The Vampire Diaries: The Sun Also Rises (Season 2, Episode 21)

Matt shoots WereTyler as Caroline tries to hold the door shut. She worries about Tyler’s wounds as she and Matt escape to a house. Honestly, Matt was pretty smart. Werewolves heal quickly. Matt lets Caroline know that he and her mom are in on her vampire nature. He proclaims that her mom is a true vampire hater, but he doesn’t say anything about how he feels. He’s more worried about death by WereTyler.

Katherine seems slightly upset that Damon is going to die from his bite, but she’s more concerned with him dying without showing any love for her. Like a psychopath, she insists that nothing is her fault – she had to let Jenna get turned in order to save herself. Damon asks if Katherine likes eternity alone. There is a clear mirror between Damon and Katherine here – Damon sees his past selfishness and present loneliness in Katherine.

Elena tells Jenna that she is turning into a vampire. Greta cuts her wrist, feeds Jenna her blood, and traps Elena with a ring of fire. It is rather homoerotic. Should anyone mention to Greta that her brother and father are dead? No? Not important? Elena just tells Jenna it’s going to be all right. Poor girl. Will this be a third relative she watches die?

Stefan, Alaric, and Elijah head out to stop Klaus. Elijah says that he can finish Klaus off if Bonnie brings him to the brink of death. Damon lets Stefan know that Klaus has Jenna. All Stefan can say is, “Oh my God.”

Jenna describes what it’s like to be a vampire. Elena tells Greta that as a witch she’s supposed to keep the natural order. Greta says her allegiance is to Klaus and that they will start a new order. Klaus is glad he still has a “dance partner,” and greets Jenna, Elena, and a slowly-turning-into-a-werewolf Jules with a, “Hello, my lovelies.”

Jules says she did everything for Tyler (who cares!) before Klaus rips out her heart with delight. The bloody (literally, there is lots of blood dripping) sacrifice ritual continues, jenna feels guilty, and Elena says that Jenna will be okay and that she must run when she gets the chance.

Bonnie and Jeremy are pouring over grimoires to find out how to stop Elena from turning. Jeremy seems strangely unconcerned when Alaric comes to tell him bad news, until he hears the actual news about Jenna. Stefan says that he will offer himself up in Jenna’s place. Is this hilarious or what? All characters want to sacrifice themselves for others, and then they berate one another for wanting to do the same.

 

Elijah really is like an older, calmer (if possible), edgier, cooler, less compassionate Stefan. They talk about their honor and about how difficult it is to kill brothers. Elijah says that Klaus killed every member of their family and scattered their bodies throughout the earth. Season 3 anyone?

John chastises Damon for letting Elena get kidnapped and for “ruining her life” by making her drink his blood before breaking out the old Gilbert journals with Jeremy and Bonnie for a special spell. Damon learns of Stefan’s plan and is furious. He mentions that Stefan is always cleaning up his messes. Alaric notices Damon is unwell. He just wishes Bonnie could kill Klaus.

John says Emily used a spell to keep a baby’s soul alive, and apparently they can do the same to keep Elena from becoming a vampire. Damon thinks its religious hogwash (kind of sounds like it), but John says he believes it. So vampires are humans with souls not so intact?

Matt and Caroline continue to discuss her mom, and Tyler arrives, naked. Caroline rushes to him, cloaks him with Matt’s jacket, and comforts the boy. (Wasn’t that a fast werewolf change?) Matt knows that Caroline is still Caroline, but the vampire thing is too much. He talks about his crappy life but says that he still wants to live it without all of this.

Bonnie casts a spell on John, which will somehow transfer to Elena, his daughter. She also magically knocks Jeremy out after kissing him. They march out, and Bonnie traps Alaric. All the humans stay behind. Kind of smart and really sad watching Alaric tell Bonnie and Damon that they can’t make him stay there when Jenna’s out there. I like the Bonnie and Damon team. Surprisingly, they think alike. They’re tough when they need to be and, Bonnie to a much lesser degree than Damon, are even unstable.

Jenna hears Stefan tell Klaus he wants to take Jenna’s place. Klaus creepily loves the idea of sacrificing three women, “three goddesses.” Well, he probably was alive when they really did sacrifice women. Klaus is hot but his personality is ookie. Stefan calmly says to Elena that it’s okay. So Klaus cruelly tries to make Elena choose between Stefan and Jenna. Then he stabs Stefan. Klaus says he has other plans for him; he wants him alive. Hm. Klaus breaks Stefan’s bones. Jenna tries to kill Greta but Klaus gets her and kills her in yet another way he finds pleasurable. Poor Elena begs for her aunt Jenna to turn off her emotions off before watching her die.

Stefan is incapacitated in a gross way, and Elena walks past Klaus and tells him to go to hell as he relishes drinking her blood. Stefan, unaware of the plan to keep her from being a vampire, watches her “die.” Klaus begins to turn into a werewolf as Greta is turned on (sickos…), and I can’t help but cheer when Bonnie marches in. And Damon breaks Greta’s neck. There’s lightning and wind. It’s epic.

Damon frees Stefan after bringing Elena to him. Klaus writhes in pain and anger.  Elijah marches up and plunges his hand into Klaus’s chest. BUT Klaus says he gives his word to show Elijah the bodies of their family, claiming their bodies are safe. Bonnie says she’ll die killing them both if Elijah doesn’t kill Klaus. Elijah simply apologizes, and Klaus whisks them both away before Bonnie can do anything. Stefan and Bonnie are all YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME AFTER ALL THIS WHAT THE. (Really Elijah? Even if Klaus shows you them, what are you going to do? He could kill you and your whole family again.)

Damon carries Elena away. Will Stefan feel as though he can’t protect Elena watching this? Or will he realize how good Damon can be? In a safer place, Damon tells an unconscious Elena, “If you come back as a vampire I’ll stake you myself so don’t.” He can’t stand the idea of her hating him forever. For a second I thought it was something that didn’t have to do with him, more with the nature of Elena’s goodness as a vampire, but no.

Sweet Caroline and shirtless Tyler! She tells him he shouldn’t have left and shouldn’t leave again. Caroline and Tyler are going to happen now for real. The scene is cute, sexy, and touching. Tyler’s not sad that Matt left, he just shakes his head at Matt’s idiocy. Then he lets Caroline in under his blanket!

Alaric and Jeremy find out that Jenna is dead. What a day for our martyrific heroes. Even John is joining the club to atone for his sins. Elena wakes up to stare into Damon’s face and feels fine. John drops dead.

Stefan and Damon talk. Stefan says Elena is in shock after losing the only parent she had. Elena looks in the mirror thinking Jenna, recalling the first episode when she does the same and thinks about her dead parents. I wonder if Damon, Stefan, or Elena will have to leave at the end of this season. He/she will be back, but just so much has gone down. They need an emotional break.

I’m actually crying in this scene between Elena and Jeremy, her little brother. She realizes John is also dead. He gave her his ring and a letter, which apologizes for his prejudices, acknowledges he failed her, but he always loved her and always would. The gang goes to the graves of various Elena’s relatives. Bonnie bows her head, feeling sorry, of course, for her friend’s losses. Elena and Damon look at each other. Is she falling in love with him, her rescuer? Is she thinking of John’s words saying that he’d love her no matter what, the way Damon loves?

Damon refers to a “two-faced older brother,” so is Klaus younger than Elijah? Damon makes a very serious point when he asks how they are going to kill Klaus now. It was hard enough already, nigh completely impossible. Stefan just says he doesn’t know. He then finds out about Damon’s bite and says they will find a way. They found a way to help Elena when there was none. Damon tells him not to make any promises except to keep this from Elena. Stefan looks distraught. One more episode left!

Check out my new book: The Freedom Rides and Alabama

Note: This is totally unrelated to The Vampire Diaries.

The Freedom Rides and Alabama: 

A Guide to Key Events and Places, Context, and Impact

Recently, I had the opportunity to learn more about the Freedom Rides and participate in celebrations of their 50th anniversary. Because I work for a publishing company, I was able to write a small book summarizing the rides and their effect on Montgomery, Alabama.

This book gives a brief overview of the 1961 Freedom Rides, a crucial moment in American history in which an interracial group traveled across the South to protest segregated transportation. 

The Freedom Rides and Alabama focuses on the Freedom Riders’ experiences in Alabama, from the firebombing of their bus in Anniston to surviving beatings in Birmingham. A large portion of this book describes the riders’ arrival in Montgomery, including the violent white mob that greeted them and the ensuing mass meeting at First Baptist Church, where leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Fred Shuttlesworth spoke. 

This volume puts the Freedom Rides in historical context and is published in conjunction with the Alabama Historical Commission to celebrate the opening of a Montgomery museum at the site of the Greyhound station where the Freedom Riders arrived on their journey south, dedicated to the history of the Freedom Rides on the occasion of their fiftieth anniversary.

For more information, visit the NewSouth Books website:

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The Vampire Diaries: As I Lay Dying (Season 2, Episode 22)

Danger or romance? Is that the definition of Damon?

Elena watches her sexy brother as he sleeps before stepping mournfully into her aunt’s empty room. Damon arrives and apologizes for trying to make her into a vampire in order to keep her alive. She says she needs time to forgive him. He says of course. This may be their first normal conversation.

The music this season has been too cheesy, but this one still tugs at the heart strings. Damon takes off his ring and tries to commit suicide via sunlight. Stefan knocks him over and zips him into their dungeon. He says that Damon will not be dying today; he already has Bonnie looking for a cure. Stefan calls Alaric, who is REALLY an alcoholic now, to enlist him in saving Alaric’s best buddy, Damon.

I’m not displeased to see Klaus wake up naked. He says he can change into a wolf at will and remember every kill. Elijah seems somewhat happy to see him but wary about their deal. Elijah, like many brothers, has been cleaning up Klaus’s messes. Klaus just tells him to lighten up and seems to hope they’ll return to the old days. I’m glad these interesting oldies are in the final episode.

Jeremy, Elena, and Caroline acknowledge that they are screwed, but Caroline is chirpy and Elena says that she needs to participate in this Gone with the Wind movie party. Elsewhere: Hilarity! The mayor tells the sheriff that she’ll fire her if she doesn’t give her “results” in terms of keeping the town safe from vampires.

Bonnie and Stefan have a good bond. They go to the magical witch house, and Bonnie channels Emily who tells Stefan that there is no werewolf bite cure. Or is she only saying that because it’s Damon? They make it clear they don’t want Bonnie to abuse their power, and they mention Klaus.

I like that there are about three people watching Stefan and Elena.

Stefan adds to Elena’s pain by telling her that Damon is dying. To be fair, how mad would Elena be if Stefan kept this from her? Stefan notes that he is the one who changed Damon into a vampire, and he will help him by finding the very dangerous Klaus. He tells Elena to cheer Damon up; he knows she can give him hope.

Damon flashes back to Katherine’s seduction. A vision of Elena tells him that he had a choice; Katherine was toying with him, but he could have walked away. Is this a big moment in Damon’s moral development?

Stefan visits Katherine who is still stuck in Alaric’s apartment. She pushes him against the wall as Elijah and Klaus return. Klaus says that he will reunite Elijah with his family. Elijah says that Stefan knows how important family is. Elijah breaking his promise for his family compares to Stefan compromising his morals for his brother. Alas, Klaus stabs Elijah with the magic dagger. My first reaction is, “Klaus, I hate you, you cannot kill Elijah.” Then I remember that Elijah can be brought back to life. So Klaus pushes Stefan against the wall and seductively says, “Now, what am I going to do with you?” (Klaus and Elijah both seem bisexual to me. And why not? Wouldn’t it be boring to live for thousands of years and not be?)

Klaus enjoys torturing Stefan by stabbing him near the heart. Katherine says that Stefan’s just trying to help. Stefan says he’ll do anything Klaus wants if he gives him the cure. (!) Klaus pours himself a drink (of blood) and says that Stefan is just shy of useless. It sounds like he wants to turn him into a werepire.

Damon and Alaric share a beautiful scene. They drink together, Damon says his subconscious is haunting him, they drink more, and Damon tries to make Alaric hate and even kill him. Alaric simply says screw you and incapacitates Damon, who then says, “Elena?” Alaric clarifies that she isn’t here. He apparently doesn’t want to get mixed up with Damon’s crush.

Elena goes to the Salvatore mansion (which now belongs to her), and the Sheriff Forbes covers her mouth and says don’t make a sound. Alaric gets Damon more blood, but stupid Liz Forbes interrupts him as well, shuts him in the room, and steps into the dungeon with Damon. He says, “Liz,” and knocks her against the wall.

Are there any African Americans lining up to see this film?

Caroline complains that she can’t enjoy Gone with the Wind when Alaric calls to ask Jeremy where Elena is. Jeremy worries about Damon, but Bonnie says she is the one has to save Elena. Jeremy stands up to her, pointing out that Jenna died even though he was forbidden to help.

We find out that Stefan has been a true bloodaholic, on and off the wagon, vacillating between nobility and monstrosity, sometimes wiping out entire villages. Klaus bites Katherine (who has been watching and thinking what, I wonder) and promptly cures her with his blood. He pulls Stefan in to talk.

Damon escapes. Sheriff, you are failing at keeping the town safe. The Gone with the Wind film and fans are not helping Damon distinguish the past from the present. Jeremy escorts him away as Damon thinks he sees Katherine before asking for Elena.

The sheriff asks Elena why she cares about a murderer like Damon and doesn’t listen to her when she says that Damon is not himself. Elena is badass. Trapped by the police, she breaks a window with a chair. The sheriff finds Damon and shoots at him, but he speeds away. The bullet lands in Jeremy’s chest. You are a failure, Forbes! Her daughter tries to save him by feeding him her blood, but he doesn’t swallow. Not Jeremy too! Bonnie says she knows what she must do. Alaric picks up Jeremy’s body. Caroline tells her mom that she must let them do what they have to do.

Klaus slices his hand to fill a bottle with his blood. He wants Stefan to join him, to be his wingman, and go on a decade long bender. Like the fraternity boy Klaus is (thanks, kjewls, you are so right – alert the hazing police), he makes Stefan drink bag after bag of blood, as Katherine watches. Now, Stefan has been drinking human blood. He looks concerned, but should he be? By the way, as well all know, Klaus is way sadistic and creepy.

Now Jeremy won't need drugs ever again.

Bonnie tries to channel the witches again, but they don’t want to help. They say there will be consequences. Alaric awesomely says that they have to and they can shut up since Jeremy’s just a kid. Bonnie cries that she loves him and begs for Emily’s help. Jeremy wakes up from death for at least the third time, and it’s STILL a relief.

Damon stands in front of an image of a burning town in Gone with the Wind. Elena helps him as he flashes back to him and Katherine running through the woods. Damon says he chooses Katherine and wants to chase her forever. (Katherine loves to run, huh? She’s been running her entire life, so it makes sense.) She cuts her neck and tells him to drink her blood. Damon bites Elena but eventually snaps out of it when she says he’s hurting her. This scene is scary but sad. She embraces him and holds her neck. Elena has the worst life.

Caroline admits that she already told her mother about herself. She says she won’t be afraid of her mother, and she doesn’t want her mother to be afraid of her. Caroline throws her arms around her, and, after a moment, Liz Forbes does the same. Aw!

In spite of what happened last time a vampire suffered a werewolf bite, Elena says she will stay with Damon till the end. In a tearjerker of a scene, Damon realizes that he’s always blamed Stefan, but no one forced him to love Katherine. He says he made the wrong decisions and hopes Stefan will forgive him.

This is so depressing. Stefan is now on the ground like an animal plowing through bags of blood. Klaus restates his offer. Stefan still has enough sense to ask for Klaus’s blood, which Klaus gives to Katherine (who seems either vaguely concerned or turned on the whole thing) and commands him to give it to Damon. Stefan is horrified and sure that she won’t give it to him. Klaus shrugs. Isn’t it interesting that Stefan will do anything to save Damon, but he didn’t do the same with Elena? Is this partly due to the stress everyone’s been feeling?

A great echo of last season's finale.

Damon says he has made so many bad choices and is sorry for hurting Elena, but he is glad he is where he is today because he met her. He also wishes she knew him in 1864, because then she might like him. She cries and snuggles up to him, saying that she likes him now, just the way he is, and she forgives him. He says he knows she’ll always love Stefan. She kisses him and says you’re welcome. Somehow, it doesn’t even feel like she’s cheating on Stefan. It’s just sweet.

Katherine shows up (yay!) saying that she owes Damon one. But she remains her bitchy self, asking Elena if she really cares where Stefan is, declaring that he just gave up everything, including Elena, to save his brother. She quips that it’s a good thing Elena has Damon to keep her company and admits that it’s okay to love both brothers – she did. (Katherine admits she loved Damon!)

Klaus puts Elijah with his other family members. They’re in Mystic Falls? What? Klaus says that he knew Katherine wasn’t on vervain, and he wants Stefan to help him catch her. Klaus brings a girl to Stefan. After biting her, he says he didn’t compel her to “behave because a real ripper enjoys the hunt.” Like almost every time this happens, I have a hard time watching Stefan go bad. Stefan bites her and the screen shakes (hilariously) as she supposedly drops dead. Stefan looks like a zombie. Klaus sounds like a teacher as he says, “Now we can go.” They’re leaving Mystic Falls.

Awkward, but kind of cute: Bonnie and Jeremy chat. He ominously says he feels different. Alaric says he’ll stay the night there and makes fun of Jeremy and Bonnie. Then, who should show up but dearly departed Vicki. And Anna. My surprise requires too many question marks to type. Can Jeremy now see dead people? Dead vampires? Babes of his past? Awesome! I mean, poor Jeremy!

I have to say, I preferred this episode to the previous one, which was exciting but more predictable. Almost everybody had a good storyline in this one. Now they really got us revved for season 3.

The Vampire Diaries: The Last Day (Season 2, Episode 20)

Elijah explains that Elena will die and be resuscitated by an elixir. Damon wants Bonnie to die trying to save her and everyone else. He says he’ll write her a nice eulogy if she does. If not that, he’d rather try a magical ring. Elijah doubts it would work on her, since she is a doppelganger and thus a supernatural being. If it doesn’t work, Elena comments that she’ll just be dead. Stefan seems surprisingly blasé about this. However, I’m still impressed that Stefan logically realizes that sacrificing one innocent person for another, even if it is his love, is not an option.

Carol Lockwood calls Tyler, saying that she’s in the hospital and needs him. At first it seems as though she has been compelled, but it turns out the white warlock is speaking through her. Then he pushes her over the balcony, but he is so lazy he actually does it with magic. I do wonder though why Elijah got her off vervain in the first place.

Damon drinks “the breakfast of champions” as Stefan says that Elena trusts both of them, so they should trust her. A smart Damon points out that perhaps her instincts aren’t the best. Inside, Elijah seems to be testing Elena. He admits that the elixir might not work, but Elena says she willing to do this to save everyone.

Alaric approaches, and Jenna holds a cross bow to him and yells at him to leave. He proves that he is Alaric by mentioning that the first night they were together, Jeremy walked in on them—literally raising everyone’s eyebrows. Also, the sacrifice is tonight. Elijah looks calm, per usual. All of a sudden, Jenna seems cool with everything.  Alaric asks what he did and says he doesn’t remember anything. Stefan notes that Katherine is vervained and waiting for Klaus to release her.

Matt and Caroline kiss sweetly, and then Matt runs to her mom to tattle. Here, Matt proves himself to be both an excellent liar (to Caroline) and way smarter than I thought. He tells the sheriff that he doesn’t think Caroline is a monster at all and that he doesn’t know what a vampire even is. She says that they’re monsters, the good part is all an act, and that he shouldn’t need any more proof than his sister’s murder. He retorts that she makes just as much sense and points to Damon as the problem. The sheriff admits that even though she was raised to understand the evil of vampires, she still loves her daughter and needs more information.

Dramatic scene alert! Damon says he can’t lose Elena. She clasps his hands and says that he won’t, even though we just heard her tell Elijah she accepts the possibility of death. Also, she says “there is no other way,” even though she refused to be so narrow minded when it came to Bonnie’s death. Damon notes that there is another way: he force feeds her his blood! Stefan rushes up and pushes him away. He is horrified, saying that Damon of all people should know not to make someone a vampire. Damon dares Elena to promise him an eternity of misery but says that she will get over it. They fight. Stefan starts to get the upper hand until Damon stabs him with a piece of wood. Stefan is traumatized by this whole thing. Elena commands Damon to leave. This whole scene almost strikes me as more about Stefan and Damon than about Elena.

Elijah says that the elixir will be useless. Damon says it wouldn’t have worked anyway. Does that mean it’s assumed Elena will be a vampire? There’s really no other way? Elijah also quietly, and not regretfully, tells Damon that he talks a good game but doesn’t know anything. Elena will never forgive him, and if she becomes a vampire, never will be a very long time. Is he drawing specifically from experience with Klaus?

Stefan recovers via donated blood and sincerely thanks Jenna and Alaric for their help. Jenna and Alaric take a step forward in their relationship. For the first time, they seem secure. Something will probably happen to one of them. Elena asks why Damon did this. Stefan doesn’t even bother trying to explain since he did the same thing. He says that he wants her to go somewhere with him.

Tyler’s back! His hair is a little different. He visits his mother in the hospital as cheesy music plays. Jules the Worst arrives and tells Tyler he shouldn’t have come to see his mother. Tyler and Caroline have an awkward reunion. Jules says she’ll give them a couple minutes. Caroline asks why he left without telling her. He still seems in love. Caroline is understandably confused as to why he is friends with a woman who assisted in kidnapping and torturing her. Then warlock and witch kidnap the two of them as Jules sits stupidly in her car. (Or does she?)

Matt leaves a message for Caroline, implying he wants to confess everything. He tenses up as Damon Salvatore walks into the grill. Alaric joins Damon at the bar, confirming Damon’s admission that he messed up. Klaus, looking cute, also shows up. Damon sighs, “Klaus, I presume.” Klaus thanks Alaric for the “loaner,” haha. Damon’s brilliant idea is to ask Klaus for a postponement, which is denied. Klaus doesn’t tell him to be a “good little vampire,” but he does say Damon shouldn’t screw this up. Damon schemes to take the werewolf out of the equation, and wonders if Elena will forgive him. Alaric points out that it won’t matter since he’ll be dead, hee. BUT Alaric is willing to help Damon out! Alaric is so team Damon. What power does Damon have over people he kills?

A very corny Stefan says that Elena knows how she feels about becoming a vampire, but Elena says she can’t talk about it. Then he says she must climb to the top of the waterfall.  They have a bizarre conversation about vampirism. She asks what the best parts are. He says the good is enhanced. The worse, other than the blood, is that everything bad is enhanced. Vampires can become crippled from rage and despair, which is why they usually turn their emotions off. (Cue Damon.) He says he still struggles with this every day. I swear, Stefan is like a vampire Buddha. Elena seems to be holding something back.

Alaric goes home to invite Damon in. Katherine, Alaric, and Damon are somehow kind of hot together. Damon tells Katherine that Elena has vampire blood in her system and paints a picture of Katherine and Elena competing for Stefan forever. She tells him that Caroline and Tyler are hidden in the tomb. Alaric and Damon leave before Klaus returns, only to “compel” Katherine to tell him what she’s been doing. Because she’s been drinking vervain, she lies. He then tells her to take off her bracelet and stand in the sun. Katherine is a mofo and does this as Klaus smiles whiles she burns. Finally he releases her and says, “I guess I was wrong.”

Damon goes to the tomb. The warlock on watch duty asks if Damon is trying to save the blonde or the werewolf. (AKA is Damon gay or straight?) Damon tries to attack, but this guy is super powerful. Just in time, someone shoots the warlock. And it is none other than MATT. Who would have thought? Matt asks about Caroline. Damon claims that he is there to save her before then knocking Matt out and noticing that his bullets are wooden.

 

Caroline wakes up to find herself captive, again. Tyler is with her. She mentions Klaus, and Tyler asks who he is. Caroline very seriously tells him that he shouldn’t have come back. Caroline explains to Tyler that the Sun and the Moon Curse is a fake. She also wants to know why he left without saying goodbye. Caroline says she felt betrayed, but she could never hate him. (This seems to be a theme – eternal hatred verses forgiveness.) Damon interrupts the moment by mentioning Caroline’s boyfriend Matt and his wooden bullets. Because he isn’t impeded by vervain, Damon easily frees Caroline and, reluctantly, saves Tyler, since Caroline refuses to leave without him.

At the top of the hill (Stefan says he’s climbed Everest), Stefan gets Elena to admit that she doesn’t want to be a vampire, because she isn’t like a certain other foolish girl in romantic vampire literature. He says that he wishes he could be with her forever and that Damon did this because he loves her. She argues that Damon can’t know what love is since he didn’t give her the choice; his act was purely selfish. Elena also says that she really doesn’t know what love is either, since she is only 17. She cries and embraces her guru boyfriend.

Tyler begins to change, and Caroline and Damon collect Matt. Klaus visits the Salvatore/Gilbert mansion to collect Elena; Stefan has a hard time letting her go. Klaus lets the lovebirds make out before Elena tells Stefan to close his eyes and disappears. Elijah, Stefan, and Elena may be more calculated, but you have to love Damon and company for trying. They’re willing to die fighting.

Tyler is transforming faster than usual and scuffles with Damon. Matt looks on in horror.  Stefan calls Damon, but he doesn’t seem upset that Damon is trying to “save the day.” Damon leaves them and confronts Klaus, who tells Katherine to give them a moment. Does that mean she waltzed away? Klaus shows that he has a backup werewolf (Jules), a backup witch, and a backup [crazy impulsive] vampire: Damon.

Tyler goes pursues Caroline and Matt into the cellar. They’re only separated by bars. Tyler lunges at them. At Alaric’s, Katherine revives Damon and says that she had to call another vampire so Klaus would think she was still compelled.

Greta tells Elena that she wasn’t kidnapped. Also, Jenna has been transformed into a vampire, so she can be the sacrifice! Katherine must have pretended to be Elena. But why not use a vampire like Stefan or Damon? Because Damon was bitten by Tyler! Argh!

By the end of this season, Elena will not be a vampire, Damon will not be dead, and Jenna will not be alive. Let’s face it, there are already too many vampires on this show, and she and Alaric were starting to make it work. Also, I’m confused about this sacrifice thing. Was the gang planning to sacrifice everyone, including the werewolf, vampire, etc., but only resurrect Elena? Huh?

The Vampire Diaries: Klaus (Season 2, Episode 19)

We start right where we left off, with a brave Elena waiting for Elijah to wake. He gasps to life and, in a very human moment of confusion, mistakes her for her doppelganger Katherine. Flashback to the 15^th century: “Trevor” introduces Elijah to Katherine. Elijah indicates that he knew and perhaps even loved Katherine’s previous doppelganger.

Elijah’s lack of composure is apparently due to not having been invited into this house. He died in the house before the deed was passed to Elena. He zips out the door and catches his breath. For once, Elijah is decidedly unkempt, resembling a homeless biker. Through the door, Elena hands Elijah the weapon she used to stab him. This girl has chutzpa. It’s been only a few minutes, and already this episode is epic.

Stefan awakes with a start to discover that Elena isn’t beside him. He asks Damon and Andie about their whereabouts. Damon snarks that Elena is Stefan’s girlfriend, Andie is his. Damon asks Andie for a bite, and she asks if he can drink from a bag. This creeps out the already tense Stefan, but Andie tells him to mind his own business. Then the brothers notice an open door and discover that Elena has let the Elijah out of the basement.

In another scene featuring a male vampire compelling a woman, Klaus in Alaric’s body has Katherine serving him coffee or whatever he’s drinking. He cruelly rubs in killing Katherine’s family. Even though we’ve seen Katherine vulnerable before, their relationship increases my sympathy for her.

Elena and Elijah chill in her car. He sucks on a blood bag as though it’s Gatorade, and Elena answers her ringing phone. Stefan’s freaking out, but Elena remains cool and refers to Elijah as a noble man. Elijah’s expressions are quite ambiguous and interesting; is he amused, impressed, or something else? Elena has the Salvatores’ number, telling Stefan to make sure Damon doesn’t do anything stupid. Damon (somewhat sweetly, perhaps) takes her hanging up on Stefan as a sign of her insanity. Stefan admirably trusts Elena, but Damon, also understandably, doesn’t want Elena to take the risk.

Flashback: Elijah introduces Katherine to Klaus, who has an intriguing and scary stare going on. Katherine is on her best behavior. Elijah has a bisexual vibe with Klaus, because they seem very close, but we find out more about that later. Elijah and Elena pop over to the mayor’s house. Elijah got Carol to stop drinking vervain (scary!), so he compels her to get him new clothes—from her dead husband, eek. What does it say about Carol, though, that she says she can’t help a man whose clothes are tattered because she’s late for a meeting?

Damon drinks (not always a good sign) and is petulant with Stefan about siding with Elena instead of him. Typical of their post-vampire relationship, Stefan is the big brother here: “Are you really going to be like this?” Damon and Andie “go rogue,” and take a trip to Alaric’s, where an adorable Katherine is trying to party up while in captivity. At first putting Andie in an even more dangerous situation seemed rude, but Andie doesn’t need an invite anywhere, so it’s actually a good idea. Is this Alaric’s? If so, why hasn’t Damon been invited in? Maybe Alaric doesn’t want Damon stealing his booze.

So Elijah and Klaus are brothers. Yep. Earlier, their relationship and differences reminded me a bit of Damon and Stefan. I was more right than I knew. At this reveal, Elijah tells Elena that the word she’s looking for is “OMG.” Is the F letter too offensive for you, TV? The only thing that could have made this episode better is if he had said OMFG, because that is how I reacted.

Jenna, meanwhile, has decided to return home. She calls up Stefan to ask where her little relatives are and mentions that Alaric wants to meet her at the grill. Stefan says he doesn’t know about Elena and Jeremy, but that she should not meet Alaric. But “Alaric” shows up at her house. Stefan rushes over to find an eerie (but kind of sexy) “Alaric” chopping up veggies.

Elena stupidly asks why Elijah would want to kill Klaus, his own brother. Elena of all people should know that brothers, especially vampire brothers, have problems sometimes. Elijah says that the history of originals is fascinating but long, involving a family of nine (two parents, seven children – so there might be a handful of other originals out there) who were once humans. He sadly recalls his and Klaus’s times together (and, yes, they’ve been around for a while), including that time they wrote about a shaman putting a curse on vampires and werewolves. What a laugh. On us as well. This episode is blowing my mind.

Elsewhere, Damon and Andie give Katherine vervain so she can resist further mental control. He treats her like a naughty child (which, let’s face it, she is), and notes, “You owe me, and I will collect.” His thinking is right here. See, this is clever Damon.

A vaguely sinister “Alaric” hilariously admits that he is “obsessed with vampires,” which is completely true of Alaric. Jenna is increasingly uncomfortable. She must assume he’s either on drugs or insane. It also must be weird have your ward’s boyfriend, who supposedly knows what’s going on, sitting there but not telling you anything.

“Alaric” refuses to leave and then threatens Jenna when she tries. Stefan attacks him, and nearly murders him, in Alaric’s body and all, but instead wears his vampire face and screams at Jenna to run, ensuring she will find out about vampires in the most jarring way possible. Stefan has been increasingly frustrated, and he knocks out Klaus before kicking him a couple times for good measure.

Stefan calls Elena just as Elijah is about to explain why this curse is actually only on Klaus. Elena says she has to leave but will return. Elijah is reluctant to see her leave, probably because both Elena and Katherine betrayed him. Flashback to Elijah chasing but not catching Katherine just the way Stefan chased but didn’t catch her. Katherine reveals more complexities in her relationship with Klaus, noting that Klaus is charming but possibly unfaithful. Elijah says that he doesn’t believe in love, and why would he? He’s lived so long, as a bloodsucker, no less. She strongly, and ironically, believes that life is too cruel to not believe in love and that real love is reciprocal. Klaus arrives and whisks Katherine away with blood all over his shirt. What a multilayered triangle. Our main trio seems like babies in comparison.

Sara Canning does very well at emoting Jenna’s confusion. She cries into Elena’s arms, recalling her sister’s freaky vampire bedtime stories and worrying about being the last to know about the supernatural. Stefan wears an especially pained expression and blames himself, but Elena blames herself. She goes to Elijah, but Damon stops her, just wanting her back. Stefan (looking a little scary, as he does when he gets stern) stands up to him, making Elena look slightly smug.

It’s a good thing she returned, because Elijah drops another bombshell. Klaus is a werepire. Their father was a major jerk (what a surprise) who killed Klaus’s real father and his entire werewolf family, beginning a vampire/werewolf feud. This curse keeps Klaus’s werewolf side dormant. Apparently a megalomaniac, he wants to kindle his other side and perhaps spawn a new army/race. Elijah says that only a witch can kill him.

An awesome Katherine drinks and dances around Alaric’s crib. When Klaus returns, she pretends to mope. Greta, who seems very not kidnapped and friendly with Klaus, and a host of others carry in Klaus’s belongings. She remarks that Alaric is a “nice body,” hehe.

Flashback time: Elijah tries to convince Klaus not to sacrifice Elena, because he has discovered another way to break the curse. (I’ve stopped keeping track of the jaw-dropping reveals.) Even then, Elijah was practical. He denies that he loves Katherine, and Klaus advises, “Love is a vampire’s greatest weakness.” This is true of almost every vampire we’ve seen, including Pearl, Anna, and Damon. Elijah replies that they did care once, but Klaus tragically states, “too many lifetimes ago.” Add Elijah to the list of Katherine-lovers. He clearly sees Katherine and perhaps her ancestor in Elena’s identical eyes. He claims he’ll never make the mistake of caring too much again.

On that note, Andie tells Damon that he doesn’t have to be so mad at his brother, but he tells her to leave. Stefan enters the room and makes a snide comment about using Andie. I’m all for not letting Damon use Andie, but Stefan’s comment seems to be born mostly of his bad day. They put it all out there, Damon saying that his real target is Elena, and Stefan sarcastically thanking him for being in love with his girlfriend. He seems done with tolerating Damon for now and says that he will have what Damon will never get: Elena’s respect.

They go at each other like mad dogs until Elena and Elijah return. The scene reminds Elijah of when his brother threatened to kill him if he betrayed him. All Elijah wants of the Salvatores, remarkably, is their apology. Stefan apologizes, rubbing in that he will always protect Elena. Damon just feels like a miserable loser and in no way apologizes. He hates losing. Stefan says he’ll come around, but Elijah’s expression is melancholy when he says, “perhaps.”

A very broken and damaged Damon lashes out at Andie as she tries to comfort him. Hearing a woman he has compelled to love him say she cares about him is too much. He rips into her shoulder but compels her to leave before he kills her. It may not sound like it, but her survival is a relief and a step up for a completely distraught Damon.

The final scene shows witches chanting around a big box at Alaric’s. Alaric returns to his body, mistaking Katherine for Elena before dropping to the floor. Katherine’s expression is that of pure terror at seeing none other than the original Klaus step out of the box. What an episode.

The Vampire Diaries: The Last Dance (Season 2, Episode 18)

Our beloved history teacher Alaric is possessed by the one and only Klaus the original vampire. He’s actually quite hilarious and upbeat, quite different from the suave Elijah. Klaus refers to Elijah as a “buzzkill,” so this analysis makes sense. Klaus proves that he has some of his powers by compelling Katherine to torture herself for at least 250 years, beginning now. Yikes. I hate to say it, Katherine, but does Klaus's "the fun is just beginning" sound familiar? Also, is it weird watching “Elena” and “Alaric” interact like this?

Elena signs the deed to the Salvatore’s mansion in front of random lawyer “Mr. Henry.” Bonnie wisely comments that she wouldn’t want to clean it. The Salvatores, meanwhile, ponder whether Katherine is dead. They say this with some regret, which is funny considering they have attempted to kill her multiple times.

Elena welcomes Stefan in but asks Damon if he promises to obey the house’s owner. He replies, “No,” (and should he?) and asks, “What, are we twelve?” Elena responds, “One of us is.” Awesome. He says yes, and she lets him in. Elena and Bonnie prepare to go to school, freaking the brothers out. They act like parents. School is getting old even for Stefan: “"No, kids you're grounded. From school." Bonnie swears that she can take Klaus if she sees his face, unaware that he is wearing Alaric’s. Stefan grudgingly goes with them, and Damon’s expression says, “What losers. Glad I’m not one of them.”

 

Matt and Sheriff Forbes confer. Will their relationship turn scandalous? At least the sheriff admits that Caroline is her baby. Matt is scared that Caroline will see through his deception at the dance tonight. He chooses to go as JFK. Idiot. Does he remember what happened to him?

Stefan’s all, “School sucks. Dances suck.” Bonnie's and Elena are all, “Dances are rad.” Then Klaus waltzes in to teach history class. First of all, some student actually tells him what they’re studying—who does that? Second, Klaus catches sight of Elena and stares inappropriately. Third, Klaus is a history dunce. He’s no Stefan Salvatore. Bonnie wonders when Alaric became so fun flighty. Elena corrects Klaus (making Stefan proud), and accidentally calls him “Ric,” making the rest of the class feel awkward.

At lunch, Jeremy is upset that his girlfriend is a martyr. Bonnie doesn’t tell Elena that she might die in order to save her. Dana, a student, tells Elena that Klaus asked her to save him the last dance. He also compelled her to emphasize how hot he is, which is absolutely hysterical. Vain, much?

Stefan plays the annoying Dad, pointing out that school wasn’t as safe as they thought. Klaus as Alaric waltzes right into the Salvatore mansion. Someone says, “There he is!” briefly startling Klaus. Luckily for him, Bonnie the Secret Weapon is no longer a secret. He checks out her and her “power” and refers to Klaus as the “biggest, baddest vampire around.”

Klaus returns to Alaric’s home to get help from the white witch. They plot to get Bonnie to use her life force trying to kill Klaus while putting Alaric’s body under a protective spell. Katherine is still there, hoping for Klaus’s death.

Caroline dresses as Jackie Kennedy, looking "gorge." Unfortunately, her date and mother are terrified of her. Stefan and Elena also prepare for the dance, and their smooches are interrupted by Damon, who is going to chaperone the dance. How great would that be if you were in high school?

At the ball, Klaus dances as though he is in the wrong century. He hopes to make up for this by dedicating a song to Elena. Klaus says to Damon that the old vampire is pretty twisted, but Damon insults him by being unimpressed. No one notices Alaric’s personality shift.

Jeremy is momentarily a genius because he wants to give Bonnie his magical ring. Of course, it won’t work, since Bonnie is supernatural. She tells him she’ll probably live, but they slow dance to a song about a girlfriend dying.

Elena and Stefan dance until Stefan spins Elena into Damon’s arms. He cheers her up. She seems to be having fun. They’re practically kissing. Wow. Then Damon moves on to Bonnie, and they get very close. Should they all just have a huge orgy? Damon agrees and dances with two high schoolers. Bad chaperone. Bonnie is amused.

Matt covers up his horrified expression by telling Caroline, “You look pretty.” So that’s what that expression means. He’s not super surprised but he is wary when VAMPIRE Stefan steals his date to update her on their situation. Normally, wouldn't he be slightly concerned since he stole his other girlfriend?

Stefan finds out from Jeremy that basically either Bonnie or Elena will die. He relays the information to Elena, who confront Bonnie with, “Noooooo!” Damon doesn’t seem to think what she called a 50-50 chance is so bad.

Klaus compels three teen boys to beat up Jeremy. Even after all he’s been through, he still can’t successfully fight back. Damon and Stefan save him, Damon getting hit with a stake and Stefan keeping Damon from killing them all. Stefan realizes it’s a diversion.

Klaus rather obviously leads Bonnie and Elena into a corridor before admitting that he is Klaus, the hater of the ‘60s and lover of the ‘20s. Bonnie attacks but can tell that he is trying to get her to expend her strength. Damon sends Elena to find Stefan, so he can scheme with Bonnie. A moment later, Bonnie marches in and starts breaking Alaric’s bones.

Bonnie makes wind and explosions, looks at Elena who runs to the door, and falls to the floor, “dead.” If that was Damon and Bonnie’s plans, they are biggest idiots on the show. Elena has an overdue mental breakdown. Jeremy may soon follow. Poor siblings. But no! Damon knew that Bonnie was going to “die” (Elena slaps him hard), but that she really just cast a me-be-dead spell, and is alive. Now Bonnie really is a secret weapon. She and Elena hold a conversation over Skype, which is less emotional than it should be due to an odd MiFi plug. 

Damon and Stefan exchange fighting words. Damon says that, in the end, “I’ll be the one to keep her alive.” They part, and Elena visits Damon in his bedroom. They make up, but Damon admits that, when it comes down to it, “I will always choose you.” At least Stefan doesn’t screw the civilians over (most of the time). They have a moment, and Elena seems both disappointed and moved.

She then goes to the basement and resurrects Elijah. That’s right. She pulls the stake out of his chest and just waits for him to wake up. Elena is badass and more creative than Damon.