picspam ; d/e in 3x05
For TVDBLOODSTREAM's Warm Up The Winter Meme | Week One | Pairing: Damon & Elena | Episode: The Reckoning
Damon & Elena in The Reckoning
“I thought I'd give it a shot. Truth is, you just don't do it for me anymore.”
When I decided to cover this episode, I knew this was where I wanted to start. Are these first two scenes strictly Damon/Elena? Not at all, but they do speak volumes about Damon’s current mindset and feelings toward his relationship with Elena.
Katherine (or rather the idea of her) had an incredibly strong hold on Damon for over a century. How, not only is he unfazed by her, he is the one with the upper hand. He’s no longer nostalgic for their past, and is comfortable with where they stand now. He doesn’t love her anymore, he doesn’t hate her anymore. He’s attitude toward her is one of someone who is clearly and completely out of love.
It’s telling that he says “You don’t do it for me anymore.” It reinforces the fact that Damon is not interested in Elena for her looks or her body (both of which are identical to Katherine’s), but for who she is, for how she makes him feel. It’s a reminder that, for Damon, Elena is not a replacement for Katherine. The feelings he had for Katherine are compartmentalized and separate from his feelings for Elena. Big clear steps in the right direction.
“You're going to get yourself killed. The Damon I remember wouldn't have been that stupid.”
“I wouldn't have done it for you.”
Damon died trying to save Katherine. He became a vampire to be with Katherine. When he thought she was dead, he wished to be dead also. He spent well over a century pining, plotting and planning to save her. Until he became aware of her betrayal and indifference, Katherine was the driving motivation for his entire existence. It’s pretty safe to say that, for the majority of his life, Damon was willing to do just about anything for Katherine. And here he is, flat out saying that, in spite of all he was once willing to do for Katherine, it doesn’t come close to what he is now willing to do for Elena.
This scene. My poor heart. I’m not gonna lie, I pretty much held my breath the whole time. So simple, beautiful and subtletly romantic. I could gush more, but it would pretty much all be same thing over and over. *SIGH* Love this scene.
“Where were you, Damon?”
“I shouldn't have left. I promise you... I will never leave you again.”
This scene was so touching. Elena’s “Where were you, Damon?” line is heartwrenching; she’s come to depend on him, she’s taken for granted that he will always be there when she needs him. But this time, he wasn’t there to save the day and it was something of a wake up call for her.
If there is anything more heartwrenching than Elena’s “Where were you, Damon?” line, it’s Damon’s reaction to it. (both actors did really phenomenal with this scene) He is clearly affected by it, and when he says “I will never leave you again.” there is no doubt that he means it with every fiber of his being.
If Damon had told Elena last season that he would never leave her again, at best she would have tolerated it, and at worse have flat out refused. Here, the thought of him around forever is comforting, it’s what she wants to hear, it’s what she needs to hear.