i have too many feelings

[krickets]

- I have been a bit mum lately. Returning from hiatus for me was a bit of a let-down. Part of it, but not entirely because of an extreme lack of Caroline. I feel like the episode back was one of the weakest of the season. Last week's episode, The Last Dance, was better but still lacked something and had really crappy product placement. Yuck. This episode was miles better. I am so happy about that, I cannot tell you.

- BUT ABOUT CAROLINE: She's probably had five whole minutes of screen time in the past three eps, and she wasn't even this one at all. Not cool. For a character who has been front-and-center the entire season? That's disappointing. For a character I love to bits? It's even more disappointing. Honestly, I have my doubts that her screen time since hiatus has been five minutes. Anybody wanna do the math? ETA: And I agree with everybody about the quality of her screen time. She's been so out of character that it's just hard to watch.

It's not only her scenes, but her dynamic with the group. Why in last week's episode did she not already know that they were planning on killing Klaus at the dance. I mean, seriously? That is not something they would have shared with her prior? And when Elena spots her coming into the dance with Matt it was almost like she'd forgotten Caroline existed until that moment. "Oh yeah, that blonde chick, vampire, best friend! Totally forgot about her."

- Stefan was badass and hot and growly(! holycitygirl, that's for you), and just generally awesome. I loved him in this episode. And for a brief two seconds I was shipping him with Jenna. (They had like 2 seconds of alone-time together, that's all it takes. I'm a shipping whore what can I say?) I especially loved that he trusted Elena enough to trust Elijah as well and didn't try to stop her from going back and finishing what she started.

- I am so mad about Katherine dancing to that song. I was going to use it in my club vivid vid (which doesn't premiere until August) and now I feel like there would be no point. On the one hand (thank you slybrunette) I feel like a freaking genius for picking the song for her. On the other hand I am dreading the fact that there are probably going to be a billion Katherine vids to that song now.

- Flashbacks! I enjoyed the brother parallels. But I also dug the fact that he was so clearly falling for Katherine. The more I see of Katherine as a human the harder it is to really hate her. I am almost wondering if they aren't setting up some Katherine/Elijah action for the future. I sort of doubt it, but it would totally work now.

- I am reserving judgement on Klaus. The fact that he's a werewolf vampire hybrid is pretty awesome. But he still needs to prove himself.

- The fact that the sun and the moon curse is total bullshit makes me so happy. I never fully understood the "rules" -- the way it was explained it seemed like part of the curse could be undone but the other part would remain in place and other times it seemed like something else. Of course, the ultimate twist would be that the sun and the moon curse really does exist only Elijah doesn't know it. Which would also be cool.

- Elijah is pretty awesome. And him and Elena working together and trusting each other works so well for me. I was so glad that she went around their backs and made this decision to bring him back and to trust him on her own. She has really shaped up to be something quite special. I am pleased. And the dynamic between the two as allies really works. I don't believe him when he says he won't make the same mistake twice. I think he already does care. Maybe not in the same way he cared for Katherine, but I think he does.

- It's a good thing Jeremy wasn't around otherwise Damon would have snapped his neck. Again. What I definitely don't mean to say here is how he's just softie underneath and so misunderstood. His pain is real, and shit. Do I care? No. Do I enjoy watching him abuse women who are brainwashed (literally) enough to care about him? No. I get that Damon's a fan favorite, but I sort of resent what I feel is the show's attempt to make me feel bad for him. This is not the way, show. Not the way.

- Another unpopular opinion. I really wouldn't be sad if when Alaric hit the floor he didn't get back up again. I don't have any particular hate for his character. I just don't have any use for him either.

- While I missed Bonnie, Jeremy, Matt, & Tyler. I missed Caroline more. Show? Do not deprive me. I can't be held responsible for my actions. (Which probably involve fanfic of some kind, idk.)

Comments

[mfirefly10.livejournal.com]

I am so glad we're flisters now because ITA with so much of this!!!

The lack of Caroline, Bonnie, Jeremy, + Tyler is very disappointing. Matt...I don't care about him so his absence did nothing for me either way. Though he's gotten slightly more interesting now that he's working with Liz...

The parallels with Klaus/Elijah and Damon/Stefan were awesome and I wouldn't mind seeing that continue. Also wouldn't mind if the show did something with Elijah/Katherine, though like you, I highly doubt they will.

Elena was such a badass bringing Elijah back and working out a deal with him all on her own. And I LOVE that Stefan backed her play even if he still doesn't trust Elijah.

The way this show tries to make me feel empathy for Damon does the exact opposite. I PRAY this is the last we'll have to see of that disgusting storyline with poor Andie because if I have to see him hurt her again, I might just scream. Especially since Stefan is the only one who's actually called him on it!

I know it'll never happen, but I wouldn't care if they decided to kill Damon. Or Alaric. Which is a shame because I used to really like Ric. But then he had to buddy up to Damon and act totally cool about the fact that Damon is abusing Andie and that just doesn't work for me.

JENNA KNOWS THE TRUTH, THOUGH!!! FINALLY!!! I do wonder how much of the truth she knows and I hope it's everything because after all this time, if they still keep secrets from her I'm going to be furious!

[crickets.livejournal.com]

I do care about Matt but he's more of a plot point right now than a character. It's sad but that's how it's playing out. He's cut off from everybody and doesn't really have a chance to just be Matt. If Tyler were around, I think Matt's discovery of the whole truth would be more interesting to me. He'd have to play nice with both him and Caroline and it could make for some interesting moments.

Yes, everything you said about Elena and Stefan x 10.

Right? I keep thinking about that scene in the bathtub. I just.. first of all, I could barely stop myself from full-on laughing out loud -- and on top of it (coupled with the previous ep-ender) just found myself totally disgusted with him. How can we believe that he can care for anybody, let alone Elena, when this is how he treats people. Be it Andie or Caroline a poor innocent murder victim in the street or whoever. There was a moment in last year's finale where Bonnie threatened to take Damon down if he ever hurt anybody again. Damn I wish she would some days. Or at least make the threat real enough to him for him to jolly well listen to it.

Yeah the whole Damon & Ric BFF thing has been weird for me. I actually just find Ric boring -- sad to say.

I was super stoked how Jenna found out. It was the worst way possible. No letting her in on things easy, just, "oh btw I'm a vampire, you should probably run." Loved it.

[mfirefly10.livejournal.com]

I wish Bonnie would find out what Damon's been up to and follow through on her promise but I don't think the show will ever allow that to happen. If Bonnie does find out, they'll probably come up with some bullshit reason why she doesn't just kill him.

I was super stoked how Jenna found out. It was the worst way possible. No letting her in on things easy, just, "oh btw I'm a vampire, you should probably run." Loved it.

lol, IKR?! Poor Jenna...

[blighted-star.livejournal.com]

I just finished watching the episode. I liked that it was basically non-stop in terms of information kept being thrown at us. Those are always my favorite type of episodes.

I love Elijah. He's such a classy man, and I hope he sticks around. It was interesting hearing the conversation he had with Katherine about love b/c it seems like her opinion on love has changed. Like everything human Kat said is not something we'd hear vampire Kat say. But maybe underneath it all she truly is a romantic? I still wonder how Katherine found out she was going to be used as a sacrifice.

So the Sun and Moon curse is bullshit. I don;t think I mind so much. But basically the vampires are always going to be slaves to the sun and wolves slaves to the moon? There is no way to break it, and the reason why those creatures are slaves to the moon/sun is not b/c of a witch, but b/c of nature? Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Also, Klaus is a hybrid --- total mind fuck.

Maybe you understood it better and can enlighten me, but how were the originals created? I feel like Elijah's explanation was not clear. I think a flashback of it needs to be done, and I still want to know how old they really are, but they were born with a gene that made them vampires???

Elena rocks. I like how she takes control. Katherine dancing was a lot of fun. I hope she makes it out of this alive.

Okay, so...I like Damon. I do. But his treatment of Andie is complete bullshit. His abuse can't go unpunished. She was trying to be helpful and show him that he can be loved, and his reaction turned me off. I still am a Damon fan, but that scene will never sit right with me. I did love how Stefan & Damon's issues were being shown again b/c I felt like the writers have put their relationship - which for me is the most important on the show - on the back burner.

[favoritexrecord.livejournal.com]

I'm really confused about the curse. If it doesn't exist, why did Isobel burst into flames in the sun? And all the other vampires have been burned by it. Unless there's a different curse?

I agree, Caroline really hasn't gotten many scenes this season =/ hopefully that changes the rest of the season?

[crickets.livejournal.com]

I think we're supposed to take from it that vamps have to have weaknesses to keep things balanced and the sun is one of them. But there's no actual curse that binds it and no way of actually stopping it. The actual curse that involves the moonstone is to give Klaus the ability to be a vampire and a werewolf at one and the same time, which at the moment, he can't because by nature's law, it would make him too powerful.

[favoritexrecord.livejournal.com]

Oh okay! Yes that makes sense, lol. Thanks!

[intensely.livejournal.com]

I really missed having Caroline around this episode too. But what I do like about this show is they are able to balance out the characters pretty well and when they aren't needed in an episode, they aren't there. It was mostly about Klaus/Elijah back-story and Stefan & Damon tension anyway.

Is it too much to hope that this mysterious call Tyler gets to return has to do with Caroline? probably

What are we? Family.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

I enjoy ensemble casts, so even though I wasn't exactly missing all of the characters that weren't here in this ep, it sort of irks me because it messes with group dynamics. I understand that all of these characters have their own individual storylines and that having them around would be tricky without getting into the specifics of their own stories (although entirely plausible and possible) but it would make sense to have these pivotal characters around at certain pivotal moments. (Caroline being included in the conversation about Klaus in The Last Dance for example, would not have been difficult or far-fetched -- and in fact I find the opposite more far-fetched.)

I actually think the one character that would have made the most sense to be in this episode, who was not there, would have been John. Especially after his last conversation with Elena. And yet he wasn't at the Gilbert's and he wasn't at the Salvatore's. Which in hindsight, I feel like he should have been.

I am so bummed that Tyler is coming back so late into the season but glad that he's finally coming back. I feel like he does have some amends to make and I don't think there will be time for it now. I hope I'm wrong! (And I definitely hope that he comes back for Caroline in some way shape or form.)



Also I wanted to say that I saw your last post regarding Damon, and I gotta say I don't completely dislike him. See my review of my re-watch (http://crickets.livejournal.com/424217.html#cutid1). I don't go into too many details, but I there are certainly parts of his character that have grown on me. And I've always found him funny. But at the same time, I don't dismiss his actions as being a result of his vampiric nature. We have seen, through Lexie, Stefan, Rose, Caroline, and Elijah specifically, that vampires are very much human. And turning off the human side of themselves has often been talked about as a choice. I do feel like he's responsible for that choice, especially in situations when he is not acting out of instinct or survival, but out of jealousy.

I don't know if you've ever watched Being Human (UK) but I feel like when Nina says to Mitchell "I think that there is a poison in you that has nothing at all to do with being a vampire," that that same statement can easily be applied to Damon.

And I would like nothing more than to watch his character be redeemed but he can never be redeemed if he doesn't ultimately own up to the things that he's done and the choices he's made and actively makes them better. It will never work if he simply dismisses it as something he had no control over.

Re: What are we? Family.

[intensely.livejournal.com]

That thing about Caroline not being included in the conversation last week, I do agree with. I thought that was really odd. Her not being included in a lot of their discussion is probably what is going to lead her to being kidnapped again this week because she has no idea what the hell is going on.

I'm kinda terrified they are bringing him back to kill him, tbh. I don't have any theories about this but it's just something that has crossed my mind.

Well, with Lexie, Rose and Elijah - they've had lots of years to learn control and embrace their humanistic side over their vampiric side(but even with Elijah he doesn't always, only when it serves his purpose to, imo). In the case of Stefan; he had Lexie and Caroline had Stefan. Damon didn't have anyone(which was his choice) and went around for over 100 years never even once thinking about his human side. I think it will take time, but he will get there. It's just easier, at this point, to regress and embrace his vampiric side instead of dealing/owning up to the things he's done.

p.s. I don't think Damon reacted the way he did at the end of the episode because he was jealous. I think there was a lot more to it than that.

Re: What are we? Family.

[crickets.livejournal.com]

They had better not be bringing Tyler back to kill him. But honestly I have a really strong feeling that he'll be sticking around. For sure. I'd be pretty bummed if they did, but I get the sense that he'll be pretty safe. At this point, I'm more worried about Matt. I think his actions of late are going to get him killed.

Damon did have both Stefan and Lexie around -- despite how strained those relationships might have been and how little he may have seen of them. But even if he did reject their influences, whether it's easier or not, I still think it's a choice. And it sort of undermines him as a character if we don't allow him that responsibility. I do see potential in him to be redeemed in the end, I just want to see it happen in a way that makes be believe it. I feel like this thing with Andie is very much Caroline 2.0 and that he's regressed a lot this year. I mean, just think about how the season started with him. Didn't get off to a great start.

Jealousy was probably a huge part in it, coming off of the fight with Stefan. But there is definitely a different kind of power struggle going on as well.

Also, I did want to say that some of my favorite Damon moments have involved Liz. Actually seeming to care about the way Caroline treated her, calling her a friend. Those moments sort of surprised me and I would like to see more stuff like that from him.

[by-juliajewels.livejournal.com]

Love so much of what you said about the Klaus episode. I admit I was also sort of let down the last couple episodes. Here, they all really stepped it up.

I don't think I've ever been so happy with Elena then I was here, her bringing Elijah back. And this originals storyline has really renewed my interests in the show overall, there is so much potential.

Loved the flashback scenes, especially Elijah/Katherine scenes. And I agree, Klaus may be a BAMO werevamp, but he still has a lot of expectations to meet. I hope the writers keep the original family around for many more episodes.

And the brother parallels has so much potential as well. Stefan seems to be growing darker, and I like it! And Damon, yeah, as always he's being Damon. Hope that gets more interesting with this Klaus challenge. No wonder Katherine was drawn to the brothers later on, history repeating!

Caroline and Tyler I think also fit into this history repeating itself, like Klaus's parents? Interested to see there that goes,Caroline and Tyler have so much chemistry. They need to get together already!

And Katherine and her drunk dancing, only Katherine! Still, even if there are billion fan vids made of this, I still say you should do your own!