Monsters of Television

Despite my perverse affection for bad boys, this show repeatedly reminds me why this couple is the heart of "TVD"

I’m liking how The Vampire Diaries keeps putting forth titles that refer to multiple characters. Some face death of a traditional sort. Others of a less traditional sort. But for many, it is their last day of something, as with Klaus, for whom it is the last day of waiting…after a very, very, very long time of waiting.

I’ve been thinking about this very, very good episode of TVD, and it has me contemplating what this show is not. It is not elegant—and don’t think I mean that in a really negative way. Some shows operate on a level of poetry—they are about balance, proportion, symmetry. For example, we have a number of character facing their last day here. If TVD was more elegant, it would develop layered stories, intercutting each character’s experience facing death, so each would comment on the next. Instead, the show runs in fits and starts. It acts impulsively, like Damon. TVD is all emotion, action. Often it is messy and somewhat erratic. Now, I like my shows messy, so again, this isn’t criticism. Rather, I think the show truly embodies the youthful energy of its main characters and its intended audience. Without great vision of the future, the characters move forward, following compulsions or passions. They are not embittered or despairing. For these characters, there is always some new plan, some new action. So they hurtle forward, always hoping for better, for salvation, for love.  As with the characters, for TVD, the key to this show is the relationships.

A lot happens in this episode—let’s count the instances of impending carnage. Two friends return, a human faces a future as a vampire, a vampire is fatally bit, four trapped supernaturals await their fate, a witch dies, a human is turned, and a friend betrays another in an unforgiveable manner. I mightily enjoyed all of these happenings, but as I’ve often written, action is not enough–I want more–character development, depth, consequences.  In “The Last Day,” TVD demonstrated that it can indeed give us this “more.”  Despite being, largely, an action episode, two characters take time to process the enormity fo the changes ahead.    I hope all the characters dealing with huge changes get such an opportunity to come to terms with these changes in the next two episodes, but for now, I am going to relish the rather sublime conversation we get to witness between Stefan and Elena to describe why this weeks TVD marks a high point–for its strengths (fast-paced action) and for overcoming its typical weakness (too fast to let characters react, change).

For me, the highlight of the episode was not any of the super exciting moments but rather the scene with Stefan and Elena atop the waterfall. Aside from the cheesiness of the setting and the inevitable ‘reveal’ by Elena, their conversation is mature, adult, honest. Of the many reasons why I like this show, the handling of Elena and Stefan’s relationship must be high on that list for the writers’ avoidance of the usual clichés. Elena and Stefan do not need each other desperately. They do not constantly swear a willingness to die for the other (though both would likely do so). They avoid discussions of the future rather than presume life will always remain exactly as it is right at this moment. My partner often comments about a fatal flaw in most vampire-human relationships—he cannot believe a creature that has lived for hundreds of years would be interested in the hobbies and priorities of a teenager. The life experience disparity is simply too great, in his mind. Yet here we saw Elena showing that her own sense of self runs deep, and that Stefan understands her, even when she does not speak her thoughts aloud. More details about this scene, and others, after the jump.

There were several enormous events this week—life changing for the characters involved. First to occur is Damon, fearing that the elixir would not save Elena from death, choosing a more sure-fire way to keep her around (though not exactly alive). Worthy of note here is the contrast between Stefan and Damon’s approach to Elena’s decision. Stefan chooses to put his faith in Elena because “she put her faith in me. She chose to trust me in spite of what I am. And if I’m gonna bet on somebody’s instincts, it is going to be hers [I like this line, even though the logic seems strangely circular—Elena knew I was a good guy so she must always have good instincts–what he really means is that she trusted him, so he is going to trust her].

Funny thing about Damon’s approach is that he’s adopted Elena’s mantra of the last few weeks—“there has to be another way.” And just as Elena does something ballsy to make her own way (removing the dagger from Elijah), so too does Damon do something ballsy (read: stupid). Just after Elena takes Damon’s hand and preaches a message of self-determination, “it’s my life, Damon, my choice,” he whispers, “I can’t lose you.” Then he gets a determined look of his own—running in front of a departing Elena, he says, “there is another way.” He bites himself, and she knows what is going to do—she begs him, “no,” but he grabs her and presses his wrist to her mouth.

After Damon forces Elena to drink his blood, Stefan is furious. He brings up his past with Damon to make his brother realize the enormity of this decision: “how could you of all people take that choice away from her?” He is referencing Damon’s own desire to die during his transition rather than live as a vampire, a desire thwarted by Stefan. Damon, too, references his past with his brother when he tells a shocked Elena, “Go ahead and wish me an eternity of misery. Believe me, you’ll get over it,” ironically acknowledging that he forgave Stefan for wanting Damon to spend eternity with him.  Stefan attacks Damon, and Damon spits the following words at him, “admit it, you just wish you had the balls to do it yourself.” Damon stabs Stefan, but apparently it isn’t a fatal blow since Stefan lives with the help of a blood bag.

If this were the world of Buffy, Damon siring Katherine would have a more kinky feel, since it involves the mutual exchange of blood. In this world, however, Damon’s actions are less sexy and much more violent. Elena is hurt and angry. “How could he do that to me, why?” Stefan touches her face, saying, “we’ve never talked about this, what this all means.” I love that he goes straight for “the talk.” Elena having to consider whether or not to become a vampire has always been the elephant in the room between them.  Elena isn’t ready to have that talk yet, just as she avoided it at the lakehouse.

After Damon bites Elena, Stefan takes her to a waterfall. It is a pretty place, but it seems that for Stefan his motives are beyond the scenery. Rather, he seems to be taking advice from some parenting experts who suggest it is easier to get young sons to talk if you engage with them in some activity (hence the age-old mandate for fathers and sons to “have a catch”). Elena doesn’t want to talk about what it means to her to become a vampire, but Stefan is patient. As they climb up the hill alongside the waterfall, Stefan asks her questions. He knows what she is feeling, and even though it will hurt him, he wants her to be honest: “I think you do know how you feel—I just want you to know that it is okay to tell me.” When Elena jokes that Stefan should just run her up the hill with his super powers (a joke that reminds me of the silliness that is Edward’s constant running with Bella in Twilight, a comparison to which I will return below), Stefan rejoins, “it’s your last day as a human, why cheat now?”

Since I’m on a crusade to understand what, if anything, sucks about being a vampire in the world of this show, Stefan and Elena’s conversation gave me a bit more insight into that. When she asks Stefan was is the best part of being a vampire, he says, “everything is heightened.” Trick is, that the answer to the worst part of being a vampire is the same thing: “anger becomes rage, when you’re sad, you despair. Grief, loss, it can cripple you.” As he says, this also explains why so many vampires (like Damon) turn off their emotions. To turn to an overused yet still appropriate metaphor, vampirism = addiction. The hunger for the blood can be overwhelming, like the need for drugs. Yet in Stefan’s case, the addiction metaphor that works best is the sense that everyday you are an addict, and everyday you choose not to give in to it. That is how Stefan balances his emotions and controls his feelings—he works at it every single day. Quite honestly, this isn’t suckitude on level with, say, completely losing your soul/personality, as happens in vampire tales like Buffy the Vampire Slayer [interesting to note that Sheriff Forbes is working off the Buffy model, assuming her daughter is gone forever]. Yet in the world of Mystic Falls, these vampires are more nuanced. On the side of cons to being a vampire, we have boredom and the risk of absolute despair. Still think the pros (strength, speed, eternal beauty, ability to control other’s minds, virtually indestructible) outway the cons, but at least Stefan’s honestly has given the mythology a bit more teeth.

At the top of the falls, Stefan tells Elena she can say the thing she thinks will hurt him. He gets honest first, “look, if it were my choice, I’d want to be with you forever.” She asks why he never brought it up, and he quickly answers, “cause I knew if it was an option, you would’ve. It would be selfish of me to ask you.” Elena frowns, “didn’t stop Damon.” It pains Stefan to say this next part, “He shouldn’t have done what he did. He did it because he loves you.” Elena doesn’t buy it, “he did this to me, Stefan, which means he doesn’t really know what love is. And to be honest, I don’t know if I do. I’m 17 years old. How am I suppoed to know any of this yet? I know that I love you, Stefan. I know that. But my future? Our lives together? Those were things I was supposed to deal with as they came along. “ She starts to cry. “I’m supposed to grow up, decide if I want to have kids and start a family, grow old. I was supposed to have a lifetime of those choices and now? It’s all gone…” Stefan begs her, “please say it, please.”

“I don’t want to be a vampire, Stefan. I never wanted to be one,” Elena admits. “I know,” Stefan says, as he takes a sobbing Elena in his arms.

TVD just accomplished something awesome. It just became the anti-Twilight. Elena loves Stefan, but she can’t promise that she will love him forever. She also isn’t rushing into death to be with her man. Elena is brilliantly mature. There’s something terrific about this character…something, dare I say it, feminist? Feminist in the sense that Elena knows who she is, what she deserves, and she doesn’t apologize for it.  I loved this scene.  TVD firing on all cylinders, letting the mythology and the characters deepen.

Damon, meanwhile, is feeling kinda blue. He tells Ric, “I screwed up.” In walks Klaus, and Damon hangs his head, with a sigh that says, “can this day get any worse?” Klaus warns Damon not to do anything he’d regret, and Somerhalder’s reaction here is priceless. You see the knowing look in his eyes as he says with a sneer, “thanks for the advice.” [Just why Klaus arrives here to warn Damon is a bit unclear—I mean, if he feels so prepared, then why does he need to warn Damon “not to screw it up”?] Ric deadpans, “you’re gonna screw it up,” following Klaus’ departure, and my love for the Ric-Damon bromance knows no bounds.

Tyler returns to town, tricked by Klaus to come home to see his injured mother.  He is almost immediately captured, along with Awesome Vampire Caroline, by Klaus’ warlock.  While trying to “save the day” (read: make amends) by rescuing Tyler and Awesome Vampire Caroline from Klaus’ clutches, Stefan calls Damon to tell him Klaus took Elena. Stefan looks wrecked, and Damon takes the news hard. “I’ll take care of it,” Damon promises, seeming for a moment to be the responsible older brother, caring for his younger sibling. It is a sweet moment between two men who were trying to kill each other only hours before.

Tyler cannot stop his transition as the moon rises in the sky. During his transition, he lunges at Awesome Vampire Caroline, but Damon jumps in front of her. Tyler bites him, though we don’t see the proof of this until the final moments of the episode. To some degree, Damon deserves this. In the first place, the only reason he is messing with Tyler at all is because he wants to stop the ritual entirely to make up for that whole turning Elena thing. In the second place, Damon sets out on this mission in order to kill Tyler—his best plan of action to stop the ritual. When Awesome Vampire Caroline provides him with another option that will not result in Tyler being dead, Damon takes it. But none of Damon’s choices in this episode were driven by the needs of others—instead, he puts his own desires and passions first. You could say he wants to protect Elena, but he does so by killing her. Not exactly a dream love story.  Damon arrives in Klaus’ (well, Ric’s) apartment, all tough guy and hard talk.  He tells Klaus that he  must postpone the ritual since Damon stole his vampire and his werewolf and killed his witch.  Damon is ready to die because he thinks he has saved Elena.  But Klaus is super prepared.  “I’ve heard about you,” he says, “the crazy, impulsive vampire, in love with his brother’s girl.”  Klaus has a backup plan–Jules as his werewolf…and another person as his vampire.  We think he means Damon, but he leaves Damon behind.  Katherine points out the reason– a wolf bite in Damon’s wrist.

Other exciting moments are Damon’s discovery that Matt knows the truth about both himself and Awesome Vampire Caroline when Matt shoots Klaus’ warlock with wooden bullets. First of all, go Matt! Never knew he had it in him. Second of all, Matt’s actions lead to Damon giving him a host of nicknames, including “boy wonder,” which is awesome in its own right. At this point, I’m thinking of Matt as Gollum from Lord of the Rings. In saying this, I’m not suggesting that Matt is a tiny, funny looking creature who exchanged his soul for power, but rather that Matt may play a crucial role in how the final episodes play out. In LOTR, Gollum is the creature that lurks around constantly but seems to have no purpose–until wise old Gandalf reminds Frodo that Gollum, too, may have a part to play. And indeed, it is Gollum that saves Frodo from himself. Will Matt, perhaps, have a similar impact upon one of our lead characters?

Last, and usually least, is Jenna. This was a real shocker, and one that has me sort of sad. For so long, Elena wanted to protect everyone she knew. At this point, the very last person to know the secret—the person whose ignorance was supposedly her best protection—is not only dead now but also in transition to become a vampire. Klaus’ brutal discarding of Jenna’s humanity in exchange for increased insurance that the ritual would go forward is pretty horrifying. Also, this is not something the writers’ can undo. Awesome Vampire Caroline and Tyer chained up? They can be saved. Elena being forced to drink Damon’s blood? She can be spared eternal life if the ritual is postponed for 24 hours. But Jenna in transition? She’s already dead. The best option for her is either to fail to feed on a human (and die) or to accept a new, undead life [poor Ric—this is his second lover to become a vampire.] If you read me regularly, you know I have developed a theory (so far always proven correct) that making someone undead/supernatural on this show radically improves even the most annoying character. Cases in point are Caroline and Tyler. Perhaps even Jenna could become less of a useless wallflower if she completes the transition, but Elena’s guilt over this could be rather paralyzing. Jenna’s death is one of the events for which I hope to see the consequences developed gradually, so characters can grow through their attempts to grasp the horror of the situation.

And finally, my favorite new couple.  Chained in the tomb, Awesome Vampire Caroline asks Tyler why he didn’t say goodbye. He gives her a smile and asks, “you want to talk about this now?” She persists, “Well, if we’re gonna die, might as well know the truth. [that’s code for “I love you, you wolf you”] Why did you leave me?” she says in a small voice. He sort of avoids answering, “I knew you hated me. I thought you deserved better than having someone like me in your life.” Well, that is mostly true, but he forgot the, “I love you, you vamp you” part.  Not sure how the show will resolve the Matt, Tyler, Awesome Vampire Caroline triangle, but as far as I am concerned, the impressive chemistry between Tyler and AVC will NOT be denied.  So glad Tyler is back.  [Who knew?  Tyler as a possible hero?  Hope he redeems himself in these next couple of episodes.]

Few last thoughts:
*How much do I love that Elijah has been carrying that Elixir around for 500 years, yet neither time has he been able to use it to save a doppleganger? Funny stuff.

*Elijah gets a great moment with Damon after he hears Damon force Elena to drink his blood. Elijah comments, “the problem, Damon, is you talk a good game, but you don’t actually know anything. She’ll never forgive you. And never for a vampire is a very long time.” God, I hope they keep this character, somehow. Let him take Jenna under his wing, or something.

*Even after Damon does the unthinkable, Ric stands by his man. Their chat at the bar was honest and, as always with these two, a touch amusing  Do need to release some anxiety–Klaus just let my Ric go?  With no strings attached.  I don’t buy it.  And I fear what that means for Ric.

*Also awesome is Katherine. Yes, I just wrote that. Wanting to test if her compulsion is still active, Klaus demands she go stand in front of the sunlight without her magical bracelet. She does it, screaming as her skin burns. He lets her walk away, convinced. Katherine is a hard core bitch.

*Klaus’ other witch, a young blonde African American woman, is—of course—Dr. Martin’s daughter.  She seems pretty evil, since she smiled when she reveals to Elena that Klaus has turned Jenna.

Special section– Damon’s best lines:
When Elena refuses to use Bonnie to kill Klaus today because Bonnie would end up dead, Damon offers, “I’ll write her a great eulogy.”

Re: the 500 year old elixir with mystical properties of resuscitation: “That’s your plan? A magical witch potion with no expiration date?”

Best line of the episode, though, was definitely Damon’s cruel mockery of Katherine after telling her Elena has vampire blood in her system: “Imagine how much fun that would be, competing with Elena for Stefan’s love, I don’t know, forever?”