3x10 Reaction Post, Because I Literally Cannot Help Myself
I always knew a day would come when I would crack under the pressure of all my flailing and just write a recap post. Apparently today is that day.
Preface: I had no intention of watching my first new TVD episode in 2 months today. I've literally been awake for 25 hours. I woke up this morning on a different continent, and I'm still sort of bouncing from the 11-hour plane ride. I thought I would save the glory of 3x10 for tomorrow, when I wasn't exhausted and confused and wobbly. But apparently this year's round of jet lag means I am WIRED. Seriously, I'm wide awake. And I tried to ignore the temptation of that new episode, but then I did something very stupid, and I got myself spoiled. I was being SO GOOD, you guys. I was steering clear of everything. But it wasn't enough, because I still saw a reference to that ending. And knowing (or at least strongly suspecting) that had happened, I had to watch, because knowing that one detail without knowing the how or when or why of it all would have driven me crazy. So I folded, and I watched. And now I feel. Let's do this. Semi-chronologically, because I have no idea how else to tackle this.
BONNIE. She's in this episode. And I am pleased. I think we all agree that Bonnie is underused or misused or any manner of poorly used, but she STARTED this episode. And it's not all about how she's a witch and can solve all our problems. She isn't a plot device, guys! She gets to plan and study and be awesome with Stefan. This can only be good. And I'm really interested in that team. VERY excited.
Brief question. Did Jeremy really think that no one would notice he'd been fired from the Grill? It is the only place in town. They all spend the majority of their time there. It is a freaking miracle that it took them a week to figure it out. My Mystic Falls Crack Detective Team. No wonder all their plans fail.
Damon Salvatore is back on my screen. I can feel my heart beaming with joy. And he is in full form, day drinking like the self-destructive freak he is. Honorable mention to his face when Ric starts talking about Jeremy's midterm paper. Translation: "Do you really think I care about this? Oh, you do? Ugh. Fine."
My actual reaction to Jeremy and Tyler shooting things in the woods (spoken out loud to my television, of course): "Oh, yay! The show remembered that these two are friends!" One of my biggest critiques of this show is that it tends to forget about the fantastic friendships it initiates (Stefan/Caroline, anyone?), so I'm quite pleased that the show seems to remember that there is a foundation here. Dare I say, an understanding? I really dig the Jeremy/Tyler vibe. They seem to connect and accept each other in a way that the others can't, and I just like how they interact. Even when Tyler is scheming and being all dangerous and sired.
There were so many amazing Damon/Elena scenes in this episode. And I'm not talking about dramatic kisses, I'm talking about the friendship between them. I love how they talk things out together - they're each other's sounding boards. Plus they're adorable. And seriously, Elena has gotten so terrible at pretending she doesn't want to bone Damon. She's so flirty with him. I think a lot of that has to do with the level of comfort in their relationship rather than any romantic tension (she's always wanted to bone him, at least on a purely physical level), but it's still fun to see. She relaxes around him. God, I love this ship.
And the foreshadowing, just, show, I love you. Elena saying Jeremy has lost everyone he cares about, and Damon saying, "He still has you." MY HEART. Because Jeremy DOES still have Elena, and because of that he'll lose her. The best thing she can think to do for him is to rid him of herself and all she carries with her, and it's so beautiful and so horrible and overall just tragic. The Gilberts held their own in an episode that contained my Brothership AND RebeKlaus. Well played, Gilberts.
This whole re-watching thing is such fun. Because in all the your problem vs. our problem stuff, I forgot that ELENA is the one who starts it all. She tells Klaus, "that sounds like a Klaus and Stefan problem." And yet she's so horrified when Stefan tells her Jeremy isn't his problem. And I LOVE when we see Elena being unfair and demanding and Katherine-esque. Elena has spent so much time being the girl everyone wants to save that she expects people to do everything they can for her, even if she doesn't do everything she can for them. Elena protects her people, but only her people. I'm still waiting for someone to mention how Elena was perfectly content for people to die in the sacrifice so long as they weren't anyone she knows. This is that part of her again - she feels entitled to Stefan helping her save Jeremy, but she's done helping Stefan (for now). That's my girl. HEARTS. EVERYWHERE.
I have such a thing for the relative humanity of the actual humans. I'm bored of the vampires and their misplaced humanity. Bring me Elena and Jeremy and even Bonnie losing that connection to humanity. This tangent is brought to you in part by Alaric's line: "proof you're still human." STILL human. Like it's something that's in doubt. Like it's something that can be changed. Like it's something temporary.
Jeremy was acting like such a little teenage prick for a while, and I appreciate it so much more knowing where it's going, Jeremy's being a child, feeling self-indulgent, and then things go to hell, and with the BAM of a cleaver, he grows up.
Reason #19677483827 why I adore Damon Salvatore: "You know me. Never miss a chance to plan another epic failure." TOO MUCH LOVE TO EXPRESS.
Klaus and Damon snarking together. Can this show literally know my dreams? ALL MY DREAMS, THEY ARE COMING TRUE.
I am conflicted about Tyler. I'm not quite sure what he thinks. Because his description of siring vs. compulsion sounded so sketchy. What I felt was lacking was that he didn't mention what he told Caroline in 3x09 - that he doesn't have a choice in the matter. Whether or not he believes it's good or right, he is sired, and it's not something he can change. I find his acceptance in the face of that to be much more convincing than whatever rationalizing he tried to do for the Gilbert clan. But then again, I'm pretty sure we're going to see Tyler try to de-sire himself, so I suppose that emphasizing the inevitability of the matter wouldn't be particularly conducive to that end. We'll see.
Nelg, I totally gasped when the scene cut to Jeremy hanging up the phone. Maybe it was obvious to some, but hey, I'm not that smart, and I love that this show can still surprise me like that. And say what you will about Klaus and his ridiculousness as a villain (and I do, often), but somehow he still gets shit done. He is remarkably effective, considering how much time he's spent in Mystic Falls (I think that place addles your brain somehow).
WHY AREN'T THESE PEOPLE FLOODED WITH VERVEIN? Seriously. Wear it in jewelry, wash your clothes in it, FREAKING DRINK IT ALL THE TIME. I love this team, I really, really do. But sometimes they are so lacking in brain function that they almost deserve to die.
Guys. I LOVE that Stefan/Elena scene. Because LOOK HOW MUCH AGENCY STEFAN HAS. Stefan is making ALL the choices. And he's acting cold and callous, but it's not the switch. Fuck the switch, that storyline's done. It's him choosing what he wants to be. And he's being Damon here, NOT in the snarky emotionless way. But rather in the way he's narrowing his world. He still loves Elena, obviously. He will do anything to protect her. And he will do anything to protect Damon (again and again and again forever). But that's it. This is his version of "I will always choose you." Last season he was always trying to keep Elena happy, always caring about everyone, never accepting that someone she cared about could get killed. That Stefan would never have considered letting Jeremy die in the fight against Klaus. This Stefan will, and does. It's not that he cares less. It's that he's being more honest about what he cares about. Protecting Elena's friends had nothing to do with Elena's friends. It was always about Elena. This is the same thing. He will protect Elena and Damon. And everyone else can fall in that quest. Above all, he's choosing himself. Not over Elena and Damon, but certainly over Jeremy. And guys. That is AWESOME.
And god, I just love how Damon waits, totally unsurprised by her failure, just waiting for his turn. Elena tries her way, but this whole thing is always going to be about Stefan and Damon. Klaus knows it, Elena knows it, even Damon knows it. EVERYTHING comes down to Stefan and Damon. I truly believe that is what this show is about.
Can we talk for a second about the reverse of 2x22 - Damon burning in the sun, but throwing Stefan against the wall? These boys repeat the pattern, again and again, taking turns in everything.
THAT FIGHT SCENE. I DO NOT HAVE THE WORDS TO EXPRESS HOW PERFECT IT WAS. More than anything, I adored how petty it was. They were SUCH brothers. Stefan tells Damon he did it all to save his life, and it isn't this dramatic moment, where Damon has an epiphany and all is made clear. Damon just goes, "What? NO. No way." They're just fighting. Damon is frustrated and annoyed and angry, and Stefan is reacting, and they're just being themselves. Everything about it was wonderful. Stefan is trying to spin this, make it all work in his plan, and Damon is NOT having it. And I love how once again, it's Damon who knows Stefan best. Stefan isn't doing this for Damon. He will save Damon every time, but this? This is all for himself. Damon won't let Stefan take responsibility for Damon's actions, but he also won't let his brother put the responsibility on him. All Damon ever really tries to do is insist that Stefan be who he is. And if that isn't gorgeous, I don't know what is.
"STOP SAVING ME." There aren't enough hearts in the world. But here are a few. <33333333333333333333
I'm really glad Tyler has a storyline. And I feel for this kid. Because I love how he's resigned to his situation, how he's genuinely ok with being sired to Klaus, and yet, he's still trying to help everyone. He tells Jeremy to stay inside. He verveins Caroline and takes her away from Homecoming. He doesn't think he can fight what he's become, but he will do all he thinks he can. Lovely.
Jeremy. Fucking. Gilbert. WHAT. ALL THE AWARDS. Seriously, this was glorious. Because he was acting like a child, and things were happening around him. He goes to Tyler with a crossbow to play at adult, trying to be something stronger. But it isn't right, and Tyler sends him away, and that could be that. But then he's at home, and there's a hugely powerful hybrid threatening his family, and this is the moment. First step, he shoots the hybrid. And he's done his part, that could be it. He can be a man now. But it isn't enough. So he marches through his house, gets a fucking CLEAVER, and chops the guy's head off. And it's so much worse, and so much better. This is steel, not just iron. Remember how I love humans losing their humanity? This is the most poignant example of all. Because Jeremy IS human. He's pretty much the only human at this point. He has a real chance at being a normal human, but he turns himself into a monster. It's a choice. And Steven rocks this. He gets down on his knees next to the hybrid, and he looks back at Elena, just for a second. Because he knows. He knows what this one act will turn him into, and how it will change everything between them. And he does it anyway. It's in his eyes, as he stands up, all bloodsplattered. He takes a breath, realizing that this is what he is now. Then he takes charge and moves on. And there's Elena, standing in the doorway, horrified at what her brother has turned himself into, for her. Holy hell, this show is incredible.
So softly_me pointed out the exchange between Stefan and Damon when Stefan says "I don't owe you anything." And I just need a moment to squee about my brothers. Because in 2x22 Stefan tells Elena he needs to save Damon because he's responsible for Damon being a vampire in the first place. He actually says he owes it to him. And all that? Is total BULLSHIT. This is not about repaying some sort of debt. This is all about how much Stefan needs Damon - and how much he loves him. This version of Stefan is over the centuries-old grudges. He doesn't owe Damon a thing. And yet he will save him every time, again and again. Because Damon is the most important person in Stefan's life by leaps and bounds, and this version of Stefan can handle that. He can cope with living for Damon. It's who he is. And isn't that just phenomenal?
Also, so much love for how Damon is badgering Stefan about why he saves him, up until Stefan insists he doesn't owe Damon anything. And Damon pauses, and lets it go, and moves on to the next question. Because he knows, of course. And once he's sure Stefan knows too, well, that's enough.
Elena bargaining with Klaus was AMAZING. This girl is the greatest. I am so thrilled with how Elena is progressing. This isn't like Elijah, when she took it all on faith, invoking honor. That was innocent, and trusting, and frankly, stupid. This is eye for an eye. My girl, becoming cutthroat. I dig it so hard.
I loved how Elena and Klaus interacted. I shipped it, obviously (they were, after all, two people on screen, and this is TVD. That's pretty much all it takes for me at this point.). Klaus actually looks the tiniest bit proud of her. She can make herself into a monster too, and there's nothing Klaus loves more than watching people destroy themselves.
Ok, that scene in the kitchen with Elena and Damon? My absolute favorite. In an episode that contained a D/E CANON KISS, people. That's love. Frankly, this might be one of my favorite scenes of theirs, ever. It's quiet, and honest, and more than anything you can just feel so keenly how much they need each other, and how much they're in this together. First of all, Elena washing the blood off her hands is SUCH an amazing opening shot. No need to even go into the symbolism there. And some of my favorite moments between these two are when they just quietly take care of each other, because that's what they do. They've both been running around all day dealing with things, but now Damon looks at her, and he just knows. His face when he asks her if she's ok breaks my heart. Because it looks like he actually braces himself before he asks. He knows he's opening the floodgates, as it were. He's making her deal with the pain. But she needs to, and she needs him for this, and he has to do this for her, because they're Elena and Damon. I will die with this ship.
And Elena. God, she just killed me. She says it's not fair that Jeremy has to live like this, but sweetie, it isn't fair that YOU have to live like this. And it makes me want to wrap her up in a blanket and feed her pie, because her life is a mess, and there isn't any reason for it. She's supernatural, but not in a way that helps anything. She isn't powerful or immortal, she's just trapped. And it isn't fair, most especially because no one can help her. She can help Jeremy, and she does. But no one can save her. There is no salvation to be had.
And guys, he takes her face in his hands like she did to him last episode, like he's done to her countless times before, and the way they take care of EACH OTHER, just. I can't even.
The RebeKlaus scene was STUNNING. My poor bbs. Klaus, who always gets what he wants, whose plans are always 10 steps ahead of everyone else, and the one thing he was counting on that let him down was a purely emotional thing. There's no strategy in wanting Rebekah with him here. It's just that he loves her, and wants her with him. But he can't bear the idea that she wouldn't want the same thing. It breaks his heart in a way that nothing else can. Klaus is never going to be redeemed. He's never going to be Damon, once evil but humanized. But he does love this girl, deeply and fiercely and uncontrollably. It's the only thing he can't control, really. And it's heartbreaking.
And the Jeremy Compulsion Part II. Basically, whenever Nina Dobrev cries, my heart literally clenches. I know people will be talking a lot about whether it was the right thing to do, whether Elena has the right to dictate Jeremy's life like that. And honestly, I don't know. But wouldn't you do it, if these were your options? It isn't fair, but none of this is fair, and she's genuinely giving him a chance for a better life. And I would probably do the same thing.
Esther's totally in the special coffin. That's all.
And that last scene. Albeit marred by the fact that I sort of knew where it was heading, but still. And ALL THE POINTS for this show and its pacing. Seriously, bless this show for not drawing out the Stefan-saving-Damon's-life reveal. That easily could have been hidden for ages. I fully expected no one to find out for at least 2 or 3 episodes. But no, not on this show. Everybody who needs to know knows, which means that everything they do is fully valid. There will be no "oh, the kiss didn't mean anything because we didn't know Stefan was secretly doing good." Fuck that. That's the easy way out. No, we're going to deal with EVERYTHING. We're going to know everything, and do what we want, and admit that's what we want. I LOVE this show. Because this scene means something, and nothing can take that away.
So let's talk about Damon. I love this character beyond reason. Because he ISN'T the romantic hero, in any way, shape, or form. He doesn't bravely walk away from 'his brother's girl,' virtue fluttering in the wind. No, he acknowledges that it's a mistake, that it can't work, that he can't do this, and then he says "fuck it" and does it anyway. And that is ABSOLUTELY Damon. This show is not sacrificing the character for the plot. Damon is being selfish, and he knows it. It doesn't matter. He wants what he wants, and even if he won't take it all, he'll take a bit. He's not above that, and he's never going to pretend he is.
Now for Elena. She is always hard to read in these sorts of scenes, but it's pretty clear that she feels something for Damon. That is pretty much beyond refuting at this point. The bigger question is why she's denying it. I personally thing it has nothing to do with her being 'his brother's girl.' It's all about her and her own issues, and that's one of the things I love most about this ship. Their issues are theirs, and theirs alone. That being said, guys, the HANDS. How gorgeous was that? He kisses her, and she's sort of frozen. She doesn't push him away, but she doesn't throw herself into it either. There's this moment of stasis, when she's genuinely not sure what she's going to do. She never fully decides, but she raises her hand, for something. And she just takes his. And once again, they're in this together. He's not kissing her to force her into being with him. She's not letting him just so he can get it out of his system. They're somewhere in the middle. There's this thing between them, and it's not going away. They're not going to do anything about it. But he takes this moment, and she takes it too. Also, the parallels to her grasping his hands in 2x01, and of course the porch setting, and how everything with them is exactly as it's always been and yet so different, all at the same time. They are a whole mess of contradictions, but they're always, always themselves.
I loved the whole thing, obviously, but it didn't feel like this grand glorious ship-validating moment that I'd been waiting for for 2 years. I think that's because it wasn't. This is not the moment when Elena finally admits her feelings for Damon, or when they finally give into the raging UST between them and tumble into bed, or even when they're just tired of fighting it anymore. It's just a moment - a passing indulgence, and the ultimate proof positive that they are truly, finally, fully in this together. That's not to say that her level of feeling is the same as his - it's not. She's not over Stefan. But she knows, just as he does, that there is something between them. And for now, that's enough.
THIS IS SUCH A RIDICULOUS POST. I am legitimately embarrassed that I've ranted this much. I'm pretty sure I've written research papers shorter than this damn 'reaction' post. I just react a lot, ok? If any of you have managed to read til the end, CONGRATULATIONS. But if you skipped ahead to the closing arguments, here's the long and the short of it:
Fantastic episode. Such an amazing way to resume. I fucking love this show so hard I see stars. WELCOME BACK, TVD.
Preface: I had no intention of watching my first new TVD episode in 2 months today. I've literally been awake for 25 hours. I woke up this morning on a different continent, and I'm still sort of bouncing from the 11-hour plane ride. I thought I would save the glory of 3x10 for tomorrow, when I wasn't exhausted and confused and wobbly. But apparently this year's round of jet lag means I am WIRED. Seriously, I'm wide awake. And I tried to ignore the temptation of that new episode, but then I did something very stupid, and I got myself spoiled. I was being SO GOOD, you guys. I was steering clear of everything. But it wasn't enough, because I still saw a reference to that ending. And knowing (or at least strongly suspecting) that had happened, I had to watch, because knowing that one detail without knowing the how or when or why of it all would have driven me crazy. So I folded, and I watched. And now I feel. Let's do this. Semi-chronologically, because I have no idea how else to tackle this.
BONNIE. She's in this episode. And I am pleased. I think we all agree that Bonnie is underused or misused or any manner of poorly used, but she STARTED this episode. And it's not all about how she's a witch and can solve all our problems. She isn't a plot device, guys! She gets to plan and study and be awesome with Stefan. This can only be good. And I'm really interested in that team. VERY excited.
Brief question. Did Jeremy really think that no one would notice he'd been fired from the Grill? It is the only place in town. They all spend the majority of their time there. It is a freaking miracle that it took them a week to figure it out. My Mystic Falls Crack Detective Team. No wonder all their plans fail.
Damon Salvatore is back on my screen. I can feel my heart beaming with joy. And he is in full form, day drinking like the self-destructive freak he is. Honorable mention to his face when Ric starts talking about Jeremy's midterm paper. Translation: "Do you really think I care about this? Oh, you do? Ugh. Fine."
My actual reaction to Jeremy and Tyler shooting things in the woods (spoken out loud to my television, of course): "Oh, yay! The show remembered that these two are friends!" One of my biggest critiques of this show is that it tends to forget about the fantastic friendships it initiates (Stefan/Caroline, anyone?), so I'm quite pleased that the show seems to remember that there is a foundation here. Dare I say, an understanding? I really dig the Jeremy/Tyler vibe. They seem to connect and accept each other in a way that the others can't, and I just like how they interact. Even when Tyler is scheming and being all dangerous and sired.
There were so many amazing Damon/Elena scenes in this episode. And I'm not talking about dramatic kisses, I'm talking about the friendship between them. I love how they talk things out together - they're each other's sounding boards. Plus they're adorable. And seriously, Elena has gotten so terrible at pretending she doesn't want to bone Damon. She's so flirty with him. I think a lot of that has to do with the level of comfort in their relationship rather than any romantic tension (she's always wanted to bone him, at least on a purely physical level), but it's still fun to see. She relaxes around him. God, I love this ship.
And the foreshadowing, just, show, I love you. Elena saying Jeremy has lost everyone he cares about, and Damon saying, "He still has you." MY HEART. Because Jeremy DOES still have Elena, and because of that he'll lose her. The best thing she can think to do for him is to rid him of herself and all she carries with her, and it's so beautiful and so horrible and overall just tragic. The Gilberts held their own in an episode that contained my Brothership AND RebeKlaus. Well played, Gilberts.
This whole re-watching thing is such fun. Because in all the your problem vs. our problem stuff, I forgot that ELENA is the one who starts it all. She tells Klaus, "that sounds like a Klaus and Stefan problem." And yet she's so horrified when Stefan tells her Jeremy isn't his problem. And I LOVE when we see Elena being unfair and demanding and Katherine-esque. Elena has spent so much time being the girl everyone wants to save that she expects people to do everything they can for her, even if she doesn't do everything she can for them. Elena protects her people, but only her people. I'm still waiting for someone to mention how Elena was perfectly content for people to die in the sacrifice so long as they weren't anyone she knows. This is that part of her again - she feels entitled to Stefan helping her save Jeremy, but she's done helping Stefan (for now). That's my girl. HEARTS. EVERYWHERE.
I have such a thing for the relative humanity of the actual humans. I'm bored of the vampires and their misplaced humanity. Bring me Elena and Jeremy and even Bonnie losing that connection to humanity. This tangent is brought to you in part by Alaric's line: "proof you're still human." STILL human. Like it's something that's in doubt. Like it's something that can be changed. Like it's something temporary.
Jeremy was acting like such a little teenage prick for a while, and I appreciate it so much more knowing where it's going, Jeremy's being a child, feeling self-indulgent, and then things go to hell, and with the BAM of a cleaver, he grows up.
Reason #19677483827 why I adore Damon Salvatore: "You know me. Never miss a chance to plan another epic failure." TOO MUCH LOVE TO EXPRESS.
Klaus and Damon snarking together. Can this show literally know my dreams? ALL MY DREAMS, THEY ARE COMING TRUE.
I am conflicted about Tyler. I'm not quite sure what he thinks. Because his description of siring vs. compulsion sounded so sketchy. What I felt was lacking was that he didn't mention what he told Caroline in 3x09 - that he doesn't have a choice in the matter. Whether or not he believes it's good or right, he is sired, and it's not something he can change. I find his acceptance in the face of that to be much more convincing than whatever rationalizing he tried to do for the Gilbert clan. But then again, I'm pretty sure we're going to see Tyler try to de-sire himself, so I suppose that emphasizing the inevitability of the matter wouldn't be particularly conducive to that end. We'll see.
Nelg, I totally gasped when the scene cut to Jeremy hanging up the phone. Maybe it was obvious to some, but hey, I'm not that smart, and I love that this show can still surprise me like that. And say what you will about Klaus and his ridiculousness as a villain (and I do, often), but somehow he still gets shit done. He is remarkably effective, considering how much time he's spent in Mystic Falls (I think that place addles your brain somehow).
WHY AREN'T THESE PEOPLE FLOODED WITH VERVEIN? Seriously. Wear it in jewelry, wash your clothes in it, FREAKING DRINK IT ALL THE TIME. I love this team, I really, really do. But sometimes they are so lacking in brain function that they almost deserve to die.
Guys. I LOVE that Stefan/Elena scene. Because LOOK HOW MUCH AGENCY STEFAN HAS. Stefan is making ALL the choices. And he's acting cold and callous, but it's not the switch. Fuck the switch, that storyline's done. It's him choosing what he wants to be. And he's being Damon here, NOT in the snarky emotionless way. But rather in the way he's narrowing his world. He still loves Elena, obviously. He will do anything to protect her. And he will do anything to protect Damon (again and again and again forever). But that's it. This is his version of "I will always choose you." Last season he was always trying to keep Elena happy, always caring about everyone, never accepting that someone she cared about could get killed. That Stefan would never have considered letting Jeremy die in the fight against Klaus. This Stefan will, and does. It's not that he cares less. It's that he's being more honest about what he cares about. Protecting Elena's friends had nothing to do with Elena's friends. It was always about Elena. This is the same thing. He will protect Elena and Damon. And everyone else can fall in that quest. Above all, he's choosing himself. Not over Elena and Damon, but certainly over Jeremy. And guys. That is AWESOME.
And god, I just love how Damon waits, totally unsurprised by her failure, just waiting for his turn. Elena tries her way, but this whole thing is always going to be about Stefan and Damon. Klaus knows it, Elena knows it, even Damon knows it. EVERYTHING comes down to Stefan and Damon. I truly believe that is what this show is about.
Can we talk for a second about the reverse of 2x22 - Damon burning in the sun, but throwing Stefan against the wall? These boys repeat the pattern, again and again, taking turns in everything.
THAT FIGHT SCENE. I DO NOT HAVE THE WORDS TO EXPRESS HOW PERFECT IT WAS. More than anything, I adored how petty it was. They were SUCH brothers. Stefan tells Damon he did it all to save his life, and it isn't this dramatic moment, where Damon has an epiphany and all is made clear. Damon just goes, "What? NO. No way." They're just fighting. Damon is frustrated and annoyed and angry, and Stefan is reacting, and they're just being themselves. Everything about it was wonderful. Stefan is trying to spin this, make it all work in his plan, and Damon is NOT having it. And I love how once again, it's Damon who knows Stefan best. Stefan isn't doing this for Damon. He will save Damon every time, but this? This is all for himself. Damon won't let Stefan take responsibility for Damon's actions, but he also won't let his brother put the responsibility on him. All Damon ever really tries to do is insist that Stefan be who he is. And if that isn't gorgeous, I don't know what is.
"STOP SAVING ME." There aren't enough hearts in the world. But here are a few. <33333333333333333333
I'm really glad Tyler has a storyline. And I feel for this kid. Because I love how he's resigned to his situation, how he's genuinely ok with being sired to Klaus, and yet, he's still trying to help everyone. He tells Jeremy to stay inside. He verveins Caroline and takes her away from Homecoming. He doesn't think he can fight what he's become, but he will do all he thinks he can. Lovely.
Jeremy. Fucking. Gilbert. WHAT. ALL THE AWARDS. Seriously, this was glorious. Because he was acting like a child, and things were happening around him. He goes to Tyler with a crossbow to play at adult, trying to be something stronger. But it isn't right, and Tyler sends him away, and that could be that. But then he's at home, and there's a hugely powerful hybrid threatening his family, and this is the moment. First step, he shoots the hybrid. And he's done his part, that could be it. He can be a man now. But it isn't enough. So he marches through his house, gets a fucking CLEAVER, and chops the guy's head off. And it's so much worse, and so much better. This is steel, not just iron. Remember how I love humans losing their humanity? This is the most poignant example of all. Because Jeremy IS human. He's pretty much the only human at this point. He has a real chance at being a normal human, but he turns himself into a monster. It's a choice. And Steven rocks this. He gets down on his knees next to the hybrid, and he looks back at Elena, just for a second. Because he knows. He knows what this one act will turn him into, and how it will change everything between them. And he does it anyway. It's in his eyes, as he stands up, all bloodsplattered. He takes a breath, realizing that this is what he is now. Then he takes charge and moves on. And there's Elena, standing in the doorway, horrified at what her brother has turned himself into, for her. Holy hell, this show is incredible.
So softly_me pointed out the exchange between Stefan and Damon when Stefan says "I don't owe you anything." And I just need a moment to squee about my brothers. Because in 2x22 Stefan tells Elena he needs to save Damon because he's responsible for Damon being a vampire in the first place. He actually says he owes it to him. And all that? Is total BULLSHIT. This is not about repaying some sort of debt. This is all about how much Stefan needs Damon - and how much he loves him. This version of Stefan is over the centuries-old grudges. He doesn't owe Damon a thing. And yet he will save him every time, again and again. Because Damon is the most important person in Stefan's life by leaps and bounds, and this version of Stefan can handle that. He can cope with living for Damon. It's who he is. And isn't that just phenomenal?
Also, so much love for how Damon is badgering Stefan about why he saves him, up until Stefan insists he doesn't owe Damon anything. And Damon pauses, and lets it go, and moves on to the next question. Because he knows, of course. And once he's sure Stefan knows too, well, that's enough.
Elena bargaining with Klaus was AMAZING. This girl is the greatest. I am so thrilled with how Elena is progressing. This isn't like Elijah, when she took it all on faith, invoking honor. That was innocent, and trusting, and frankly, stupid. This is eye for an eye. My girl, becoming cutthroat. I dig it so hard.
I loved how Elena and Klaus interacted. I shipped it, obviously (they were, after all, two people on screen, and this is TVD. That's pretty much all it takes for me at this point.). Klaus actually looks the tiniest bit proud of her. She can make herself into a monster too, and there's nothing Klaus loves more than watching people destroy themselves.
Ok, that scene in the kitchen with Elena and Damon? My absolute favorite. In an episode that contained a D/E CANON KISS, people. That's love. Frankly, this might be one of my favorite scenes of theirs, ever. It's quiet, and honest, and more than anything you can just feel so keenly how much they need each other, and how much they're in this together. First of all, Elena washing the blood off her hands is SUCH an amazing opening shot. No need to even go into the symbolism there. And some of my favorite moments between these two are when they just quietly take care of each other, because that's what they do. They've both been running around all day dealing with things, but now Damon looks at her, and he just knows. His face when he asks her if she's ok breaks my heart. Because it looks like he actually braces himself before he asks. He knows he's opening the floodgates, as it were. He's making her deal with the pain. But she needs to, and she needs him for this, and he has to do this for her, because they're Elena and Damon. I will die with this ship.
And Elena. God, she just killed me. She says it's not fair that Jeremy has to live like this, but sweetie, it isn't fair that YOU have to live like this. And it makes me want to wrap her up in a blanket and feed her pie, because her life is a mess, and there isn't any reason for it. She's supernatural, but not in a way that helps anything. She isn't powerful or immortal, she's just trapped. And it isn't fair, most especially because no one can help her. She can help Jeremy, and she does. But no one can save her. There is no salvation to be had.
And guys, he takes her face in his hands like she did to him last episode, like he's done to her countless times before, and the way they take care of EACH OTHER, just. I can't even.
The RebeKlaus scene was STUNNING. My poor bbs. Klaus, who always gets what he wants, whose plans are always 10 steps ahead of everyone else, and the one thing he was counting on that let him down was a purely emotional thing. There's no strategy in wanting Rebekah with him here. It's just that he loves her, and wants her with him. But he can't bear the idea that she wouldn't want the same thing. It breaks his heart in a way that nothing else can. Klaus is never going to be redeemed. He's never going to be Damon, once evil but humanized. But he does love this girl, deeply and fiercely and uncontrollably. It's the only thing he can't control, really. And it's heartbreaking.
And the Jeremy Compulsion Part II. Basically, whenever Nina Dobrev cries, my heart literally clenches. I know people will be talking a lot about whether it was the right thing to do, whether Elena has the right to dictate Jeremy's life like that. And honestly, I don't know. But wouldn't you do it, if these were your options? It isn't fair, but none of this is fair, and she's genuinely giving him a chance for a better life. And I would probably do the same thing.
Esther's totally in the special coffin. That's all.
And that last scene. Albeit marred by the fact that I sort of knew where it was heading, but still. And ALL THE POINTS for this show and its pacing. Seriously, bless this show for not drawing out the Stefan-saving-Damon's-life reveal. That easily could have been hidden for ages. I fully expected no one to find out for at least 2 or 3 episodes. But no, not on this show. Everybody who needs to know knows, which means that everything they do is fully valid. There will be no "oh, the kiss didn't mean anything because we didn't know Stefan was secretly doing good." Fuck that. That's the easy way out. No, we're going to deal with EVERYTHING. We're going to know everything, and do what we want, and admit that's what we want. I LOVE this show. Because this scene means something, and nothing can take that away.
So let's talk about Damon. I love this character beyond reason. Because he ISN'T the romantic hero, in any way, shape, or form. He doesn't bravely walk away from 'his brother's girl,' virtue fluttering in the wind. No, he acknowledges that it's a mistake, that it can't work, that he can't do this, and then he says "fuck it" and does it anyway. And that is ABSOLUTELY Damon. This show is not sacrificing the character for the plot. Damon is being selfish, and he knows it. It doesn't matter. He wants what he wants, and even if he won't take it all, he'll take a bit. He's not above that, and he's never going to pretend he is.
Now for Elena. She is always hard to read in these sorts of scenes, but it's pretty clear that she feels something for Damon. That is pretty much beyond refuting at this point. The bigger question is why she's denying it. I personally thing it has nothing to do with her being 'his brother's girl.' It's all about her and her own issues, and that's one of the things I love most about this ship. Their issues are theirs, and theirs alone. That being said, guys, the HANDS. How gorgeous was that? He kisses her, and she's sort of frozen. She doesn't push him away, but she doesn't throw herself into it either. There's this moment of stasis, when she's genuinely not sure what she's going to do. She never fully decides, but she raises her hand, for something. And she just takes his. And once again, they're in this together. He's not kissing her to force her into being with him. She's not letting him just so he can get it out of his system. They're somewhere in the middle. There's this thing between them, and it's not going away. They're not going to do anything about it. But he takes this moment, and she takes it too. Also, the parallels to her grasping his hands in 2x01, and of course the porch setting, and how everything with them is exactly as it's always been and yet so different, all at the same time. They are a whole mess of contradictions, but they're always, always themselves.
I loved the whole thing, obviously, but it didn't feel like this grand glorious ship-validating moment that I'd been waiting for for 2 years. I think that's because it wasn't. This is not the moment when Elena finally admits her feelings for Damon, or when they finally give into the raging UST between them and tumble into bed, or even when they're just tired of fighting it anymore. It's just a moment - a passing indulgence, and the ultimate proof positive that they are truly, finally, fully in this together. That's not to say that her level of feeling is the same as his - it's not. She's not over Stefan. But she knows, just as he does, that there is something between them. And for now, that's enough.
THIS IS SUCH A RIDICULOUS POST. I am legitimately embarrassed that I've ranted this much. I'm pretty sure I've written research papers shorter than this damn 'reaction' post. I just react a lot, ok? If any of you have managed to read til the end, CONGRATULATIONS. But if you skipped ahead to the closing arguments, here's the long and the short of it:
Fantastic episode. Such an amazing way to resume. I fucking love this show so hard I see stars. WELCOME BACK, TVD.