Argenta

Did anyone else think that the photo of Hope on Hayley's phone made her look like Gollum? She was really cute as a younger baby but she looks a bit gangly and awkward as a one-year-old.

Kol was always the wild card - the most underhanded, amoral and self-serving of the Mikaelson children ... and considering that this is a family which includes Klaus, that's really saying something. So there's something especially poignant about seeing him develop an attachment strong enough to make him act out of bona fide altruism. I hope we get to see a lot more of him and Davina, as well as him eventually reuniting with his siblings. Speaking of the siblings, I was happy to see Klaus explicitly assure Freya that she's one of the family and that she matters to him. That was a lovely moment. I'll also add my vote to the Please Kill Aya Now campaign. As someone else said upthread, she has all Klaus' arrogance but without any of his cocky charm. I really want to see her taken down a few pegs (preferably sharp wooden pegs :p) I dislike Aurora as well but she has moments of real self-doubt, pain and vulnerability that serve to make her character at least a little nuanced and sympathetic.

Agree, pete. Also, Hank/J'onn is taking a lot of crap from both Kara and Alex. They seem to go repeatedly over his head and do whatever they feel like; given that he is meant to be in charge, I think it's about time he pulled rank a bit. I loved the early chemistry between Alex and Max, and feel sad that it now seems unlikely to go anywhere.

(firstly, hello ElectricBoogaloo. I remember you well from the Lost forums on TWoP, nice to see you modding here.) I’m one of those who loves Cami and therefore the Klaus/Cami pairing. I know that happily-ever-afters can’t occur too soon in a show’s run because would then be no story left to tell, so I shouldn’t have been surprised when Klaus and Cami had their first kiss and then everything went to hell immediately afterwards. But it’s still painful to watch. Along with Hope, Cami had been a light in Klaus’ near-perpetual darkness and the violence and mistrust that surrounds him (much of it, admittedly, of his own making). It’s really sad to see that light dimmed and the bond they’d built up virtually shattered overnight. I really hope it gets rebuilt as Cami gets back to something closer to her old self. On a lighter note, why are newborn vamps always so horrible in the TVD mythology? I understand the craving for blood, the instability, and the struggle to handle one's heightened emotions and senses. But if vampirism is supposed to magnify a person’s existing personality traits, why don’t the positive ones, like compassion and kindness, also get enhanced? Just about every baby vamp I can think of in the TVD-verse has been a self-centred, spiteful, obnoxious, havoc-wreaking pain in everyone’s ass. -Lucien has been absent a couple of weeks now, perhaps he’s perfecting his nostril-flaring sneer in a mirror somewhere. -I find Marcel really dull. If there's one character I wouldn't miss at all, it's him. Also don't like Aya, she is far too pleased with herself. -I've also disliked Hayley since her first TVD appearance, but I felt for her tonight and though Phoebe gave a more than competent performance. -NATE IS BACK! I hope it’s not a one-off. It was brilliant to see the ‘real’ Kol again. I think he and Davina have great chemistry, even if it is yet another example of the centuries-old-immortal/supernatural-falling-for-a-teenage-girl trope.

I adored this episode. It was beautifully shot and scored, and the Christmas gathering scenes were lovely. The tension of Rebekah's increasing instability was real. I may be in a minority, but I love Cami and always have. Having a human with no supernatural powers on shows like this is often derided as tokenism, but I think it's necessary, and I've always really liked Leah's performances and found Cami very relatable. I think her relationship with Klaus has been done well as it's a slow burn and a real process of getting to know each other, rather than a sudden frenzy of passion. I have to admit I wept when they finally kissed and I was shocked and horrified at the end. I really hope this isn't the end for Cami. On a shallower note, does anyone else think Lucien looks a bit like an irritated horse when he frowns and pouts and flares his nostrils - (and he does this a lot)?

Dear Hayley, Just a tip, but next time you might want to clean the gore off your face before nuzzling your infant daughter. You're welcome. ~Argenta

Has Alaric or anyone else even wondered about his and Jo's unborn twins? Have they had the souls of some random vampire infused into them as well, courtesy of the Phoenix Stone? That's a really creepy thought. Not to mention it must be disorienting in the extreme for an old vampire to suddenly reincarnate as a fetus :p

I think the show is doing fine without Elena, but I'm disappointed in the Heretics. It would be nice to see a range of ages rather than just people in their 20s all the time. More to the point though, they follow the TVD tradition of having ancient, powerful, supernatural beings act like spoilt, petulant, selfish teens rather than being...wise or otherworldly or something. I hate the whole lot of them already. I know it can't really happen because the two shows have to stay mostly separate, but one word from Caroline and Klaus would make the trip back to Mystic Falls and wipe the floor with them.