S04.E09: I Can't Be The One To Stop You

[paulvdb]

Quote

Hope finds herself involved in a game of cat and mouse as Lizzie sets out to make things right. Josie has a heart-to-heart with Finch. Alaric, Landon, and Ted get a surprising result from their quest. Meanwhile, MG, Jed and Cleo handle matters back at The Salvatore School.

Airdate: December 16, 2021

[GaT]

Anybody surprised when it turned out Hope's humanity wasn't actually turned back on? Anybody? One or two people maybe? No, I didn't think so.

[Chris24601]

Well, as the one who spent several years talking about how I felt Hope going full Tribrid would be a mistake because as soon as they did they’d start the countdown to throwing her humanity switch for the “dramas” the only thing that shocked me was that they went immediately to it.

Personally, I’m hoping the fix is just bringing Hope back to life somehow because it’s frankly more interesting if there were to be no fix for Hope’s humanity as long as she’s an active vampire… so that once brought back to life the idea of dying and becoming the full humanity-less Tribrid again isn’t an “oh well, if Hope ever dies she just gets a power-up” thing… it’s a “oh, crap, if Hope ever dies again she turns into a true monster.”

I’m not expecting it though, because they’re apparently going the “god” route and so the protagonists will need the full Tribrid powerup, along with Kaleb’s Vampire-Dragon abilities, etc. to deal with it.

Speaking of hybrids, I didn’t think they’d go there quite that quickly, but one of the twins becoming a Heretic was also probably inevitable from the moment they both were syphoners. I sense extreme Frenemy action coming up with Hope/Lizzie particularly since vampire heightens emotions and Lizzie has her condition as a starting point for those.

[BaggythePanther]

On 12/17/2021 at 3:44 AM, GaT said:

Anybody surprised when it turned out Hope's humanity wasn't actually turned back on? Anybody? One or two people maybe? No, I didn't think so.

*Raises hand* Only because I assumed they were rushing through the ‘no humanity’ plot the way they quickly dealt with the the Triad, Aurora and body switching plots.

I’m glad they had Hope kill someone, even though I knew it wouldn’t stick. In previous seasons Lizzie was against turning into a vampire (to avoid the merge) so of course she ends up turning for another reason. I’m even more disappointed now that she didn’t meet Uncle Kai.

 I never cared for Josie and Finch so I’m glad that’s over. I really like the Hope/Lizzie dynamic so I’m looking forward to their vampire adventures.

 I’m tired of the Limbo storyline, I just want the three of them to come back and Ted can be a teacher or something.

So we’re doing gods now? I hope it’s the Roman gods, no one ever uses them.

Edited December 18, 2021 by BaggythePanther
Saw the press release about KB.

[GaT]

27 minutes ago, BaggythePanther said:

 I never cared for Josie and Finch so I’m glad that’s over.

It sure is, check the media thread.

[BaggythePanther]

12 hours ago, GaT said:

It sure is, check the media thread.

I saw the story not long after I posted. Maybe I wasn’t paying attention, but it didn’t seem like Josie was saying goodbye for good. If I hadn’t seen the article I would have assumed she’d come back in a few episodes with a way to turn on Hope’s humanity.

[GaT]

6 minutes ago, BaggythePanther said:

I saw the story not long after I posted. Maybe I wasn’t paying attention, but it didn’t seem like Josie was saying goodbye for good. If I hadn’t seen the article I would have assumed she’d come back in a few episodes with a way to turn on Hope’s humanity.

Maybe they did it that way so that she could come back.

[nilyank]

18 hours ago, BaggythePanther said:

So we’re doing gods now? I hope it’s the Roman gods, no one ever uses them.

So could these gods be disinterested in Hope?  I really do like Hope but she should not be the reason for every storyline each season.

[foxfreakinmulder]

20 hours ago, BaggythePanther said:

 I’m tired of the Limbo storyline, I just want the three of them to come back and Ted can be a teacher or something.

I am too and I like your idea of Ted being a teacher.

I'm confused why Alaric is there, isn't that place for people that have died, he's not dead just in a coma right?

I really hate Hope and I was one that wanted her to be a full Tribrid but I think they made a mistake by immediately turning off her humanity because I have no sympathy for her now and she can go away and never be seen again and I wouldn't miss her.

So they had that big build up for Aurora and that's it?

That ending was very sweet with the sisters on the bus. I will miss Josie but Lizzie has become my favorite of the girls and I hope she doesn't turn off her humanity.

I think the writers should've made a different excuse for Josie leaving, like going to help her mom because that didn't work for me. I really don't feel she would've left her dad to search for a way to help Hope. I read the article and it sounded like the actress is not coming back but they left the door open for her so does that mean Hope will have her humanity off until the end of the show when they will bring the actress back for a cameo like they did Nina Dobrev on VD. Because if Hope turns her humanity back on and Josie is no where to be seen how are they going to explain her absence from that point on, or is this the last season for the show?

 

 

[GaT]

3 hours ago, foxfreakinmulder said:

if Hope turns her humanity back on and Josie is no where to be seen how are they going to explain her absence from that point on, or is this the last season for the show?

Oh, that one is easy, Lizzie & Josie will have to do THE MERGE early to fix Hope, & Lizzie will be the remaining twin. If they can't get Kaylee to come back for the episode, I'm sure they'll think of someway to fake it.

[nilyank]

2 hours ago, GaT said:

Oh, that one is easy, Lizzie & Josie will have to do THE MERGE early to fix Hope, & Lizzie will be the remaining twin. If they can't get Kaylee to come back for the episode, I'm sure they'll think of someway to fake it.

I mean the MERGE has been the twin's major storyline and defining character arc since the show started. The payoff of the MERGE and how they resolve it has defined Lizzie (more assertive take charge) and Josie (always deferring to help everyone especially Lizzie). Now Josie leaves not because of Lizzie, her dad or even her dull relationship but because of Hope. Nonsense.

If the show would actually let the kids age out of high school and waste seasons of Malivore, they could have actually done the MERGE by now and it could have be Josie's exit and whatever they decided to resolve the storyline.

[Kymmi]

I like the actress, but I'm not sad to see Josie go. Given that they already played this leaving storyline with her going to school in town, it's not as impactful. I thought the moments between Josie and Lizzie were sweet, but I won't miss Lizzie constantly lamenting how she takes care of everyone else except herself. 

I enjoyed Lizzie's vengeance arc - it makes sense, and I can see a character like Lizzie not being able to let go of the anger, until she was pissed that she still had feelings for Hope. When she died, I assumed she would show up in purgatory with everyone else. I am not enjoying the purgatory storyline, and I have no idea why Ric is there. I guess I'm supposed to want them to come back, and Landon will be the one that brings Hope's humanity back? OK?

No idea what this really means for Lizzie or the Merge. That Caroline has never showed up is ridiculous. 

[GaT]

18 hours ago, Kymmi said:

That Caroline has never showed up is ridiculous. 

If you were Candice King would you want to be part of this hot mess?

[Kymmi]

I could never get into the Vampire Diaries, and clearly never watched the Originals. Legacies appealed to me because of the combination of boarding school and supernatural. I do really like the show, but still feel like I am missing something with the background, particularly this year. I started the Originals earlier this week, it’s fine, but knowing there are 93 episodes is a little daunting. 

[SmittenKitten]

On 12/28/2021 at 11:24 PM, Kymmi said:

I could never get into the Vampire Diaries, and clearly never watched the Originals. Legacies appealed to me because of the combination of boarding school and supernatural. I do really like the show, but still feel like I am missing something with the background, particularly this year. I started the Originals earlier this week, it’s fine, but knowing there are 93 episodes is a little daunting. 

Vampire Diaries was so great halfway through season 1 and season 2. The Mikaelsons brought it down a bit for me but overall I loved the show (watched it all when it aired). The originals wasn’t bad either. I binged VD, TO and Legacies all in a row before last season began. It was a lot but it was fun. 

[Chris24601]

Well, the news that Josie being put on literal bus definitely changes up several plot elements.

My hunch now is Lizzie going Heretic is actually the writers also writing out the Merge storyline since, short of recasting, there’s just no way to reliably guarantee Kaylee’s return for long enough to do a suitable wrap up.

And honestly? THIS is precisely where I saw that particular plotline ending anyway… that rather than actually go through with the merge one of the twins would become a vampire and, due to already heightened emotions and being previously reluctant due to possibly wanting a family (something Josie, by contrast has never voiced during the series), Lizzie would be the obvious dramatic choice for who would end up becoming the vampire (where as, had not been cut short, I suspect the original play would be Josie planning to make that sacrifice only for Lizzie to surprise be the one to do it).

My main point of evidence on this (i.e. that the Merge storyline is basically dead) is Josie’s final comments about not being able to feel Lizzie anymore and that it was basically a “goodbye… you’re now free to live your life” moment where the last cord is cut.

I’m definitely hoping the arrival of the Sphinx means we’re nearing the end of the underworld arc. I can take or leave Landon and Ted, but the school needs Alaric back in the land of the living (I think his being there is because while his body is being kept alive, he’s basically brain dead and the implication is that his soul is in the process of moving on) because so many of the kids just bounce off him better than they do with each other… though if Landon coming back finally snaps Hope’s switch back on; I probably wouldn’t complain too much at this point even if it’s not my first choice (first choice is that her humanity can’t be restored as a vampire and the only solution is restoring her to life with the threat that if she ever dies again humanity-less Hope will return).