Thoughts about TVD 6x12
I didn't think this episode was AMAZEBALLS or anything, but I still liked it a lot. There was a lot of good character work here, and I think that's mostly what I want to discuss...
Damon's different. I mean, he's been different this whole season, but it's becoming more and more clear that Damon has settled, one way or another. He's still gonna do pointed things like use Kai to save Liz at any cost, cause collateral damage and all that, but there is still this difference in his execution. He's no longer manic. He is calm. He is just getting shit done, and yeah, there will be apologies, or people who are mad and don't forgive him, and whatever. It's the same, but it's NOT the same. I'm very invested in this version of Damon; in this version that Elena stands right beside with no reservations. I almost don't want her to ever get her memories back, because her journey to this place still comes from all those shared experiences, even if only her subconscious remembers it, but regardless. They are more well matched than they've ever been before. I really treasure the differences in them.
Like the whole opening scene where Elena calls him on his shit about "recreating" a date they'd gone on before. (And how much do I love the visual of Damon and Elena chucking popcorn at hipsters? BEST. IMAGE. EVER.) And him tending to her needs, just being in sync and caring and you know, NORMAL, TYPICAL relationship stuffs? And then when Damon asks her if she remembers that Liz is his BFF-Sheriff? It's just, that reaching out, that honesty between them. It's the little things that show how TOGETHER they already are. They don't need to kiss for me to understand that, I can see it plainly. Elena needs the catalyst (she always has when it comes to Damon), but it's still been so much quicker and less agonizing. And I truly love that, for both of them.
I thought the flashes of Liz's death were very interesting...and that Caroline's humanity hangs in the balance. I hope they will go there with the Sunny Happy Most Functional Vampire Of All Time; and not so Stefan can "save" her, but so Stefan can see that what he offers to Caroline is just as valuable as what she offers to him; you know that he worships her, that he believes her to be far too good for the likes of him, and that was even before he knew she had a 'thing' for him.
I'm also curious to know if any of Luke's goodness will manifest itself in Kai? I mean, their dad said that a Twin Merge would unite the souls of the two who merge, so even though it wasn't the traditional Twin Merge, couldn't that be something that could happen to Kai? I'm really curious if they will try to make him good in some way, or if he's just Cray-Cray-Kai-Kai and that's it.
Also, in the past seasons it's always been Big Bad A <<<<<<<<<<<< leading to Big Bad B, but we are 12 episodes in and see no sign of any Big Bad beside Kai. So I'm very curious about what is going to happen in the back 10 episodes.
Anyway...I liked it. Bring on the rest of S6!