2.21 - 'The Sun Also Rises' (The Vampire Diaries)

[arabian]

Sorry for the late post, but I had to get up early Friday morning, and was TOTALLY wiped last night. At last -- after a few more rewatches of certain scenes -- I am here with my thinky thoughts! Woohoo!!

Comments

[luvbama]

Excellent thinky thoughts, as usual. Also, as usual, I'm pretty much walking lock-step with you. However, I'm confused about the funeral. Initially, I thought it was John's funeral. Damon said there was room in the Gilbert family plot, but he didn't say for whom. John is a Gilbert, Jenna is not. Elena placed two roses on the grave (why two?), then Alaric placed one. Since Alaric detested John, I really can't see him placing a rose on his grave, but he SO would on Jenna's. That's when I began to think it was Jenna's funeral. But...if that was Jenna's grave, then where is John's? If it was John's, then where is Jenna's? Since Elena placed two roses, was it a double funeral and I just couldn't tell? Help! I need everyone accounted for, lol.

[arabian]

You missed some stuff at the funeral. The two flowers that Elena put down were at the gravestones of her parents. You can clearly see their names on the tombstone. Alaric is putting a rose on a different grave -- Jenna's fresh grave which is next to her sister and brother-in-law's. Honestly, I don't think John has been "found" yet, and they weren't worried about his funeral. This was definitely Jenna's. John will probably be "found" in a day or two, dying of an unknown reason, and there will be a funeral for him that we won't see onscreen most likely.

[luvbama]

No, Elena had four roses in her hands. She placed two on the fresh grave(s), and then walked over to her parents' grave and placed the remaining two there. Also, John was right outside the door of the old house they were all in. I just don't see how they could have missed him when they left there. So, I still don't know for sure who they buried, Jenna or John. :(

[arabian]

No, I didn't mean that they'd miss John, but rather that they'd let him be found later so that it wouldn't cause too many more questions.

I missed her having the two earlier roses, so I just rewatched it. There were two fresh graves next to each other for Jenna and John. She placed one rose down, and then the second one on the fresh grave next to it. :( They buried both of them. Which is better, because waiting to have John's body "discovered" would have been hella cold!

[eolivet]

Wow. I didn't like this ep as much as the previous two -- well, check that: I loved the second half (about the time Stefan got a stake in the back, hee!) but other than the Elena/Jenna scenes, I found the first half...a little slow. Kind of "hurry up and wait." Maybe I've been spoiled by so much action in the latter half of the season, it just seemed...slower than usual. ;p

But WORD to this:

He is simply not charismatic enough, especially in relation to both Ian Somerhalder, and especially the other newbie and Original, Daniel Gillies.

I think that was a huge part of the reason the ep didn't start moving for me until the plan to get Klaus kicked into gear. When it was just Klaus onscreen, trying to go for "menacing"...eh, didn't get it, dude. He seemed more "Talented Mr. Ripley" than "the Don Juan Casanova Vampire of evil." My sister assures me he was exactly like this in the book, but I mean...the show has veered off from the book before -- why adhere exactly to it now

[arabian]

I can see not being impressed with Klaus being the reason for not digging the first half, but it breaks my heart that Stefan annoyed you

[arabian]

This really was a fantastic episode; I just loved it so.

And no matter how many times I watch that last scene with Stefan and Damon, man, Paul Wesley just slays me. Stefan is in such devastation mode.

As for Damon and Elena, I just can't believe that we've had a whole season of crapping over the couple/the fanbase and we're not going to get some major make-up for it. And again, going back to the fact that Elena truly believes that Damon will die; she's seen the horrible effects of a wolf bite on a vampire, and if that doesn't bring forth some feelings. Well, nothing will.

I'm still not sure that Damon will actually survive. They could kill him off. I think though that if they go down that road, they'll find a way to revive him in season 3. It's clear that Damon is a big part of the show but I don't think it's impossible for him to be temporarily dead... as in really dead.Oh, I'm already envisioning the last shot is Damon really "dying." And, of course, he'll be revived somehow in season three. My thing about him not really

[traciaknows]

Hello! I'm so glad that I stumbled onto your thinky thoughts tonight

[arabian]

Just a warning. You may not want to read any of my Doctor Who/Torchwood posts. I ADORE RTD. Just sayin.' Now onto TVD! SQUEE!

Yup, Damon is so fucked up, and yet he does try, and he doesn't even seem to realize how much he is trying because he never gets any positive feedback for it. Poor guy.

I do think you are absolutely onto something about them setting it up that Damon is elena's hero. While everyone is screaming about Damon not respecting her wishes- I'm with him! She's 17! What the hell does she know about anything?

YES! THIS!

I'm also ok with him giving/forcing his blood on her. Yes, he should have asked- but Damon's desperate times call for even more desperate measures. And it's not like she wouldn't be able to choose! She could die- or become a vampire.And THIS

[traciaknows]

As frustrated as I get with RTD- I'll always give him credit for creating characters that I loved mightily. :) I'm not thrilled with the direction that Torchwood has gone- but what's done is done. I'm glad that its ok to friend you. I've suffered pretty majorly with writer's block the last few years. I can come up with ideas- just not often the substance. I'm working on a D/E piece- I've got my fingers crossed about it.

I can't wait to read your thoughts on the finale!

[butterfly]

This episode! Loved it.

I felt very vindicated by the show in that DAMON (AND I) WAS RIGHT ABOUT IT BEING A STUPID PLAN. The show clearly illustrated that, lo, Elena's plan was not good.

Once again, Damon (and still being treated like dirt) was expected to do all the heavy lifting and then gets blamed when things that are beyond his control -- because everyone is too busy respecting a 17-year old's extremely stupid, suicidal wishes -- go all cock-eyed. I am speaking of John's "How could you let this happen?" about Elena being a part of the sacrifice. And, hmm, like father, like daughter, that's the same thing Elena said to Damon when Stefan was in the tomb. How? How are these things DAMON's fault? Seriously. So not fair.

Mmm, yeah. They rely on Damon so much and expect him to protect everyone.

And now he's dying. And he doesn't appear to give even the slightest shit about it. He only told Stefan so that Stefan would know that it was up to him now to figure out how to keep Elena (and everyone else) safe from Klaus. And then he

[arabian]

This episode! Loved it.

Pretty much this.

I felt very vindicated by the show in that DAMON (AND I) WAS RIGHT ABOUT IT BEING A STUPID PLAN. The show clearly illustrated that, lo, Elena's plan was not good.

Yes, and that's partly why I liked the Stefan/Elijah scene because it showed that, yeah, even Stefan thought the plan was full of holes, he was hoping and holding onto Elena's (horrible!) instincts.

He can put so much passion into saving Elena (or others) but he doesn't think that he's worth that kind of passion. Reminds me of how much I hate that Elena didn't get to hear his speech in 1x22 - "somewhere along the way, you decided that I was worth saving".Sigh. I know. Her not hearing that speech, and seeing what led to the kiss has always been so heartbreaking because if she had seen/heard what happened, I think she would have understood a LOT better why that kiss took place, and where Damon's state of mind is. I mean, the guy finally opened up to someone and it bit him in the ass, no wonder he hasn't done it seen except with