Flashforward to 3 years in the future with Stefan wanting
to get in touch with Caroline because his “scar opened up.” He contacts Tyler
(this guy just can’t escape this show it keeps dragging him back in) who isn’t
thrilled to get involved in whatever drama Stefan and Caroline have. He wants
to warn Caroline – and run. Running involves torching his car and saving his
journal at the last minute.
To the present with more journaling from Bonnie who keeps
having horrific visions from the Phoenix Stone which cause black outs.
Damon in a towel! Ah, Vampire
Diaries belatedly remembers why we watch this show. He’s camping with
Alaric. Who isn’t that much of a fan of the arrangement. Bonnie arrives for the
eye-candy (and that phoenix stone thing). Alaric continues to lie about it.
Damon is still focusing on kidnapping Donavon, the missing Heretic witchpire he
intends to kidnap for a prisoner exchange.
So on to plan to kidnap Oscar and the plan has now
extended to using his power to siphon off Bonnie’s visions since they can’t
think of another way to remove them since Alaric keeps lying. Turns out Oscar
knows Damon and sent him to check on Damon in the past. Oscar is currently
merrily partying (don’t mind the bodies, it’s Vampire Diaries no-one cares) and happy to be out of Lily’s
eternally watchful eye
They ask Oscar to siphon Bonnie’s visions – he tries –
but then asks where the phoenix stone is and promptly disables them all with
magic. When they wake up Oscar is gone, so is the stone and Bonnie is pissed to
learn Alaric didn’t destroy it. She blames Damon for not telling her – he
happily steps aside, this is so between bonnie and Alaric. They argue and
Bonnie is clearly not happy though Alaric points out that bonnie and he have
both died a few times and came back though now the Otherside is gone they don’t
have that option. Alaric is still focused on raising Joe no matter what happens
Anyway Damon catches Oscar and admits he does know him –
but he doesn’t talk about that time when he was a Confederate soldier and very
ashamed of that. He claims Oscar saved him by compelling him to desert but
Oscar says he couldn’t compel, he just convinced him. And now Oscar wants to be
free of Lily’s rules. Damon then attacks Oscar so they an trade him in – which doesn’t
go well because Heretics are super powerful but Bonnie and Alaric arrive to
back him up, taking down Oscar. Bonnie then takes the stone from Alaric.
They then research it – Bonnie’s on side despite this
being an epicly awful idea. Alaric tries to convince her by showing her Joe’s
body and his epic inability to let go.
Caroline, captured by the Witchpires, is both reading
Stefan’s journal about how wonderful Valerie was while being tormented by Nora
and Mary-Louise. She does manage to talk to Stefan since he left his phone.
There’s so much they could discuss, plans against the witchpires. What Stefan
and Damon are plotting. But, no, she wants to know all about Stefan’s
relationship with Valerie because
CW. She doesn’t get an answer before Valerie destroys the phone.
This gives Caroline chance to ask Valerie about the
relationship – when Valerie was a magic-less witch who just syphoned and
describes herself as Stefan’s first love. Caroline has snarky commentary at
least and isn’t all impressed with how mean Valerie was to poor Stefan
And Lily is destroying cars and helpfully in the area so
Stefan can tell her that he and Damon are totally sulking with each other and
gives Stefan chance to ask about Valerie – apparently Lily sent Valerie to him,
apparently to “check on him.” Stefan also has some sharp words for Lily never
bothering to tell him she was alive despite him never getting over her apparent
death. At least he’s not super eager to believe that Valerie’s affections were
genuine – or Lily’s for that matter.
Shared flashback time! Of Valerie and Stefan meeting and
having sex (Stefan’s first time). Followed by grave visiting. Also about a guy
called Julian Lily fell for – because, really, she totally needs to tell
stories of her past boyfriends with her son. Julian was so very very
“protective of Valerie”.
Valerie leaves and doesn’t return to Stefan despite her
promise. Baby Stefan is all angsty, but Valerie is dragged away by the evil
Julian who also knows Valerie is pregnant with Stefan’s baby. Julian beat her
unconscious and caused her to miscarry. She then tried to commit suicide – with
Lily’s blood in her system, making her the first witchpire heretic.
Lily goes home to Caroline to about Caroline’s dead
mother which also gives Caroline the chance to use Stefan’s journal to throw in
all the angst he feels about Lily his mother dying. Woe woe angst woe. Lily
decides to release Caroline.
Valerie catches up with Stefan to explain all what
happened. Stefan doesn’t say anything and leaves (though I think they’re separate).
Caroline goes home to Stefan – her skin still acidic and
vervainy for them to discuss Lily and lost love and Caroline’s worry about
whether she is first in Stefan’s affections – while he assures her she’s number
1.
And Damon calls Lily to tell her that they have Oscar and
want an exchange. She then wakes up with Valerie standing over him – she’s used
a searching spell. And the mission Oscar was on was to find Julian – he’s found
him. His plan was to use knowledge of Julian’s existence to buy freedom from
Lily
Valerie kills him Oscar – she doesn’t want to risk Lily
bringing Julian back
I think the show could do to play up more Lily’s
relationship with the witchpires because at the moment they all seem to resent
her and her control and, at the same time, are all more than powerful enough to
rip her into teeny tiny pieces and clearly it’s not morality stopping them
(morality! On the Vampire Diaries
hah, the very idea!). Oscar says how he wants to be free from Lily… well, why
not just be free? Why does he have to buy freedom from Lily?
Valerie, Nora, Mary-Louise, none of these characters like
her or appear to… so why do they put up with it? What does Lily have over them?
And if it is maternal then we need to see it go both ways – at the moment we
just have Lily talking about her kids but none of her “kids” treating her as a
mother. It feels more like Lily suffering from a delusion than a genuine affection
bond.
Is there a reason why Valerie/Stefan is a thing? Does it
need to be a thing? Does anyone even care enough about Valerie for this to be a
thing? Can no-one just have a relationship on this show? Why does there always
have to be love triangles?
And why do I think evil Julian is going to appear as a
character because clearly we don’t have enough side characters or plots. And if
Valerie is Lily’s daughter and there is affection is there a reason why she can’t
just tell Lily what he did if she fears Julian coming back? Or just leave?
With Oscar’s death we have killed off one of only three
POC on this show. Bo is literally silent. Bonnie is now helping Alaric (which
is annoying but at least an acknowledgement of her powers) but like so many
times with her she is helping someone when SHE DOESN’T WANT TO. This is a
recurring theme with Bonnie – I’m glad Alaric turned to her rather than
completely overlooking her power, but ever since the beginning of this show
Bonnie has not just been the servile with helping white folks, but she has been
the servile witch helping white folks WHETHER SHE AGREED OR NOT. The times she’s
sacrificed herself for others or helped people she hated or disagreed with or
pursued plans she thought were wrong is ridiculous and it really does push that
constant helping to outright servility. Helping her friends all the time with
nothing coming back would be bad and a trope. But doing it when she doesn’t
want to and even vehemently opposes can’t even be presented as “hope” – it’s
service.
