Vampire Diaries 4x07 - My Brother's Keeper
So, the big question is -- are Stefan and Caroline inexplicably right in their wild assumptions about Elena?
Given that the show likes to go for the most painful option, probably.
(ETA: AFTER TALKING WITH
arabian I HAVE CHANGED MY MIND. She pointed out that Damon told Elena that drinking from him would work and it did not work. Damon told her to compel that girl in "The Five" and she did not do it! Caroline and Stefan are working from incorrect and biased assumptions!)
The show was hamstrung by the horrible direction in "The Five" because it does seem like that episode was supposed to show how overwhelmed Elena was by a sudden intensifying of her feelings for Damon and yet it was the most Stefan/Elena positive episode of the entire season, based purely on how it was directed. So, that director really gets a 'fail' because mostly Elena doesn't act all that differently around Damon. She's been attracted to him for a while. She's felt conflicted about her feelings for him for a while. She first voluntarily kissed him while still fully human. Caroline and Stefan both knew that she already had feelings for Damon before she was ever turned.
Honestly, both Caroline and Stefan were such jerks in this episode that I want them to be wrong just because they're so unlikable (Stefan was such a selfish asshole the whole episode and the only times I found Caroline likable were in her scenes with Klaus. Klaus). I mean, sheesh, Caroline, if you're so up on Stefan, just date him yourself.
"I'm your best friend and I would never pick sides." That, Caroline Forbes, is the biggest whopper you have ever told on this show. But Elena does (and has) absolutely known that for a while, so it's almost a harmless lie in that Elena didn't believe it for a second.
Also, spinning turning Elena human as a way to get her to stop caring about Damon and to date Stefan again is... well, shady. You two want to thought-control Elena just as much as you believe that Damon is doing, except that you want to do it consciously*.
"Your sister isn't supposed to be a vampire and we need to help her." How is Elena any more 'not supposed to be a vampire' than every other single unwilling turn? I appreciate how the show is deconstructing Stefan's blinkered thinking. Stefan's fetish-esque relationship with Elena's humanity is seriously creeping me out.
* and given that Damon has continued to act this season like Stefan/Elena are a law of the universe, it's hard to believe he's doing any of this consciously; at least, it will be a damn hard sell for the show to try to play that
Other thoughts:
It's sweet that Damon doesn't want Jeremy to go on a killing spree.
Oh! Elena picks up a red rose. Like the one Damon gave her in "Under Control". Awww.
Ugh, the 'soulmate' word on a Kevin Williamson show just brings up so many bad memories.
"What was I supposed to do -- lie to him?" Apparently, Elena was supposed to be able to repress her emotions to the point of not feeling them.
Huh. The Five have super-strength.
So Stefan turned a convicted and remorseless killer into a vampire (on Klaus's orders). Ah, so Stefan is turning murderers so that Jeremy can kill them. Because he's totally fine with Jeremy going on a killing spree if it means Elena can be human again so that she can go back to repressing her feelings about Damon so that Stefan can play pretend with her some more.
What a gem. Totally worthy of all your cheerleading, Caroline.
Huh, actual reading of lore (originally from Shane, I'm guessing?). Thanks for the info, show.
Aw, Elena flat-out told Damon that she broke up with Stefan because of Damon. Did you see his face? I think he had all the emotions in that moment.
Aw, Damon slipped in a sideways reference to Alaric there in his convo with Shane.
So, after the horrible failure that was Elena and Stefan's fake break-up, I seriously have to shake my head at Tyler and Caroline for trying to pull the same trick.
Oh, is Matt going to step in to cover Jeremy's ass like Damon stepped in for Stefan last time?
Yep!
Ah, the intimacy of the near-touch. I bet Elena and Damon are having some memories right now.
"I want nothing more than to dance with you," the lyrics say.
And Damon's almost always right (especially on plot twists), Caroline. Do you even watch this show?
"How did I become the bad guy?" Well, you were pretty much yelling at one of your friends in public.
Ah, Jeremy! That was an awesome scene there with him and Stefan. Yay, Jeremy! Stefan deserved that. Jeremy will probably end up going Too Far but that was pretty awesome.
Yeah, Jeremy just tried to kill his sister. Wow, awakening his lust to kill vampires was an awesome plan, Stefan and Klaus! No, really, gold stars all around.
Woah, is Stefan actually admitting to fault in something? And Elena realizing that Stefan only sees her as a problem to be fixed these days.
Ah, Phoebe is working with Shane. JUST AS DAMON SUSPECTED.
"My brother wants to kill me."
"Welcome to the club."
*huggles*
Aw. "I wanted to dance with you today." Dancing! ♥
I mean, now there's a ~cloud of doubt over it all but... most of it isn't too far off from what Elena was doing when she was already human. The difference being that when she was still human, she hated herself a lot more for caring about Damon.
ETA: and threerings has made me wonder if the writers think that Elena being sire-bonded to Damon would somehow justify the horrible way Caroline and Stefan acted in this episode. I very much hope they aren't going to go in that direction. Caroline and Stefan were selfish jerks, regardless of whatever else is happening.
Oh, and Caroline, if Elena is your "best friend", then I'm pretty sure the side that you pick in the break-up is supposed to be hers and not either of the guy's. Just saying.
(and I wouldn't mind Caroline deciding that Elena's priorities aren't hers and that they don't need to be as close friends! It might even be healthier for both of them. But calling yourself her best friend while at the same time trying to control her life completely is... shady)
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Given that the show likes to go for the most painful option, probably.
(ETA: AFTER TALKING WITH
arabian I HAVE CHANGED MY MIND. She pointed out that Damon told Elena that drinking from him would work and it did not work. Damon told her to compel that girl in "The Five" and she did not do it! Caroline and Stefan are working from incorrect and biased assumptions!)
The show was hamstrung by the horrible direction in "The Five" because it does seem like that episode was supposed to show how overwhelmed Elena was by a sudden intensifying of her feelings for Damon and yet it was the most Stefan/Elena positive episode of the entire season, based purely on how it was directed. So, that director really gets a 'fail' because mostly Elena doesn't act all that differently around Damon. She's been attracted to him for a while. She's felt conflicted about her feelings for him for a while. She first voluntarily kissed him while still fully human. Caroline and Stefan both knew that she already had feelings for Damon before she was ever turned.
Honestly, both Caroline and Stefan were such jerks in this episode that I want them to be wrong just because they're so unlikable (Stefan was such a selfish asshole the whole episode and the only times I found Caroline likable were in her scenes with Klaus. Klaus). I mean, sheesh, Caroline, if you're so up on Stefan, just date him yourself.
"I'm your best friend and I would never pick sides." That, Caroline Forbes, is the biggest whopper you have ever told on this show. But Elena does (and has) absolutely known that for a while, so it's almost a harmless lie in that Elena didn't believe it for a second.
Also, spinning turning Elena human as a way to get her to stop caring about Damon and to date Stefan again is... well, shady. You two want to thought-control Elena just as much as you believe that Damon is doing, except that you want to do it consciously*.
"Your sister isn't supposed to be a vampire and we need to help her." How is Elena any more 'not supposed to be a vampire' than every other single unwilling turn? I appreciate how the show is deconstructing Stefan's blinkered thinking. Stefan's fetish-esque relationship with Elena's humanity is seriously creeping me out.
* and given that Damon has continued to act this season like Stefan/Elena are a law of the universe, it's hard to believe he's doing any of this consciously; at least, it will be a damn hard sell for the show to try to play that
Other thoughts:
It's sweet that Damon doesn't want Jeremy to go on a killing spree.
Oh! Elena picks up a red rose. Like the one Damon gave her in "Under Control". Awww.
Ugh, the 'soulmate' word on a Kevin Williamson show just brings up so many bad memories.
"What was I supposed to do -- lie to him?" Apparently, Elena was supposed to be able to repress her emotions to the point of not feeling them.
Huh. The Five have super-strength.
So Stefan turned a convicted and remorseless killer into a vampire (on Klaus's orders). Ah, so Stefan is turning murderers so that Jeremy can kill them. Because he's totally fine with Jeremy going on a killing spree if it means Elena can be human again so that she can go back to repressing her feelings about Damon so that Stefan can play pretend with her some more.
What a gem. Totally worthy of all your cheerleading, Caroline.
Huh, actual reading of lore (originally from Shane, I'm guessing?). Thanks for the info, show.
Aw, Elena flat-out told Damon that she broke up with Stefan because of Damon. Did you see his face? I think he had all the emotions in that moment.
Aw, Damon slipped in a sideways reference to Alaric there in his convo with Shane.
So, after the horrible failure that was Elena and Stefan's fake break-up, I seriously have to shake my head at Tyler and Caroline for trying to pull the same trick.
Oh, is Matt going to step in to cover Jeremy's ass like Damon stepped in for Stefan last time?
Yep!
Ah, the intimacy of the near-touch. I bet Elena and Damon are having some memories right now.
"I want nothing more than to dance with you," the lyrics say.
And Damon's almost always right (especially on plot twists), Caroline. Do you even watch this show?
"How did I become the bad guy?" Well, you were pretty much yelling at one of your friends in public.
Ah, Jeremy! That was an awesome scene there with him and Stefan. Yay, Jeremy! Stefan deserved that. Jeremy will probably end up going Too Far but that was pretty awesome.
Yeah, Jeremy just tried to kill his sister. Wow, awakening his lust to kill vampires was an awesome plan, Stefan and Klaus! No, really, gold stars all around.
Woah, is Stefan actually admitting to fault in something? And Elena realizing that Stefan only sees her as a problem to be fixed these days.
Ah, Phoebe is working with Shane. JUST AS DAMON SUSPECTED.
"My brother wants to kill me."
"Welcome to the club."
*huggles*
Aw. "I wanted to dance with you today." Dancing! ♥
I mean, now there's a ~cloud of doubt over it all but... most of it isn't too far off from what Elena was doing when she was already human. The difference being that when she was still human, she hated herself a lot more for caring about Damon.
ETA: and threerings has made me wonder if the writers think that Elena being sire-bonded to Damon would somehow justify the horrible way Caroline and Stefan acted in this episode. I very much hope they aren't going to go in that direction. Caroline and Stefan were selfish jerks, regardless of whatever else is happening.
Oh, and Caroline, if Elena is your "best friend", then I'm pretty sure the side that you pick in the break-up is supposed to be hers and not either of the guy's. Just saying.
(and I wouldn't mind Caroline deciding that Elena's priorities aren't hers and that they don't need to be as close friends! It might even be healthier for both of them. But calling yourself her best friend while at the same time trying to control her life completely is... shady)
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