Is goodbye forever, or for just now?
Klaus finally figured out that the Curse of the Sun and Moon was really a riddle that the Original witch had placed upon him: to break the curse and become a hybrid himself, he had to kill the doppelganger; but in order to make more hybrids; he needed the doppelganger’s blood. Thus, after killing the doppelganger, there would be no blood for more hybrids and Klaus would be doomed to an eternity alone. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, Klaus was smart enough to figure it out finally and did not kill Elena for the 2nd time, instead he merely drew her blood and found out that it was indeed the missing link to creating more hybrids. This was good news for both Elena and Tyler, whose lives hung in the balance. It boded badly for everyone else, as Klaus is now free to create his hybrid army. The world will surely be doomed to hell-on-Earth if that happens. We can only hope and pray that either Mikael, the vampire-hunter or the jealous Rebekah will succeed in stopping Klaus.
As gripping and intense as it was watching Klaus countdown the clock on the lives of Elena and Tyler, the real tragedy was the loss of Stefan’s humanity. When Stefan had pledged his loyalty and obedience to Klaus at the end of last season to save Damon’s life, it was by choice. Stefan’s free-will was still intact. However, after seeing how powerfully Stefan loved Elena and how he could never truly give his allegiance fully with his human emotions in the way, Klaus compelled Stefan to flip-the-switch and turn off his human emotions. Watching his humanity stripped away and his free-will destroyed was more heart-breaking and agonizing to watch than any death. The death of a soul is much more devastating.
Points of Interest
1. Gotta love a vampire that is a vampire-hunter. Nice twist. Plus, casting Sebastian Roche as Mikael is awesome. Can’t wait to see what havoc he wreaks in everyone’s lives when he fully awakens. Plus, surely the witch who put him there had a good reason for locking him up in that tomb. Mikael may be the only person who can kill Klaus, but what kind of monster have they unleashed in order to do that? Klaus may be a monster, but he is a lonely one, which means he has a weakness. What if Mikael doesn’t?
2. Rebekah’s petty jealously serves to both annoy and heighten the unpredictability factor. She may have pledged her loyalty to Klaus, but it is looking more and more like she is disillusioned with her brother who does not value her love and companionship, and she is angry that Stefan tossed aside his love for her so casually. She is fast becoming a wild-card in this sticky game of love, loyalty and trust. Klaus had better watch his back.
3. So now Matt can see ghosts too. Interesting. Looks like Matt is no longer the token human in the supernatural club. It elevates his role from background, “red-shirt” and third-wheel, to wild-card status himself — especially if Vicki has an ulterior motive for helping them out in this round with Klaus. Can’t wait to what’s next for the Matt-Vicki reunion.
What Worked
In an episode jam-packed with so much going on, it was hard to pick out the one thing that stood out the most. Was it the tender Matt and Vicki reunion at the end? The Caroline and Tyler make-out sessions in the hallways? Stefan’s tearful goodbye to Elena? Or Damon sweeping up Elena into his arms and carrying her out of the hospital? There was, in the end, so much to choose from!
But let’s start off with the abbreviated Katherine and Damon make-out session in the car, which ended with him tossing her aside saying, “Thought I’d give it a shot, but truth is, you just don’t do it for me anymore.” No matter how many times Katherine attempts to seduce him and rekindle his feelings for her, Damon demonstrates his indifference. His love for her died the day he opened that tomb and found it empty. Katherine had over a century to seek him out and yet never did. Damon will never forgive or forget that deception — and ultimately, her rejection of him.
The final nail in the coffin was when Katherine warned Damon, “You’re going to get yourself killed. The Damon I remember would never have been that stupid,” and Damon retorted, “I wouldn’t have done it for you.” Damon will always return to Elena and leave Katherine standing on the side of the road. For just as strong as Stefan’s love for Elena is, that’s how strongly Damon hates and rejects Katherine. Eternity is one nasty cold-frost for Katherine if she is looking for love from either of the Salvatore brothers.
On the flip-side, it was a beautiful swoon-worthy moment when Damon carefully swept up Elena into his arms and took her out of the hospital, and back to his mansion for safe keeping. It was telling that he took her to his place and not her home. It was an unspoken declaration of Damon’s need to keep her safe and under his protective care. He even offered to take away her memories of what she had to watch when Stefan was compelled to kill and devour her helpless classmates right in front of her and the debasement that Stefan had to suffer under Klaus’ cruel compulsion. It was an act of mercy, but not one that Damon was going to inflict upon her. It had to be Elena’s choice. But Elena being Elena refused. She wants to remember every second of the pain and suffering Stefan went through to protect her. His sacrifice means nothing if she cannot remember what he gave up for her.
Yet interestingly enough, Elena could not put back on the necklace that Stefan had given to her. She is learning to that the love she and Stefan shared is now gone. Stefan fought hard and bravely, but he was simply not strong enough to withstand Klaus’ compulsion and was forced to give up his humanity. So as Damon handed Elena the necklace, he softly said, “Stole it back for you.” But Elena could only respond in shock, “After all we went through to get him back, he’s really gone this time. Now he’s just gone.” Her numb acceptance of the loss of Stefan — the Stefan she knew and loved — revealed that the truth had finally hit her. Her cocoon of self-denial and love was crashing around her. As she then demanded, “Where were you, Damon?” Damon could only admit, “I shouldn’t have left. I promise you, I will never leave you again.”
This should have been an epic moment of Damon’s unspoken declaration of love; alas, bursting the bubble, Stefan (the new and soulless version) chose to make his abrupt appearance and said, “Well, isn’t this cozy?” Ready to bear his fangs and wage war if necessary, Damon cautiously asked him, “What are you doing here, brother?” and Stefan breezily responded, “Last I checked, I live here.” Then with a sense of building foreboding, Stefan turned told Elena, “Klaus is gone, but he’s asked me to keep watch on you until he returns. From now on, you are under my protection.” This should have come across reassuring, but hearing it from soulless Stefan, it sounded more like a veiled threat. So as Stefan flippantly told Damon, “By all means, carry on,” his blessing to his brother felt bone-chillingly creepy. The universe is surely spinning now that Stefan is no longer Stefan. He is but a shell of the man he was. He feels nothing but the desire to kill and do Klaus’ bidding. Our hearts broke when Stefan gave himself up for Elena, but our hearts are shredded now that the last remnant of humanity is gone from Stefan’s soul. As Elena had asked Klaus in horror, “What did you do?” Klaus calmly replied, “I fixed him.”
Our hearts leapt for but a moment at the possibility of Damon and Elena finally getting a moment to see what they truly mean to each other. But with the shadow of Stefan hovering around, that will not be possible. It will be a constant reminder of the person they both lost and want back. It will be a battle for second chances and not taking a chance on a new love. Ah, but true love is so fleeting.
Another ripple of true love lost was when Caroline and Tyler walked down the empty hallways of the school, holding hands, grateful that Tyler had survived the transition from werewolf to hybrid. Tyler may be celebrating his new life and the new opportunities it offers, but as he breezily said, “This is going to be an amazing year,” Caroline only looked worried. She knew they were tempting fate as it was with her being a vampire and Tyler as a werewolf; but now that Tyler is both, they both have bulls-eyes painted on their backs. Caroline’s father may allow his daughter to live, but he may not want her dating a vampire-werewolf hybrid. Tyler’s ecstasy feels like a harbinger of worse things to come.
Similarly, when Bonnie told Matt “You’re the only one of us who gets to live your life like a normal person, no matter how lost you feel,” it was just as fleeting as when Matt turned around, standing there to welcome him was Vicki — his dead, ghost sister. Matt did not escape from his brush with death so lightly. He is now connected to the undead and that will have repercussions. It exposes him to a whole new realm of threats. Matt may have thought it was hard being an outsider around a club of supernaturals; but now being amidst them, he may regret his hasty actions to join. This club plays in life-and-death stakes. Life is about to get more interesting and more deadly for him.
Senior Prank Night was supposed to be about making memories to last a lifetime. But they were all thinking of simple things like memories of mousetraps, super glue, eggs and toilet paper; not being held hostage, tortured, having their blood sucked dry, or witnessing death and destruction around every corner of their school. High school is just never going to be normal or the same again for the teens of Mystic Falls.
What Didn’t Work
When Anna warned Jeremy that he could not trust Vicki, what did she mean? From what we saw in this episode, Vicki was incredibly helpful in saving Elena and Tyler. Hopefully that warning will be explained and not just left as a dangling plotline.
Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due
“The Reckoning” was written by Michael Narducci and directed by John Behring. ‘The Vampire Diaries’ stars Paul Wesley, Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, Joseph Morgan, Steven R. McQueen, Candice Accola, Katerina Graham, Michael Trevino, Zach Roerig, Matt Davis, Malese Jow, Kayla Ewell, Claire Holt, Sebastian Roche. ‘The Vampire Diaries’ airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on the CW.
I truly believe that Vicki is a legitimate threat and that Vicki might not even be Vicki. Anna remarks that she is all alone on the other side, indicating that she hasn’t been able to meet others like her mother, Pearl, on the other side. I find it suspicious that Vicki can speak to the Original witch and also exert her influence on objects, while Anna thus far has not appeared to be able to do this. Anybody who nonchalantly states that they could come back from death seems highly suspicious too and I wouldn’t be surprised if coming back requires the death of somebody currently living.
Also, you shouldn’t refer to the curse as the Curse of the Sun and Moon as Eljiah revealed that it was just rubbish made up by Klaus so that the moonstone would be more readily retrieved if found. It was a curse suppressing Klaus’ werewolf side, and should more accurately be referred to “the curse that had been on Klaus’ or something along those lines.