Vamp Diaries midseason finale
Dec. 13th, 2012 09:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shadowkatWell, mixed feelings. The Good, the Bad, and the unfortunately Undead.
* Stefan and Caroline have a heart to heart about Klaus, and how bad they feel for him - regarding his betrayal by Tyler. (This is while we're watching Klaus kill 12 hybrids and Tyler's Mom). Klaus, they point out, isn't really any worse than they are (true - Stefan went on a killing spree last year, except all his victims were unsuspecting co-eds and human), but unlike them - he has no family no one he can trust. And it's all about trust. So Caroline breaks it to Stefan that Damon has betrayed him, that he didn't actually break the sire bond, and Damon and Elena are together cozy like at the cabin. (Seriously, with friends like Caroline who needs enemies?). And Stefan can't trust anyone.
This happens after, lovely, trust-worthy, true-to-the-core, best buddy, Caroline blabs to Stefan about Tyler's plan. Tyler to Caroline - all I wanted was for you to be on my side for once. The cure for vampirism hurts us. It makes us become werewolves, where we turn painfully at the fool moon each year. You'd think Caroline would remember considering she watched Tyler turn into a werewolf the first few times and he almost killed her. (Actually he would have killed her during the second or third season, if it weren't for Damon who jumped between them and got bitten instead. Somewhat thankless move on Damon's part, not to mention foolish in hindsight...but oh well.)
Oh, and least we forget, Stefan and Caroline haven't exactly been forthcoming regarding this whole gig to Elena or Damon or anyone else. IF they had been, we may have been able to avoid the Klaus killing spree.
* Regarding the Klaus killing spree...my mind sort of wandered off a bit...but I'm guessing Klaus was manipulated into doing this when he figured out that Tyler was mounting a hybrid rebellion and had broken his sire bond - with twelve hybrids? Since they were no longer bond to him - they'd become sort of useless - so why not slay all of them??
Hayley betrayed Tyler (not to mention all those poor hybrid vampires that she helped break the sire bond) by telling Klaus about the rebellion and the breaking of the sire bond in order to help Shane get his ritualized sacrifice in return for a reunion with her dead parents. (Poor Tyler - he has the worst taste in women. Note to Tyler - stop going for the doe-eyed pretty ones - they'll stab you in the back every time.)
By the way, Hayley's actions really aren't all that different from Stefan/Caroline's actions with Jeremy. All three betrayed the trust of people who cared about them in order to obtain something they desired or felt was right.
* Meanwhile, untrustworthy and dastardly Damon has taken Elena to see her brother, after spending a celibate night at her side, fully clothed. He refuses to sleep with her or kiss her - as long as she is bond to him. And he's angsting over lying to his brother about them having sex (long before he found out about the sire bond) and not just breaking it off with Elena like he promised. So Damon basically broods and works up the courage to break up with Elena and send her away from him all episode long. Not to worry, he finally musters up the strength to do it - and tells Elena to go home with Bonnie, to leave him and Jeremy to go fight vampires and find the cure. He sends her back home to Stefan, while he goes off to free her and save everyone, putting himself in great jeopardy of course - with Jeremy (who wants to kill all vampires) and Shane (who wants to unearth the evil Silas). But hey, Stefan and Elena will be safe, so all is right with the world. And for bonus points? Stefan will no longer have to angst over Elena and Damon being together or rage as the case may be...
* Elena is none too happy about this events, of course, particularly when she and Jeremy have just found a way to be together again, and she's actually happy. But...alas, she is given no choice in the manner. Literally no choice. Nor is she given any choice in regards to how she gets to feel about either Stefan or Damon. Because of the sire bond, Damon refuses to trust that her romantic feelings for him could be real and Elena honestly isn't sure. She's been given contradictory information. Although the preponderance of the evidence seems to point towards her feelings for Damon being all too real and pre-existing the sire bond. Everyone from Shane to Tyler has more or less confirmed it. The only one's in denial appear to be the one's with alternative motives (Stefan/Caroline) or who seriously lack a cheering section (Damon). (That said - I don't blame Elena for being a bit confused or Damon for that matter, I'm confused and I'm an objective party - well more or less.)
[What's odd and more than a tad disturbing is Elena appears to have less control or for that matter "agency" over her own life (undead), her choices, and her boyfriends as a vampire than she ever did as a human. You'd think it would be the opposite. IT is for everyone else. Why does Caroline get to be a kick-ass bitch and Elena a simpering and perpetual victim? But no, everyone else appears to be controlling everything for her - poor thing doesn't even get to have any fun without someone questioning it, and she's still perpetually the victim. Damon, Bonnie and Shane solved her problem with Jeremy. And now, Damon is going off with Jeremy and Shane to find the cure that will undo Elena's vampirism and the sire bond - at great risk to himself. It's the heroic/selfless thing to do - Elena should identify, but if I were Elena - I'd be highly annoyed.
That's the main problem I have with The Vampire Diaries and various other series of this ilk, the heroine lacks agency. She's constantly being manipulated and pushed around by other people.
Elena, in short, appears to be powerless over her own life and her own choices. And this was the case prior to the sire bond or being turned into a vampire. She's never really been free, not that any one truly is.
At any rate, I'm starting to root for the cure, because vampire Elena is pathetic. More pathetic than human Elena, which I did not think was possible. But apparently it is. She was interesting before the sire bond, now not so much. The damn sire bond ruined the whole Elena becomes a vampire thing for me. I know why they did the sire bond - it was necessary device to push Elena and Damon apart, while leaving the door open for Stefan, and for Damon as well...in short it keeps the Oppressive Love Triangle alive and kicking. It also enables the writers to motivate Damon to find a cure for Elena - so he can set her free and determine her true feelings for him. And it makes Stefan seem less like a jerk for going behind Elena's back to cure her of vampirism? Doesn't quite work for me, but whatever. And it skews nicely with Klaus and his sire bonds. So I get why they did it. I'm just not sure it works...but I admittedly don't like the whole sire bond thing. Doesn't float my boat.]
* Shane meanwhile manages to get everything he wants, with only Damon suspecting foul play. Too bad Damon hasn't gotten a chance to chat up Tyler. I see a heavy-duty Damon/Tyler bonding session on the horizon. I miss those bro-romances...this season is lacking in the bro-romance.
And poor Jeremy is just everyone's tool - what's new. At least he's become an incredibly attractive tool. Now if we could just point him towards Caroline and Stefan...
Damon: I told you to kill the vampire behind my brother, you aimed too low...and hit my brother.
Jeremy: I'm guessing this is going to be hard to explain to Elena, eh?
Damon: you think?
Actually a bro-romance between Damon and Jeremy could be a lot of fun. Been waiting for that for four seasons now. Can we have that, please? Have Damon keep Jeremy sane, after Stefan almost made him insane - nice irony there, don't you think?
*Caroline: April found me dead and overheard some stuff, but not to worry - I compelled her.
Matt: Uh, April can't be compelled any more, Jeremy gave her his vervaine bracelet.
Caroline's jaw drops.
April finds Rebecca at the end of the episode and how much do you want to beat she removes the stake? (Oh so happy.)
Overall - not bad, but a bit disappointing. Tyler's Mom hardly registers as a major character death. Although I guess it's impossible to kill anyone else at this point, sort of put a damper on the plot. Last season's plot twists were so much better. It might just be me? But the writing appears to be off this year..as if the writers are floundering a bit.
* Stefan and Caroline have a heart to heart about Klaus, and how bad they feel for him - regarding his betrayal by Tyler. (This is while we're watching Klaus kill 12 hybrids and Tyler's Mom). Klaus, they point out, isn't really any worse than they are (true - Stefan went on a killing spree last year, except all his victims were unsuspecting co-eds and human), but unlike them - he has no family no one he can trust. And it's all about trust. So Caroline breaks it to Stefan that Damon has betrayed him, that he didn't actually break the sire bond, and Damon and Elena are together cozy like at the cabin. (Seriously, with friends like Caroline who needs enemies?). And Stefan can't trust anyone.
This happens after, lovely, trust-worthy, true-to-the-core, best buddy, Caroline blabs to Stefan about Tyler's plan. Tyler to Caroline - all I wanted was for you to be on my side for once. The cure for vampirism hurts us. It makes us become werewolves, where we turn painfully at the fool moon each year. You'd think Caroline would remember considering she watched Tyler turn into a werewolf the first few times and he almost killed her. (Actually he would have killed her during the second or third season, if it weren't for Damon who jumped between them and got bitten instead. Somewhat thankless move on Damon's part, not to mention foolish in hindsight...but oh well.)
Oh, and least we forget, Stefan and Caroline haven't exactly been forthcoming regarding this whole gig to Elena or Damon or anyone else. IF they had been, we may have been able to avoid the Klaus killing spree.
* Regarding the Klaus killing spree...my mind sort of wandered off a bit...but I'm guessing Klaus was manipulated into doing this when he figured out that Tyler was mounting a hybrid rebellion and had broken his sire bond - with twelve hybrids? Since they were no longer bond to him - they'd become sort of useless - so why not slay all of them??
Hayley betrayed Tyler (not to mention all those poor hybrid vampires that she helped break the sire bond) by telling Klaus about the rebellion and the breaking of the sire bond in order to help Shane get his ritualized sacrifice in return for a reunion with her dead parents. (Poor Tyler - he has the worst taste in women. Note to Tyler - stop going for the doe-eyed pretty ones - they'll stab you in the back every time.)
By the way, Hayley's actions really aren't all that different from Stefan/Caroline's actions with Jeremy. All three betrayed the trust of people who cared about them in order to obtain something they desired or felt was right.
* Meanwhile, untrustworthy and dastardly Damon has taken Elena to see her brother, after spending a celibate night at her side, fully clothed. He refuses to sleep with her or kiss her - as long as she is bond to him. And he's angsting over lying to his brother about them having sex (long before he found out about the sire bond) and not just breaking it off with Elena like he promised. So Damon basically broods and works up the courage to break up with Elena and send her away from him all episode long. Not to worry, he finally musters up the strength to do it - and tells Elena to go home with Bonnie, to leave him and Jeremy to go fight vampires and find the cure. He sends her back home to Stefan, while he goes off to free her and save everyone, putting himself in great jeopardy of course - with Jeremy (who wants to kill all vampires) and Shane (who wants to unearth the evil Silas). But hey, Stefan and Elena will be safe, so all is right with the world. And for bonus points? Stefan will no longer have to angst over Elena and Damon being together or rage as the case may be...
* Elena is none too happy about this events, of course, particularly when she and Jeremy have just found a way to be together again, and she's actually happy. But...alas, she is given no choice in the manner. Literally no choice. Nor is she given any choice in regards to how she gets to feel about either Stefan or Damon. Because of the sire bond, Damon refuses to trust that her romantic feelings for him could be real and Elena honestly isn't sure. She's been given contradictory information. Although the preponderance of the evidence seems to point towards her feelings for Damon being all too real and pre-existing the sire bond. Everyone from Shane to Tyler has more or less confirmed it. The only one's in denial appear to be the one's with alternative motives (Stefan/Caroline) or who seriously lack a cheering section (Damon). (That said - I don't blame Elena for being a bit confused or Damon for that matter, I'm confused and I'm an objective party - well more or less.)
[What's odd and more than a tad disturbing is Elena appears to have less control or for that matter "agency" over her own life (undead), her choices, and her boyfriends as a vampire than she ever did as a human. You'd think it would be the opposite. IT is for everyone else. Why does Caroline get to be a kick-ass bitch and Elena a simpering and perpetual victim? But no, everyone else appears to be controlling everything for her - poor thing doesn't even get to have any fun without someone questioning it, and she's still perpetually the victim. Damon, Bonnie and Shane solved her problem with Jeremy. And now, Damon is going off with Jeremy and Shane to find the cure that will undo Elena's vampirism and the sire bond - at great risk to himself. It's the heroic/selfless thing to do - Elena should identify, but if I were Elena - I'd be highly annoyed.
That's the main problem I have with The Vampire Diaries and various other series of this ilk, the heroine lacks agency. She's constantly being manipulated and pushed around by other people.
Elena, in short, appears to be powerless over her own life and her own choices. And this was the case prior to the sire bond or being turned into a vampire. She's never really been free, not that any one truly is.
At any rate, I'm starting to root for the cure, because vampire Elena is pathetic. More pathetic than human Elena, which I did not think was possible. But apparently it is. She was interesting before the sire bond, now not so much. The damn sire bond ruined the whole Elena becomes a vampire thing for me. I know why they did the sire bond - it was necessary device to push Elena and Damon apart, while leaving the door open for Stefan, and for Damon as well...in short it keeps the Oppressive Love Triangle alive and kicking. It also enables the writers to motivate Damon to find a cure for Elena - so he can set her free and determine her true feelings for him. And it makes Stefan seem less like a jerk for going behind Elena's back to cure her of vampirism? Doesn't quite work for me, but whatever. And it skews nicely with Klaus and his sire bonds. So I get why they did it. I'm just not sure it works...but I admittedly don't like the whole sire bond thing. Doesn't float my boat.]
* Shane meanwhile manages to get everything he wants, with only Damon suspecting foul play. Too bad Damon hasn't gotten a chance to chat up Tyler. I see a heavy-duty Damon/Tyler bonding session on the horizon. I miss those bro-romances...this season is lacking in the bro-romance.
And poor Jeremy is just everyone's tool - what's new. At least he's become an incredibly attractive tool. Now if we could just point him towards Caroline and Stefan...
Damon: I told you to kill the vampire behind my brother, you aimed too low...and hit my brother.
Jeremy: I'm guessing this is going to be hard to explain to Elena, eh?
Damon: you think?
Actually a bro-romance between Damon and Jeremy could be a lot of fun. Been waiting for that for four seasons now. Can we have that, please? Have Damon keep Jeremy sane, after Stefan almost made him insane - nice irony there, don't you think?
*Caroline: April found me dead and overheard some stuff, but not to worry - I compelled her.
Matt: Uh, April can't be compelled any more, Jeremy gave her his vervaine bracelet.
Caroline's jaw drops.
April finds Rebecca at the end of the episode and how much do you want to beat she removes the stake? (Oh so happy.)
Overall - not bad, but a bit disappointing. Tyler's Mom hardly registers as a major character death. Although I guess it's impossible to kill anyone else at this point, sort of put a damper on the plot. Last season's plot twists were so much better. It might just be me? But the writing appears to be off this year..as if the writers are floundering a bit.
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Date: 2012-12-14 11:50 pm (UTC)He's annoying the hell out of me here and I'm not generally anti Stefan. It's just that in this, he needs his ass kicked.
Oh yes. Agree absolutely. I actually liked Stefan generally speaking. Sure, I snarked...but I did like him. Now, I just want to shake him. Dude? Take a look in the mirror - you are being a complete ass. And really need a thorough ass-kicking. He's spending far too much time around Klaus and Caroline...who appear to be re-enforcing this behavior.
And the Damon/Elena situation is a no win.
It really is, isn't it? Damn Sire Bond. The relationship was interesting as was, dare I say it, the Oppressive Love Triangle from hell, but the sire bond ruined it. I get why the writers thought the sire bond was a great idea and on paper, it probably looked wickedly cool (sort of like Angel's curse),
but in a serial tv show it's a deadly corner to write oneself into. Also it removes Elena's agency. She has no choice. And no way of knowing which feelings are valid - which yes, is interesting in a way, but also disturbing and frustrating to watch. I preferred the abusive relationships Buffy had, honestly, at least Buffy owned her choices.
And Damon is in hell. Which is why they did it - because it is ironic, if you think about it. Here's a guy who compelled a Caroline and others to let him drink from them, and sleep with him. And suddenly, with Elena - who he deeply loves, he has no idea whether she is sleeping with him and is into him because she loves him OR if she's just compelled to do it due to the sire bond. The old Damon, S1 Damon, may or may not have gotten off on it. But S4 or S5 Damon (I have no idea which season we are on) is flailing. He can't deal. (The writers probably did the story for this reason alone, but damn, once again you are sacrificing the female character (or raping her of her agency) to progress a white male character's arc? And in a tv series that is directed towards teen female viewers? Alrighty then and people say we don't live in a sexist society.)
That's my problem with Vamp Diaries - the writers are more invested in the Damon/Stefan characters and their arc, Elena is just there to further it.
The fact that the head-writer is female makes this even more disturbing.
So much fail with sire bond plot thread. I honestly think it would have been more interesting if they did the story without it. Explored the fact that Elena has strong feelings for both men and can't decide between them, and explored Stefan's virgin/whore issues which are in the way of a real and long-lasting relationship with any woman. That would have been interesting.
But the writers are going the traditional route. I had the same issues with Buffy - it would have been more interesting if we dispensed with the silly curse and explored the fact that Angel is into approval and power - which Whedon tried to do, but kept chickening out on at the last minute - which annoyed me greatly. The only writer who addressed these issues head on and did not take the lazy way out was the one who did Being Human, but Being Human wasn't as riveting as the other shows...damnit.
And, yeah, Caroline is being annoying as well.
If I was a Caroline shipper, I'd be pissed off. Wait. I am. I loved Caroline in the previous seasons, she was my favorite character. They've ruined my favorite character. How dare they! Stupid sire bond and stupid Stefan. I want my Caroline back, now! This version I can't stand and want to be staked, as in yesterday.