TOTALLY cheating on Alaric, with Big Bad Vampire Klaus.
There’s got to be SOME purpose for that character, aside from “letting Evil Supernatural Creatures into the Gilbert Household.” And being Secret Mystic Falls Documentarian is as good a purpose as any other! 🙂
Damon is the reason for pretty much everything thats happened in Mystic Falls yet nobody wants to say it but really can you be mad at a man who’s eyes make the moon jealous?
why do you we women love the bad boy types well people meet Damon Salvatore the Tortured Soul he doesn’t mean to bite your vocal cords out he is just conflicted with his emotions *swoons* I FORGIVE YOU!!!
I for the life of me cannot wait to read the recap of last nights episode ^_^
Your comment cracked me up, Janies118! Thanks for making me giggle this morning. And I agree with you 100%, Damon Salvatore could probably murder a pack of cute little labrador puppies, and I would still probably find SOME way to redeem him, both in my recaps and in my hearts. (Everybody knows those puppies were secretly plotting revenge with Vampire Katherine, anyway . . . ;))
I just wanted to make sure if you were recapping “Daddy Issues” or not?
I have a LOT of thoughts on that particular episode. Mostly circling Damon&Elena, Caroline&Tyler, and Elena&John. I’d love to read your own thoughts and hash it out with you [:
Hi BrittanyMarie! I posted my Daddy Issues recap this past Friday, 2/4. Here’s the link:
Enjoy!
BTW, if you are ever interested in looking at my recent TVD posts, try saving this link to your “Favorite” places, as it will always list my most recent TVD post on top. (Just click on the title.)
https://tvrecappersanonymous.wordpress.com/category/the-vampire-diaries/
(I will typically post TVD recaps early Friday mornings, after the episode airs.)
I hope that helps! 🙂
thanks darling! [: Just finished reading through it.
It definitely helps.
I only just watched Daddy Issues online Saturday night.
Was a bit busy during the action week ;; i went out of town to support my cousin in one of her relay-for-life cancer fundraisers so TVD was on wait til I got home unfortunately.
AMAZING episode though and I will now be taking the rest of my thoughts over to the daddy issues post [:
Thanks so much, BrittanyMarie! I look forward to reading your insights, and analyzing the episode with you. 🙂
I meant actual week lmfao. Not action xD
Looking forward to hashing out opinions as well!