When I reached the end of this episode, I kept thinking that the writers probably saw this episode as a real game changer, and then proceeded to laugh my ever lovin' ass off. I don't even know where to begin talking about it.
Last episode, Damon finally got smart and pulled the dagger from Elijah's body, and sent him back to Klaus, with a note in his pocket informing him that they needed to have a chat. This is exactly what Elena should have done when she returned the vampire cheerleader known as Rebekah to Klaus. Elijah comes out of his coffin swinging, but then Klaus promises to tell him everything, and reminds him of his oath of loyalty to him.
Before going off to meet with Klaus, Damon and Stefan have yet another spat, in which they both agree that they don't trust each other. This of course has everything to do with Elena, because clearly they have both acted numerous times to protect each other from the threat of other vampires. Beyond being a beautiful young woman, I simply don't understand the fascination with her.
This week, sheriff Liz got pulled out of the plot box long enough to tell Elena that the dagger they found in the dead man, only has her fingerprints on it. Suspicion is immediately placed on Meredith, but Elena casts that aside, simply stating that she does not believe that Alaric can have that kind of bad luck with women. Yeah logic, she has none.
In the meantime, it seems that Bill Forbes was attacked and killed when he was in the hospital, but because Dr. Fell had injected him with vampire blood to cure his wounds, he is now essentially a vampire. All he needs to do to complete the process is to consume human blood. The ever so noble Bill decides that he would rather die than become a vampire. Don't you love how self preservation instincts just flew out the window there. I have never liked Bill and his aversion therapy, but he is the only gay character on the show, and I am disgusted that the writers so easily killed him off. I am further disgusted that he choose suicide, because he couldn't live with what he had become, in a culture in which gay teens are committing suicide. Is anyone who isn't a minority ever going to be in threat of dying on The Vampire Diaries?
Caroline decides that she is going to force Bill to drink blood, but Elena intervenes to lecture her about respecting Bill's choices. Really? Is this woman for real? Since when does she support a policy of non interference? This is a woman who has had Jeremy's mind cleared out, and his memories erased on more than one occasion, though she knows that he is specifically against this. All of a sudden she is advocating for the bodily autonomy of another. I suppose that because this didn't effect her, and the people that she supposedly loves, allowing them to choose is no big deal. Hypocrisy much? Elena does take care to point out that she knows what Caroline is feeling, because her father is also dead. Funny, I don't remember Elena having to watch as her father chose to die, but yeah, she can empathize with everyone.
Caroline stays with Bill and he comforts her by saying that no parent is supposed to outlive a child, and that this is what it means to be human. Oh Bill, so noble until the very end. He dies as Caroline holds his hand, and Liz watches with tears in her eyes.
In the meantime, who should show up but Matt. They really need to give his character his own storyline or get rid of him. What purpose does he serve? At Elena's house they walk in and find that Alaric has been attacked and there is blood all over the house. Elena begins to cry and is upset because she can't lose anymore family. She asks Matt to wait with her for Alaric to wake up. Question, how come the magical ring worked this time, but the last time it failed and Alaric had to have some of Damon's blood to live? I suppose consistency is not something the writers are big on. It turns out that the good doctor was in surgery at the time of Alaric's assault, and is now officially cleared of attempting to murder the council members. Ooooh the smell of more mystery and yet another bad guy.
In the meantime, Damon and Stefan agree to have dinner with Klaus and Elijah, in order to buy more time for Bonnie and Abbey. Stefan makes sure to intimidate Abbey before leaving, because that is always a successful strategy to get someone to perform a task.
Abbey and Bonnie work for an hour, but Abbey cannot get her magic to work properly. Bonnie tells her that her grandmother and her father never talked about it. She even goes onto say that when she was a little girl, that she used to pretend that Abbey had died. Abbey believes that the witches are still mad at her for abandoning Bonnie, and that is why her magic is working. Bonnie believes that this is simply a cop-out, because her dreams made it clear that the two of them could do this, and that Abbey simply isn't trying hard enough. They give it one more shot, and something does indeed happen, but the coffin does not open completely. When Bonnie leaves the room for a moment, Abbey gets a weird feeling and the coffin pops open.
At the most ridiculous dinner party ever, tensions are clearly running high. Damon suggests that the family agree to leave Mystic Falls, and that he will turn over the coffin with no ill will. Klaus counters saying that he needs Elena to make more hybrids. He points out that their on going feud over her, and her involvement in vampire politics, will one day lead to her death. He promises to keep her safe because he needs her blood. In a twist, Elijah and Klaus both tell the story of the original doppelganger, the girl that they both loved. It seems that she would not choose between the two of them, so their mother settled the issue by killing her, and using her blood to create the spell that turned them into vampires. It seems that their mother was just as loving and warm as Michael.
In no short order, Klaus turns on Stefan and threatens to kill him, unless he delivers the coffin to him. Damon turns the tables on Klaus and releases the rest of the family. They are extremely pissed. The Salvatore brothers are quickly excused so that the originals can handle their family business. Rebekah is pissed and promises to kill Elena, so that he cannot make anymore hybrids. Is it wrong of me to admit that a part of me cheered when she said that? Klaus begs and claims that he has built all of this so that they can finally be together, but Elijah, Fin and Kol tell him that they will be together -- they just won't have anything to do with him. Klaus strikes back saying that he is the hybrid, and that he cannot be killed. When he promises to stalk him, Elijah tells him that if he does this, then he will be just like Michael.
Just as the vampires begin to leave, in walks mommy. Klaus is shocked and he refuses to make eye contact with her. He believes that she is there to kill him, but it turns out that despite the fact that he is guilty of matricide, she is actually there to forgive him, and wants everyone to be a big happy family again. Everyone say awww. Though I found her forgiveness ridiculous, I wanted to take the time to point out that Joseph Morgan, the actor who plays Klaus, did an amazing job in this scene. I honestly believe he is the best actor on the show by far.
Stefan thanks Damon for coming back to save him, but Damon blows it off pointing out that Stefan has actually saved him on many more occasions. Just when it looks like the brothers are going to have a truce, Stefan asserts that he loves Elena, and Damon says that he loves her as well. So much for family affection - the angsty love triangle lives on.
The highlight of this episode was without a doubt Joseph Morgan. I love these scenes where he gets to stretch himself as an actor, and show real pain and emotion. I believe him, and he helps to draw the viewer into the story. I believe that everything worth watching this season, has been done by Morgan, and I hope that he continues to be on the show.
