A 10-year high school reunion? A high-profile celebrity murder? A “friend” of Veronica’s accused of a crime he (probably?) didn’t commit? It’s like all the best plot points of Season 1 of the series, rolled into one awesomely pint-sized package! Kind of like Veronica herself . . .
Having a Dead Girlfriend will do that for you . . .
Now, while the general film plot points are already in place, there’s still quite a bit of speculation to be had, about what sort of things we can expect to see in this film. Of course, certain aspects of the film are already a given. Here are a few things I am 100% positive will appear in the Veronica Mars Movie:
Nothing says fan-backed film like a full-on cast reunion. Obviously, no Veronica Mars film would be complete without the likes of Logan Echolls, Keith Mars, Wallace Fennel, Mac Mackenzie, Dick Casablancas, and Weevil.
But what about fan favorites, like the hilariously ruthless Vinnie Van Lowe?
But with every character we’d love to see return to the series, there are a few we’d just as soon relegate to the video vault, never to be seen again . . .
Like, for example, almost all of Veronicas and Logan’s annoying (why even bother trying) temporary love interests . . .
2) Celebrity Cameos that (hopefully) do not include Paris Hilton
Though the Veronica Mars cast was mainly comprised of young, talented, unknowns, who were still waiting to get their feet wet in Hollywood, quite a few well-established actors made notable appearances on the show, including, but not limited to . . .
Leighton Meester . . .
Kevin Smith . . .
Paul Rudd . . .
Michael Cera . . .
Alyson Hannigan . . .
and Joss Whedon . . .
We already know from Rob Thomas that Logan will be dating a pop star. Wouldn’t it be great if a real-life pop star took on the role, in a self-deprecatingly exaggerated version of herself? Someone like Carly Rae Jepsen, perhaps, or Taylor Swift, maybe even Britney Spears . . .
One of the things I always adored about Veronica Mars as a character, was her distinctive voice. When done incorrectly, voiceovers can be an annoyance, distracting from, and hindering the main plot, with needless exposition. But, somehow, Rob Thomas managed to make Veronica Mars’ voiceovers a welcome, and necessary, addition to the series. They made you feel closer to the main character, almost like you knew her personally. I’m hoping that Thomas opts to continue this trend, during the film.
4) Oodles of Super Sweet (but not too sappy) Daddy / Daughter moments
Most shows geared toward a teen audience tend to substantially minimize the roles of any character over the age of 30. Parents usually exist on these shows, solely as an impediment to the action of the main plot. They ground the characters, to prevent them from going to the parties they need to attend. They disapprove of their significant others. They razz them about their grades and poor school attendance.
Not so, for Veronica Mars. As a young P.I., adults were an integral part of Veronica’s world. They were her clients, suspects in her cases, and, sometimes, they were her friends. But no adult was more important to Veronica’s life than her father, Keith Mars. There was just something so real, and authentic about this daddy/ daughter relationship. Unlike many TV parents, Keith Mars was a good dad. He cared about his daughter, and related to her, not only as a guardian, but also as a friend, confidant and colleague.
Now, that Veronica herself is an adult, I can only imagine that her and Keith Mars will come to regard one another even more as equals. And I look forward to seeing their relationship develop, during the film.
5) Flashbacks, flashbacks, and more flashbacks . . .
Since one of it’s main characters was a corpse . . .
Veronica Mars was a TV series that spent a lot of time in the past. Hazy, dreamlike flashback scenes, became a mainstay of the show, often offering important insight into current character motivations, and, sometimes, even invaluable clues for solving the murder mystery at hand.
Considering that The Veronica Mars movie will be taking place ten-years after the series’ conclusion, I suspect we will be treated to plenty of flashbacks that will fill in the blanks as to what Veronica, Logan and company have been doing during all these long, lost years . . .
6) Off the charts LoVe sexual tension!
Ahhhh, LoVe . . . sweet, sensual . . . dysfunctional, destructive . . . LoVe. It’s no secret that I’ve always been a big fan of this pairing, which still ranks right up their in my uber competitive list of the Top Ten TV Couples of All Time.
LoVe fans were left with a bit of an ambiguous ending for this star-crossed duo, in the series finale of the show, which left off with the characters definitively separated from one another, but still making googly eyes at one another from across a crowded lunchroom . . .
Based on the premise of the film, Veronica and Logan have not yet experienced their happily ever after. We learn right off the bat, that Logan has been in as series relationship with someone else. And Veronica’s love life, for the time being, still remains a mystery.
But with a 10-year high school reunion looming large over their heads, and Logan in desperate need of Veronica’s sleuthing services, one can only imagine that this scorching couple will be falling into one another’s orbits once again. And we all know what happens when these two come into close contact with one another . . .
Here are a few other VM plot points that may / or may not make their way to the silver screen:
1) A Surprise Mac / Dick Coupling?
She’s a cynical computer whiz, raised by a blue-collar family, despite having come from silver spoon roots. He’s the arrogant, airheaded son of a white collar criminal, and the brother of a murderous sociopath.
A match made in Heaven, this was certainly not . . . And yet, there was just something about these two that made you wonder if Rob Thomas was contemplating coupledom for them, had the series continued on for a fourth and fifth season.
Perhaps, The Veronica Mars Movie will enable these polar opposites to finally attract . . .
2) A Ghostly Lily Visitation?
Though virtually unknown as an actress prior to receiving her role as the mysterious, complex, and deeply flawed, Dead Best Friend Lily on Veronica Mars, Amanda Seyfried is now, pretty much a household name, having landed major movie roles in films like Mean Girls,Les Miserables, and the critically acclaimed television series, Big Love.
When your character is killed off a television show, bringing you back for the reunion is always a challenge. But if there is a way to do it, rest assured Rob Thomas will find it . . .
Given how heavily Veronica’s FBI aspirations were featured in the show, and how much time she spent working as a private investigator for her father’s firm, I was a bit surprised that that Rob Thomas ultimately decided to make her a lawyer. For one thing, it’s a pretty hefty departure from Thomas’ original ideas for the show’s fourth season.
I’m thinking there’s a sob story behind this radical career change. And if that’s the case, there’s a strong possibility that Veronica’s film happily ever after might set her back on her original path . . .
Speaking of Happily Ever Afters . . .
4) Love for Keith Mars
From alcoholics to married women to Wallace’s mom, Keith Mars was no stranger to messy, doomed, relationships. Will The Veronica Mars Movie finally bring TV’s Favorite Dad his perpetual Plus One? Here’s hoping . . .
Movie makers are artists. But they are also, to some extent, hired hands, who are struggling to earn a paycheck, just like the rest of us working stiffs. I’m sure you’ve all read the stories about the film creator who was forced to compromise his vision at the hands of the Big Studio Suits, whose hands were holding the purse strings. Substitute those four or five Big Studio Suits for 55,000 intense TV fans, and you’ve got an idea of what Rob Thomas is up against, when he’s deciding how to properly conclude the Veronica Mars saga.
Given that, I honestly can’t imagine a scenario in which Rob Thomas doesn’t conclude this film with a Veronica and Logan Happily Ever After. And, I for one, am THRILLED that this is the case . . .
But here’s the thing, when you care about a TV couple, as much as I care about Veronica and Logan, you want what’s best for them. So, my hope for this story, is that the inevitable Veronica and Logan reunion is written in such a way that feels authentic and true to the characters . . . not like something that was just slapped on to the end of the movie, because the writers felt like that was what fans wanted.
Obviously, a Veronica and Logan coupling is going to have complications, given the amount of offscreen time, during which they’ve presumably been apart. And, of course, let’s not forget, the whole, “Logan’s Got a Dead Rockstar Girlfriend” thing . . .
Of course, we’ve survived Logan’s Dead Girlfriends, before. Despite Lily remaining a strong presence in both Veronica’s and Logan’s lives, the writers somehow managed to make the development of Veronica’s romance with her dead best friend’s ex-boyfriend feel genuine and not cheap. But can lightening strike twice in this spot, especially when so much time has past?
All fingers crossed . . .
So, tell me, Veronica Mars fans, what kinds of things are YOU expecting / hoping to see in the upcoming feature film?
Greetings, Upper East Siders! So far, this season of Gossip Girl has been quite the bittersweet one for us Chair fans. On the sweet side, we have Chuck and Blair displaying just as much love, adoration, and passion for one another, as they always have. Each time they were together on screen was more electric than the one before.
Even when Chuck and Blair were apart from one another, it was clear that they were never far from one another’s minds. Donut Dan Humphrey, perhaps, said it best, when he said of the pair, “You two have some strange force field effect on eachother. Physicists should study it.”
All of the amazing things Chuck did this season . . . from adopting Monkey, to becoming active in local charities, to sacrificing his own happiness for Blair’s . . . Donut Dan’s . . . and even that cyborg asshat, Louis-bot’s . . . he did them out of love for, and in honor of, one very special Queen B.
As for Blair, her continued doubts about her relationship with Louis, and whether the so-called fairytale ending she had finally earned was all it was cracked up to be, all seemed to lead her back to Chuck Bass. It was his face, she sought out, at the end of nearly every episode. It was his voice she needed to hear on the phone. It was his hand, she wanted to caress her face, when all hope seemed lost . . .
What’s amazing about seeing Chuck and Blair together in Season 5, is how much they both have grown, both as individuals, and as a couple, since Gossip Girl premiered, back in 2007. Both have had their hearts broken, more times than they can count. Their experiences have made them somewhat less impulsive than they used to be, and less willing to give their hearts to others, out of fear that their love won’t be returned.
But these same experiences have also made them kinder, gentler, more selfless people. Chuck and Blair started the series as headstrong, manipulative, somewhat selfish individuals. Now, they are adults, who are ready to enter into a mature, honest, and intimate relationship with one another, and maybe even start a family together.
It sounds pretty perfect, right? But, alas, all was not well in Chair-land this season. First of all, we were saddled with that marble-mouthed, personality-free cyborg, Louis-bot . . . the only character capable of uniting Chair and Dair fans in mutual hatred.
He ate up precious Chair screen time with his inexplicable verbiage, lame schemes, and ridiculous 8:54 apologies for whatever odious thing he did to Blair that week.
Due to his presence, and the existence of his evil spawn inside Blair’s belly, Chuck and Blair were frustratingly tentative, throughout most of the season, about sharing their true feelings for one another.
And when Chuck and Blair finally did receive their much awaited, and deserved happy reunion, it was ripped away by a nearly fatal car crash. Thus proving that these two long-time lovers are just as starcrossed, as they always have been.
I guess some things never change . . .
But the holidays are not a time for regrets, complaints, or petty accusations. They are time for spreading happiness, limo sex and for giving and receiving love and bar-mitzvah sex.
And in that spirit, I proudly present to you, my dear Chair fans, my picks of the Top Ten Chuck and Blair Moments from Season 5, so far . . .
10. “I wanted to move on, to give you the happy life that you deserve.”
Episode: “Rhodes to Perdition” – 5 x 9
Setting the Scene:
Blair’s realization that Chuck has returned the engagement ring he once bought for her, causes our Queen B to have some shocking and disheartening revelations about herself, and her relationship with Chuck . . .
Video:
Potent Quotables:
CHUCK: “Dr. Kirby thought you were upset I returned the ring.”
BLAIR: “He has too many PhD’s. They cancel each other out and make him a moron.”
CHUCK: “I returned it because you asked me to let you go . . . I wanted to move on to give you the happy life you deserve.”
BLAIR: “All this time, I’ve blamed you for pulling me into the dark. But I was wrong. It was me who brought out your dark side. And now that I’m with Louis, I’ve done the same to him. I’m sorry.”
Why it made the list:
It is quite fitting that Blair begins this scene tasting cakes, as pastries have always played a major role in Chuck’s and Blair’s sex life . . .
Blair claims that she can’t enjoy her cakes because Louis-bot has lost his sweetness. How do you lose something you never had? However, I can’t help but wonder whether it is her fear that she has lost Chuck’s love for good that is messing with her appetite. After all, he always did like to eat her pies!
It’s interesting how Blair initially tries to deflect the seriousness of the conversation through casual banter, and witty insults. Conversation avoidance is typically Chuck’s forte. But, in this instance, it is Chuck who demands a serious conversation between Blair and him. He knows that Blair was hurt by his confession that he returned her ring, and feels more than a bit guilty about causing her pain. But I also think a part of him is a teensy bit hopeful. Deep down, Chuck likely recognizes that the reason Blair got so upset over the fact that Chuck returned the ring is that she is not over him.
I’m awed by Chuck’s maturity throughout this scene, and how honest he is with Blair about his feelings. Chuck has no desire to manipulate Blair’s feelings for him, as he has done in the past. He only wants her to be happy, even if that secretly makes him miserable. Chuck knows that no matter how many rings he leaves on the doorstep of Harry Winston to get stolen by homeless people he will always love Blair, more than life itself.
But, at this point, Chuck believes that Blair can only be happy with Louis. And so, he says what he needs to say, to ensure that happiness. It’s the type of blatant self-sacrifice we will see from Chuck, again and again this season . . .
But Blair misconstrues Chuck’s words terribly, interpreting them in a way Chuck never imagined that she would. She begins to blame herself for Chuck’s and Louis-bot’s foibles. And the anguish on her face, is mirrored by Chuck, the moment he realizes he has unwittingly caused her to feel this way. It’s a sad scene . . . one that represents just how star-crossed Chuck and Blair truly are. But it also illustrates their unbreakable bond, and how invested these two individuals are in eachother’s feelings and emotions.
9. Those pesky match-making squirrels . . .
Episode: “Memoirs of an Invisible Dan” – 5 x 4
Setting the Scene:
Reunited for the first time, since Blair announced that she was pregnant with Louis-bot’s spawn, Chuck and Blair undoubtedly worry that things might be awkward between them. So, Chuck’s best friend, Monkey, plots with a few Chair-shipping squirrels to help break the ice . . .
BLAIR: “Isn’t Humphrey becoming quite the drama queen?”
CHUCK: “Isn’t that usually your role?”
BLAIR: “I prefer drama princess now.”
CHUCK: “How are you, by the way?”
BLAIR: “I’m OK. Thanks for asking.”
CHUCK: “I’m sorry . . . squirrels. Should we?”
Why it made the list:
With all the heartache and angsty moments these two have endured over the years, it’s nice, every once in a while, to see a light-hearted, dare I say, cute moment between them. I remember watching the pregnancy reveal in 5 X 3, and wondering how Chuck and Blair would react to one another, when they saw eachother again. Would they be cold? Awkward? Distant?
It was refreshing to see Chuck and Blair be so completely at ease with one another, despite the obvious subtext between them. And I applauded the pair for being able to make, what could have been a terribly uncomfortable moment, oddly normal, filled as it was with easy jokes, friendly familiarity, witty familiarity, and, of course, mild flirting. Already, Blair is starting to notice that Chuck has matured, in his staunch refusal to reveal Dan’s secret. She’s clearly impressed with him . . .
And yet, once again, as in the prior scene, it’s Chuck that brings the conversation to a deeper level. He places an affectionate hand on Blair’s arm, as he asks her how she’s doing, with a look in his eyes that is a mixture of concerned and loving. The pregnant and subconsciously maternal Blair, gently moves her hands toward her stomach, before she replies, a subtle implication that she knows exactly to what he’s referring.
When Blair thanks Chuck for asking, on the surface, it’s a banal response, one that anyone would make, if someone asked them how they were doing. But the look Blair gives Chuck when she says it, shows that she is expressing gratitude, not just for Chuck’s words, but that he has the courage to resume their relationship, and continue to support her, even though she is carrying another man’s child. We’ll see that gratitude expressed again, in a more significant way, later on in the season.
Everyone’s favorite guest star, Monkey, has been a secret Chair fan, ever since he comforted Chuck, after his fateful encounter with Blair at the end of episode 3. So, it is no surprise that the canine Bass is a little schemer, just like his owner. It’s certainly no accident that he went after those squirrels, in such a way that Chuck would have to pull Blair close to him, in order to hold on to the leash, and keep his pregnant lover from falling on the concrete.
Thanks to Monkey, Chuck literally sweeps Blair off her feet, in such a way that the two are both smiling, blushing, and eye-goggling eachother, long after Monkey has been set back on the straight and narrow. Chuck Bass is always so cool, calm, and collected. This is why some of my favorite Chair scenes arise when Chuck seems to lose his composure. The shy, and goofy way a red-faced Chuck mumbled a shy apology over the squirrels, warmed my heart, because it shows just how smitten he still is with Blair, even after all these years.
Blair may have wanted Chuck to murder those butterflies in his stomach, back in Season 1. But here we are, four seasons later. And they are clearly alive and well . . .
8. Blair and Chuck attend couple’s therapy
Episode: “Rhodes to Perdition” – 5 x 9
Setting the Scene:
In complete denial of the obvious-to-everyone-else-but-her fact that the reason her relationship with Louis-bot is failing so miserably, is that she is head-over-heels in love with Chuck, Blair tags along on one of Chuck’s therapy sessions. While there, she hopes to unlock the mystery of why Chuck is so awesome, and Louis-bot is so awful . . .
Video:
Potent Quotables:
BLAIR: “I was a teenage bulimic and my father came out when I was fifteen. This isn’t my first analysis.”
SHRINK: “Are you saying that you want your fiancé to be more like Chuck?”
BLAIR: “No! More like the man Chuck’s become. Like Louis used to be when Chuck was like Louis is now.”
SHRINK: “If you don’t mind me saying so, you seem confused.”
And later . . .
CHUCK: “But I did let go of you, Blair . . . if you don’t believe me, call on Harry Winston. The night of The Spectator launch, I left the engagement ring I bought you on the doorstep and walked away.”
Why it made the list:
At first, this scene seems as though it’s going to be played mainly for laughs. Chuck, clearly aware of how patently ridiculous it is that his non-girlfriend has decided to attend therapy with him, teases and taunts Blair, by using most of his therapy time to wax poetic about Monkey’s self-pleasuring tendencies. (Any hope of Monkey getting a love interest, next season, Josh Schwartz?) And yet something tells me Chuck’s real therapy sessions are much more juicy, and decidedly Blair-centric.
From Chuck’s perspective, it’s interesting that he refrains for as long as possible from telling Blair about returning her ring, presumably because he knows it will hurt her feelings. And yet, when he is finally goaded into revealing this pertinent information, he seems both surprised and cowed, by how much his confession affected her. It’s almost as if, a part of Chuck believed that Blair wouldn’t care at all about the ring, because he doesn’t yet consider himself worthy of her love.
As for Blair, she never expected that Chuck’s transformation had anything to do with letting go of her. And the mistaken realization that Chuck might truly be over her, devastates her in a way that she never expected. Leighton Meester is spectacular in this scene. Her body stiffens in shock, as her eyes well up with tears. It’s almost as if she’s experienced the death of a loved one. But what she’s really experiencing is what she believes to be the death of love.
Blair tries to act casual about this discovery, when she excuses herself. But the way her voice cracks, as she escapes the room, says everything about what’s going on in her head and heart. She’s not fooling anybody, least of all, herself . . .
7. “Do you think you could love another man’s child?”
Episode: “Riding in Town Cars with Boys” – 5 x 10
Setting the Scene:
Hiding away in Brooklyn, so that those nosy paparazzi won’t realize that her pregnant fingers are now too fat for her wedding ring, Blair struggles over why she can’t commit to her robot fiance. Seeking closure or perhaps an opportunity to escape this sham of a marriage, Blair calls the one man, who can help her get in touch with her true emotions: Chuck Bass . . .
Video:
Potent Quotables:
BLAIR: “I need your advice. It seems as you’ve found your way, I’ve lost mine.”
CHUCK: “I didn’t think Blair Waldorf could get lost.”
BLAIR: “Neither did I, but I’m so lost I wound up in Brooklyn.”
CHUCK: “There are worse places. This isn’t something Humphrey can help you with?”
BLAIR: “No . . . only you . . . Do you think you could love another man’s child?”
CHUCK: “Why are you asking me this?”
BLAIR: “I’m paralyzed. I can’t move. I can’t breathe. You have to help me.”
CHUCK: “I can’t make this decision for you, Blair. You’re the one who has to live with it.”
BLAIR: “But, what’s the right choice, Chuck?”
CHUCK: “I can’t imagine it would be a mistake to marry the father of your child. Right?”
Why it made the list:
What’s interesting about this scene, is that it takes place entirely over the telephone. So much of Chuck’s and Blair’s relationship is conveyed through their body language, and facial expressions. When they are face-to-face with one another, knowing what is truly in eachother’s hearts comes easily to Chuck and Blair. It is second nature to them.
But while on the phone, Chuck and Blair cannot look in eachother’s eyes when they speak. They can’t touch one another. They can’t see how eachother or standing, or read the tears in eachother’s eyes, or the devastation in eachother’s posture. And this causes them to have a miscommunication of tragically epic proportions.
However, as viewers, we get to see Chuck and Blair, as they engage in this conversation. And this gives us the unique opportunity to read the subtext of their words, which they, themselves, cannot see. For example, Blair’s voice, when she asks Chuck for help, and jokes about being in Brooklyn, is deceptively subtle, and lighthearted, though we know, from the way she is seated on the couch, that it is taking all her will, not to break down.
Chuck responds in an equally light-hearted fashion. But the sad look in his eyes, when he speaks shows fans how hard it is for him to carry on a casual conversation with someone he loves more than life itself, and yet knows he cannot have. When Blair asks Chuck if he could love another man’s child, we see how nervous she is . . . and how tentative. This is incredibly hard for her. We know what she wants Chuck’s answer to be, even if she’s not ready to admit that to herself.
As for Chuck, on one hand, his heart swells from hearing this question. It is the one Chuck has secretly wanted Blair to ask him, ever since she told him she was pregnant back in Episode 3. On the other hand, a part of him feels as though fate is playing a trick on him, as though it is too good to be true. “Why are you asking me this?” He asks, with just a hint of nervous accusation in his voice.
This is when Blair breaks, she admits to being paralyzed, and torn up by fear and indecision. She needs Chuck to give her the permission to leave her marriage, and save her from herself. Now, Chuck can clearly hear the anguish in Blair’s voice, and it hurts his heart. It takes all his will not to hang up the phone, rush over to Brooklyn, take her in his arms, and never let go. And, perhaps, if Chuck could look Blair in the eyes, and see his love mirrored back in her, that’s exactly what he would have done.
But he doesn’t see her. And a voice in his head is nagging him to keep his feelings to himself. He doesn’t know yet, how much Blair still loves him. He worries that she will resent him, if he takes her away from the father of her child. So, he says what he thinks is the “right” thing to say . . . He gives her up. Even though he has to bite his quivering lip, when he finishes speaking to keep from breaking down.
Now, Chuck and Blair are both more lost than before. But, fortunately, not for long . . .
6. Blair tells Chuck she’s pregnant / helps him to feel again
After sacrificing his own happiness, so Blair could marry Louis-bot, Chuck escaped to Los Angeles, hoping to lose himself in booze and beautiful women. But the old tricks, don’t seem to work for Chuck now, as he finds himself shockingly devoid of the ability to experience any sort of human emotion. He reacts by throwing himself into increasingly dangerous situations, hoping that the physical pain he suffers will somehow translate into an emotional one. But Chuck isn’t experiencing physical pain, either.
Chuck’s new bestie, Humpty Humphrey, has spent the entire episode, trying to get him to feel something. However, in the end, only Blair Waldorf holds the key that unlocks Chuck’s heart . . .
Video:
Potent Quotables:
BLAIR: “I need to talk to you.”
CHUCK: “I thought we said everything we needed to say, last time we saw each other.”
BLAIR: “Chuck . . .”
CHUCK: “Is this another misguided attempt by Dan to get me to feel something?”
BLAIR: “I’m pregnant. It’s Louis’. I didn’t want you to find out from someone else, and wonder if the baby was yours.”
CHUCK: “That’s very considerate.”
BLAIR: “Yes . . . well . . . if I know anything about Chuck Bass, it’s that fatherhood isn’t part of the lifestyle.”
CHUCK: “You must have been very relieved when you realized you weren’t carrying my offspring. It certainly would have derailed your fairytale.”
BLAIR: “This fairytale is complicated.”
CHUCK: “Blair, meet my dog, Monkey.”
BLAIR: “I saw Gossip Girl. I thought you got rid of him.”
CHUCK: “I just sent him to get fixed. I thought it was the responsible thing to do.”
And later . . .
BLAIR: “There is a part of me that really wanted it to be yours.”
Why it made the list:
In the telephone scene, Chuck and Blair spoke volumes to one another. But they could see one another, and, therefore, missed the painful emotions behind the words. Conversely, in this scene, up until the very end, Chuck and Blair actually say very little to one another. The conversation is polite, cordial, and even a bit cold. If a conversation like this was done over the phone, it could have singlehandedly wrecked Chuck’s and Blair’s relationship. But because Chuck and Blair can see one another, and know what eachother are feeling, during the conversation, it actually strengthens the bond between them.
When this scene first aired, it was the first time Leighton Meester and Ed Westwick had shared the screen together, since the season 4 finale. Chair fans waited with baited breath for the couple to reunite, over the long summer hiatus, and through the first two epsiodes of the season. It made their actual reunion that much more epic, emotionally-charged, and meaningful than it perhaps would be, otherwise.
When Chuck first lays eyes on Blair, his eyes widen, as if he doesn’t quite believe she’s really there. Though they’ve spent months apart, it is quite clear, in that first moment that Chuck’s and Blair’s love for one another hasn’t diminished. “I thought we said everything we needed to say the last time we saw eachother,” Chuck says, coldly.
He’s protecting his heart. He doesn’t want Blair to hurt him again. Blair’s utterance of his name in response, is a plea, that he take down his walls, and open his heart, so that he can really hear what she has to say. It melts him a bit. But his guard is still up. He still thinks her presence in his apartment is too good to be true. He thinks it’s a ploy or a trick of some sort.
But that all changes, when Blair admits tearfully that she’s pregnant, and that the baby is not his. He’s clearly heartbroken, as is she. They know how one another are feeling. And yet, they still exchange cold pleasantries, maintaining the falsehood that Blair still wants her fantasy life with Louis-bot, and Chuck still wants to live life as a perpetual bachelor.
Once again, this conversation is in danger of ending very badly for Chair. But in comes Number One Chair fan, Monkey, at just the right moment. His presence makes Blair realize how much Chuck has changed, and it softens both of their hearts. Because, really, who could be angry, in the presence of an adorable dog. I think it’s the presence of Monkey, that enables Blair to make the heartfelt admission that ensures the future of Chair, “There’s a part of me that really wanted it to be yours.”
Clearly, Chuck feels the same way. You can see it in his eyes. But he says nothing. Instead, he bids Blair a polite goodbye, and waits for her to depart, so that he can finally breakdown. Blair’s confession has awakened Chuck’s ability to experience pain and emotion. She’s saved his soul, and broken his heart, in a single moment. Fortunately, Monkey is there to pick up the pieces . . .
5. “You are the lightest thing that ever came into my life.”
Episode: “Rhodes to Perdition” – 5 x 9
Setting the Scene:
Having learned that Chuck’s shocking transformation took place, only after he committed to giving her up for the greater good, Blair has come to the devastating conclusion that she brings out the evil in the men that she dates. Knowing this to be patently false, and unable to allow the woman he loves to be so down on herself, Chuck goes to Blair’s bedroom to comfort her . . . .
CHUCK: “You never pulled me to the dark side, Blair.”
BLAIR: “I appreciate you trying to make me feel better. But I have my answer.”
CHUCK: “You were the lightest thing that ever came into my life.”
BLAIR: “Then, why did it take letting me go to find this whole new side of yourself?”
CHUCK: “I only turned dark and desperate, because I was afraid of losing you. You’re love kept me alive.”
BLAIR: “But you survived without me.”
CHUCK: “The worst thing happened, and I didn’t die. But I had to find a way to move on with my life. I only want you to be happy. I’m just sorry it couldn’t be with me.”
And later . . .
CHUCK: “I’m not the groom.”
Why it made the list:
Many times throughout the series, we’ve seen Blair comfort Chuck, when he needed a hug, a kind word, and a gentle self esteem boost. And though Chuck clearly cares for Blair deeply, and can can be turned into puddy at the sight of her tears, it’s rare that we see him comfort her. It’s not that Chuck isn’t sensitive to Blair needs, or that he doesn’t want to make her feel better, I think he just worries that he doesn’t have the right words to do it. Perhaps, that will change, now that the New and Improved Chuck has come to the Upper East Side . . .
It was heartwarming to see Chuck helping Blair through her devastation, by not letting her go on believing that she was to blame for his darkness or Louis’. In this instance, he knew exactly what to say to cure Blair of her misconception. And the best part about it, was that it was all true. Chuck is a much better person, for having known and loved Blair. She believed in him, supported him, and helped him to become the man he is today. And if Louis-bot wasn’t such an asshat, she’d probably make him a better person too.
It’s not at all surprising that a guest in the home, walking into the situation would assume that Chuck was the groom-to-be. Chuck’s and Blair’s romantic connection to one another is apparent even to strangers. That said, Chuck’s utter dejection when he informed the baker that he wasn’t the groom broke my heart . . .
4. Chuck and Blair play dress-up, and things get RED HOT.
Episode: “The Big Sleep No More” – 5 x 7
Setting the Scene:
Blair just can’t seem to get Chuck’s hot body epic apology out of her mind. Unable to accept the fact that she’s obviously still in love with him, Blair tries to convince herself that Chuck is only pretending to be a better man, so that she will doubt her dull relationship with the Robot Prince. It’s working! Desperate for answers, Blair crashes Chuck’s Sleep No More charity event, and attempts to seduce him. By doing so, she hopes to prove, once and for all, that Chuck Bass is the same sexpot he’s always been. But the problem with seduction is that it is often a two-way street, which begs the question, “Who’s seducing who?”
Video:
Potent Quotables:
BLAIR: “Of course, you knew it was me. Was it my perfume?”
And later . . .
BLAIR: “It looks like we’re stuck . . . together . . . alone . . . amongst the masked and anonymous. Do you remember when we used to play dress-up?”
CHUCK: “How could I forget? Though, I didn’t think this was your kind of entertainment anymore.”
BLAIR: “At least I know I’m safe, locked in here with the New Chuck Bass, who has none of his old urges. I have to admit, I had a hard time believing you, at first. But now I see . . . the therapy, the apology . . . you really have changed. As warm as it’s getting in here, I can sweep the hair from the nape of my neck, without setting you off. It’s such a relief to be able to let my guard down. Oh look! They even have Red Hots. You never could resist. Do you want one?
CHUCK: “No . . . thank you.”
BLAIR: “No one is looking. Even the new Chuck Bass must have some of his darkest desires. Just a taste.”
(They kiss.)
BLAIR: (slaps Chuck) “I knew you were still the same Chuck. You thought by one fake apology, and a few charitable acts, you could get me to question, all the reasons I’m with Louis. But I was right. You are incapable of change.”
CHUCK: “It seems you know me too well.”
BLAIR: “And now, thanks to you, I am more certain than ever, that I chose the right man. Goodbye.”
CHUCK: “Goodbye, Blair.”
Why it made the list:
I suspect some readers might be surprised at how high up on the list this scene appears. After all, one could argue that everything that happens here is an act. Blair is seducing Chuck, because she wants to prove that he is still the Bad Bass she knows and loves. She thinks this will make her feel comfortable entering into her boring relationship with that Gibberish Speaking Cyborg. And, though we don’t know it, at the time the scene first airs, Chuck is playing a part as well. He’s pretending to be seduced by Blair, as a favor to Dorota, who claims it will help Blair find happiness with Louis-bot.
On the other hand, how much of this scene really was acting, and how much was real? It’s fun to try and guess. After all, this certainly isn’t the first time Chuck and Blair have used their sexual powers of manipulation on one another. (Remember the “I love you” wars, of Season 2?)
Sexual chemistry simply can’t be faked. And Chuck and Blair have it in spades, in this scene. Chuck certainly seems hot and bothered by Blair, as she dances around him, rubbing her neck, filling his nose with her scent, and taunting him with red hots. His breathing is labored when he speaks to her, and his voice is decidedly husky. As for Blair, there’s something about the way she stares at Chuck’s mouth that seems to suggest that the seduction act is working it’s magic on her, just as much as it’s working on him.
And the kiss, it seems to take Blair by surprise, even though she’s been working toward it all this time. It’s long. It’s passionate. It’s red hot. And both Chuck and Blair find themselves carried away by it’s intensity, until it becomes all-too-apparent that neither of them are acting, anymore.
Even the slap that follows, and the heated argument that occurs between the pair, seems charged with sexual energy. Watch their body language in the scene . . . the way their faces are flushed, the way their eyes dilate, when they speak to one another. After Blair storms, off, Chuck seems a bit lightheaded, like someone waking up from a trance. He’s not entirely sure what just transpired, but he knows he kind of liked it . . .
Then you remember that Chuck did all this to ensure Blair’s happiness with another man, and it makes you fall in love with him all over again . . .
3. Chuck apologizes to Blair for . . . well . . . EVERYTHING.
Episode: “I am Number Nine” – 5 x 6
Setting the Scene:
While on his Path to Redemption, Chuck decides to apologize to Blair and Chair fans for some of the less-than-loveable things he’s done to her, during the course of their roller coaster relationship . . .
Video:
Potent Quotables:
CHUCK: “I’m not here to apologize about what happened tonight.
BLAIR: “What are you here to apologize for?”
CHUCK: “Everything else. I’m sorry for losing my temper the night you told me that Louis proposed to you. I’m sorry for not waiting longer at the Empire State Building. I’m sorry for treating you like property. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I loved you, when I knew I did. Most of all, I’m sorry that I gave up on us, when you never did.”
BLAIR: “Thank you. I hope never giving up on people isn’t going to be my downfall.”
CHUCK: “It’s why you are going to be an amazing mother. You are always there for the people who you love, even when they don’t deserve it.”
BLAIR: “You know, that’s never going to change.”
CHUCK: “It’s OK, if it has to. Starting tonight, I’m going to take care of myself.”
Why it made the list:
This scene was not just a love letter from Chuck to Blair. It was also a love letter from the GG writers to Chair fans. On the surface, this was simply Chuck showing Blair just how much he had changed and grown up, over the years. By admitting, and coming to terms with all the ways in which he has hurt Blair, throughout their relationship, Chuck is saying to the woman he loved, “I am going to change for you. I am willing to accept responsibility for what I have done wrong. And I am ready to become a man, who is worthy of your love, even if you cannot bring yourself to love me in return.”
But peel back the layers, and you can also hear the writers saying to you: “Thank you for sticking by this ship, through thick and thin, even when other fans called you crazy for doing so. We know this couple has accumulated a lot of heavy baggage, over the years. And we aren’t going to insult your intelligence, by sweeping it under the carpet, and pretending that none of it ever happened. Instead, we are going to have Chuck own up to his wrongs, and try to make amends for them, not just by his words, but also through his actions. In short, we are going to reward you, Chair fans. Because, just like Blair, you don’t give up on the things and people you love.”
With the apologies out of the way, Chuck and Blair actually get to share a really sweet moment, where Chuck illustrates his admiration for Blair’s unflinching ability to stick by people she cares deeply about, even when they disappoint her. Like Chuck, we know that this will not be Blair’s downfall, but will ultimately be her salvation. It will keep her strong during the tough road ahead. And the fact that Chuck told Blair that she would be a great mother, at the very moment, when she needed to hear it most . . . well, if that doesn’t warm you’re heart, you’re a soulless vampire . . .
. . . or, possibly an evil cyborg.
2. Chuck’s and Blair’s Tragic Limo Town Car Reunion
Episode: “Riding in Town Cars with Boys” – 5 x 10
Setting the Scene:
In this epic mid-season finale episode, Chuck and Blair have finally come clean to one another about their feelings for eachother. Now, along with Blair’s unborn child, they are finally ready for their much-deserved Happily Ever After. Unfortunately, those pernicious paparazzi have other ideas . . .
BLAIR: “I have to tell Louis, face-to-face that the wedding is off. He deserves at least that.”
CHUCK: “Are you sure you want to do this? I mean . . . a prince . . . a fairytale wedding. This is all you ever wanted.”
BLAIR: “No! You’re all I ever wanted. I love you. I love every part of you. I couldn’t tell Louis that he would never lose me, because it wasn’t true. You’re the one I never want to leave.”
And later . . .
BLAIR: “We can go anywhere. Switzerland has impeccable schools, or maybe Tokyo. They have opening ceremony, and great test scores.”
CHUCK: “Blair, we don’t need to go anywhere. We can raise this baby right here.”
Why it made the list:
I have such mixed emotions about this scene. On one hand, never have I seen such a joyous reunion between two people, as the one between Chuck and Blair. I mean, seriously, Chair fans. When have you ever seen Chuck so adorably giddy?
He’s like a little child, practically bursting out of his seat with happiness. His face is flushed. He’s breathing heavy. He’s babbling. His eyes are wide with excitement. He keeps touching Blair’s face, as if he can’t quite believe she’s real. We’ve waited five seasons to see Chuck like this. And it’s hard not to smile, watching him, even though we all know tragedy is about to strike.
As for Blair, it’s heartening to hear her finally verbalize her feelings for Chuck . . . the one’s we always knew she felt, but could never quite bring herself to say. Up until this point, this season, it’s been Chuck always making the heartfelt speeches, the epic apologies, the eloquent declarations of love. Now it’s Blair telling Chuck she never wants to leave him, planning for their future, talking about starting their family.
In an alternate universe, Chuck and Blair didn’t trade taxi’s with Nate that night. They avoided the paparazzi, arrived back in the Upper East Side, safe and sound, made sweet love in Blair’s bed, and woke up early the next morning to shop for baby furniture. But it our universe, Blair finally noticed the paparazzi stalking her car. And in that moment, the fantasy was shattered.
What’s in store for Chuck and Blair now, remains to be seen . . . But no matter what happens, we can always look back at this moment, and remember them as a young couple, deeply in love, and overjoyed at the prospect of spending the rest of their lives together . . .
And now, for the moment you’ve all been waiting for . . . The Number One Chuck and Blair Moment from Season 5, so far is . . . (drumroll please) . . .
1. “I’m going to love your baby as much as I love you.”
After their devastating telephone conversation, during which Chuck could not bring himself to tell Blair to ditch that bastard, Louis-bot, for his sexy self, Blair is completely inconsolate, fearing that she will never be happy again. But Matchmaker Dan has other plans for his friend and the unrequited object of his affection. And those plans involve the one man with the power to give Blair the happiness she deserves . . .
Video:
Potent Quotables:
CHUCK: “Dan arranged it for us.”
BLAIR: “What us?”
CHUCK: “The ‘us’ I should have fought for, when you called. The ‘us’ that is not just you and me, but you, me, and your baby.”
BLAIR: “Then, why did you tell me to choose Louis?”
CHUCK: “I thought it was selfish, if I was the one to tell you to break up your family.”
BLAIR: “That was the moment you chose not to be selfish?”
CHUCK: “Timing has never been our strong suit. I had it all wrong. Just because Louis is the father of your baby does not mean you should be with him. You should be with me.”
BLAIR: “Why?”
CHUCK: “Because I’m going to love your baby as much as I love you.”
And later . . .
BLAIR: “I’ve gotta get out of here.”
CHUCK: “Wait . . . I want to come with you.”
Why it made the list:
This scene truly embodies Chuck’s and Blair’s relationship. It’s as if everything we’ve endured with this couple, over the past five seasons — all the breakups, and makeups, the accusations, and the insinuations, the beautiful speeches, and the smoking hot sexual encounters — has culminated in this single moment. Finally, Chuck is ready to fight for Blair, as he promised he would, during his apology to her in “I Am Number Nine.” Finally, he is saying the things he’s known in his heart, since he fell in love with her, back in high school . . . the things he’s always wanted to say, but never had the courage to do so.
After all his soul searching, Chuck finally feels worthy, not just of Blair, but of Blair’s child, which he will love as if its his own, because it’s part of the woman he loves more than anything in the world. It’s a more honest, mature, and heartfelt, Chuck, then we’ve ever seen before. And it’s this Chuck that takes Blair’s breath away, by saying things to her, that she’s never admitted to herself, that she’s always wanted to hear.
She moves in closer to him, clutching her unborn child, and, in that moment, they cease to be indviduals, and become a unit . . . a family. The fact that Chuck doesn’t want to leave Blair’s side, even though he knows this might make them a more likely target for the paparazzi, is both romantic, and symbolic of this union. Chuck spent so much of these past two seasons apart from Blair. And he doesn’t want to be separated from her, for another minute.
If only the episode ended here, we could sleep better at night, knowing, for certain, that Chuck, Blair, and Blair’s baby lived happily ever after. And though that wasn’t in the cards for our favorite Upper East Side Couple, the fact that a perfect scene like this exists, reminds us Chair fans, that Chuck and Blair are meant to be. They’ve endured hardships, heartbreak, evil cyborgs, bland prostitutes, and so much worse, but it never shook the solid, unbreakable foundation of their love for one another. And that gives us hope for, and certainty in their future . . . together.
It’s been a good year for us Delena fans on TVD, hasn’t it? (And, judging by where things left off, next year promises to be EVEN BETTER! YIPPEE!)
After an admittedly shaky start (Jeremy Neck Snap Incident, anyone?), us stalwart D&E fans fans were eventually rewarded for our patience, with a Season 2 Smorgasbord of Tasty Delena goodness. Within just the first 10 episodes of the Season, we were treated to multiple phallic encounters . . .
. . . passionate exchanges . . .
. . . near kisses . . .
. . . and, of course, one VERY SPECIAL (but equally frustrating) declaration of love . . .
Having experienced the joy of all that, who would have thought that the scenes I just described would ultimately end up being just a precursor to all the FABULOUS Delena Decadence that was to come?
And it is for this reason that, while I had already crafted a list of the Top Ten Delena Moments of Season 1 . . . and followed that up with a SECOND list, featuring the Top Ten Moments of the FIRST half of Season 2 . . . I simply couldn’t resist writing a THIRD article, focusing on the Top Ten Delena Moments of the SECOND half of Season 2. After all, far be it for me to deny my fellow Delena fans, the opportunity to relive the ecstasy of THE FIRST KISS . . .
What follows are my favorite Damon and Elena scenes from the last eleven episodes of TVD’s second Season, starting from “The Descent,” and ending with “As I Lay Dying.” So, without further adieu, let Sweet, Sexy, and Swoon-worthy Nostalgia BEGIN!
10. “Be the Better Man, Damon.”
Episode: “Daddy Issues” – 2 X 13
Setting the Scene:
Team Save Elena (a.k.a. The Scooby Gang) has been making some questionable decisions lately. And it’s been trying Damon’s already-limited patience, BIG TIME. First, Stefan comes up with the “brilliant idea” of inviting Known Vampire Hater Uncle/Father John, and Elena’s Evil Bio Mom Vampire Isobel back to town, so that they could “join the team.” Damon and Elena don’t trust either of these two sorry excuses for parents, as far as they can throw them. However, both recognize that John might have information the two could use to defeat Klaus. “Be the better man,” Elena cautions Damon for the first time that evening, before Damon meets John at the Only Bar / Social Establishment in Mystic Falls to exchange a few words.
Damon DOES, somehow, manage to hold his tongue, when speaking to John (just barely). Not long after, however, Elena gets a call from Stefan, informing her that the werewolves (Jules and Wereoaf Brady) are holding Vampire Caroline hostage. As a condition of Caroline’s safe release, the werewolves wish to “strike up a deal.” They will return Caroline, in exchange for resident werewolf, Tyler Lockwood.
Upon hearing this, Damon, (who, up to this point, had been completely kept out of the loop, regarding the whole “Tyler is a werewolf” thing) is FURIOUS about this recent turn of events. And he is not at all shy about sharing these feelings with Elena . .
Potent Quotables:
Damon: (about Tyler) “He’s a werewolf. He needs to die. I’m willing to kill. It’s win/win!”
And later . . .
Damon: “You need to stop doing that . . . assuming I’ll play the good guy, because it’s YOU who’s asking.”
Elena: “Be the Better Man, Damon.”
And still later . . .
Damon: (to Uncle/Father John) “First Dad Duty? Ground your daughter . . . keep her here.”
Elena: “I’m coming with you!”
Why it made the list:
“Daddy Issues” was an important episode in the Delena canon, because it, in effectively introduced us to a completely different character, one who we hadn’t seen up to this point. Ladies and gentleman, meet Ponytail Elena. (She will appear again in “The Last Dance,” home to TWO MORE of our Top Ten Delena Moments. Coincidence? I think not!)
While Hair Down Elena might not be sure, at this point in the game, of her feelings for Damon, Ponytail Elena already has a pretty good idea she wants him BAD! (Remember that look of jealously flashing across Ponytail Elena’s eyes, when Andie hit on Damon for the first time? Or the look of triumph on Ponytail Elena’s face, when Damon initially rejected her?) Not unlike Katherine, Ponytail Elena knows EXACTLY what she needs to do to get her way . . .
It was interesting seeing THIS scene back -to-back with the earlier one in the episode, in which Elena instructs Damon to be “kinder and gentler” in his discussion with Uncle/Father John. In both scenes: (1) Elena pleads with Damon to be “good.” (2) He balks. (3) She asks him to be the “Better Man.” (4) He balks AGAIN, but reluctantly agrees. (5) She demands to follow him whereever he is going.
However, the DIFFERENCE between these two scenes is why this one made the list, and the previous one didn’t. Unlike in the first scene, this time, Ponytail Elena is more brazen with her manipulation of Damon. Observe how the Petrova Doppelganger gently places both of her hands on Damon’s arms affectionately, and looks up at him with her puppy dog eyes, when she asks him not to kill Tyler.
Also different from the first scene, is Damon’s reaction. All Damon has to do is take one look at Elena’s hand positioning, and he knows EXACTLY what she’s trying to do. “You need to stop doing that,” he demands, eyes blazing.
I love how Elena, naively, acts as if she isn’t aware of her manipulation of Damon “Doing what?” She asks innocently.
However, the minute he makes mention of it, Elena guiltily removes her hands from his arms. She’s no dummy, that Ponytail Elena! Damon’s response to Elena “(Assuming I’ll play the Good Guy, because it’s YOU who’s asking”) is the closest we’ve come to seeing Damon admit his feelings for Elena directly to her, ever since he told her he loved her, and compelled her to forget it, during “Rose,” back in episode 8.
And yet, the fact that Elena is behaving this way, to begin with, illustrates that she probably already has a pretty good idea of Damon’s feelings for her. When affection doesn’t work, Elena falls back on her catchphrase, “Be the Better Man, Damon,” she tells him, for the second time that evening. The phrase almost acts as a hypnotic trigger for Damon, working on him instantly. Damon will always obey this command of Elena’s, no matter how much he may hate doing so.
And why not? After all, it’s Damon’s incorrect belief that Stefan is a “Better Man” than he is, that keeps him from more actively pursuing Elena, in the first place! At this point in the series, Damon still believes he doesn’t DESERVE Elena. We see this at the end of the episode when the “Better Man” line makes it’s third appearance. “I’m in love with a woman I can’t have,” Damon tells Andie, during the pseudo-couple’s infamous Bathtub Scene. “I have to stay together (read “in control of my emotions”) to protect her, which means, I can’t be who I AM!”
As the series draws to a close, Damon will gradually come to learn how wrong he is in this assessment. But, for now, the elder Salvatore Brother will just have to rejoice in the mini victory of having let Ponytail Elena know that he has her number.
And, hey, she DID want to “come with him” to rescue Tyler, didn’t she? Only this time, Damon said “NO!”
“Nice try, Sweet Cheeks! It’s called ‘playing hard to get.’ Get used to it!”
So, you might be wondering why I included this scene at the top of my list, especially since it seems to show more of a manipulation of Damon on Elena’s part, than actual affection. Well . . . I don’t think that’s ALL it shows.
In “Daddy Issues,” more than any episode we had seen in Season 2 (at least up to THIS point in the season), Damon and Elena are relating to one another in that same super-close, married couple, type way, we witnessed during KEY Season 1 Delena episodes, like “Bloodlines,” and “Blood Brothers.” And, don’t forget, this is POST Jeremy Neck Snap Incident! So, that’s saying a lot!
Yes, they are bickering . . . and arguing . . . and Elena seems to be getting on Damon’s nerves a bit. But beneath all that, are two people who are on the same page. They understand how eachother think. And they subconsciously take comfort in eachother’s company. Why else would Elena keep following Damon around for the ENTIRE first half of the episode? Where was STEFAN during all that time? HMM?
9. Damon asks for Elena’s forgiveness
Episode: “As I Lay Dying” – 2 X 22
Setting the Scene:
Having been bitten by Teen Wolf Tyler, during his werewolf transformation, Damon believes himself to be doomed to die a painful and ugly death by were-rabies. If Rose’s rapid disease progression is any indication, Damon has a few days to live at most, and just hours, before he begins showing signs of dementia. Despite all this, Damon has made the selfless, but tragic, decision not to inform Elena of his impending death. “The last thing [Elena] needs is another grave to mourn,” Damon tells Stefan, when his younger brother first learns of the fatal bite.
And yet Damon has one dying wish: that Elena forgive him for going against her wishes, and force-feeding her his blood, prior to The Sacrifice. (He did this, so that if Klaus, in fact, killed her, she would at least return as a vampire.)
Thanks to Uncle/Father John sacrificing his soul . . . and his life, for Elena’s, Elena was revived following the Sacrifice, and was able to retain her humanity. And yet, Elena has still not verbally forgiven Damon for his actions. In this scene, Damon arrives at Elena’s house, the morning after John’s and Jenna’s funeral, in hopes of obtaining the absolution he so desperately needs from the woman he loves more than life itself.
Potent Quotables:
Damon: “I want to apologize . . . please . . . Elena feeding you my blood, I was wrong. And I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness, but I need it.”
Elena: “And I need some time . . . maybe a lot of time.”
Damon: “Sure . . . of course . . . take all the time you need.”
Why it made the list:
This short simple scene is important, in that it functions as the first step in the journey Damon and Elena take toward mutual forgiveness, acceptance, and possibly much more, during the final episode of the series. The tragedy of this scene, as mentioned above, is that Elena doesn’t know that Damon is dying. Yet, he refuses to tell her.
Damon “needs” Elena’s forgiveness, so that he can die in peace. And yet, he doesn’t want that forgiveness to come from a place of PITY (Take THAT, Pity Kiss THEORISTS!), or guilt. In the epic words Damon himself used last season, in explaining the reason he didn’t compel Elena during the pair’s trip to Georgia, “I wanted it to be real.”
The OLD Damon might have become frustrated with Elena’s stubborness, and refusal to forgive him. (I mean, it’s not like she actually turned into a VAMPIRE, or anything!) Remember how quickly Damon started to pout and complain, when Elena refused to forgive him for the Jeremy Neck Snap Incident, earlier on in the season? But this is a different Damon from the one we knew back then. This Damon truly is “a Better Man.”
Notice how, throughout the scene, even though Damon is obviously going through a TON of personal sh*t, his focus is always on Elena. Watching her linger over Aunt Jenna’s room in the morning, Damon IMMEDIATELY knows the anguish Elena is feeling, upon seeing that bed empty. “It will get easier,” he tells her comfortingly. “Then again, you already knew that.”
And even when Elena refuses to forgive Damon, and he realizes that there is a good chance he will die without receiving that forgiveness, Damon still considers Elena’s feelings to be of the utmost importance. He even manages to smile at her, and say, “Take all the time you need,” when deep down, he knows that his own time is slowly running out . . .
The fact that Damon and Elena started the episode in THIS sad place, however, makes where they end up, by the end of the episode, all the more miraculous . . .
8. Elena rescues Damon . . . from himself!
Episode: “As I Lay Dying” – 2 X 22
Setting the Scene:
Damon’s time is running out. His were-rabies has now set in at full force. He’s feeling weak, is in an incredible amount of pain, and is beginning to have difficulty distinguishing his flashback hallucinations (featuring Katherine) from reality. That’s the BAD news.
The good news is that Damon’s hallucinations have been oddly therapeutic for him. He finally sees that he was personally responsible for his decision to turn vampire, back in 1864. Neither Stefan, nor Katherine forced him to do it. He has to find Elena, and tell her this (as well as FINALLY confess his true feelings for her), before it’s too late.
Elena needs to find Damon too. She found out about his werewolf bite from Stefan, and feels terrible about the way she treated him earlier that day. (See scene above.) Elena wants to let Damon know that she forgives him for feeding her his blood prior to the Sacrifice. She also knows that Caroline’s AWFUL mother Lizard Forbes wants Damon dead. And Elena wants badly to rescue Dying Damon from that b*tch.
Eventually, Damon and Elena do find one another. But Damon just so happens to be in the throes of one of his most vivid hallucination, when the reunion occurs . . .
Potent Quotables:
Elena: “Damon . . . come on . . . come on . . . We need to get you out of here. We have to hide you.”
Katherine: (in flashback, after puncturing her neck, and allowing blood to drip from it) “If you want it, take it. It is your choice to make.”
And later . . .
Elena: (as Damon bites Katherine / Elena) “Damon, you don’t have to do this.”
Why it made the list:
This scene works on two levels. On one, we have Damon, just hours away from death, finally coming to the realization that he is personally responsible for his decision to become a vampire. On another, we have Elena, who, after two seasons of being rescued repeatedly by Damon, finally has the opportunity to put her own life and safety on the line, to rescue him right back.
On some level, Damon and Elena have been searching for one another, the entire episode. It was Damon’s instinctive knowledge that Elena was looking for him outside, that prompted Damon to send Alaric for blood, knock out Lizard Forbes, and escape his makeshift cage in the basement of La Casa de Rich and Awesome. Likewise, it was Elena’s need to find Damon, and comfort him, during his final moments, that prompted her to break through the glass of the police station with that chair. (I wonder who’s going to end up having to pay for THAT!)
Of course, once Damon finds Elena, he shifts right back into hallucination mode, and can only see Katherine. In the hallucination, Katherine’s words to Damon are direct. She tells him that the decision to become a vampire is his choice to make. And by biting down on Katherine’s neck, and taking her blood, he makes that choice. Yet, in the present day, Damon is biting on Elena’s neck. Her words to him are symbolic too. She tells him, “You don’t have to do this.”
And though she’s referring to BITING HER, Elena’s words also apply to biting KATHERINE back in 1864. Damon didn’t HAVE to do that. He didn’t have to become a vampire. And he WOULDN”T have become one, if he hadn’t made that choice. The anguish on Damon’s face, upon waking from his reverie, and realizing that he has bitten and hurt the woman he loves, is truly heartbreaking.
But what is sweet about the scene is Elena’s reaction. Yes, Elena is in pain. Yes, Damon hurt her. But Elena isn’t angry at Damon for what he did, or worried for her own safety.
Like Damon’s actions at the beginning of the episode, Elena’s actions here are completely selfless. All she cares about is protecting Damon, and getting him to safety. The way Elena holds and comforts Damon in this scene, you can tell just how much she truly cares about him. And this show of affection is only a precursor of what’s to come later on in the episode . . .
7. Elena Comforts Damon after Rose’s Death
Episode: “The Descent” – 2 X 12
Setting the Scene:
Damon earned the ire of Big Bad Wolf Jules, when she began to (correctly) suspect that he had killed her werewolf buddy, Mason Lockwood, a.k.a. Tyler Lockwood’s Hot Uncle.
The elder Salvatore brother moved even further up Wolf Girl’s Poopy List, when he and Alaric cornered her in the Only Bar / Social Establishment in Mystic Falls, and (under the guise of hitting on her) were-rufied her drink with Wolfsbane.
Fast-forward to the next Full Moon. Jules, in werewolf form, barges into La Casa de Rich and Awesome, intent on chopping on some Salvatore skin. (Can you blame her? YUMMY!)
However, instead of sinking her teeth into Damon, Jules’ pointy choppers land smack dab on the backside of Damon’s most recent Screw Buddy, Vampire Rose.
As a result of the bite, Vampire Rose contracts some bizarre form of were rabies. (Then again, isn’t all were rabies, by definition bizarre?). Shortly thereafte, Rose, pretty much, starts going apesh*t. (She looks pretty hideous too.) Rose uses her Sick Time, constructively, by chasing Elena around La Casa de Rich and Awesome, and trying to eat her. (Personally, I prefer to spend MY sick time watching bad daytime television. But, that’s just me . . .)
When that fails, a wacked-out Rose breaks free from La Casa de Rich and Awesome, and starts chowing down on innocent Mystic Falls residents. Damon eventually finds Rose, and brings her back to the house. However, Rabies Rose’s days of eating the Good People of Mystic Falls are numbered. And Damon knows it.
Using his vampiric powers of dream walking, Damon sits Rose down in her lap, like the unruly baby she has become. Being the Generous Mercy Killer he is, Damon creates for Rose a warm fuzzy (read “extremely cheesy”) dream, in which she and he are frolicking through the meadow.
When Rabies Rose is feeling sufficiently blissed out, he stakes her, but not before shedding a few tears, on her behalf.
In THIS sweet and poignant Delena scene, Elena, having learned of Rose’s death, arrives at La Casa de Rich and Awesome to check up on Her Future Lover . . .
Potent Quotables:
Elena: “I came back to make sure you are OK.”
And later . . .
Elena: “Damon I’m your friend.”
Damon: “I’m well aware of that.”
Elena: “And a friend usually knows when their friend is hurting.”
Damon: “What do you want to hear? That I cared about Rose? That I’m upset? Well, I didn’t. And I’m not.”
Elena: “There you go, pretending to turn it off, pretending not to feel. Damon, you’re so close. Don’t give up.”
Damon: “I feel, Elena, OK? And it sucks! What sucks even more is that it was supposed to be me. Jules was coming after ME.”
Elena: “You feel guilty.”
Damon: “That would be human of me, Elena, and I’m NOT HUMAN! You’re one to talk about giving up. That’s all you’ve done is give up! Go home! There’s been enough doom, gloom, and personal growth for one night.”
Why it made the list:
You’ll notice that in this scene, unlike the ones that preceded it, I transcribed practically the ENTIRE conversation between Damon and Elena in the “potent quotables” section. That’s because every line of this scene is heavily laden with meaning. In fact, with the exception of the final scenes of “As I Lay Dying,” Damon’s and Elena’s exchange during “The Descent” is probably the most honest exchange they have with one another the entire season.
Just as, in the earlier scene I posted from the finale, where Damon instinctively knows what Elena is going through, when she stares at Jenna’s empty room, Elena, having experienced Rose’s demise along with him, knows exactly how hard it was for Damon to ultimately end her life.
We’ve seen many scenes in which Elena has pushed Damon away, for one reason or another. However, this time, it is Damon trying to do the pushing, and Elena vying for closeness.
Ahem?
But Elena makes a mistake, when she calls Damon “her friend.” Of course, she’s trying to be helpful. However, reminding Damon of their “just friends” status, during this difficult time in Damon’s life, is like rubbing salt in the wound.
(Then again, perhaps, this is a case of thou doth protest too much? Maybe Elena is already starting to feel a closeness to Damon beyond friendship, and needs to reiterate the “just friends” nature of their relationship to convince herself that this is the case? Wishful thinking on my part? Maybe . . . but maybe not. ;))
When Damon denies having any feeling about Rose’s death, however, Elena goes for the “Better Man,” card again. Though she doesn’t use those exact words, by telling Damon that he is “so close” to humanity, that is, in effect, what she is saying. And Elena is right. Rose’s death did cause a sort of emotional breakthrough of sorts in Damon.
But these emotions scare Damon, because, as he admits to Andie, in the following episode, they make him feel out of control. They also cause him to remember how much he misses being human. “That would be human of me, Elena. And I’m NOT human,” he argues. (Talk about a case of “Thou doth protest too much!”)
But even though Damon commands Elena to leave for a third time, during the scene, Elena refuses to go, without giving Damon the comfort she so desperately knows he needs. She hesitates as she turns to leave, looking at him intently for a few beats before pulling him in for a deep Full Body Hug. Elena’s show of affection surprises Damon, and, eventually moves him to tears.
But Damon isn’t the only one who needed to feel closeness in that moment. While Elena may have decided to hug Damon, in a friendly and comforting way, the look she gives him, when she pulls back from the hug, hints that she might have felt something deeper during it, than she initially expected.
For a few moments before she leaves, we see Elena stare pointedly at Damon’s eyes and lips. She does this so intently, that, the first time I watched this scene, I really did think that she might kiss him. But, alas, our first Delena kiss was still quite a few episodes away . . .
6. “I’ve got moves you’ve never seen!”
Episode: “The Last Dance” – 2 X 18
Setting the Scene:
Though he has not yet shown his “true face” to the Scooby Gang, Klaus has not been shy about expressing his desire to “capture” Elena, and use her in his Wacky Sacrifice Ritual. By compelling one of her classmates, Klaus delivers a creepy message to Elena that she should expect to “meet” him at the sixties-themed dance being held at the high school. Rather than avoid the dance (which, to be honest, would have made a heck of a lot more sense), the entire Scooby Gang, Elena included, decides to attend. Their plan is to draw Klaus out, and then kill him . . . somehow.
Needless to say, tensions are high. And no one is more tense than Elena. That is, until . . .
Potent Quotables:
Why it made the list:
Damon: “How you doin?”
Elena: “Umm . . . freaking out a bit. You?”
Damon: “Cool as a cucumber. Come on . . . remember the last Decade Dance. The vampires were all ‘Arrrghhhh’ and you were all ‘Ahhhhh!”
Elena: “Right . . . and . . . we won.”
Damon: “Yes, we did.”
Elena: “You’re good at this.”
Damon: “I’ve got moves, you’ve never seen.”
You know what I actually just noticed about this scene? (And it’s something that I had never picked up on, in the 20 or so times I watched it before hand.) There’s this little moment, before Stefan leaves to go talk to Caroline, that he gives Damon a bit of a head nod, actually ENCOURAGING him to dance with Elena!
Dear old Selfless Stefan . . . you have no idea what you are getting your “girlfriend’ into! Doesn’t Baby Salvatore know that no girl can resist a Dancing Damon?
Least of all . . . Elena . . .
Still, you might be wondering why this scene ranks so high on my list, when the ones preceeding it are so much more “emotionally intense.” But, actually, the fact that this scene WAS SO LIGHTHEARTED AND SIMPLE is precisely why it earned such a high ranking.
The Delena Dance of Season 2, much like the one in Season 1 that preceded it, allowed us a glimpse into what Damon and Elena will be like as an ACTUAL COUPLE. In just a few short seconds of grooving together, Damon and Elena, illustrate all the fun, sex appeal, wit, good humor, and understanding that is going to make Delena such a force to be reckoned with in season 3.
I love the look of shock and arousal that crosses Elena’s face, when Damon first whirls her into his chest. As we’ve seen often with Elena, when she comes in close contact with Damon, she often seems mesmerized, by his mouth in particular.
And, though Damon is trying to play it, “cool as a cucumber” (his words, not mine), we can see that he isn’t exactly immune to Elena’s charms either. There’s a brief second where Damon loses himself in the movement of the dance, and forgets all about Klaus, the Sacrifice, and all his schemes. In that moment, these are just two beautiful people who are insanely hot for one another.
That being said, when Elena openly admits to Damon that she is “freaking out a bit,” Damon immediately becomes refocused on the task at hand: Operation Cheer Up Elena! And Cheer Elena up he does, through a combination of fun, un-self-conscious goofiness . . .
. . . good humor, and logical reasoning. Damon immediately is able to set Elena at ease, and make her smile, in a way, few members of the Scooby Gang are able to do. But in addition to being really funny, Damon’s “The vampires were like Arrrgh, and you were like Ahhh,” was also a wise and reassuring statement. In other words, “We beat the bad guys before, and we will beat them again.”
Of course, once Damon has sufficiently calmed Elena down, and converted her from Brooding Damsel in Distress to Giddy High Schooler Dancing with Hot Boy, Damon ramps up the charm, dipping her, pulling her close to his body and face, and whispering seductively in her ear, “I’ve got moves you’ve never seen.”
“You’re good at this,” Elena admits breathlessly, looking very much like she wants to makeout with him right there on the dance floor.
Well, isn’t that the Understatement of the Year . . .
5. “I can’t lose you.”
Episode: “The Last Day” – 2 X 20
Setting the Scene:
Not willing to accept that Bonnie’s death (through the exhaustion of all her witch powers) is the ONLY way to kill Klaus, Elena defies the wishes of the ENTIRE Scooby Gang, by de-staking Elijah, and bringing him back to life.
Elijah claims to have a plan to save Elena’s life, while still allowing Klaus to proceed with the Sacrifice Ritual. Then, once Klaus is in the throes of a werewolf transformation, and is in a weakened state, ELIJAH will stake KLAUS with the same dagger Elena used to stake HIM in “Crying Wolf.”
The problem is that Elijah’s Big Plan to “save” Elena seems . . .what’s the right word . . . oh yeah . . . LAME! It involves some sort of Romeo and Juliet-esque elixir he cooked up, that would make Elena APPEAR to be dead, throughout the Sacrifice Ritual, when, in fact, she is really alive. Having never used the elixir before, Elijah can’t guarantee that it will work.
The idea of taking such a gamble with Elena’s life sickens Damon. So, he stalks off to his room to sulk. Elena (who LOVES Damon’s bedroom, more than any other room in La Casa de Rich and Awesome, including, apparently, Stefan’s room) immediately follows Damon there, so that the two can screw like bunny rabbits “talk.”
Potent Quotables:
Elena: “You disappeared.”
Damon: “I don’t want to hear anymore.”
Elena: “I need you to understand why I’m doing this.”
Damon: “Why? It clearly doesn’t matter what I think.”
Elena: “I’ll be FINE, Damon. I’ll drink the elixir. Bonnie will kill Klaus, and all of this will finally be over.”
And later . . .
Damon: “You think it will work . . . You WANT it to work . . . Why am I the only one who’s convinced it WON’T. There has to be another way.”
Elena: “There isn’t.”
Damon: “You are going to die, Elena.”
Elena: “And then, I’ll come back to life.”
Damon: “That is not a risk I am willing to take.”
Elena: “But I am . . . it’s my life, Damon. My choice.”
Damon: “I can’t lose you.”
Elena: “You won’t.”
Why it made the list:
I’m just full of controversial picks today, aren’t I? Here’s the scene where Damon FORCE FEEDS Elena his blood, and stakes Stefan, and I’ve got it as number 5 on my Delena list. But, hopefully, after you rewatch the scene, you will see why. You see, I feel like there’s a real parallel between this scene, and the scene that takes place between Damon and Elena at the end of “The Last Dance,” right before Elena decides to stake Klaus. (See #3 below.)
Both scenes, begin with Elena entering Damon’s room. Both scenes involve a discussion between Damon and Elena, regarding the best way to go about saving her life, during the Sacrifice.
In “The Last Dance,” Elena REFUSES to put Bonnie’s life on the line to save her own. Here, Damon refuses to put Elena’s life on the line for Elijah’s harebrained scheme. “There HAS to be another way,” each party says to the other, more or less. Both scenes climax (see what I did there?), during a moment of intense intimacy between the couple. And, just when it seems like the two are finally in agreement with one another, there’s a moment, where you see one of them making the decision to do something they know the other person will HATE.
As I mentioned earlier, Elena LOVES Damon’s room, and adores his bed. And whenever he is upset, she loves to go and find him there, so that she can “reach out and touch him.” There’s an interesting dichotomy in the scene between how close Damon and Elena come to one another, and how far away their ideas as to the best course of action remain. Throughout the scene, though Damon and Elena, both take physical steps toward one another, psychologically, they remain more far apart than ever.
Using her “Be the Better Man” trick, Elena attempts physical contact with Damon, to bring him back from the brink, when he is at his most heated. Damon is angrily and accusatorily pointing a finger at Elena, when Elena affectionately grabs his hand in both her own, bringing it closer to her face, and massaging it, as she speaks.
There’s a moment where Damon looks down at his and Elena’s now clasped hands. He knows EXACTLY what Elena is trying to do. And yet, he loves her so much, that he can’t resist her. His pointed finger relaxes into Elena’s embrace. His body posture softens, as he appeals to Elena’s obvious care and concern for his well being, “I can’t lose you,” he tells her, in all honesty.
“You won’t,” she assures him, eyes widened and dilated.
Elena really believes at this point that she has reached Damon . .. and that he will go along with whatever she says, just like he has so many times in the past. Except, sometime between Elena’s grasping of his hand, and her final promise to him, Damon comes to his decision to force-feed Elena his blood. But even as he is making this decision, a part of him knows he will live to regret it.
“Oh crap! I’m really about to f*ck up now, aren’t I?”
4. Damon revives Elena
Episode: “The Sun Also Rises” – 2 X 21
Setting the Scene:
As far as Klaus is concerned, the Sacrifice Ritual was a success. Aunt Jenna and Jules each gave up their lives as the vampire and werewolf sacrifices, respectively. As the Petrova Doppelganger, Elena also gave her “life” to Klaus, when he bit into her neck, and drained her of a significant portion of her blood.
After snapping the neck of the witch performing the ritual, Damon picks up an unconscious Elena and carries her to Stefan. But Stefan does not wish to take Elena home just yet. He wants to stay and make sure that Bonnie and Elijah defeat Klaus, once and for all.
So, Damon carries Elena back to La Casa de Rich and Awesome in his arms. At this point, her fate is still unknown. Is she dead? Will she come back a vampire, and spend eternity hating Damon for the role he played in her transformation? Or has the Scooby Gang somehow managed to find some way for Elena to return to life as a human? Damon is about to find out . . .
Potent Quotables:
Damon: “Come back as a vampire, and I’ll stake you myself. So, DON’T. Because I can’t stand the idea of you hating me forever.”
Why it made the list:
It’s hard not to see this scene as blatant foreshadowing for a future Damon and Elena union, in the truest sense of the word. I mean, who can ignore the symbolism, of Stefan asking Damon to take Elena home, himself, so that HE can stay and make sure Klaus is dead. (Shades of Stefan’s choice in the season finale, much?)
And then, watching Damon literally carry Elena through the darkness and the fire, to the safety of the home SHE owns, which is also his. Then, of course, Damon CARRIES ELENA ACROSS THE THRESHOLD of the mansion. It doesn’t get much better than that, folks!
The look of love and affection on Damon’s face, as he hovers over Elena’s unconscious body, gently running his hand across her face, and through her hair — unable to take his eyes off her for even one second — is as beautiful, as it is heartbreaking. Who WOULDN’T want a guy to look at them like that? And though the words Damon says to Elena, as he awaits her fate, might seem callous on the surface, they are actually the most romantic words he’s uttered throughout the entire episode.
Contrast these words to Damon’s “I can’t lose you,” in the earlier scene. Damon force fed Elena his blood, because HE couldn’t bear the idea of living without her. That gesture, and the thought process behind it, while romantic, is also somewhat selfish.
Here, Damon’s thoughts are ONLY for Elena. He now knows that SHE would rather die than be a vampire. And even though it would literally KILL Damon to live on Earth for even a moment without Elena, he would be willing to stake her himself, if he knew that was what she truly wanted.
Of course, there’s another aspect to Damon not wanting Elena to become a vampire. He “can’t stand the idea of [her] hating him forever.” This is also a departure from the Damon we’ve grown to know and love for two seasons. In “The Last Dance,” Damon was heard telling Stefan, that he didn’t care whether Elena hated him, as long as he was able to keep her safe.
Now, we see that this isn’t the case at all. Elena’s thoughts and feelings matter to Damon. And from now on, he will fight just as hard to protect them, as he will to protect her life.
The other part of this scene that I loved was the intimate and powerful expression on Elena’s face when she awakens from “death” to find Damon hovering over her. A commenter on my recap of this episode wisely noted that Elena died staring at Stefan, during The Sacrifice, and awakened staring at Damon. There is certainly something poetic about that.
Additionally, there lies within the meaninful look Elena gives Damon the possibility that she remembers his confession of love for her during the “Rose” episode. After all, were it not for John’s sacrifice, which, as you can see, happens AFTER Elena awakens, not before, Elena, having died with Damon’s blood in her system, would have reawakened a vampire. And VAMPIRES remember all instances of compulsion from their lives, as Caroline taught us, following HER vampiric reawakening . . .
So, does Elena remember Damon’s compulsion of her to forget that she loves him? It’s indeed possible. In fact, that very knowledge is hinted at, during the finale, and in my NUMBER 1 Delena moment of the Second Half of Season 2.
3. “I will always choose you.”
Episode: “The Last Dance” – 2 X 18
Setting the Scene:
Damon may have saved Elena’s life the night of the sixties dance, but he did it by breaking her heart . . . albeit temporarily. When Damon and the rest of the Scooby Gang learned that Klaus was possessing Alaric’s body, they determined, to their chagrin, that they had unwittingly provided him with information on their secret Klaus-Killing Weapon: Bonnie and Her Awesome Witchiness. Now AlarKlaus was after Bonnie. He wanted her out of the picture, to ensure himself a “Stress Free Sacrifice.” And he wasn’t going to let up, until she was dead . . .
So, Bonnie and Damon came up with a devious plan. Bonnie would pretend to exhaust her witchy powers, during a faux attempt at defeating Klaus at the dance. Then she would play dead . . . kind of like a dog. But the scheme had a complication: in order for KLAUS to believe that Bonnie was dead, Elena had to believe it too. And in order for ELENA to believe that Bonnie was dead, Gossip Boy Stefan couldn’t be let in on Bonnie’s and Damon’s plan either.
When Elena found Bonnie’s “dead” body in the school snack room, she was inconsolable. And when Damon arrived back at La Casa de Rich and Awesome, seeming not the least bit upset about Bonnie’s so called “loss of life,” an enraged Elena slapped him across the mouth . . . HARD. It wasn’t until after Elena almost took off his BEAUTIFUL face that Damon finally decided to come clean to the woman he would do literally ANYTHING to protect.
Damon admitted that Bonnie wasn’t really dead. She was just hanging out in a tomb with Elena’s brother “resting her eyes.” This made Elena feel like a bit of an idiot. It also gave her a good excuse to enter Damon’s room AGAIN, under the guise of “apologizing” . . .
Potent Quotables:
Elena: “I understand why you did what you did. I mean, Klaus was fooled and . . . Bonnie’s alive.”
Damon: “Here’s to duplicity.”
Elena: “Let’s get one thing straight, Damon. Bonnie will not die for me. I will not let that happen . . . We’ll find another way [to kill Klaus].”
Damon: “I hope so.”
Elena: “Look, I shouldn’t have hit you.”
Damon: “Apology accepted.”
Damon: “Let me be clear about something, if it comes down to you and the witch again, then I will gladly let Bonnie die. I will always choose you.”
Why it made the list:
Earlier, I showed you the scene in which Damon made the decision to force feed Elena his blood to save her from certain death. In my analysis of that scene I told you that it directly paralleled the scene from “The Last Dance,” in which Elena, after having an equally emotional and honest conversation with Damon, made the (as it turns out, not so hot) decision to de-stake Elijah. Like the first scene, this one worked on two levels. On one hand, it was yet another romantic bedroom scene for Damon and Elena, in which the pair let one another understand just how well they understood one another, and how much they cared for eachother. On the other, it was a deceptive scene, because, at the very moment when it seemed like the couple had come to an understanding, one of its members was plotting to do something very stupid.
It was interesting watching Damon’s and Elena’s reactions to one another throughout the scene. For instance, when Elena comes into Damon’s room, he clearly expects her to lecture him on not telling her his plans regarding Bonnie’s fake death. Aim when Elena admits that she understands exactly why he did what he did, Damon is a bit taken aback. But he is also clearly impressed by the object of his affections foresight, and understanding that sometimes the ends DO justify the means.
“Here’s to duplicity,” Damon says. (As in, “YAY, I don’t have to apologize anymore, for doing something that I don’t think was wrong at all, and would do again in a second.”)
Elena again uses her trusted tactic of initiating physical closeness with Damon to make her point about not wanting Bonnie to die. And though Damon does seem to bend a little, to Elena’s wishes (“I hope so,” he offers doubtfully, when Elena assures him that they will find another way to kill Klaus), we know that Damon’s position on the subject remains essentially the same.
Now comes the time for Elena to apologize for the Face Slap Heard Round the World . . . Elena clearly feels terrible about doing that to Damon, and wants him to know this. When just moments ago, Elena was stalwart and strong in ensuring Bonnie’s continued livelihood, suddenly she seems shy, contrite, and a smidge coquettish. As Elena apologizes, she dips her head downward, and self-consciously runs her hand through her hair.
Of course, this works. Damon can never stay mad at Elena for long. And he accepts her apology almost immediately. But then he makes the statement, that, while incredibly romantic, seals both of their fates, “I will always choose you.”
Upon hearing this, we see Elena go through a wide range of emotions in a very short amount of time. There is awe at the grandness of Damon’s remark, flattery, at the extent of his feelings for her, a deep affection for the man willing to do whatever it takes to keep her safe. It’s a powerful experience for Elena. But then . . . she SIGHS . . .
For me, the above-illustrated facial expression of Elena’s mimics the one Damon made, when he realized that he was going to force feed Elena his blood, and, in doing so, jeopardize his relationship with her. Likewise, Elena realizes that there is no way she will ever be able to convincce Damon to save Bonnie’s life over her own. And so, in this moment, she decides to de-stake Elijah.
Three times, before Elena leaves Damon’s room, we see her hesitate and turn back toward him, wanting to admit what she is about to do. There’s a big part of Elena that knows that de-staking Elijah could end up being a huge mistake. And that part of Elena wants to confess her plans to Damon, so that he can talk her out of them. But, ultimately, Elena’s desire to protect her friends . . . well . . . at least to protect Bonnie . . . wins out. And so, she leaves Damon’s room with a firm sense of purpose.
Examining this scene, side by side with the scene from “The Last Day,” even the casual viewer can see how truly alike Damon and Elena are in their way of thinging, their fierce protectiveness of others, and their courage in the face of all opposition. One thing is for sure, as a couple, these two will be unstoppable!
2. The Cuddle
Episode: “As I Lay Dying” – 2 X 22
Setting the Scene:
Having finally found a were-wolf bitten Damon, just hours away from death, Elena rushes him to the comfort of La Casa de Rich and Awesome. Huddled together in Damon’s bed, Damon and Elena silently vow to make every last minute between them count. Now is not the time for secrets.
No words can be left unsaid. No apologies can be left unspoken. No emotions can be left unburdened. But will these two intimately linked individuals — who have shared so much together, during the short time they have known one another — be able to confess their true feelings for one another, before it is too late?
Potent Quotables:
Elena: “It’s OK, Damon. I’m right here.”
Damon: “Elena, get out of here. I can hurt you.”
Elena: “No, you won’t. I’m here until the very end. I’m NOT leaving you . . . It’s OK . . . It’s OK”
Damon: “It’s NOT OK. All those years, I blamed Stefan. And no one forced me to love her. It was my own choice. I made the wrong choice . . . Tell Stefan I’m sorry, OK?”
Elena: “I will.”
Why it made the list:
As you might have noticed, Damon and Elena have been dancing around true displays of affection for one another, all season. There have been forehead kisses, hugs, hand and shoulder grabs, and even a little grinding on the dance floor. But it took Damon being moments from Death, for Elena to really give herself to him completely.
It is no accident that again, in the final moments of the Season 2 finale, Damon and Elena are huddled together in Damon’s bed. Watch as Elena lovingly holds Damon in her arms, cradling his body close to her with one arm, as she delicately blots the sweat from his brow with another.
Elena saw what Rose went through in her final hours. She recognizes the possibility that Damon, in this sickened state, could be a real danger to her. But Elena cares for Damon so much, that she is willing to put his needs before her own. And despite Damon’s pleas that she go, for her own good, Elena refuses to leave Damon’s side, even for a moment.
For Damon’s part, we can see in his eyes, how much he NEEDS Elena to be near him. And the fact that he asks her to leave, shows just as much selflessness on his part, as Elena’s staying does on hers. Because Damon has a lot to say to Elena. He has come to the realization that he is to blame for his own situation, and he needs Elena to know this before he dies. He also needs Stefan to know this.
Such is their honest relationship with one another that Elena never lies to Damon, and tells him that he’s going to survive this. She doesn’t sugar coat things for him. When Damon asks her to apologize to Stefan, she doesn’t tell him, “You can do it yourself, because you are going to live.” Rather, she just pulls him closer to her, and tells him that she will.
It’s tragic that it took a lethal illness to bring Damon and Elena to this place. Yet, it is somehow fitting. After all, Damon’s and Elena’s relationship has always been one built on intense emotions and extreme situations. And, sometimes it takes the threat of losing something to finally force you to realize that you can’t live without it.
1. THE KISS!
Episode: “As I Lay Dying” – 2 X 22
Setting the Scene:
[See description for #2 above. THIS spectacular scene takes place just one “commercial break” after THAT one. ;)]
Potent Quotables:
Damon: “This is even more pitiful than I thought.”
Elena: “There is still hope.”
Damon: “I’ve made a lot of choices that have gotten me here. I deserve this. I deserve to die.”
Elena: “No, you don’t”
Damon: “I do, Elena. And it’s OK. Because if I would have chosen differently, I wouldn’t have met you. I’m so sorry. I did so many things to hurt you.”
Elena: “It’s OK. I forgive you.”
Damon: “I know you love Stefan. And that it will always be Stefan. But I love you. You should know that.”
Elena: “I do.”
Damon: “You should have met me in 1864. You would have liked me.”
Elena: “I like you now. Just the way you are.”
Damon: “Thank you.”
Elena: “You’re welcome.”
Why it made the list:
I don’t think it was a surprise to any of you, that this ended up being my number one scene. I mean, really, could Delena fans have asked for anything more. I mean, I couldn’t have been happier, if Damon and Elena stripped naked and had their way with one another, as the final credits were rolling (which is totally how Season 3 is going to end, by the way).
Season 1 ended with Damon kissing Elena . . . except it ended up NOT being Elena, but Katherine. So, it was extremely fitting that Season 2 would end with a REAL Delena kiss. The kiss itself was beautiful. The way that Elena snuggled up close to Damon, looked lovingly at his face, and leaned over to give him a quick kiss on the lips. While it was happening, Damon awoke from unconsciousness, a real life Sleeping Beauty, with a small but beautific smile on his face. His eyes fluttered, and his mouth opened into a slight “O” shape. He wasn’t expecting this. And then, he THANKED HER, for giving him the greatest gift she could ever give him.
And yet, for many fans, there was just as much of a gift in the words that preceded the kiss, as in the kiss itself. Damon has never been much for apologies. And yet, he is able to apologize twice to Elena in this episode, once at its beginning for the force-feeding, and here, for ALL of his wrong doing throughout the two seasons. So, when Elena FINALLY gives Damon the forgiveness he has been waiting for, it is a total and complete forgiveness. Completely gone are the grudges of seasons past. Elena and Damon are finally, once again, on an even playing field.
And it is because Damon and Elena are in this open and honest place, that Damon can FINALLY admit to Elena that he loves her, and allow her to REMEMBER it, thereby completing the circle started in Rose.
Back then, Damon made Elena forget his love, because he deemed his confession, “The most selfish thing he ever did.” But Damon’s new confession of love is not in the least bit selfish, because he doesn’t expect Elena to love him in return. Heck, he doesn’t even expect to live out the hour! Damon repeats Elena’s words to him from the Season Premiere. “I know you love Stefan . . . it will always be Stefan,” but he says them with no bitterness or ire. He’s made peace with his little brother, and Elena’s love for him. He simply believes that Elena has a right to know that he loves her more than life itself. Because that kind of love is a gift to be cherished, even if it cannot be returned.
Except . . . maybe it can, because Elena’s cycle of always pushing Damon to be the “Better Man” is closed in this scene too. That ends with Elena’s declaration that she likes him now, just the way he is, troubled, headstrong, impulsive, and deeply worthy of someone’s love. The threat of losing Damon has caused Elena to realize just how much she needs him in her life. And though Damon IS in fact a Better Man than the one we met in the pilot, he is still a flawed character.
But it are these flaws that bond Damon and Elena, and will undoubtedly continue to bond them throughout Season 3, as they cope with the guilt of their growing bond with one another, in Stefan’s absence, and struggle to ascertain what they mean to one another. In many ways, “As I Lay Dying,” was an end. An end of the Season, an end of the Sacrifice, and end of a very important period of personal growth for Damon. But in many other ways, it is a turning point.
And when Damon sits up in his bed at the end of the episode, and looks at Elena with new and healthy eyes, some would say his new life is just beginning . . . and so is hers.
So, there you have it, folks: my picks for the Top Ten Moments from the final 11 episodes of Season 2 of TVD. Which ones were YOUR favorites?
P.S. Has the TVD hiatus left you hungry for more SHIPPER-friendly Top Ten Lists? If so, be sure to check out my super talented, and often hilarious, blogger pal Cherie’s analysis of the Top Ten FORWOOD moments from Season 2. Trust me, you won’t regret it! The post is made of awesome. 🙂
This past Friday, IGN Entertainment released THIS trailer, to promote an upcoming television series, based on the popular, and EXTREMELY profitable, Harry Potter book and film franchise . . .
Of course, if you recall, this past Friday was also April Fools’ Day. And the above – trailer for the new FX series, The Aurors, set to premiere this summer, ended up being a FAKE (not to mention a Big Fat F-YOU to Wizard Lovers, EVERYWHERE)!
And yet, you have to admit, if a series like this actually DID air on FX, there’s a good chance it would be fairly successful. After all, The Aurors, has all the ingredients for a television ratings darling, including:
(1) an allegiance to the Harry Potter brand, and the massive geek-chic cult following that comes along with it;
“When I wave my magic wand, millions of dollars in advertising revenue will appear, right before your VERY EYES!”
(2) a savvy nod to the world’s current obsession with All Things Supernatural;
(3) action adventure; and
Might I suggest some prune juice, Harry. I hear it helps with your . . . condition.
(4) that Crime Procedural Mumbo Jumbo, which tends to bore the STUFFING out of me, but seems to be genuinely popular among most of the American viewing public (as evidenced by the success of the 85,000 versions of Law and Order and CSI currently clogging our television sets).
Don’t shoot! I swear, I didn’t mean it!
This got me to thinking about other popular films that have the potential to make the transition from the Big Screen to Your Screen. And so, without further adieu, here are my top five picks (in no particular order) for movies I’d like to see take that oh-so-dangerous small-screen leap . . .
1) Inception
I don’t think I’ve ever had as many in-depth, and complicated, conversations about a film, as I have had about this psychological action thriller. The idea of being able to enter people’s dreams, and by doing so, altering their perception of reality, is just so inherently intriguing and ripe for discussion. And for a television show revolving around a crack team of insanely attractive and ridiculously well-dressed, “dream engineers” — hired to basically control people’s minds from the inside-out — the possibilities are literally endless.
Episodes can revolve around a different “dream hijacking” each week, or can slowly unravel an extensive “dream heist” throughout the course of the season. Of course, at the show’s core would be the brilliant, but deeply troubled, Dream Makers, each of whom has their own extensive backstory, as well as specific, but complicated, rationalizations for choosing this, admittedly morally ambiguous, career path.
Speaking of morally ambiguous career paths . . .
2) The Town
Back in September, I fell in love with a film about a small town called Charlestown, Massachusetts, where children were raised to be bank robbers, con artists, and criminals, with the same intensity and efficiency that other towns invest in growing bankers, doctors, and lawyers. Everybody loves a “brooding bad boy with a good heart” (especially when he takes his shirt off often). And The Town had a whole cast of both Brooding Bad Boys and Hard-Nosed, but still hot, Cops to love. Most notably, it had THIS GUY . . .
Oh, yeah! That’s Ben Affleck! And, upon seeing this picture, I totally took back, all those jokes I made about that awful Gigli movie. Because THIS guy could ABSOLUTELY kick my ass! Let’s find a “kinder, gentler” picture. Shall we?
That’s better!
And THIS guy . . .
A television series based on The Town would boast an extremely unique location, the likes of which has never before been depicted on television. It would also undoubtedly feature a cast of scorching hot twenty and early-thirty somethings, each with their own idiosyncrasies, family dramas, romantic subplots etc. And of course, the crime capers depicted in each episode would put the ones in those Ocean’s Eleven movies to SHAME!
Speaking of Ocean’s Eleven (and one of it’s stars, i.e. Matt Damon) . . .
3) The Adjustment Bureau
Ever wonder if the Universe has a specific plan in store for you? The Adjustment Bureau was a romantic drama / action flick that dealt with the question of “fate” and “circumstance” in a way that absolutely caters to the self-absorbed and egocentric world in which we live.
Yes, Joe and Jane Average Citizen, SOMEONE “up there” has BIG PLANS for YOU . . . and for your life. In fact, you can find those plans in a BOOK, filled with multi-colored SQUIGGLY LINES that resemble those mazes they put on the back of Happy Meals at McDonalds. (Those of you who saw the movie, know what I mean by this . . .)
Not only that, the world is crawling with Cute Men in Funny Little Hats who’s LIFE’S MISSION is to make sure that YOU reach your destiny . . .
And there’s a good chance that one of those “Cute Men in Funny Little Hats” probably looks a lot like Roger Sterling from Mad Men.
Because all of us like to believe we were put on this earth for a “reason,” and because we all find the idea of Cute Men in Funny Little Hats chasing us around the City all day, monitoring our every move, oddly appealing (or mildly creepy, whichever you prefer), a television series revolving around the titular Adjustment Bureau would likely be a fun-filled hour of escapist fantasy for the masses.
Like the Inception series suggested above, The Adjustment Bureau series would work well as either a serial drama, in which a different “guest star’s” fate was adjusted each week, or a long-running storyline, in which the future of a particularly Important Person (like the politician Matt Damon played in the film) is systematically modified in every episode to achieve a specific goal.
High concept mind benders, philosophical discussions, and crime capers aren’t your thing? Fear not! I have two more prospective television series ideas that might be more to your liking . . .
4) Adventureland
This past summer, I rented this fun coming-of-adulthood “period piece” (The film took place in 1987.) about a recent-college grad, (played by The Social Network’s Jesse Eisenberg) who, without any immediate prospects for his future, was forced to take a summer job at a small-town amusement park. Working the “ring toss” with Jesse, was none other than Twilight’s Kristen Stewart (playing a character who kind of, but not exactly, resembled Bella Swan), and 2010’s Sexiest Man Alive, himself, Ryan Reynolds . . .
Yes, I DO find every excuse to put pictures of hot, half-naked men in my blog. Thank you for noticing!
In addition to having an all-star cast of up-and-coming actors, intriguing characters, and some stellar script writing to its credit, Adventureland boasted a refreshingly fun sense of time and place.
As an 80’s baby, who spent most of the decade clad in Care Bears underwear, I’ve always been a bit jealous of those folks who actually got to experience this admittedly awesome decade as teenagers, and early 20-somethings. From the killer music, to the amazing made-for-teen movies (John Hughes anyone?), to the care free days spent making out and getting high behind the Tilt-a-Whirl at your local theme park, the 80’s just seems like it was a great time to “come of age.”
An Adventureland television series would allow us to do just that! Along with its “youngish” (and indubitably attractive), cast of characters, viewers could “travel back in time” each week, and experience the slings and arrows of early adulthood, all while enjoying a kickass soundtrack, drinking some cheap beer, and riding that old broken down Ferris Wheel for the 25,000th time . . .
5) Scream
At first blush, this one might seem like an odd choice for a television series. After all, half of the fun of watching horror movies, like Scream, is seeing the characters get killed off, one-by-one, in increasingly gruesome (not to mention, patently ridiculous) ways, while trying to figure out who the killer is, right? So, how does that translate to an entire season of small screen viewing, you ask? And I say, how does it NOT?
“Do you like SCARY movies television shows?”
Think about it. What is the BIGGEST, MOST SHOCKING, thing that can ever happen to your favorite television drama? The one thing that’s CERTAIN to get ratings buzz for your favorite program, and ensure that EVERYBODY will be talking about what they saw the next day . . . Of course, I’m referring to the DEATH OF A MAIN CHARACTER. On most shows, this Major Television Viewing Event only happens about once or twice every season (typically, around sweeps week).
But imagine the fun and excitement of MAIN CHARACTER DEATHS (along with “fun” Celebrity Guest Star Cameo Deaths”) occurring EVERY SINGLE WEEK! Nobody is safe! Everyone is a suspect! And everyone is at risk!
The “killer’s identity” would presumably be revealed in the Season Finale. Or, perhaps, the mystery could be carried over into subsequent seasons, with new cast members regularly replacing the “old dead” onces. Sure, it’s a gimic! But look how long they’ve taken to reveal that darn MOTHER on How I Met Your Mother?
OK . . . just keep smiling and pretend you actually know who “The Mother” is . . .
If they can do it, so can WE!
So, there you have it folks, five sure-fire television success stories, based on five popular films. So, which movies would YOU most like to see transition to the small screen?
ELENA: So when it comes to being super hot, and killing supernatural creatures, like it’s your job, you both get A’s. But as far as reading comprehension and following directions go? YOU TWO FAIL . . . MISERABLY!
DAMON: I am so Hot for Teacher, right now . . .
STEFAN: Is this going to be on the exam? Because I’ve been in high school for 140 years. And I’d really like to graduate some time within the next century . . .
It’s not often that you get a supernatural teen television drama, that also stresses the importance of careful READING. And yet, that’s exactly what this week’s installment of The Vampire Diaries taught us. Though the hour arguably ended “happily” unless you are Elijah, of course (I MISS MY ELIJAH ALREADY!), what happened to our Mystic Falls Scooby Gang this week should serve as a cautionary tale to all of us. And the moral of the “story” is this: Terrible things happen to people (and vampires) who fail to READ BETWEEN THE LINES . . . or, in some cases, the LIES.
In other news, all those fans out there who complained that Elena Gilbert is a “wimpy” / “whiny” heroine — who refuses to fight for herself — are currently enjoying “dessert,” right now . . .
Mmmmm . . . crow . . . yummy!
Let’s get on with the recap, shall we?
Dark Stefan – The Prequel (A Jonathan Gilbert Story)
Dear Diary,
Today I OWNED every vampire and human on this show. So, if anybody EVER compares me to Bella Swan again, I will shove my Original’s Killing Dagger SO FAR UP THEIR ASSES, they will wish they were NEVER BORN . . .
Hugs and Kisses,
Elena
When the episode begins, believe it or not, Stefan and Elena are STILL on their “Romantic Getaway” at the Gilbert Lakehouse. Even after a fun-filled evening of being stalked, shot at, and held at gun point by a bunch of rabid and drooling werewolves, Stefan and Elena somehow still remain under the assumption that they can salvage their “vacation.” Their idealism is either really inspiring, or incredibly disturbing. I’m not sure which . . .
Then again, it’s entirely possible that the only reason this couple is sticking around the Lakehouse, is that they dread sharing a car with one another, for the long ride back to Mystic Falls. After all, tensions have been high, and interactions icy, ever since Stefan found out that Elena plans to kill herself (via Santa Klaus-icide) to save the rest of the Scooby Gang from further harm. In other words, there has most certainly been NO SEX in the Lakehouse Champagne Room!
This would probably explain why I found THESE in Stefan’s underwear, last night . . .
“Scientifically” speaking, I’m not even sure THIS can happen to vampires. But if it CAN, it probably happened to Stefan at the Lakehouse . . .
Anyway, after their fight, Elena and Stefan are keeping a safe distance from one another. As for Stefan, he is out on the dock, gossiping, like a little school girl, with his Big Bro Damon . . .
DAMON: “And that Dorky Werewolf was like, ‘I’m going to kill you.’ And I was like ‘Ow, my neck hurts,’ and then Elijah was like ‘RIPPPPPP, hey Damon, wanna eat some were-hearts with me?’ And I was like ‘Cool! I still want you dead though.’ And Tyler was like ‘I’m outtie 5,000.’ . . .”
STEFAN: “Yeah, I know, Damon. I watched the episode on ITunes, last night . . .”
Meanwhile, Elena is camped out on the couch, reading the “exciting” tale of how her boyfriend once ate all her ancestors, thereby almost preventing her from EVER BEING BORN!
“W TF, Stefan! I better be getting a REALLY expensive anniversary gift, if you want to make up for this one!”
You guys have met Dark Stefan, right? You know . . . he was the guy from the “Miss Mystic Falls” episode, that aired last season — the one who ditched his girlfriend at the local beauty pageant, so that he could suck on one of her competitors.
(By the way, my personal apologies go out to the over 550 people who searched for “Stefan Salvatore Fist Pumping Gif” this morning, and were mistakenly directed to my blog by WordPress, even though I didn’t actually “own” this GIF until about two hours ago. Oops!)
Thanks to Jonathan Gilbert, and his compulsive need to write EVERYTHING DOWN, we are whisked back in time, to 1864, along with Elena. Once there, we witness Jonathan Gilbert enjoying a nice “Dinner Party” (Ahhhh . . . parallels! Gotta love em’!) with the other so-called “Founding Families” of Mystic Falls. Suddenly, there is a rustling in the trees, outside . . .
So, the “Brave” Jonathan, and another random Town-Founding Dude, head outside to investigate. Jonathan immediately whips out his trusty Cereal Box Toy Vampire Detector Watch, to determine if EVIL is truly afoot.
It’s not afoot (YAY!) . . . and then, suddenly, it is (BOO!). Within seconds, Founding Dude 2 becomes a Vampire Happy Meal. So, does Jonathan, for that matter . . .
Or DOES HE? As it turns out, in addition to being the owner of cheesy Vampire Detector Watches, Jonathan also wears an Ugly Ass Ring of Immortality. And so, he returns to life, after being eaten. This enables Jonathan to ID his killer in his diary. And I bet you can’t guess who it is? (I’ll give you a hint: His name rhymes with Mefan Malvatore.)
“Oh, Stefan! You have some ‘splaining TO DO!”
Back in Present Day, Stefan saunters back into the lake house. Apparently, his fun little conversation with Damon has done little to improve his mood. The Dude still has a MAJOR stick up his ass, over the whole “Elena Suicide Pact” thing. (Poor Schuck! He has NO IDEA of the massive sh*tstorm he’s about to walk into.)
“Still mad?” Elena asks her beau slyly.
I won’t recap for you EVERYTHING Stefan says in response, because he basically details all of last week’s episode, in his speech. However, I WILL tell you that he was dumb enough to end his monologue with “That’s the understatement of the century.” *facepalm*
“YOU would know!” Elena snarks. (Silly Stefan! You walked right into that one . . . or should I say “that pun”!)
Stefan admits that he ate the founding families because he was really hungry because he was pissed at them for what he THOUGHT they did to Katherine. He hadn’t expected Jonathan for to survive, and finger him (OK . . . that sounded dirty) for the murders. Stefan then reluctantly agrees to tell Elena all about the fabulous life / redemption arc of 1864-era Dark Stefan. After all, better she find out all the bad stuff from HIM, than from her half-chewed wackadoo ancestor!
We are then treated to a fun little 1864 taste of what it would be like if Paul Wesley was cast as DAMON SALVATORE, and Ian Somerhalder as STEFAN. (PERISH THE THOUGHT!) We see Dark Stefan chilling in his mansion (La Casa de Rich and Awesome — MY HAVE YOU CHANGED!). Evil Steffy apparently fills his days by screwing the townie girls’ little peabrains out, and then EATING THOSE BRAINS, once he’s finished screwing the bodies attached to them . . .
Enter Cockblock Damon (I can’t even BELIEVE I am using those two words in the same sentence!) with his Adorably Curly 19th Century Hair, and Judgy McJudgerson Puppy Dog Eyes . . .
Good Damon compels all Stefan’s little tartlets to leave La Casa de Rich and Awesome immediately, and never come back — thereby, effectively saving all their lives. Damon also tells his brother, in his Stefan-iest voice, that the latter’s “appetites” are going to get them both killed, if Dark Stefan is not careful.
Having grown tired of Dark Stefan, and his tendency toward emotion free screw-killings, Damon has decided to skip town ALONE. Upon hearing this, Dark Stefan shows emotion, for the first time during this flashback. Clearly, desperate for companionship, he begs his brother to reconsider . . .
“If you stay, I’ll let you eat the girl behind the Piano’s boobs!”
But Damon is far beyond putting up with his Brother’s B.S. He has already made up his mind . . .
So, a dejected Stefan heads out to a Civil War Battlefield for more Human Snacks. He comes upon a blonde chick in a hood, and tries to gnaw on her. The only problem is, she’s a vampire. In fact, she’s a vampire who WE ALREADY KNOW!
The Awkward Moment when you try to eat a girl (non-sexually, of course), and she ends up being dead . . . ish.
OMG! It’s LEXI! Remember her from the 162 Candles Episode? If not, she was Stefan’s bestie . . . who celebrated his birthday with him . . . Then, DAMON KILLED HER to cover his ass for murders HE COMMITTED!
GOOD TIMES!
Anyway, as it turns out, it was Lexi who crashed with Stefan during those dark 1864 days. And it was Lexi who taught Stefan that turning off your feelings isn’t the “right” way to be a vampire. After all, vampires with NO feelings can’t get horny FALL IN LOVE! And “love conquers all!” (OK . . . that whole speech was nauseatingly cheesy! But we like Lexi, so it’s acceptable from her . . . I guess.)
Perhaps, the most poignant moment of the flashback is when Lexi and, her future murderer, Damon, meet on the stairwell of La Casa de Rich and Awesome, as he is heading out of Mystic Falls, en route to becoming the SUPER HOT, but also DEEPLY wounded and tormented, vampire he is today . . .
Lexi prophetically warns Damon that the day will come when the anger he is feeling toward his brother for depriving him of his human life, will consume him, and lead him toward darkness. In return, Damon asks Lexi to promise to take care of Stefan, because he clearly needs it. And Lexi keeps that promise . . . well . . . until Damon kills her, of course.
You know . . . you’ve really gotta hand it to Stefan. Here’s a guy who LITERALLY murdered his girlfriend’s entire family. And, yet, he somehow manages to turn the story of how he did it into a GUILT TRIP against his girlfriend for being willing to die to SAVE HIS LIFE!
At the end of the flashback, Stefan tells Elena that HE never gave up on life, despite having once been a Sociopathic Mass Murderer, so she shouldn’t give up either. Ummmm . . . How sweet (?)
“It was a solid effort. But you are still not getting laid this weekend, you Gilbert EATER!”
Speaking of relics of the past, let’s talk about BONNIE’S POWERS!
From Bewitched to Un-witched
“When I said I was looking for a new ‘Choker,’ this wasn’t exactly what I had in mind . . .”
Oh, Bonnie! You didn’t really think you’d be able to Mind Rape Luka —
. . . son of the Big Bad Jonas Brother from Another Mother — and NOT suffer any consequences, as a result, did you? Awwww, YOU DID, DIDN’T YOU? That sucks!
When we first see Bonnie, her and Jeremy are alternating between eye f*ckery, and dancing around the issue of their little makeout session from last week . . .
After THAT KISS, and weeks and weeks of these two circling one another like dogs in heat, I REALLY can’t believe that Bonnie is STILL yammering on with her whole “What will Elena think, if I start boning her brother?” nonsense. It’s annoying!
Jeremy obviously thinks so too. But, fortunately, for Bonnie, he unlike ME also finds it endearing. For this reason, Jeremy plans to woo Bonnie by planning a not-date / date — one that expertly masquerades as “Witch Practice.”
“Damn, I’m SMOOOOTH!”
That being said, I did have a teensy weensy bit of an issue about Jeremy using thousands of friggin candles as “date decoration.” Not only is that a MAJOR FIRE HAZARD (Honestly, doesn’t the Gilbert Household have enough PROBLEMS, without you trying to BURN IT DOWN, Scrappy Doo?), it also kept reminding me of the LAST TIME Bonnie and Jeremy found themselves surrounded by similar “date decorations” . . .
Yeah . . . ummm . . . Jeremy? Last I checked, kidnapping, mind rape, and spell-induced seizures? Not exactly romantic!
Fortunately for Jeremy, Bonnie isn’t bothered by the candles nearly as much as I am. And, within moments, her and Jeremy are dry humping “channeling eachother’s energies” on the floor. (So, that’s what the kids are calling it, nowadays! ;))
*sings* “Ooh, what a feelin’! When you’re dancin’ on the ceiling!”
That’s right, boys and girls! As it turns out, Papa Warlock is not too keen on the whole “Mind Rape of his Son” thing. So, after throwing Jeremy AGAINST THE WALL OF HIS OWN HOUSE, and MAKING HIM STICK THERE, like a Giant Human Spitball, Jonas turns his attention to Bonnie, who he strangles, while chanting gibberish. “This is for your own good,” he tells her.
When Jonas finally lets Bonnie go, and Jeremy can peel himself off the wall, the latter rushes to his new gal pal’s side, to make sure she’s OK. “He took my powers,” Bonnie gasps, as if unable to believe that this is really happening to her.
(OH, BELIEVE IT HONEY! BECAUSE IT”S TRUE! A guy like Jonas, who can murder dozens of werewolves with a Headache Spell, can SURELY take away YOUR lame-ass powers, in a heartbeat.)
“I’ll get you my, Bonnie! And your Mini Gilbert too!”
All kidding aside, I actually think there is something to be said for Jonas’ seemingly throwaway comment to Bonnie that he took her powers away, for her own good. After all, we all know that WITCHES are extremely important to vampires, particularly ORIGINAL vampires like Santa Klaus, who are intent on breaking the Moonstone Curse. We also know that Jonas’ daughter is being held captive by Klaus BECAUSE of her powers. If Bonnie is just boring and annoyingnormal, she will no longer be at risk to be targeted by dangerous supernatural creatures with ulterior motives. Just sayin’!
Uh Oh! Bonnie didn’t seem to like that comment. I really hope she doesn’t give me . . . Oh wait, that’s right, she can’t do ANYTHING to me anymore, can she? Because she doesn’t have powers! HAHA! 😉
Now that we’ve gotten all THAT out of the way, on to the GOOD STUFF . . .
*ahem* Good “stuff” indeed!
Elijah Does His Best Impression of Kenny from South Park
Oh My GOD! You killed ELIJAH . . . and un-killed him . . . and killed him again! YOU BASTARDS!
When we last saw Damon, he was a bit . . . indisposed . . .
But now, our sexy vampire stud is BACK, and READY FOR BUSINESS! And this week, that “business” involves killing Elijah (TO SAVE his future girlfriend ELENA . . . WHO HE LUUUUUUVES, of course).
To do this, Damon plans to use a Special Dagger, coated with dust from a White Oak tree . . .
According to Creepy Uncle / Father John, only THIS type of dagger can kill an original vampire. But Damon (wisely, as it turns out) doesn’t 100% trust Creepy Uncle / Father John. And so, to corroborate the legend, our Lonely Lothario decides to pay a little visit to the tomb-trapped Katherine, who, admittedly, has been looking a bit, worse for wear, of late . . .
SOMEONE needs to moisturize! Oh . . . and that Bottlecap Nose Ring of yours? Not cute . . . AT ALL!
Katherine perks up a bit, when Damon feeds her some blood. However, that happiness appears short-lived, when Damon starts discussing how he plans to kill Elijah. “If you kill Elijah, I will be stuck in here forever!” Katherine lies through her fangs exclaims!
This FACE = HILARIOUS!
Damon immediately takes Katherine’s faux frightened response as confirmation that John was right. Originals CAN be killed! And this dagger is the way to kill them! With the murder weapon confirmed, Damon begins to put Phase Two of his plan into motion. He does this by compelling his new Stepford Sex Toy Andie to invite Elijah, Jenna, and Alaric all over to La Casa de Rich and Awesome for a Dinner Party . . .
“Just because I’m planning to kill you, doesn’t mean I don’t have a Massive Boy Crush on you, Elijah . . . you heartbreaking, hair-flipping stud, you!”
(Speaking of homoerotic, did anybody else notice the MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF MASCARA AND GUYLINER Alaric was wearing, this week? What was up with that?)
Don’t even TRY to tell me that’s natural! It’s NOT!
As for the Dinner Party itself, it is probably one of the most awkward, bizarre, and hysterical social events of the ENTIRE SERIES! I mean, first you’ve got Elijah . . .
. . . who’s alternating between flirting shamelessly with EVERYONE in the house (male AND female) threatening Damon and Alaric that he will KILL the entire guest list, if they try any “funny stuff” (like . . . say . . . trying to stab him with an oak-coated dagger), and spouting off lame, and incredibly BORING, historical tidbits about Mystic Falls . . .
Then, you’ve got Guyliner Alaric . . .
. . . who spends most of the dinner pouting in the corner, because (1) he’s jealous of the attention Elijah is paying to Useless Aunt Jenna (though, admittedly it’s unclear WHICH of these two people he is actually jealous OF); and (2) he is certain that his bromantic buddy Damon is lying to him, when he says that the Dinner Party is nothing more than a “fact-finding mission.” (The only FACT Damon is interested in “finding” is how much an Original BLEEDS when he dies.)
Then, there’s Useless Aunt Jenna . . . zzzzzzzzzz
. . . nd Stepford Sex Toy Andie, who Damon has probably compelled so many times that the entire frontal lobe of her brain has turned to cottage cheese . . .
*crickets chirping*
And . . . WAIT A SECOND . . . who the heck invited Creepy Uncle / Father John?
When it comes time for “dessert,” Damon coyly separates Elijah from the pack so they can have AWESOMELY HOT VAMPIRE SEX he can stab his MASSIVELY OLD guts out. And he is just about to do so, when, conveniently enough, Alaric gets a frantic call Stefan at the Lakehouse . . .
“Can you hear me now? GOOD!”
As luck would have it, Jonathan Gilbert wrote about KILLING ORIGINALS in his diary. There’s even a picture of that dagger John gave Damon in Jonathan’s writings. And under the picture it says . . . THE DAGGER CAN ONLY BE USED BY A HUMAN . . . BECAUSE IF IT’S USED BY A VAMPIRE, THE VAMPIRE DIES TOO!
OH NO! Creepy Uncle / Father John TRIED TO KILL MY DAMON by getting him to KILL MY ELIJAH! THAT BASTARD!
Could someone remind me again WHY they put THIS GUY’S FINGERS BACK ON, afte Katherine CHOPPED THEM OFF in the season one finale?
Just imagine how much TROUBLE could have been prevented, if these “little piggies” had gone into the trash compactor, like they were SUPPOSED TO!
Now, it’s important to note here, that AS SOON AS ELENA read the passage about Damon possibly dying, Stefan RUSHED RIGHT OFF TO CALL ALARIC, without reading the additional “rules” about the dagger. Granted, this might have been necessary, because, Damon was just MOMENTS AWAY from stabbing Elijah, when Alaric ran in to hand him THIS . . .
(Not that any of you care, but I have TERRIBLE handwriting, myself. So, the fact that Alaric ALSO writes like a toddler, makes me like his character SO MUCH MORE!)
Needless to say, Damon is not pleased AT ALL . . .
But then, just when you think Damon might do something rash, like murder Creepy Uncle/Father John (DO IT! DO IT! DO IT!), or start pummeling Elijah with his bare hands (which, admit it, would be really hot!), THIS HAPPENS . . .
And then Elijah starts to look like this . . .
. . . which is SO NOT A GOOD LOOK FOR HIM. And it’s a TOTAL SHOCK, because, really, this is NOT the way you would expect a BAMF like Elijah to go out. I mean, he wasn’t even standing when it happened, he was SITTING DOWN, TALKING ABOUT DULL ASS MYSTIC FALLS HISTORY, for crying out loud. He didn’t even have time to do his trademark hair flip! It would have been a travesty for Elijah to have died this way. Notice, I said “would have been” . . .
So, while Team Bad Ass members, Damon and Alaric, are giving eachother manly backslaps . . .
. . . and Alaric is whining to Damon, about how he’s his only friend (NOT TRUE!), so he should be more honest with him (well . . . THAT part is true!) . . . Stefan has finally decided to let Elena read the REST of Jonathan’s entry about the dagger. And get this: it turns out, an Original is only dead for as long as the DAGGER STAYS IN HIS BODY. ONCE YOU . . .
. . . ahem . . . EXTRACT IT . . . The Original Vampire COMES BACK TO LIFE!
So, let me get this straight . . . “pull IT out” = nothing happens
“keep IT in” = DEAD VAMPIRE FOR ALL ETERNITY
In other words, this is The Rhythm Method of Vampire Murder. . . and Alaric, who has always been a “pull it out” kind of guy . . .
. . . didn’t exactly DO IT correctly, if you catch my drift.
So, we cut back to Damon, who, after promising his BOYFRIEND that he won’t “lie to him anymore,” has returned to the basement to collect his Original Vampire Trophy.
Oh yeah, Elijah is SO ALIVE and SO MIA! (And I hate to say it, but I’m kind of glad.) I bet you can’t guess where our Undead-undead BAMF-pire went next?
That’s right, Fangbangers! A gentleman until the very end, Elijah WALKED his beautiful butt ALL THE WAY TO THE LAKE HOUSE, so that he could PERSONALLY tell Elena that, in light of recent events, all promises he originally made regarding Scooby Gang protection were hereby waived.
“You have nothing left to negotiate with,” Elijah explains, with what I detect is a genuine note of sadness. (I really think the Old Vamp had a soft spot for our Elena. And why not? EVERYBODY ELSE DOES.)
But Elena DOES have a bargaining chip. “Promise me you won’t harm anyone I love, even if they harmed you. Otherwise, I will stab myself to death with this dagger. Then Stefan will turn me. And I will become a vampire. Just like Katherine did. And you will have nothing.”
Elijah smiles, clearly enjoying this. “I’m going to have to call your bluff,” he explains.
Now, the usually calm Elijah is FREAKING THE F*&K OUT! “Yes, yes, you have the deal . . . LET ME HEAL YOU!” Elijah exclaims.
And it’s awesome seeing him unhinged like this. Somehow, Elena, has managed to get the upper hand over an original vampire, in a way that nobody else has been able to so far. HE NEEDS HER. After securing Elijah’s word that he will not harm the people she loves, a dying Elena moves toward Elijah . . . and . . . STABS HIM IN THE STOMACH WITH THE ORIGINALS KILLING KNIFE!
Now, Elijah is dead . . . for real this time . . . which, actually saddens me. I’m going to miss THIS . . .
And so will DAMON, I think! Speaking of Damon, it is at this moment that he MAGICALLY APPEARS . . .
“Just a tip. Don’t pull the dagger out,” Big Bro Salvatore notes wryly. (OH DAMON! How I love you, let me count the ways!)
Speaking of people of I love, HOW AWESOME IS ELENA! Then, after singlehandedly saving the day, our girl impresses me even further by giving her vampire men the WHAT FOR, for WRONGLY ASSUMING they knew better than she did how to handle this whole “Doppelganger” THING. “You want me to fight? I’ll fight, but you can’t keep things from me anymore. From this moment on, we do things MY WAY,” Elena demands, in a surprisingly KATHERINE-LIKE TONE.
The boys AGREE! And I’ll say it again, ELENA RULES!
Oh . . . to be in the middle of this Salvatoreo Sandwich right now!
In other news, Useless Jenna sort of /kind of dumped Alaric for being dishonest to her about TWO SEASONS WORTH OF VAMPIRE DIARIES EPISODES ex-wife Isobel and her undeath.
Maybe she’s not so useless after all . . . (Wait . . . did I just say that?)
Then, Alaric surprisingly relented and gave Creepy Uncle /Father John the UglyAss Ring of Immortality he TOTALLY DOESN’T DESERVE, warning him, “After what you did to Damon, you are going to need it more than I am.”
Be afraid, ASSHAT! BE VERY AFRAID!
Back in the AWESOME SHOWER fo La Casa de Rich and Awesome . . .
Just reminding you why it’s awesome . . . that’s all!
Damon walks in on THIS . . .
And my TEAM DELENA heart starts doing this . . .
But, of course, it’s not’s Elena . . . It’s KATHERINE! That’s right, Damon! Killing Elijah didn’t TRAP the Sexy Vamp in the tomb forever, it FREED HER FROM the Original’s Compulsion!
Remember how earlier in the season Creepy /Uncle Father John promised Katherine that he had set plans in motion to get her out of the tomb, so that SHE could help protect Elena from Klaus? Well THIS was exactly what he meant . . . killing Damon was probably just be an added bonus for HIM.
However, it happened, KAT IS NOT ONLY BACK, SHE IS MOVING IN TO LA CASA DE RICH AND AWESOME? Does this mean us Kefan fans will FINALLY get the sex scene we were so RUDELY denied a few episodes back?
Here’s HOPING!
Something tells me, Elena is NOT GOING TO BE PLEASED!
Let the Doppelganger Hijinx ENSUE! You can check out the EXTENDED version of next week’s promo, “The House Guest,” right here.
Do I sense some HOT Delena moments in our near future? I SURE DO! (Who cares if it’s a case of mistaken identity? They ARE RUBBING UP ON EACHOTHER. AND I’m HAPPY, DAMMIT!)
It’s only a matter of time!
And that’s all I’ve got folks. Feel free to sound off in the comment section about “The Dinner Party,” and/or your thoughts on “The House Guest.” Are you sad Elijah’s gone for good? Are you psyched for Katherine’s return? What is the most AWFUL TORTUROUS death to which Damon can subject Creepy Uncle / Father John? My vote is for something that involves leeches . . . and private parts. But that’s just me ;).
Poor Damon! This was really NOT your episode, was it? NO Sexy Shirtless Bathtime Fun, NO scenes with ELENA, TOTALLY SHOWED UP by Vampire Elijah, and FORCED to be the Masochist in some Random Werewolf’s Creepy S&M Fantasy. Methinks SOMEONE needs a hug, BIGTIME!
Well this was a rather eventful episode, wasn’t it? Here’s just a quick rundown of SOME of the things that happened on TVD this week: Salvatore Brothers and witches got tortured; werewolves got their hearts ripped out; we started to HATE Tyler; we began to LOVE Tyler again, and then he LEFT Elijah OWNED us all; and Jeremy and Bonnie started swapping spit.
Whew! Just thinking about it, makes me all tired and sweaty . . . In fact, you know what I need now? A SHOWER!
And THAT was the unnatural and manipulative way I managed to work Naked Damon into this recap . . . Any questions?
Prepare to have your hearts ripped out TVD fans. Because this recap is about to begin . . .
And then there were THREE . . .
It’s fitting that this episode was entitled “Crying Wolf” because most of those EVIL VAMPIRE-TORTURING WEREWOLVES finally friggin died! GOOD RIDDENS! After all, the hour’s opening moments featured Soul Crusher Jules and Wereoaf Brady tearfully preparing to BURN their dead, after last week’s Were/Vamp/Witch Showdown. Then THIS GUY appears literally out of no where . . .
And he just starts babbling on . . . and ON . .. and ON, as if we are automatically supposed to know who the f*&k he is, but we DON’T. We don’t really care who he is either. Because he’s a WEREWOLF, who is not Tyler, which, by definition, means he SUCKS ASS. Nevertheless, Random Dude played an important enough part in this episode that I am unfortunately required give him a name. So, I will: Weredork.
Anyway, Weredork helpfully informs Soul Crusher Jules and Wereoaf Brady that, since Mason was hanging out with Vampire Katherine before he croaked, and seemed intent on finding the Moonstone, one can deduce that: (1) Team Salvatore jacked the Moonstone, after murdering Mason; and (2) they are currently collecting all the ingredients they need to break the Moonstone Curse. As loyal TVD fans, we know that Weredorks assessment of Team Salvatore is only half-true. But, for now, we are willing to go with it, anyway (if only so Weredork will finally shut the hell up) . . .
Wereoaf Brady responds to this new discovery, by saying, in his typical overly simplistic Comic Book Villain way, “We can’t let that happen, even if we have to kill EVERY LAST VAMPIRE . . .”
[Insert Cheesy Maniacal Laugh Here]
(Coincidentally, here are some OTHER things Wereoaf Brady would view as justification to “KILL EVERY LAST VAMPIRE:” (1) A vampire stole his girlfriend; (2) a vampire THOUGHT about stealing his girlfriend; (3) a vampire stole his Cocoa Puffs (Thereby, driving him cuckoo.); (4) a vampire has a better Maniacal Laugh than he does; (5) a vampire has more hair than he does . . .)
From the Dog Poo-Covered Forest of the Were People, we are then transported to a much Kinder, Gentler Locale, namely Vampire Barbie’s Dream House, where Vampire Barbie, herself, is cuddled up in bed with BOTH Elena and the Witchy Bonnie. (Male Fantasy, much?)
“Hello, LADIES! Got room for one more?”
The phone rings. And Elena literally falls out of her bed and onto her rump, trying to answer it. And all I can say, is that I WISH someone had a GIF of this moment that I can share with you. Because, to me, anyway, watching Ridiculously Attractive People Fall Down (provided nobody gets seriously hurt, of course) is ALWAYS funny.
Oooh . . . wait . . . nevermind! I just found one!
Not surprisingly, Elena’s Gentleman Caller just so happens to be Stefan. (CLEARLY, this vampire has never learned the “Don’t Call a Girl’s House Before 10 a.m. on Weekends, Because She Needs Her Beauty Sleep” Rule.) Fortunately, for Stefan though, Elena doesn’t seem to mind being woken up too much . . .
Is it just me, or does the above screencap look EXACTLY like one of those Love Line ads they air on television at 3 a.m? You know . . . the ones that promise Very Lonely Men that if they “CALL NOW, for only a $1.95 a minute, they can have phone sex with Criminally Underage Females?”
Speaking of Sex Lines, as far as Phone Sex Operators go, Elena would a be a NATURAL! Observe the kittenish, and almost nauseatingly flirtatious, way in which she tells Stefan she wants to “have a Slumber Party with him,” and convinces him to drop everything, for an impromptu weekend getaway at her family’s lakehouse. Fortunately for Stefan, he’s been around long enough to recognize an Opportunity for Lots of Sex when he sees one. And so, he instantly accepts his girlfriend’s invitation.
Those of you who watched last week’s installment of TVD (and, seriously, how could you NOT HAVE? It was SO AWESOME!), know that it ended with a Wet and Soapy Damon getting hot and heavy with a certain “Action News” reporter . . .
Well, it turns out she spent the night with Damon at La Casa de Rich and Awesome. (Sorry LADIES!) The next morning, (just like Damon’s LAST Sex Toy, Caroline) we find Andie sporting a telltale new scarf around her undoubtedly vampire Hickey-covered neck, and cheerfully obeying every Damon’s every command. Before she leaves, Andie helpfully informs Damon that Elijah will be hosting a Historical Society Event in town. Damon’s curiousity is piqued by this information, because he has a TOTAL Man Crush on Elijah. (Can you blame him?)
Then, Damon catches Andie at the door, and pulls her into his hypnotic gaze, “You are falling hard [for me],” he commands. (Not that he NEEDS to do this, mind you, given who he is, and WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE NAKED).
“You may be the one,” a Tranced Out Andie agrees before exiting .
By the way, Delena fans will proudly note that Damon clearly COULD HAVE used this trick on Elena, back during “Rose,” when he first confessed his love for her. He DIDN’T, of course, because he DOES LOVE HER, and wants what they have together to remain REAL and PURE. (Regarding My Favorite TVD Scene EVER, we sort of get to revisit it, later in this episode. But not exactly in the way you might think . . .)
It’s Time for a Little Bromance!
Speaking of people who are not-so-secretly in love with Damon (See what I did there? ;)), his Bromantic Buddy, Alaric, is waiting in the wings for Andie to leave, so that the pair can engage in a much-needed Team Bad Ass Reunion . .
The two immediately begin gossiping like school girls, with Damon noting how “excited” he is to crash Elijah’s Historical Society Tea Party. “Oooh! What are you going to wear?” Alaric coos excitedly, secretly hoping that Damon has decided to wear nothing at all . . . You’re not planning to KILL Elijah at his own Tea Party, are you [ because that would just be RUDE]?” Alaric, ever the Master of Decorum, inquires with concern.
“No . . . but I think it’s time we met,” Damon replies.
Ummm . . . Damon, haven’t you ALREADY met Elijah? (And by “met” I mean, “staked his ass once. Then, a few episodes later, watched in horror, as he ripped the hearts out of two vampires at once, with the same ease, and lack of concern, with which most people take peanut butter out of the pantry.”)
Surprisingly, Damon actually DOES want to hook up with talk to Elijah, BEFORE he kills him. Specifically, Damon hopes that Elijah will let him in on his TRUE intentions regarding Elena. But, considering Elijah, is NOT THAT DUMB, it’s probably a good thing that Caroline, Bonnie and Jeremy have a MUCH STUPIDER subject from whom this information can be obtained, namely, Luka the Puke-a!
She put a spell on YOU!
That’s right, Boys and Girls! Luka (a.k.a. Wind Orgasm Guy) . . .
. . . knows what Elijah’s been hiding! (Him and Big Bad Warlock, Papa Jonas, are in cahoots with the guy, after all.) And, unlike Elijah, Luka’s not smart enough to keep all this a secret from his nemeses . . .
A Warning to Jeremy: Do NOT F*&K with BONNIE BENNETT! When her boyfriends screw her over, she gets revenge, BIG TIME. And, judging by what she did to Luka this week, if you screw this up, headaches are going to be the LEAST of your problems, Mini Gilbert!
“Is it too late to un-cancel my subscription to Match.com?”
While Caroline and Jeremy look on, with a mixture of awe, and horror, Bonnie pretty much singlehandedly (1) lures Luka into her Witchy Web . . .
. . . (2) mind-f*&ks him into unconsciousness; (3) drags him back to her house; (4) makes him have a REALLY PAINFUL LOOKING seizure (Then again . . . is there really any other kind of seizure, besides a REALLY PAINFUL ONE?)
. . . (5) puts him in a trance . . .
. . . (6) gets him to reveal information about Elijah that’s ALMOST DEFINITELY going to get him murdered; (7) and then makes him forget the whole incident ever happened . . .
Enjoy your blissful ignorance while it lasts, Luka! Because once Elijah finds out what you told Bonnie, trance or no trance, the only “more screentime” you will be getting is a not-particularly-well-attended funeral!
What we learn from Luka through this, admittedly immoral, interrogation process, is the following: (By the way, forgive me for the extensive use of LISTS in this recap. It just seems kind of necessary, given everything we’ve learned this week.) : (1) Elijah’s ULTIMATE plan is to kill Santa Klaus . . .
(2) Since Santa Klaus is OLD AS F*&K, the only way to KILL HIM is to make him vulnerable. And the only way to make him VULNERABLE, is to perform the Moonstone Sacrifice. After THAT sacrifice is performed, Klaus will be temporarily weakened. And Elijah can go in for the kill.
(3) In order for this to happen, Elena must DIE . . .
(4) Finally, not that we actually CARE, but Jonas and Luka are working with Elijah, because he promised to release Luka’s sister from Santa Klaus’ clutches, if they agreed to give the BAD ASS MO FO a helping hand.
Mind Rape of Luka completed, Bonnie promptly calls Damon to share this information with HIM, who, in turn calls Stefan. (It’s like PLAYING TELEPHONE!) Then, the Little Witch turns her attention to Mini Gilbert, whose been giving the girl Puppy Dog Eyes the WHOLE NIGHT!
“Roof-Roof, Bow-Wow”
Bonnie soon launches into another one of her ENDLESS TIRADES about why she can’t be with Jeremy. “I’ve known you forever,” explains Bonnie matter-of-factly. “I’ve seen you through your Awkward Phase . . .
. . . your Emo Phase . . .
. . . and your Druggie Phase . . .”
(Ummm . . . yeah Bonnie? Don’t act like your so special. We’ve seen all those “phases” too. They happened over the course of about five episodes . . .)
“But now, you’ve turned into this HOT GUY, who’s really sweet,” Bonnie concludes.
Mini Gilbert may be a bit younger than the rest of his Scooby Crew. But he’s NO DUMMY! He knows an INVITATION when he sees one. And so he pulls his Witchy Woman in close for a Big Juicy Wet One . . .
I’m happy for your Mini Gilbert. Really, I am. But, like I said earlier, just do yourself a BIG favor, and DON’T MAKE HER ANGRY!
Because if you do, you may not live to regret it.
Speaking of people you REALLY shouldn’t mess with . . .
Damon Gets Pinned to the Wall (and not in a good way) . . .
So, I mentioned earlier, that Damon was headed to a little Tea Party to have a little meeting with the Big Bad Elijah. Needless to say, it doesn’t go well . . .
Elijah thinks Damon should KNOW HIS ROLE (i.e. protect Elena, and otherwise, BUTT OUT!) “The moment you cease to be of use to me, you are dead. So, you should do what I say,” threatens Elijah.
Not typically one to do what he’s told, Damon is not cool with this . . . AT ALL . . . But he gets a bit cooler with it, after Elijah shoves him in to a wall, and sticks a pencil in his neck . . . OUCH!
Needless to say, it’s been a rough day for Damon, and he’s VERY MUCH looking forward to a nice relaxing evening spent having sex withgossiping with Alaric about his new girlfriend, and Elijah’s awesome hair. Unfortunately, Damon can’t relax long, because he has WERE-Company . . .
Before Damon can say, “Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf,” Alaric has been shot, and is playing dead. (Don’t forget, dude’s got the Ugly Ass Ring of Immortality on his side!)
“Jewelry is a man’s best friend!”
. . . and Damon himself has been made into a Sex Museum Exhibit, by Jules, the Weredork , and some soon-to-be-dead Were-extras . . .
Having been on the OTHER SIDE of this situation not so long ago, Damon can’t help but note the irony of it all . . .
But then ELIJAH THE AWESOME ARRIVES! Once at La Casa de Rich and Awesome, Elijah begins doing what he does best, i.e. ripping the hearts out of random pesky supernatural creatures (like Weredork), and assorted TVD extras, who are not playing nice with his new Man Friend, Damon . . .
Needless to say, this is the third time Elijah has spared / saved Damon’s life in furtherance of the promise he made to Elena back during Episode 10. Understandably, Damon is impressed and more than a bit turned on.
Unfortunately, however, Soul Crusher Jules got away, before Elijah had the chance to literally RIP HER A NEW ONE . . .
“Nah-nah, nah-nah, nah-nah, I still have my [non-functioning and black as coal] heart!”
(Elijah always did seem to have a bit of a soft spot, for the LADIES, if you know what I mean . . .)
But aside from THAT major (not to mention highly plot convenient) misstep, on Elijah’s part, most of the pesky were-losers are now dead, Alaric is OK, Damon is safe, sound, and has a brand new role model, and everyone (involved this plotline, at least) can, for now, live happily ever after . . .
Well . . . except for Useless Aunt Jenna . . .
. . . who thinks her boyfriend, Alaric, stood her up because he was “grading papers and fell asleep; and can’t understand why she’s stuck living in such a BORING TOWN! 😉
Meanwhile, over at the Lakehouse . . .
Ding Dong the Wereoaf’s Dead (and Tyler’s regretful, and Elena’s got some ‘splaining to do)
While Elena waxes poetic about her long-term future with Stefan (in a scene which is a bit snoozy, and nauseatingly Twilight-esque, but actually ends up being REALLY important . . .) . . . the EEEVVILL WEREWOLVES are plotting to ensure that the Happy Couple’s IMMEDIATE future will SUCK royally . . .
Tyler has just arrived at the Were-house. So, Weredork decides to fill him in on the whole “Moonstone Curse” thing . . .
“I know what you are thinking. You are thinking that my whole purpose in this episode is to impart all the BORING, but important, information that the characters and you need to know to understand what’s going on here. Then, I have to DIE fast, before my presence becomes too tiresome to TVD fans, predisposed to hate my guts. But, actually . . . no . . . come to think of it . . . that’s exactly right.”
Weredork dully explains to Tyler how the Moonstone Curse restricts vampires from walking in daylight (unless, of course, they have Sunscreen Rings), and forces werewolves to change during the full moon. If the vampires break the curse, they can walk around outside anytime they want (which, most of them can do ANYWAY, due to Sunscreen Rings). But, if WEREWOLVES break the curse, they can turn at will, and don’t HAVE to transform, during the Full Moon. This of course, means they don’t have to turn AT ALL, if they choose not to do so.
Tyler likes this idea, VERY MUCH! Gee, I wonder why?
Weredork also explains to Tyler that the Petrova Doppelganger, who LOOKS like Mason’s ex girlfriend Katherine, is NEEDED to break the curse. (Of course, he carefully leaves out WHY she’s needed, and what she would have to do to actually break it.) An-Eager-to-Please Tyler douchebaggily helpfully points out that ELENA is the Petrova Doppelganger, after seeing a picture of her look-a-like Katherine. Tyler even goes as far as to offer to help find his so-called “friend.”
Tyler does this, by bumping into Caroline at the Only Bar / Social Establishment in Mystic Falls. He then pretend to try to apologize to her again for standing around and doing NOTHING, like a TOTAL jackass, last week, while she was getting TORTURED by his Were-Loser Friends. Needless to say, Tyler’s lame APOLOGY fails miserably. But THIS doesn’t . . .
Of course, like many of you, I don’t initially notice Tyler surreptitiously putting Caroline’s cellphone in his butt pocket, after he accidentally / on purpose bumps into her. (People can itchy back there, sometimes, you know?) So, when Elena gets a text from “Caroline” asking to talk, and she replies that she’s headed to the Lakehouse, I think that text is REALLY from Caroline.
So, when the camera paned up from the phone to EVIL TYLER, wearing a Cat Who Ate the Canary expression on his face . . .
SMUG BASTARD!
. . . I may or may not have thrown a pillow (or ten) at the television screen . . .
Just sayin . . .
Meanwhile, Stefan and Elena are at the Lakehouse, enjoying their time together, by HAVING SEX exploring their surroundings. (Seriously? Because if it was DAMON, you just know they’d be HAVING SEX!) After all, Elena hasn’t visited the Lakehouse, since her parents died. And there is much teary-eyed reminiscing to be done. That being said, there are SOME things in your childhood vacation home that you shouldn’t go searching for, when your boyfriend is in town . . .
The Awkward Moment when your Vampire Boyfriend finds your Parents’ Secret Vampire Slayer Weapons Stash . . .
But before Elena even has the chance to come up with a convincing lie as to what these “tools” were used for (“Ummmm, my parents were REALLY Aggressive Gardeners?”), Stefan and Elena learn that they are not-so-much alone in the Lakehouse. Then, THIS happens . . .
To add insult to injury, Tyler is there too, looking particularly menacing (and, regrettably, very hot).
On the ground, and writhing in pain, Stefan begs Tyler for help. “We don’t want to break the Moonstone Curse,” Stefan pleads to his “friend.”
“But I DO,” replies Tyler, before shooting him in the leg. (Oooh, Steffy! Bet you didn’t see that one coming, did you?)
While Tyler continues to hold Stefan at gunpoint, Wereoaf Brady chases Elena around the Lakehouse, saying creepy things to her like, “I can smell you.” (Is it just me, or does Elena get chased around houses by psychos, EVERY SINGLE EPISODE?)
“Awwww, man, NOT AGAIN! This kickass boots I’m wearing are simply not made for running stairs.”
Fortunately, for Elena, she manages to incapacitate Wereoaf Brady, long enough for a now-conscious Stefan to rip out his heart, Elijah Style (Am I spotting a new- trend here?)
“Hey, Elena . . . guess what we’re having for dinner tonight? I hear it tastes JUST LIKE CHICKEN!”
(By the way, is it just me, or do the “hearts” on this show always seem to resemble hand grenades? Maybe that is supposed to be “symbolic” or something . . .)
Nice knowin’ ya, Wereoaf Brady! That’s what ya get, for Screwing with Vampire Barbie!
Stefan briefly contemplates de-hearting Tyler too. But, ultimately, he decides against it. Instead, the Younger Salvatore informs the Temporary Villain that this Moonstone Curse he seems so intent on breaking, requires Elena to DIE, in order for him to accomplish it.
“I’m sorry Elena. I didn’t know what they were going to do to you. I just didn’t want to be like this anymore,” Tyler mumbles guiltily.
Too little, too late? I’d say so, if I was Elena. But our girl, Gilbert, has a heart of PURE GOLD. And she responds to Tyler’s admittedly inadequate apology for breaking into her dead parents’ home, SHOOTING HER BOYFRIEND, and stalking her with a Were-oaf, by offering him up one of her trademark hugs . . .
Hugs by Elena: They can turn even the baddest of boys, GOOD! Just ask THIS GUY!
Wonder of wonders, Elena’s Magic Hug does seem to do it’s job on Tyler. Toward the end of the episode, our favorite Teen Wolf once again heads to the Scene of the Phone-Stealing Crime (Seriously, I hope he RETURNED that! Caroline seems like a gal who REALLY likes her phone). Once again, he confronts Matt, with whom he had “words” earlier on in the episode . . .
Apparently, Clueless Matt is FINALLY getting tired of being lied to. He also realizes that Tyler and Caroline are obviously in love are the ones doing most of the lying to him. Understandably, it pisses him off. Tyler, who recognizes this, comes clean to Matt, by saying the SWEETEST PRO-FORWOOD SPEECH IMAGINABLE!
And here it is:
“I’ve been going through a rough time, something I can’t really talk about. And Caroline’s been helping me through it. She’s been there for me, more than anyone’s ever been there my entire life. And I kinda fell for her. I don’t know how anyone wouldn’t because she’s pretty incredible. She loves you, and she needs you. And to be honest, she deserves someone like you, so you be good to her. Okay?”
You can watch the scene, in all it’s Forwoody Awesomness, here:
Honestly? I know it doesn’t take back his pansy-assedness of last week, or his douchiness of this one. And yet, Tyler’s speech to Matt, which SO OBVIOUSLY came out of the Damon Salvatore: Bad Boy Pining and Self-Sacrificing for Dummies Handbook, by the way, (Watch that FABULOUS scene from “Rose” again, and compare, if you don’t believe me!).
“I know, I’m awesome!”
. . . had the impact of giving me TOTAL amnesia of all of Tyler’s bad acts, and only leaving me with THIS . . .
Oh, yeah! I’m THAT easy!
And, BECAUSE, af ter a brief hiatus, I am now totally on Team Tyler again, I found the end of the episode, in which Tyler visits Caroline secretly, one last time . . .
. . . leaves his own mother a Dear John note . . .
. . . and escapes to Lord Knows Where, but definitely away from Mystic Falls, with Soul Crusher Jules . . .
. . . so incredibly hearbreaking.
Not that I don’t think that Tyler will be BACK, or anything. Because he TOTALLY WILL! The question is, however . . . will Caroline be waiting for him, when he returns . . .
*Sigh* MAN, I hope so! Because this . . .
. . . is not something you can just throw away!
Did I mention that, when Stefan learns Elijah’s true intentions from Damon, and confronts Elena about how her “friend” basically wants her to DIE, she says that ALREADY KNOWS, AND DOESN”T GIVE TWO SH*TS?
Contrary to what we might have assumed, Elijah did NOT trick Elena into thinking he was going to save her, when he had no intention of doing so. Rather, Elena VOLUNTARILY agreed to sacrifice her life, so that Elijah would spare the lives of the people she loves (LIKE DAMON!). Stefan, of course, is so TOTALLY not cool with the idea of his girlfriend playing martyr . . .
He’s also kind of pissed at her for saying that the two had a “LONG FUTURE” ahead of them (back when she was trying to get into his pants, earlier on in the trip), when she knew all along that it wasn’t the case. (See? I told you that sappy Stelena scene at the beginning of the episode would be important!)
And yet, watching this exchange, I found myself only thinking of ONE thing: What’s DAMON going to do, when he finds out about Elena’s Quest for Martyrdom? Because, you KNOW Damon’s going to have some sort of a plan to save his Lady Love!
Personally? I’m hoping it involves him showing up in Elena’s bedroom naked, and COMPELLING her to want to stay alive, using body parts other than his eyes, if you catch my drift. Of course, that’s just me . . .
And that’s all I’ve got, Fangbangers! As for next week’s TVD installment, “The Dinner Party” you can check out the Extended Promo here:
Dinner party hijinks? Elijah being awesome? Damon snarking at everyone? A petulant Katherine? The return of DARK STEFAN? Am I the only one wishing it was Thursday, already?
So, not only did this week’s installment of The Vampire Diaries offer us a Supernatural Battle Royale of EPIC Proportions (Eat your HEARTS out, Twilight and True Blood!), it also provided a whole BOATLOAD of Gushy Relationship Stuff, sure to appease your inner fangirl, no matter WHO your favorite TVD Couple might be *cough Delena and Forwood cough* Not to mention, there was WAY more Naked Damon Salvatore in this hour than you could shake a stick at (not that anyone would want to . . . shake sticks at him, I mean.)
Ladies, there is PLENTY more where this came from . . .
See, Damon . . . I know you had kind of a rough go of it last week . . . with all those “tears” and “feelings” and “stuff.” But even YOU’VE got to admit, things are WAY better in Mystic Falls without Man-Stealer Rabid Rose to kill your buzz, aren’t they?
Harsh, but true, Girlfriend!
See? I knew eventually you’d come to see things, my way!
Honestly, this episode put me in SUCH a good mood, that I’m not even particularly bothered by Damon’s new Sex Toy, Andie . . . yet.
I’ve got two words for you, New Girl: Thin . . . Ice.
So, what are we waiting for, Fangbangers? Let’s get DIRTY and NAKED, with our “Daddy Issues!” And then, if we’re REAL good, Damon promises to help us “lather up and clean off” by the episode’s end! Sound like a plan?
A Lot of People Died Last Week . . . Hey . . . wait . . . is that Naked Damon?
It’s morning in Mystic Falls. Everyone’s got their eye on the morning news, and a re waiting for the Daily Traffic and Weather Report. Here’s the scoop on both . . . Mystic Falls is about to get WAY more crowded, not to mention a whole lot WETTER . . .
*sigh*
Those of you who have always wondered about the sheer quantity of Senseless Deaths in Mystic Falls, and whether anyone in the godforsaken town ever cared to notice them, got your answer this week. Yes, the townsfolk do seem to notice. That’s why last week’s ENTIRE bloody body count made it into the town’s local TV news, within the first few minutes of the episode. It’s also why Mystic Falls’ Random Event of the Week this week was . . . you guessed it . . . a Memorial Service.
And honestly, I’d like to tell you a bit more about it, such as where to send flowers, and where all the funerals will be held. The problem is, I missed the end of the news broadcast, because I got a bit . . . distracted.
Hey . . . wait, isn’t that Damon’s new Sex Toy, Andie on the TV Screen?
Oh yeah, Lots of Dead People . . . Town in Peril . . . Carnage . . . Werewolves . . . which reminds me . . .
Tyler and Caroline DO IT on top of her car . . . But “IT” isn’t quite what we were hoping for . . .
So, remember last week, when us Forwood (i.e. Caroline and Tyler) fans, got all our little panties up in a bunch, because a certain Romantic Automobile Scene from the promos was suspiciously absent from the episode?
And then, as we were sharpening our pitchforks, ready to give the writers a real piece of our minds, THIS happened, and all was magically forgiven . . .
Well, as promised, Tyler DID manage to get Caroline up on the hood of her car this week . . . just not in the way we wanted him to . . .
“Fooled ya, didn’t I, Forwood Fans?”
If you recall, last week, Jules the Werewolf Soul Crusher revealed to Tyler in the final moments of the episode that his Vampire Barbie might not be quite the Little Angel he always assumed she was. To give you a better idea of the effect this probably had on Tyler, try to remember how you felt the first time you learned that Santa Claus wasn’t real . . .
Sorry, if I spoiled that for you, kiddies! But Soul Crusher and I do sort of/ kind of share a first name. So, what did you expect?
Given what we saw at the end of “The Descent” and the little snippets of the episode to which we were treated in the promos, we pretty much knew that Tyler wasn’t going to be too happy with his Gal Friday, when he saw her again this week. What we might not have banked on, however, was that Poor Caroline would be so blissfully unaware of her Favorite Werewolf Pal’s sudden change in mood . . .
So, here we have Caroline, still floating on Cloud Nine, after that AMAZING Kiss she shared with Tyler last week, when she steps out onto her front porch, and finds the Man with the Marvelous Tongue, himself, waiting for her there, once again. “We need to talk,” says Tyler, his intense eyes piercing Caroline’s soul, as his oh-so-familiar words, send her spiraling upward into an ecstatic high that is undoubtedly The BEST CASE OF DEJA VU EVER!
So, Caroline starts babbling on in an elated rush, saying words she clearly doesn’t mean AT ALL . . . something about how “[they] can’t go there,” and “Matt,” and “feelings,” and blah, blah, blah.
While PRE-Soul Crushed Tyler would have undoubtedly accepted Caroline’s justifications with a sweet smile, some flirtatious words, and a renewed vow of friendship that would SURELY culminate in Super Hot Were Vamp Sex, by the end of the evening, Post-Soul Crushed Tyler just nods expressionless, like a sly cat, just waiting to pounce on his prey. And because we all know too well, the misdeeds of which THIS Tyler is capable, we can’t help but feel just a teensy bit worried for Caroline, as she walks nonchalantly toward her car.
That’s when the other shoe drops . . .
“What happened to Mason?” Tyler asks icily.
“Awwww, CRAP!”
“He’s dead. Because Stefan and Damon Salvatore killed him, because they are vampires . . . just like you,” Tyler remarks coldly, looking right through Poor Caroline, as he speaks.
But then, Tyler softens, and a bit of that old charming vulnerability shows through his tough veneer. In this single moment, Tyler is subconsciously willing Caroline to prove him wrong. . . to allow him to continue to believe her to be his perfect angelic savior, “Is it true?” He asks softly.
Caroline’s eyes fill up with tears. She nods . . . slowly. And then THIS happens . . .
So, Caroline’s up against the car, and in Tyler’s arms, just like we wanted. And yet, somehow, I don’t think our favorite Baby Werewolf is about to tell Caroline that “whatever [she] needs, [he is] there for [her]” . . .
“I trusted you,” yells Tyler through clenched teeth, as his eyes go gold with werewolf rage.
Fortunately, Caroline’s tears, along with the look of abject terror in her eyes, bring Tyler back to himself. And so he lets go of Caroline’s jacket collar, shakes the supernatural rage out of his countenance, and stalks away sadly . . .
Useless Jenna Learns ONE of the 50 MILLION Secrets her friends and family have been hiding from her for at least TWO years . . .
Last week, I suggested that Clueless Matt Donovan go and rent The Vampire Diaries, Season 1 and Season 2 (Now available for pre-order!) DVD’s to get him up to speed on EVERYTHING his so-called “friends” have been lying about to him, since the beginning of the series. . .
This week, I’m going to take my suggestion one step further, and suggest that Matt and Useless Aunt Jenna watch the entire series TOGETHER in one long Blockbuster marathon weekend. It would be fun for them, I think. They could braid eachother’s hair, talk about girls, eat Chunky Monkey off Alaric’s naked body . . . you know, the usual stuff.
Just think about how many LIVES this would save, and how fewer Super Villains would be invited into the Gilbert Home as a result!
(Fortunately, though, Jenna has already invited in Elijah, because he’s . . . you know . . . AWESOME.)
So, anyway, Creepy Uncle / Father John is back in Mystic Falls. And he’s lurking around the Gilbert Kitchen, like a rat on the tracks of a New York City subway station.
We can tell immediately that Bio Dad’s return has had a negative impact on our girl Elena, by the uncharacteristically high ponytail she sports throughout the episode . . .
Then again, perhaps, the new do was supposed to represent the return of Elena’s “inner child,” or something. I don’t know . . .
Kat looks on with disapproval, as she helpfully suggests a more “fashionable” updo for her favorite fellow Petrova Doppelganger.
While Creepy Uncle / Father John is waxing poetic about how he “loves Elena” and is “here to protect her,” Useless Aunt Jenna stumbles down the steps, a bit sore after a night of Super Hot Screwing with Alaric. And let’s just say, the sight of the Evil Brother-in-Law she once banged TOTALLY kills her Post-Sex buzz. When Useless Aunt Jenna tries to kick John out of the house, he and Elena decide to drop a total bombshell on her. John is Elena’s Bio Dad. Who knew? (Well . . . aside from . . . you know . . . EVERYBODY else in the WORLD.)
Speaking of HAIR-RAISING Situations . . .
The Salvatore Brothers Discuss the Logistics of Hero Hair, And Other Pressing Issues . . .
Meanwhile, over at La Casa de Rich and Awesome, the Salvatore Brothers are engaging in an important Pow Wow of Sexiness and Plot Explanation. So, guess who was the main subject of this conversation? (By the way, if you didn’t answer “Elena,” I’d hereby like to extend to you an invitation to a TVD DVD Marathon Viewing Party, hosted by Clueless Matt and Useless Aunt Jenna.)
“You brought back, JOHN GILBERT? THAT was your big Save Elena Move?” Damon asks, incredulously. (Yeah, Stefan! I’m inclined to agree with Damon on this one. Bringing back the Bio Dad earns you a C- tops in my Book of Hero Worship, Baby Salvatore.)
“He tried to BAKE ME TO A CRISP,” Damon reminds his brother, as if any further illumination as to the awfulness of Stefan’s idea is actually necessary.
NO ONE tries to BAKE my Future Boyfriend, and gets away with it! And yes, I’m ALSO looking at you TOO, Bonnie Firestarter Bennett! Don’t think I’ve forgotten, because I haven’t . . .
Yet, Stefan has always been a “Go with the Devil you KNOW” sort of guy. As such, he trusts Creepy Uncle/ Father John and Mommy Dearest Isobel, over the Kickass Awesome Elijah (who, though NOT my Future Boyfriend, I would totally sleep with, especially after this week’s episode). Stefan hopes that the Diabolical Duo will surprise him, by actually having the best interests of their daughter at heart. He also figures, as Katherine suggested a few episodes back, that they could clue him into the complex conundrum that is Vampire Santa Klaus and his BIG SACRIFICE.
“As, if I didn’t have ENOUGH problems,” gripes Damon, referring of course, to his recent discovery of FEELINGS, which was brought on by the loss of Man-Stealer Rabies Head Rose. “I’m changing Stefan. I may just have to get a Hero Hairdo of my own, and steal your thunder.”
Hero Hairdo: Check!
Thunder stolen: Double Check!
Papa Vamp Scolds Baby Vamp for Hanging out with a Bad Crowd . . .
“If you so much as LOOK at that Bad News Werewolf again, you are SO GROUNDED, Missy!”
You know, when we learned that the title of this episode was going to be “Daddy Issues,” we undoubtedly were reminded of the VERY MANY dysfunctional families on this show. The Gilbert Family . . . The Lockwood Family . . . The Salvatore Family, all of them share one thing in common: Bad Dads! And yet, most of us, probably forgot about what is undoubtedly the most FUNCTIONAL family unit on this show, Papa Stefan and his Baby Vamp Caroline . . .
Yes, I KNOW, technically it was DAMON, and not Stefan, who’s blood gave Caroline eternal life. And yet, Caroline has really been without a father figure, for much of the series. By taking Caroline under his wing, supporting her emotionally, and teaching her how to live a relatively Law Abiding Vampire Lifestyle, Stefan is like the Great Dad Caroline never had . . .
So, it really shouldn’t have surprised any of us that THEIR relationship, was one of chief one’s explored this week. After Damon leaves La Casa de Rich and Awesome, Caroline emergency texts Stefan, before arriving on his doorstep. Though she tries to put on a brave face, she is clearly worried about the repercussions of her recent altercation with Tyler . . .
Stefan warns Caroline that Damon will probably KILL her Were-Beau, if he finds out Teen Wolf may have just switched over to TEAM Wolf. “What if he retaliates?” Stefan wonders out loud.
“You have to talk to him,” Caroline pleads, in a tone specifically reserved for daughters asking for BIG FAVORS from their fathers. “You always know the right thing to say . . . He and I were . . . are . . . friends who just so happen to really like making out with one another, and pushing one another up against motor vehicles.”
Speaking of Tyler . . .
Soul Crusher Jules tries her hand at playing Mommy . . . Dearest.
“Yes, Tyler, I AM fondling your knee inappropriately right now . . . But I’m only doing it because I want to have Hot Canine Sex with you want to show you just how much I care.”
Now, I know we all HATE Soul Crusher Jules for not killing Rose sooner the major damage she caused to the Budding Forwood Romance. And yet, after this week, I’m starting to think that HER intentions (I, of course, am NOT speaking for the rest of her Dog Pack!) are not nearly as diabolical, as we once thought. At first, I assumed that Jules was only interested in luring Tyler to the Dark Side, because she ultimately wanted to use him in The Sacrifice, just as Katherine did with Mason earlier this season. I don’t think that’s the case, anymore.
Yeah, B*tch, you keep those hands in your lap, where they BELONG! Just because I gave you a compliment, doesn’t mean I want you trying to hook up with Caroline’s MAN!
The typically frigid Jules is uncommonly warm and, dare I say, maternal, this week, as she invites Tyler to frolic with the rest of her wolf pack, and learn the ways of the Supernatural World. “Your new life as a lycanthrope is just beginning. Us werewolves have a Code of Loyalty. It is my duty and honor to help you. Please let me,” Jules offers.
Given that Tyler now feels completely alone in this world, as a result of his broken friendship with Caroline, you can imagine how enticing an offer like this might seem to a guy like him. And yet, Tyler’s still very much a teenage boy! We forget that sometimes, because the actor who plays him is 26 he looks like THIS . . .
But, this week, Tyler reminded us, by uttering these, OH SO ADORABLE next lines, “I can’t just run AWAY! Mom would FREAK!”
(Awwww . . . Tyler, I love you!)
Elena Reintroduces her SOULMATE (Yeah, I said it!) to her Bio Dad
I now pronounce you Vamp and Wife. You may kiss the bride . . .
Elsewhere, Damon and Elena are in agreement that Stefan’s idea to bring Uncle /Father John back to Mystic Falls was TOTALLY IDIOTIC! But while, OLD DAMON would have simply beat the crap out of Bio Dad, which, admit it, would be SO fun to watch, NEW DAMON who undoubtedly sees Creepy Uncle / Father John as his future Father-in-Law is willing to engage him in a “civil” conversation. “I’m the Good Guy, now,” Damon explains matter-of-factly . . . (Ummm . . . tell that to Dead Jessica, Damon!)
“I’m coming with you,” Elena replies, seeming a bit to eager to go frolicking with someone who is “just a friend,” I might add. (Can you blame her?)
When Damon and Elena arrive at the Only Bar / Social Establishment in Mystic Falls, they run into the WHOLE REST OF THE EXTENDED GILBERT FAMILY. Alaric, Useless Aunt Jenna, and Uncle / Father John are all in attendance. All we need are Stefan and Jeremy, and this could be a Wedding Rehearsal Dinner!
“NO, DAMON! We are NOT having the wedding here. I don’t care if it IS the Only Bar / Social Establishment in Mystic Falls! I’d rather go to Vegas . . .”
Useless Aunt Jenna takes this fine opportunity to introduce her “new bestie” Reporter Andie Starr to Damon, because Andie is apparently a Big Ole Ho (much like Jenna, herself), who’s really looking to get down and dirty with a Hot Vamp.
But, like we said, Damon is a “Good Guy” now, and “Good Guys” don’t bone other chicks at their future wife’s wedding rehearsal. So, Damon rejects Andie’s ass . . . at least, initially, as Elena looks on, undoubtedly feeling smug as hell.
*sings* “I still got him! You can’t have him! Nah-nah, nah-nah, nahhhh-nah!”
Damon then announces that he is “steering clear of all women.” And at that moment, I hear the collective wails of every female on the entire planet. (Fortunately, he only keeps that promise for about 20 more minutes.)
Damon then tries to muscle information about Klaus and The Sacrifice out of Uncle / Father John, by using a candle as a metaphor for the Creepo’s life, should he prove to be untrustworthy.
Unfortunately, John isn’t the sort of man to be intimidated by vampires who “know how to give blow jobs out candles.” To the contrary, he is INTRIGUED by them.
“I need to know I can blow trust you. Then we can talk,” responds John, before strutting away effeminately.
Speaking of the game of Suck and Blow, let’s head over to the Trailer Park, were Soul Crusher Jules has returned to reunite with some old Chew Toys friends . . .
Bad DOGS!
Meet Werewolf Brady. He dresses like a farmer, and talks like a Comic Book Villain. But, at least for now, we will let those things slide, because (1) he is hot (duh!); and (2) he’s making out with Soul Crusher Jules, which will likely prevent her from making a play for Tyler, at least until the Big Brawny Were-oaf kicks the bucket, which Villains like him often tend to do on this show, typically within about 3 episodes. . .
JULES: “What’s that I taste on your breath? Have you been eating Girl Scout Cookies?”
BRADY: “Not the cookies. . . just the scouts.”
After they are done swapping dog breath, Jules and Brady talk about their MASTER PLAN. Brady wants to avenge fellow dog, Mason’s untimely death. Jules wants Tyler’s hot teen wolf ass for her pack collection. So, they compromise, and decide to get both. (Hear that? That’s your Werewolf Code of Loyalty at work, people! It’s a Doggone Dogmocracy!)
Meanwhile, back at the Lockwood Mansion. . .
Stefan and Tyler get Up Close and Personal . . .
It sure is convenient that Stefan was invited into the Lockwood House during the Season Premiere, to attend the Mayor’s funeral. Otherwise, he would have NEVER been able to do THIS. At first, Stefan, ever the pragmatist, tries to calmly discuss the ways in which a Supernatural World can be Super-Friendly TOO! “We can really use a Scooby Doo in our Scooby Gang. You interested? Mini Gilbert’s getting mighty lonely, playing Scrappy, all by himself! Vampires and Werewolves can live together in harmony,” Stefan, more or less, tells Tyler, in his own TVD version of Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” Speech.
But Tyler’s not really buying it. So Stefan instead tries some Tough Love, by throwing Teen Wolf up against the wall. (Actually, I’m pretty sure there’s something in the contracts of the actors on this show, that requires someone to be shoved up against a wall, at least once per episode.) “Without a Full Moon, you are no match for me,” he growls at Tyler. “And, while we’re at it, stop being such a dick to [Caroline]!”
Stefan’s harsh actions frightens Tyler, so much, that he ends up calling “Mommy” . . . and by “Mommy” I mean, of course, Soul Crusher Jules. (BIG MISTAKE, TYLER! HUGE!)
“Omigod! You SHOT Caroline! You, bastards!”
Before you can say “RUN CAROLINE!,” Jules and Brady have cornered their baby vamp, against her car . . . AGAIN. (Note to Caroline: Learn to use public transportation.)
See? Much better!
And then, Brady . . . SHOOTS CAROLINE IN THE HEAD, WITH A WOODEN BULLET!
Source (for the awesome gif, of course, the MONKEY IS ALL MINE! 🙂
Fortunately, for Caroline, she’s made of Sugar and Spice and Vampire Awesome! So, she can pop those bullets out of her body, like it’s Child’s Play. Thank goodness, Caroline is such a True Blood / Vampire Eric Northman fan, otherwise, she never would have known about this unusual skill set of hers . . .
“Hey, Tyler! Caroline needs you to suck something out of her neck . . .”
Unfortunately, though, getting shot still HURTS LIKE HELL! And Caroline, who’s been thrown into a CAGE by Crazy Jail Warden Were-Oaf Brady, is getting shot at A LOT!
Of course, having watched the promos, most of us KNEW that this was going to happen to Caroline, eventually, this week. And yet, that didn’t deaden the impact Brady’s torture of Caroline had on us fans AT ALL. Kudos to Candice Accola, who’s hoarse cries of helplessness, screams of pain, and pleading, “Why are you doing this to me?” literally brought tears to my eyes, every time the gun went off.
Brady’s Hotness Points = Officially flushed down my toilet. DIE DOGGY, DIE!
(That being said, this may sound awful but . . . was anybody else slightly relieved that, contrary to what the promos would have us believe, Tyler didn’t, at least consciously, have any part in this?)
When Stefan calls Caroline’s phone to see if she is OK, Jules picks up, and gives Stefan an earful of his surrogate sire’s anguished screams. “You have twenty minutes,” she says. “Bring Tyler or Caroline dies.”
It’s time to call your brother, Stefan! Because it looks like YOU are going to need some serious reinforcements . . .
“Be the Better Man.”
As a TVD fan, and a recapper, I generally like to try to find the bright side in things. And if there was a bright side to Caroline’s painful torture, at least STORYLINE wise, it was THIS scene between Damon and Elena. When Damon receives the call from Stefan about what’s going down with Caroline and the weres, Damon’s got blood on the brain . . . Tyler’s blood.
As is typical of her in such situations, Elena begs Damon to be “good,” and not kill Tyler. And yet, Elena does something a bit different this time, to make herself seem more persuasive. It’s something we haven’t really seen her do, since the Bad Moon Rising episode, where she manipulated Damon, who she HATED at the time, into giving her information about Katherine. Elena seductively places her hand on Damon’s arm, and holds it there. She then looks deep into his eyes, and says, “Too many people die here. Be the better man.”
The significance of this movement is not lost on Damon, who knows EXACTLY what his lady love is attempting. And he is NOT happy with it . . . at all. “You need to stop doing that . . . assuming that I’m going to be the Good Guy, just because it’s YOU, who’s asking.”
And yet, in a few moments, we will see that Damon does EXACTLY what Elena wants him to do, PRECISELY because it is her who did the asking. They call marriage the Old Ball and Chain for a REASON, Damon! And you are TOTALLY whipped!
Sidenote: I found this scene particularly interesting, because it called to mind a recent interview that Nina Dobrev gave to Wetpaint.com. In it, Nina argued that, even though Damon made her FORGET his declaration of love for her, Elena definitely knows how Damon feels about her, “Of course, Elena doesn’t know, because Damon didn’t outright tell her… but she knows. You know when someone likes you or is in love with you,” she says.
In the Bad Moon Rising episode, Elena manipulated Damon’s desire to “be her friend” again, after the whole Jeremy Neck Snap Incident. But this week, we saw the first signs of Elena’s awareness of Damon’s LOVE for her. Though Elena may have always had a subconscious knowledge of the extent of Damon’s feelings, this is really the closest she has come to acknowledging them, indulging them, and using them to her advantage. Is it mean? Absolutely, does it bring a smile to this Delena Fan’s face, anyway? YOU BET IT DOES!
Then Damon tells Uncle / Father John to babysit his own daughter (something, he’s probably NEVER done before, by the way), and heads off to Fight for Team Salvatore.
Vampires versus Werewolves versus . . . Warlocks?
Hey, look! It’s the Three Hotmigos!
At the Were-House Salvatore Squared form a Salvatoreo Sandwich around Tyler their bargaining chip. “Release Caroline, and you will get Tyler,” bargains Stefan.
“We are going to try his way, before my way,” snarks Damon. “My way is a bit bloodier.”
Of course, our Scooby Gang is feeling pretty confident at this point that they can overtake Soul Crusher Jules, especially considering the apparent Lack of Full Moon Wolfiness surrounding her. But then, Jules calls in for reinforcements . . .
And that puts an end to THAT idea. The Salvatore’s drop Tyler like the hotcake he is! So Baby Were heads inside the trailer to do what he should have done ALL ALONG — FREE CAROLINE!
Meanwhile, outside, the Weres and Vamps are at a bit of a Standoff. “Which one of you killed, Mason?” Were-oaf Brady asks.
“That would be, ME!” Damon replies happily.
“Make sure that one suffers,” Brady responds maniacally.
And suffer he will, because these weres don’t mess around! They’ve got fire power, and an arsenal of crazy weapons that would make Alaric Saltzman proud. The Salvatore Brothers don’t have weapons or fire with them today . . . just a Can a of Whup Ass, and a Heaping Helping of AWESOME!
Honestly, I wish there were more gifs and picspam of the Were/ Vamp fight, because it was downright FANTASTIC to watch. And yet, when Caroline emerged from the trailer, and THIS happened to her . . .
. . . I stopped paying attention to the fight, and started yelling at Tyler to get his butt over there and HELP OUT! He didn’t . . .
But you know who did? THIS GUY . . .
Who the HECK would have thought that the Jonas Brother from Another Mother would end up being a Savior of Salvatores? And yet, save them he did, by giving all the werewolves in the place a massive dose of that BIG BAD HEADACHE thing we always see Bonnie using on all the vampires. Within moments, all the weres are incapacitated (except Tyler). Everyone left standing is looking at this guy in shock, as if to say, “Who the f*ck are you?”
“Elijah made a promise to Elena. I’m here to see that it is upheld. Go now,” says Jonas to Caroline, Stefan and Damon.
He then turns his attention to Tyler . . .
“When your friends awaken, give them a message. They need to get the hell out of this town.”
OK . . . so remember when I told you I fell in LOVE with Elijah this week? THIS is why!
When Elijah promised Elena that none of her friends would get HURT, I assumed that promise would be strictly limited to them getting hurt by OTHER VAMPIRES . . . I didn’t think he would take it as far as to act as a 24-7 PERSONAL BODY GUARD to ALL of Elena’s friends. Now that is just PURE AWESOME! In fact, if Elijah actually APPEARED in this episode, I probably would have hugged my television screen (and probably got massive electric shock, as a result).
A Friend in Need . . .
Of all the characters on TVD this week, Caroline probably wins the WORST DAY EVER AWARD. And yet, when Stefan comes to check on her, after the whole “Cage Ordeal,” she offers him a pained smile, and promises him that she is going to be just fine.
“I’m not your girly little Caroline anymore,” notes the Baby Vamp ruefully. “I can handle myself.”
“You sure can,” replies Stefan, before leaving Caroline to pick the rest of the wood out of her ass.
Caroline offers the same brave face to Matt, when he calls to tell her that she forgot to meet up with him. (Ummm . . . she’s been a bit busy, Dude! If you watched those DVD’s like I told you to, you would KNOW that!) Though Caroline claims that she can’t see her Ex-Beau, because she is “taking care of Bonnie,” Matt, who is working at the Only Bar / Social Establishment in Mystic Falls at the time, knows that this is a bald-faced lie . . .
Yeah . . . so apparently Jeremy and Bonnie are like “Boyfriend / Girlfriend” now. Whatev . . .
Caroline may have been perky with Stefan, and sweetly dismissive with Matt, but she shows no such restraint with Tyler, when he shows up her door to apologize for her whole “Being Locked up in a Cage, and Shot in the Head Multiple Times by my Crazy Dog Pound Friends” thing . . .
“I lied to protect my friends. I lied to protect you. I expected you to HELP, but you just STOOD THERE . . . It is too late, Tyler. We are not friends, anymore. What happened tonight will NEVER happen again. Take THAT back to your Were Pack and get the hell out of my house!”
Now, I have to admit that, THOUGH HE TOTALLY DESERVED it for being a COMPLETE WUSS, during the Supernatural Battle Royale of 2011, when Caroline went off on Tyler like that, I got a bit teary. And there was a big part of me that wanted to give Tyler a hug . . .
But that part of me got MAJORLY PISSED off all over again, when Tyler went running to his new Crazy Were-Losers, and told them about THE MOONSTONE!
Seriously, Doofus? Did Stefan’s “I Have a Were/Vamp Dream” Speech teach you ABSOLUTELY nothing?”
You are SO on my poopy list, now Tyler!
Speaking of my Poopy List . . .
Creepy Uncle / Father D-bag
Meanwhile, Creepy Uncle / Father John tried to “play nice” by giving Elena her adoptive mom’s bracelet . . .
. . . and teaching Damon how to kill an Original Vampire using stakes and ash. (IS THAT IT? Honestly, I was hoping you would need something way cooler than that to kill someone as awesome as Elijah . . . Pennies from Heaven, perhaps?)
But then John screwed up EVERYTHING by joining Team Katherine, and promising to free her from her tomb . . .
Then again, THIS could be an excellent opportunity for us Kefan fans to get the REAL Katherine / Stefan sex scene we’ve all been dreaming of, for quite some time now . . .
KJewls Poopy List
Brady the Were-oaf
Soul Crusher Jules
Were-extras
Rose (even though she’s dead . . . YAY!)
Tyler (for “being a dick to Caroline,” and for spilling the beans about the “Moonstone”)
Creepy Uncle / Father John (They better have sex, dude! That’s all I’m going to say. Or your ass is going right back on this list.)
Alls Well that Ends SEXY!
Back at Caroline’s house, Stefan has commandeered Elena and Bonnie, and transported them to the poor tired Baby Vamp’s place for some MUCH NEEDED Girl Time . . .
Even as a staunch Delena fan, I must admit that my heart softened a bit, when Elena turned to Stefan and mouthed, “I love you,” to him for having truly been there for her Bestie, when she needed it most. Undoubtedly, while all this is happening, Elena is thinking about what a good DAD Stefan would be . . . if he were ever actually capable of having kids . . . which he’s not.
Speaking of Delena . . .
I know that technically it’s “weird” of me to classify this scene, which features Damon naked and necking with that random reporter chick, as a Delena scene. And yet, it’s not what Damon DOES in this scene that’s important (OK . . . who am I kidding? Damon being naked is ALWAYS important!) . . .
. . . but rather, what he SAYS, during the scene (while naked) that’s so very satisfying to me, and, I suspect to other members’ of my Mother Ship . . .
“I need help, because I love a woman I WILL ABSOLUTELY EVENTUALLY HAVE can never have,” Damon tells his new Sex Toy, while gulping down glasses of wine, and lathering his hot bod with soap bubbles. “I’m in love with her, and it’s driving me crazy. I’m not in control . . . I’m bad . . . I do things . . . I kill people,” Damon adds, before compelling Andie to be calm, in a super hot way, that involves her staring at his luscious lips, and intense eyes.
(OK . . . does this make you calm? Because it makes me positively hornygiddy!)
” She wants me to be better, but I can’t be,” Damon concludes, his eyes welling up with tears for maybe the third or fourth time this season, which I LOVE!
Long story short . . . Damon still LOVES Elena, so much so, that he’s become one of those guys that talks about the girl he LOVES with the girl he SLEEPS with.
Now, what I’m actually liking about Andie, and why she’s TOTALLY cool with me so far — in a way that Rose never was — is that she’s perfectly happy to just be the Booty Call. So far, at least, Random Reporter Sex Toy sees no need to be in a “relationship” with Damon, or even really be his friend. She’s just his “distraction,” and that’s FINE with her!
In fact, Andie acts like most of us probably would act, if we were lucky enough to be making out in a bathtub with Damon Salvatore — just thrilled to be THERE! 🙂 Andie even gives Damon some pretty awesome advice, “Love does that . . . it changes people. You can change.” (You are right, Andie! HE CAN CHANGE! The question is, do we really want him to?)
In the end, Damon is tired of listening to Andie talk. (So, are we! ) So, he tells her to just kiss him, and be his distraction. And doggonit if it’s not the most romantic, “I plan to use you for sex, and you will like it” pickup line, I have ever heard in my entire life!
(Of course, I’m ad-libbing a bit here, because it’s about 4 am, and this is the LONGEST RECAP I HAVE EVER WRITTEN! But you can check out the full scene, in all its Nudy Glory here.)
And that was the amazing “Daddy Issues” episode, in a VERY LARGE, nutshell. Thanks for reading, Fangbangers!
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Snarky Goes to Hollywood!
The Exquisite Corpse
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