The Vampire Diaries 1x12 | Unpleasentville
Official synopsis: The new kids in town. As Stefan and Damon try to figure out the identity of the new vampire in town, Stefan gives Elena jewelry filled with vervain to protect her family and friends. Hurting for money, Matt takes a job at the Mystic Grill, where former high school football-star Ben, works as a bartender. Ben comes to Bonnie’s aid when he notices Damon is bothering her. Damon and Stefan accompany Elena to a school dance with a 1950s’ theme, where Alaric introduces himself to Damon.
A lot happened in this episode. We follow many different storylines and they're overlapping with each other. Hopefully I'll be able to do the episode justice with my review.
I'll begin with Elena because she got to kick some vampire ass or in her case: stab a vampire with pencils.
I think it's safe to say that she will never invite somebody in her house again. At the beginning of this episode she's at Stefan's place and he gives her some Vervaine for her, her family and friends. In my opinion the focus of this episode was not on Elena or her relationship with either one of the Salvatore brothers. We see her speaking with her friends - she gives Caroline her ok in regards to Matt and she talks to Bonnie about her recent discovery that she's adopted -, being scared of this shadowy vampire and defending herself against said vampire.
She's still scared of the whole vampire stuff but that does not stop her from defending herself against them. I think that this is what we should see from this episode in regards to her. And maybe that she got the vampire compass from Stefan. Oh... and that she's ok with Stefan lying to his brother.
Damon: "She's got spunk."
Yeah... Damon knew from the beginning that Elena is a tough girl.
Now the Stefan and Damon storyline. At first I really thought that Stefan meant what he said to Damon and that he really wants to get rid of him - even if that means freeing Katherine and killing all the other vampires. I was a bit shocked as he told Elena that he lied to Damon.
Anyway... I liked that the brothers worked together to protect Elena from this shadowy Vampire - whose name I forgot. The scenes at school showed me that if necessary they can work together as a team. I'm really looking forward to next weeks episode because of this. I want to see more brotherly scenes with those two.
Oh... and I have to mention the dance scene at this point: NOEZ! Why Elena? That really hurt him... but you probably don't know this yet. Choosing Stefan over Damon... tsk tsk tsk.
I can't say much about the Matt and Caroline storyline. It was cute but I really don't like Carolines character for now. She's still the kind of girl who speaks first and thinks later. And in my opinion she needs to much time to think about what she did wrong. Well... I hope that Matt can change her in that regard somehow. Overall they're really cute and at the momment the only human & human couple. It's nice to see a "normal" relationship among all the supernatural stuff.
I think that the return of Matt's mother is going to play a big role in their relationship.
Bonnie has a really hard time finding someone special of her own. She's giving everybody else advice but she always seems to miss out. I really though that she might get together with Ben... but I don't like him and I don't wish him on anybody - except Anna. I can't say much about her storyline either. She had very cute smiles and she reminded me a little of myself - giving advice to others, etc.
I hope she finds someone. NOT Damon!
I really like Jeremy! And he got himself his first female stalker - Anna, who's a vampire and hell bent on getting her tiny little fingers on the Gilbert Journal.
Maybe he gets to kick some vampire ass in the future. I think that he started thinking after he saw Anna's changing eyes. Or maybe he'll start to remember things about Vicky... uhhh... I still find it kinda sad that he and Elena aren't blood related. They've great brother and sister chemistry.
Last but not least: Alaric and Jenna. I'm not going to tell you how cute they're together - they are!
Alaric borrows the Gilbert Journal from Jeremy and has to chaperone at the school dance. Jenna tells Elena about her birth mother (her name and that she was 16 years old when she gave birth to Elena) and she goes to the school dance too.
At the end of the episode - beforehand at the school Alaric talked with Damon for a few seconds and arouses his suspicion - Alaric reveals to Jenna that his wifes name is Isabell - the name of Elena's birth mother. OMFG!?
Tricky. Very, very tricky. I think that by now many of you know that I'm a Damon/Elena shipper. Sadly there were not many scenes between those two but as a D/E shipper you get used to it and learn to appreciate the tiniest eye contact between them. So the scene in which Damon asked Elena if she'd like to dance with hime was heart warming. But as this show is still focused on Stefan/Elena our little shipper hearts - and Damon's - got broken a secend afterwards by no less than Elena herself. But it was worth it. Why? Because of the look Damon gave those two as they turned their backs on him and went on the dance floor.
And now it seems like Damon has killed Elena's birth mother. I don't know how the writers will turn that into a possible love triangle. Elena is going to hate Damon if he really killed her mother. How are they going to explain that? Well... right now I'm looking forward to next weeks episode.
On another note: Ben and Anna... with "Mr. Sandman" in the background? I sat there with a gaping mouth. It was just so... so... I think those two are more evil than Damon. And that's a good thing!