I really liked this episode, faults and all. It's been awhile since I could honestly say that about an episode of The Vampire Diaries. After spending an entire summer chasing Stefan, Elena finally decided that it was time to move on with her life. Of course she didn't make the decision because she realized that is a cold blooded killer but because she finally believed him when he said that their relationship was over. Her next project it seems is to remake Damon in Stefan's image. It was clear as they were making chili for the founders day gathering that the chemistry between them was strong. I think it's worth pointing out that none of these so-called kids have attended school yet; however, they all found time to show up and once again worship the founders.
Liz took Damon to see Caroline's father Bill Forbes. Damon wants to kill him but Liz tells him that he cannot, because Bill is Caroline's father. After testing to ensure that Bill is indeed vervain free, Damon compels him to believe that he came to Mystic Falls, to take Caroline back to school shopping, which btw cracked me up cause they don't attend school, and then to leave town.
Now that it is time for more witchy woo woo, Bonnie finally was pulled out of the plot box. It only took four episodes for her to make a real appearance on the show this season, showing I suppose just how important she is. Bonnie and Jeremy embrace, but Anna is watching them in the mirror. I know it's not relevant but is it me, or is Jeremy getting hotter and easier to look at every episode? The peeping Ana disturbs Jeremy.
Back in Chicago, Klaus, his sister, Rebecca and Stefan do a little shopping. She complains that women of this time dress like prostitutes and asks Stefan if he likes her dress. When he tells her that he does, she tells him that she can always tell when he is lying. Stefan says he needs to get some air, and Catherine is across the street waiting to talk to him. Catherine wants in on whatever Stefan is planning and warns him that he cannot outsmart Klaus.
They go and see dead witch walking Gloria, to try and find Rebecca's necklace. Gloria puts her hand on Rebecca's hand and sees Elena, Bonnie and Caroline talking about Stefan. As she is searching the necklace burns Elena's skin and so she hands it over to Bonnie so that she can learn more about it. Gloria tells Klaus that she needs more time to tell him the location of the necklace and Stefan distracts them by saying that he is hungry and needs to feed.
Back in Mystic Falls, Elena and the gang gather for the founders day celebration. Alaric pulls Damon aside and tells him that he can see what is going on between him and Elena and that he needs to take a step back. Damon tells him that it is none of his business. As the meeting comes to and end Bill makes an appearance and asks whether or Damon, Liz and Carol Lockwood whether they believe that the council is simply naive or downright ignorant?
When Caroline spies her father she takes off for Tyler's house. Damon comes rushing out of the meeting and says to Elena and Alaric that Bill "Houston we have a problem...he threatened to out me, don't get me started on the irony of that." I don't know about you, but I want into instant side eye mode. Really? This after having him try to convert Caroline last week. If that were not enough, earlier in the episode, Liz told Damon that she did not "approve of his lifestyle". These false analogies to GLBT people need to stop. Nothing about being a vampire is anything compared to the real oppression and marginalization that GLBT people face. It seems like the writers are trying to take a page out the True Blood playbook, but they are doing it all wrong.
Back in Chicago, Stefan shows up to talk to Gloria. When Gloria tells Stefan that she knows that he is aware of where the necklace is, he attempts to attack her. She stops him cold and splays him out on a table to further torture the information out of him. At this point, anyone who didn't believe that Gloria had moments to live, has not been paying attention to The Vampire Diaries treatment of witches. Without batting an eyelash, Katherine shows up and stabs Gloria in the neck, telling Stefan that he did need her after all. If Gloria is powerful enough to stop Stefan from attacking her, and to stop Stefan from healing when she wants his blood, how is it that Katherine so easily dispatched her? Oh I know, Black women are disposable on this show unless they are specifically helping Elena. There you have it folks, the key to Bonnie's longevity. She better not ever get into a serious falling out with Elena, or time on the show will be short as well.
Back in Mystic falls, Elena picks up the phone and calls Caroline, after Damon temporarily kills Alaric. I don't know about you but there is a large part of me that wants him to die without that blasted ring on so that he can stop coming back. What use is this character anyway? When Stefan confronts Bill, Bill tells him that his approach to mind control is lazy and that he believes that he will not kill him. Unfortunately for Bill, Damon decides otherwise and starts to attack him. Caroline blows in and pushes Damon across the room. When she offers Bill her blood to help heal, he resists and she tells him to get over it. Damon attacks Caroline and tells her that he is much stronger than she is, and she responds saying, "well I'm angrier." I have to say I loved watching Caroline fight back. As soon as she gets the opportunity, she picks up her father and gets him out of danger.
In typical irritating Elena fashion, she begins to lecture Damon about his actions. Of course she could not see the threat that Bill posed and Damon was being a bad bad bad boy. He tells her that he is a vampire and that she needs to stop trying to change him into Stefan. At this point I have to wonder how it is that Stefan is still understood as the good brother? He did after all spend the summer killing people and she saw first hand the number of people he killed written in his own hand on a wall. If Damon were to turn into Stefan, he would be far more violent but yeah, Stefan is the good long suffering brother.
In Chicago, Stefan attempts to ply Rebecca for information. He wants to know who she and Klaus were running from back in the 1920's but Rebecca tells him that she cannot talk about it because Klaus would kill her. Subtlety apparently is something that Stefan really is not good at. Rebecca grabs Stefan and kisses him and asks if he will ever love anyone the way that he loves Elena. When he answers maybe, she tells him that she can always tells when he is lying. When Klaus enters the room, he tells Stefan and Rebecca that they need a new witch immediately because he believes that Gloria has flown the coop. Klaus' attitude of course show us that witches are not only disposable they are interchangeable. I suppose that they are largely played by Black women is just accidental. How could one possibly surmise that the only women that matter on this show just happen to be White?
In response, Rebecca tells him that Stefan is not with them and was asking questions about Micheal, the mysterious vampire hunter. Okay, why in the world is she helping Klaus, when he imprisoned her in a coffin for all of those years? I get that Klaus is her brother but at some point blood should not be reason enough to tolerate is years of abuse. Keep in mind that they are all surrounded by coffins containing members of their family. Why the hell doesn't Rebecca just unstake her family and have them gang up to neutralize Klaus?
Back in Mystic Falls, Jeremy finally gets around to telling Bonnie that he is seeing spirits of his ex girlfriends after she apologizes for not telling him that she has been cut off by the spirit witches because she messed with nature. Uh huh. Of course she takes this all in stride. When she sits at a cafe, Katherine posing as Elena asks her for the necklace back claiming to miss her connection with Stefan and of course Bonnie just hands it over. Katherine then heads over to Damon asking if he wants to go for a ride. He accepts the proposal because of the argument between him and Elena the previous night.
Alaric sits down with both Liz and Carol and tells him that he wants in on the council. It seems he believes that they have been compromised because they both have children who are supernatural. He justifies is claim to the council be stating the because he is looking after the Gilbert children, he should be able to have the Gilbert seat. According to Alaric, no one is looking out for the people of the town and he has decided to take on the role of lord and protector. Of course, I see this as yet another pathetic attempt to make this character relevant. Why oh why is neither Liz or Carol concerned that this highschool teacher is living with two students based on the fact that he used to boff their legal guardian? Umm yeah, I know, too much deep thought for The Vampire Diaries?
When Stefan awakes from Klaus' attack he is still in the back of the transport truck containing coffins filled with Klaus' family. Klaus tells him that they are back in Mystic Falls and that he is not mad, but determined to get to the bottom of the issue. It seems that Rebecca is never wrong when she senses something amiss.
