S06.E09: I Alone

[Meredith Quill]

Episode Synopsis:

 

 

Damon finds himself in hot water after he carries out a plan that requires Alaric’s unwilling participation. When Elena shares some hopeful news with Jeremy about Bonnie, she is caught off guard by his reaction. Liv helps Damon and Elena with their plan to get Bonnie back, but when things take an unexpected turn, she’s left with a difficult choice to make. Elsewhere, Matt takes matters into his own hands when Enzo’s  actions cross the line, and Kai’s existence continues to be a dangerous threat.

 

[Terrafamilia]

Seriously, Damon, couldn't you have just thrown a rock through his head?

[havocthecat]

I love how they always talk about Enzo's actions crossing the line and Enzo being a hothead like this is such a surprise to us. I mean, we really do know that he's the new loose cannon now that they've started reforming Damon. Which is fine! Characters should evolve and develop after six seasons.

[Cattitude]

Well I totally disliked that episode. It was so unsettling. Everyone mad at everyone else and Bonnie stuck all alone forever. ugh!

 

As a Delena fan I did like the Delena stuff but that's all I got.

[2Old2BAFangirl]

Another good episode, IMO. 

 

I did surprise myself though.  First, it actually IS possible to hate Elena more than I already hated her.  I'm so glad Damon spoke up and told her he wasn't trying to rescue Bonnie for Elena, he was trying to rescue his friend.  I just don't know how they can make Elena so self-centered and still expect us to love our "heroine". Blech.

 

My second surprise was how happy I was to see Bonnie!  I haven't really cared for Bonnie throughout the whole series, but she's been awesome this season.  I loved her teasing Damon about calling her annoying and I loved how she hotwired a car and called herself badass.  The last scene with her crying and all alone was heartbreaking.  I'm actually invested in Bonnie this season and it's awesome!

 

It would be so nice if for Christmas I could have my favorite ships doing okay for a change.  Dalaric and Defan.  I would add Delena but still hating on Elena right now.

[PinkRibbons]

it actually IS possible to hate Elena more than I already hated her.  I'm so glad Damon spoke up and told her he wasn't trying to rescue Bonnie for Elena, he was trying to rescue his friend.

My only problem with his speech was that it did not start with the phrase, "are you seriously that fucking self-centered?!"

[Carrie Ann]

Yeah, I wasn't sure it was possible, but Elena was even worse here than usual. I mean, good for Damon for trying to set her straight, but it still didn't really seem to get through. More like she had to adjust to the idea that it was possible for someone to care about Bonnie completely without regard to Elena herself. I think she just recontextualized it back to being about her, ultimately.

 

Anyway, I'd seen reference to the preview about Jeremy having a surprising reaction about getting Bonnie back, but I was really on his side on this one. Probably because he was talking to Elena, but still. He made good points. And I had to actually rewind the part where he said, "But let me guess, Damon's still alive, right?"

 

I'm actually pretty intrigued by the humans vs. their vampire loved ones split we have working here, and glad to hear some of these things laid out explicitly. Yes, Bonnie is always ALWAYS fucked over*. Yes, Stefan is a murderer too. Yes, Enzo is a piece of shit who should have stayed dead**. Yes, the vampires value their lives over human lives. Yes, they take everyone else for granted.

 

*My God, Kat Graham just killed me in that last scene. Just tore my heart out. Poor Bonnie, but yay for Kat who is proving herself every chance she gets this year.

**No really, WHAT is Enzo's motivation at this point? "Revenge" against Stefan? Ugh, he is so tiresome.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Carrie Ann

[Ann Mack]

My only problem with his speech was that it did not start with the phrase, "are you seriously that fucking self-centered?!"

 

Elena has become unbearable for me. I mean she can only sit and constantly think of situations that should "always" be about her. Honestly I didn't even want her tagging along with Damon to begin with. And this bullshit story line IMO about I want to remember my half of the memories that she compelled away because they were too painful. Well welcome to the effing real world, everyone goes through pain and they deal with it but not our special little Elena, gaw I really hate this character right now. Some how she has become as self absorbed as Enzo only problem is the writers are still trying to make her likable which only pisses me off more. I mean shouldn't Elena have been like somewhere, anywhere else like oh lets say a class or something. I really hope Damon wakes up and realize his love was really just an infatuation and he is now OVER it. IMO Elena does not deserve either Salvatore and I was over this love triangle as soon as they tried to sell her sleeping with both brothers as romantic and real love. Now Damon is her EPIC love (I really don't think both those words means what she thinks it does).

 

Any way just bring Bonnie back from the other world. Give her some peace and finally let her stop sacrificing herself for her supposed BFFs who stopped everyone once and again to remember her because they had to finally do something for themselves. We have been denied the depths of Bonnie's great acting for 5 seasons I think its time for them to let it shine (she's been killing every scene she's had this season) and maybe move some other characters to the background for a few episodes!

Edited December 5, 2014 by Ann Mack

[immortalfrieza]

My only problem with his speech was that it did not start with the phrase, "are you seriously that fucking self-centered?!"

Of course not, even after the countless murders, suffering, and selfishness that Elena has brought about these several seasons she is still treated even after 6 seasons by everybody like this little pure special snowflake that is perfect and can do no wrong and this episode is no exception. The only ones that treat Elena as anything less than that are all villains who either turn that around and start worshiping the ground she walks on or end up dead. I can't even remember a single time anybody has called her out on her self-centered B.S. if it's ever happened, especially not her friends.

 

As for Bonnie, I have no doubt she's going to be the key to Kai's downfall so the writers will keep her trapped just to avoid getting her out and solving everything in 5 minutes like she probably will end up doing.

Seriously, Damon, couldn't you have just thrown a rock through his head?

That was my first thought too, Kai is basically powerless and thus no actual threat while he stays in Mystic Falls, and if that immortality spell is still in effect after he got out the Mystic Falls barrier would also nullify that. Of course, I'll bet money that like a massive idiot Tyler is going to take Kai's deal and thus help prevent somebody from simply killing Kai when he's at his most vulnerable when all they'd have to do to stop the merge is have Liv or Luke or both stick around Mystic Falls for a while.

 

Also, I don't recall, have they explained why it isn't that all Luke and Liv have to do is refuse to merge? Are they under some "when you turn a certain age you and your twin will merge whether you want to or not" spell or something? I can't imagine that the twins in this coven were all sociopathic enough to want to kill their twins, but if they were then being a nutjob apparently runs in the family.

[Goldmoon]

Poor Ric.  He rightly feels so betrayed.  I hope to get a genuine apology from Damon, however Damon isn't known for that.  He does what he feels he has to, always has.  I really can't have Dalaric on the outs for long though.  Ric broke my heart.

 

First, it actually IS possible to hate Elena more than I already hated her.  I'm so glad Damon spoke up and told her he wasn't trying to rescue Bonnie for Elena, he was trying to rescue his friend.

 

Elena's narcissism continues with her distracted by her parents' graves and needing a reminder - from Damon - that they are in 1994 for Bonnie.

 

I loved her teasing Damon about calling her annoying and I loved how she hotwired a car and called herself badass.

 

It would have been great if Elena hadn't grabbed the phone out of Damon's hand before he and Bonnie could say more than they did.  Did my ears deceive me or did Elena say, "I've come to get you"? Detested Elena usurping the gift of vampire pancakes. It really felt that she was stealing Damon's thunder.  LOVED Damon telling Elena that he and Bonnie had become friends and that he was "doing this for Bonnie, not for you."  I cheered. And I agree with this:

 

My only problem with his speech was that it did not start with the phrase, "are you seriously that fucking self-centered?!"

 

My last note on Bamon, for now, is that Damon seemed really upset that Bonnie is stuck in 1994 alone.

 

I thought Enzo was adorable addressing Matt as "Mush," however that wore off when he killed Sarah/Monique.  I am hopeful that Matt is finally going to get a storyline and hope to god he does kill that bastard.  The previews seem to indicate that Enzo catches Matt, although it might be a trap for Enzo.  Yeah, that's what it is.

 

Kai is a superb villain.  He is actually frightening, and the actor is bringing charm to his cray-cray.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Goldmoon

[fantique]

I'm enjoying this episode, heck this season, so much. But I need to rant here.

I am tired of Enzo. Really!? Really, dude? The ONLY reason Faux-Sarah is dead is because Stefan wouldn't share his entire life with you? Nothing to do with the fact that, Oh I don't know, you decided to become Stefan's stalker and kill every young female crossing his path? Perhaps? Seriously, I get that it's a big part in creating the divide between the humans and the vampires but can they not have a less pathetic reason than Enzo's hurt feelings? He expects those people he's known less than a year to like and accept him more than someone they've know for 4 years? Are you fucking kidding me? Why is he turning into an idiot?

 

I wasn't attached to Sarah and had more of an eye-roll *Enzo! shakes fist* reaction until he said the DUMBEST thing that ever left his mouth on this show. Yeah Enzo, it's totally Stefan's fault that you fucking followed him in the middle of nowhere about matters that don't fucking concern you. He can be fun homicidal guy, but adding the whole "oh woe is me the world doesn't appreciate my greatness" is where it goes from amusing snark to man-child tantrum and I am not eager to revisit Dumb!Damon S5 territory.

 

Also, does Bonnie have to freaking stay over there. Even more importantly, does the poor girl's hopes (along with mine) have to spring up and be dashed every time? I liked the Bonnie and Kai interactions and I think it would be interesting to see them fighting until the scales tip one way or another. I don't think there has been evidence that her power would be enough without further knowledge to dispatch him so her presence wouldn't necessarily mean instant villain defeat. Also, what the hell is she going to be doing all by herself there? I hope we can see her going to Gramps' house and trying to save herself. They can't shove her aside now that she's becoming more engaging and we get to see KG's range...right?

[Racj82]

I must steal a quote from the sitcom different world. To enzo, DIE Just DIE.

[immortalfrieza]

I'm enjoying this episode, heck this season, so much. But I need to rant here.

I am tired of Enzo. Really!? Really, dude? The ONLY reason Faux-Sarah is dead is because Stefan wouldn't share his entire life with you? Nothing to do with the fact that, Oh I don't know, you decided to become Stefan's stalker and kill every young female crossing his path? Perhaps? Seriously, I get that it's a big part in creating the divide between the humans and the vampires but can they not have a less pathetic reason than Enzo's hurt feelings? He expects those people he's known less than a year to like and accept him more than someone they've know for 4 years? Are you fucking kidding me? Why is he turning into an idiot?

 

I wasn't attached to Sarah and had more of an eye-roll *Enzo! shakes fist* reaction until he said the DUMBEST thing that ever left his mouth on this show. Yeah Enzo, it's totally Stefan's fault that you fucking followed him in the middle of nowhere about matters that don't fucking concern you. He can be fun homicidal guy, but adding the whole "oh woe is me the world doesn't appreciate my greatness" is where it goes from amusing snark to man-child tantrum and I am not eager to revisit Dumb!Damon S5 territory.

Replying in Enzo thread.

[GaT]

**No really, WHAT is Enzo's motivation at this point? "Revenge" against Stefan? Ugh, he is so tiresome.

 

I am tired of Enzo. Really!? Really, dude? The ONLY reason Faux-Sarah is dead is because Stefan wouldn't share his entire life with you? Nothing to do with the fact that, Oh I don't know, you decided to become Stefan's stalker and kill every young female crossing his path? Perhaps? Seriously, I get that it's a big part in creating the divide between the humans and the vampires but can they not have a less pathetic reason than Enzo's hurt feelings? He expects those people he's known less than a year to like and accept him more than someone they've know for 4 years? Are you fucking kidding me? Why is he turning into an idiot?

 

 

 

What is the point of bringing in these new characters, giving them a story, & then having Enzo kill them? Why do we still have Enzo at all? He adds nothing to the show, & he's an asshole all the time. It doesn't even make sense why he killed her tonight, what did he think he was getting done?

[slayer2]

Yeah, I wasn't sure it was possible, but Elena was even worse here than usual. I mean, good for Damon for trying to set her straight, but it still didn't really seem to get through. More like she had to adjust to the idea that it was possible for someone to care about Bonnie completely without regard to Elena herself. I think she just recontextualized it back to being about her, ultimately.

 

Anyway, I'd seen reference to the preview about Jeremy having a surprising reaction about getting Bonnie back, but I was really on his side on this one. Probably because he was talking to Elena, but still. He made good points. And I had to actually rewind the part where he said, "But let me guess, Damon's still alive, right?"

 

I'm actually pretty intrigued by the humans vs. their vampire loved ones split we have working here, and glad to hear some of these things laid out explicitly. Yes, Bonnie is always ALWAYS fucked over*. Yes, Stefan is a murderer too. Yes, Enzo is a piece of shit who should have stayed dead**. Yes, the vampires value their lives over human lives. Yes, they take everyone else for granted.

 

*My God, Kat Graham just killed me in that last scene. Just tore my heart out. Poor Bonnie, but yay for Kat who is proving herself every chance she gets this year.

**No really, WHAT is Enzo's motivation at this point? "Revenge" against Stefan? Ugh, he is so tiresome.

Well, you pretty much covered everything I wanted to say, except I think the only reason they're keeping Enzo around is to evolve Damon (which I've been waiting for for years) I think that TPTB or TIIC genuinely feel the audience wouldn't accept a more thoughtful, human Damon so they have created this Damon-lite version in Enzo to fill the so-called void. That's at least the only reason I've been tolerating him, this is the first season I have actively liked Damon.

[fantique]

Also, I think that Sarah is a Chekhov gun.

[PinkRibbons]

Also, I think that Sarah is a Chekhov gun.

 

Agreed on this. The lengths Stefan is going through to keep her concealed are pretty extreme. Bordering on The Originals' Hope Protection Program. I mean if he can't tell Matt of all people the truth (because come on, Matt's an understanding guy who would probably commend Stefan for being so good to the real Sarah), then there's something deeper that seems to be going on. He really seems to worry about the real Sarah being made a target.

[Dust Bunny]

Team Humans!

 

I kind of love watching the vampires' chickens coming home to roost. Finally, some consequences that hit home. Matt's speech to Stefan was great. You could tell he had been holding that back for awhile and was still trying to hold back from the rage. To some degree, I think I'm fed up with all the vampires. 

 

I am bummed about the Alaric-Damon loss. This one might stick for a bit. It's the second time Damon harmed Alaric's significant other (3, if you could count Jenna). As long as Matt Davis stays on the show, I don't really care what happens. I just love his strong, centered presence in the midst of the pettier drama.

 

 

Kai is a superb villain.  He is actually frightening, and the actor is bringing charm to his cray-cray.

 

Agreed. Kai may be my favorite villain ever on this show. Chris Wood is awesome. It's on the same level as Robbie Kay's Peter Pan on "Once Upon A Time". 

Edited December 5, 2014 by Dust Bunny

[Artsda]

So the real relative will show up soon, no doubt? Since Stefan is trying so hard to keep her away.

[Miles]

I'm really surprised at my reaction, since in past seasons I found her to be rather boring, but I really like Bonnie and want her to get out of "the past" and go on a road trip with Damon or something (and a few episodes being exclusively about them).

Btw. why did Elena and Damon sit around on their asses for 5 hours? Couldn't they have met Bonnie half way somewhere? Had they done that Bonnie would be out right now. (Yes I know the writers would have just changed up the timeline, to still keep her in, but at least the characters wouldn't look like they are devoid of common sense.)

 

Seriously, Damon, couldn't you have just thrown a rock through his head?

That's exactly what I was thinking. He might be over the anti magic border, but that also means he has no magic to defend himself and you still have vampire strength where you are. Throw a rock or a big stick at his head. Problem solved.

At this point they deserve everything bad that happens for being so stupid.

 

Also, I don't recall, have they explained why it isn't that all Luke and Liv have to do is refuse to merge? Are they under some "when you turn a certain age you and your twin will merge whether you want to or not" spell or something? I can't imagine that the twins in this coven were all sociopathic enough to want to kill their twins, but if they were then being a nutjob apparently runs in the family.

Maybe from the first pair of twins one is always a nut-job. I mean look at their father. He is crazy with a cherry on top and considering that in that coven twin killed twin for hundreds of years, that seems to be kind of a requirement.

But yeah, don't know why Liv and Luke couldn't just refuse. They haven't made that clear, really. I guess their father will go psycho on them and he is supposedly really powerfull, since he ate his twin. Liv talked about hiding in Mystic Falls this episode, where I guess she would be realtively save, because of the anti magic field.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Miles

[Moo]

I'm so glad Damon spoke up and told her he wasn't trying to rescue Bonnie for Elena, he was trying to rescue his friend.  I just don't know how they can make Elena so self-centered and still expect us to love our "heroine". Blech.

I saw it as Elena assuming Damon was that self-serving, which to be fair is a possibility. This is maybe the first time Damon's done something that wasn't all about getting Elena to like him/forgive him/etc. I don't hold it against Elena that she thought that's what he was doing. How's she supposed to know Damon actually considers Bonnie a friend?

[steelyis]

I am so, so glad Damon set Elena straight about why he was going all in to get Bonnie back. I had to rewind my dvr after Elena said, "But to you she's something else, isn't she?" because Damon looked like he was really examining what Bonnie meant to him, and I thought IS played that moment exactly right.

 

I love how over it Matt and Jeremy are right now.

 

Enzo, WTF? You enormous asshole! Fuck off and die.

 

Kai is amazing. The way he killed that cabbie was so nonchalant and ruthless I was horrified, but when Kai put the ear buds in the cabbie's ears I laughed, because of course he would. Chris Wood is clearly having a ball and it's infectious.

 

Bonnie trying to suck it up and be brave made my heart hurt almost as much as her sobs did. Beautiful work from KG.

[no22]

Gosh. Enzo is so insufferable. I hope Matt will be able to kill him. Why is he even on this show? He's a dick and brought nothing to the show. 

 

Bonnie got screwed over again. Nothing is new here. It's so heartbreaking when she realized she wasnt going home  at the end.

Edited December 5, 2014 by no22

[Miles]

Kai is amazing. The way he killed that cabbie was so nonchalant and ruthless

I was taken out of that moment by multiple things:

- Headphones aren't that sturdy, they'd just snap.

- They didn't dig into the cabbie's throat at all.

- Apparently cabbie's die after seconds of holding their breath... Must be all that sitting behind the wheel they do. No lung capacity or red blood cells left.

[Smug47]

I will never not laugh when Damon gets sucked away in the previouslies. In my head, he goes "whee!"

Matt's anti vampire crusade is long overdue. I just hope he expands from Enzo and crusades against all of them. 

Jeremy was spitting nothing but truth this episode. He should have been told, but of course something had to come up and ruin everything.

When Damon was explaining pagers to Elena, I was giggling so hard. Technology, man. 

Not here for Elena making Bonnie's rescue all about her. Damon wants to save her because she is his friend now, not simply so Bonnie can prop him up to Elena as being a great boyfriend. She herself has done way worse stuff, but Damon is suddenly a dick for compelling Ric to get the Ascendant. Granted, he is a dick, but still. She needs to get off her high and mighty horse and grow up. 

Oh no, Sarah and Stefan are having a confrontation in his car. Is he going to throw her cell phone off the Wickery Bridge too?

Kai is so nuts. How on earth can you chew gum, strangle a cabbie and still look hot? Miracles, how do they work?

[fantique]

I saw it as Elena assuming Damon was that self-serving, which to be fair is a possibility. This is maybe the first time Damon's done something that wasn't all about getting Elena to like him/forgive him/etc. I don't hold it against Elena that she thought that's what he was doing. How's she supposed to know Damon actually considers Bonnie a friend?

Oh, I don't know. Maybe because he told her they became friends before she asked him to find her in that bar scene last episode? Nevermind that Damon was already trying to find her before she asked, since that's what the whole freaking road trip was about.

Edited December 5, 2014 by fantique

[ElectricBoogaloo]

The only reason I am even slightly glad that Bonnie is still in 1994 is because I'm totally loving all the episode titles and the flashback songs. I was cracking up at Damon and Elena eating pancakes while the Gin Blossoms played (even though I actually loathe that song).

 

Kai is definitely one of the best villains they've had on this show. Klaus was lame even before he started painting snowflakes and drawing ponies. Kai is every bit as psycho and scary as I thought Klaus would be. It also helps that Kai is funny. I loved when he realized that he was That Guy who wouldn't shut up and then proceeded to keep doing it anyway. After he strangled the cabbie, I thought he was going to take back the money he had given him. I did wonder where he got his money. He had enough to buy a plane ticket from Portland to Viriginia and buy an iphone before he got in the cab. His skinny jeans/airport security rant was awesome.

 

I loved that Elena got all defensive and said she knew what pagers were and then followed that up by asking how they work. I love that Kai's beeper number got mentioned again and that Damon rolled his eyes after he told Elena what it was.

 

I am really glad that Damon made it very clear that his motivation in going back to retrieve Bonnie was about his friendship with Bonnie and had nothing to do with Elena. I don't know if that information was able to penetrate Elena's thick skull though.

 

even after the countless murders, suffering, and selfishness that Elena has brought about these several seasons she is still treated even after 6 seasons by everybody like this little pure special snowflake that is perfect and can do no wrong

Apparently this is the episode where the writers decided to make it clear that Caroline is now in that stratosphere too. When Enzo described Caroline as "the one girl who can honestly do no wrong," I just rolled my eyes. Caroline has made plenty of stupid mistakes because she is a normal person. I hate seeing her elevated to saint status. By the way, I did not miss Caroline at all. I wouldn't mind if she stayed on vacation with Liz for a few more weeks. There was definitely a period where I liked her but these days a little of her goes a long way, mostly because she has become so one note. Last season (or was it the season before?) she was always being judgmental about Elena dating Damon (I totally acknowledge that she has good reason not to like him since he compelled her in S1 but that doesn't mean I wanted to hear her say the same thing every week for an entire season). This season it's the same old "I'm mad at Stefan because I'm not so secretly in love with him."

 

I was also annoyed with Enzo during that little speech because all of that "I'm the bad guy and Stefan is the good guy" is Damon 2.0 word for word. If they are going to bring in new characters, could they at least give them something different to do instead of retreading the same old plotlines we've already seen with the original gang? I liked Enzo was he was originally introduced, but it was a bit much for him to blame Stefan for Monique's death. That was classic abusive behavior: "Look what you made me do!" Between that and his ridiculous worship of Caroline, Enzo is getting on my nerves.

 

Btw. why did Elena and Damon sit around on their asses for 5 hours? Couldn't they have met Bonnie half way somewhere? Had they done that Bonnie would be out right now.

My understand was that they had to be in Mystic Falls in order for Liv to get them back out. Even if they had met Bonnie halfway between Muncie and Mystic Falls and then driven back to Mystic Falls together, it still would have taken the same total amount of time to reach Mystic Falls as if Bonnie drove the whole way by herself.

 

So how long before the real Sara shows up? I know I should be more worked up that Monique was killed but ehhhh. I was just glad to see her go.

[Kaboom 2.0]

I feel like I should just start every post here with "shut UP, Elena." Glad that Damon set her straight about why he wants to rescue Bonnie. And why did I immediately wonder that Elena will now be jealous of his and Bonnie's friendship from now on? Sigh.

 

I am loving how Matt and Jeremy are slowly turning around and (I hope) boarding the vamp hate train. And as much as Enzo occasionally entertains me he is seriously beyond annoying with his total focus on Stefan and ruining everything Stefan likes/loves. Dude, you are FREE, forget about these MF losers and have a ball traveling the world. Never cared about Monique but I'm assuming Sarah will show up at some point to be kidnapped and menaced by Enzo (eyeroll).

 

Poor Alaric, I really felt for him here. I'm glad that he has a rational (kinda?) person in Jo in his life to point things out that his bro-mance would cloud over.

 

Kai is loose. That unnerves me. I assume he stole everything he wore and had on him when we first see him in the cab, he has no qualms about killing so I figured he murdered someone with a similar body type as his. It's Kai, that's what he does!

 

KG's last scene almost had me in tears. Sniffles.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Kaboom 2.0

[Pollock]

Awesome season for now despite the multiple little stupid things you already talked about like why no throw a rock at Kai.

Except for Delena. I have never shipped anybody in my life. NEVER. But at this point, I'll ship Damon with that rock or heck, I'll ship Damon with Stephan because we discover he's adopted and the hidden love they had for each other for centuries can explode on our screen. Nothing can make me more sick than having him mooning for Elena.

If they need an eclipse to get Bonnie, just put her fucking ego in front of the sun, they'll have one for days.

[Primetimer]

Anyone else wondering why Enzo doesn't just take a nice vacation or something?

Read the story

[Like A Phoenix]

Adding my voice to those saying "Shut UP Elena!". Her ego continues to know no bounds. I feel like they could just subtitle all Elena's dialogue with "memememememe!", and it'd still be accurate.

 

Also, bye Monique! Hope we find out something about you eventually. And I want my Dalaric back. :(

 

Kai continues to be awesome, I'm so impressed by Chris Wood. That man has a big future. He makes Kai so completely villainous but so damn entertaining that you end up wanting to see more of him rather than just hating him. I'm sure I'm probably meant to be rooting for Liv, but give me Kai any day.

 

I am bummed about the Alaric-Damon loss. This one might stick for a bit. It's the second time Damon harmed Alaric's significant other (3, if you could count Jenna). As long as Matt Davis stays on the show, I don't really care what happens. I just love his strong, centered presence in the midst of the pettier drama.

 

I agree on Alaric's presence, and I think that was really missed in seasons 4 and 5 - I've always thought that he's one of the few characters on this show who has a low tolerance for drama, a moral compass, and a functional brain. However, that really emphasizes how redundant Enzo is this season; I liked him initially, but now he's just outstayed his welcome, and I wouldn't be sad to see him killed off. Where Alaric is a strong and steady influence that's missed when it isn't there, Enzo's just like a toddler throwing tantrums, but in the same way we've seen a hundred times before on this show. And I'm sad to say that, because I love Michael Malarkey and his acting, but it feels like the writers just don't have a clue what to do with him apart from the occasional evil deed accompanied by a one-liner, which previously fell to Damon/Klaus/Silas/villain of the week.

 

Apparently this is the episode where the writers decided to make it clear that Caroline is now in that stratosphere too. When Enzo described Caroline as "the one girl who can honestly do no wrong," I just rolled my eyes. Caroline has made plenty of stupid mistakes because she is a normal person. I hate seeing her elevated to saint status. By the way, I did not miss Caroline at all. I wouldn't mind if she stayed on vacation with Liz for a few more weeks. There was definitely a period where I liked her but these days a little of her goes a long way, mostly because she has become so one note. Last season (or was it the season before?) she was always being judgmental about Elena dating Damon (I totally acknowledge that she has good reason not to like him since he compelled her in S1 but that doesn't mean I wanted to hear her say the same thing every week for an entire season). This season it's the same old "I'm mad at Stefan because I'm not so secretly in love with him."

 

Yeah, I hated that too - the best thing about Caroline always was that although often awesome, she does have flaws, and the show didn't mind pointing them out in a way that Elena never did. To suddenly elevate her to being someone who can do no wrong takes away some of what made Caroline great in the first place.

[Morrigan2575]

Stupid question, was there a reason that Damon/Elena didn't hotwire a car and try to meet Bonnie on the road? They apparently didn't need to be at the graveyard to be brought back, Liv said they had to drink her blood so she could find them.

Also, I think I missed it but how were they going to get Bonnie back? Did they have a vial of bloo'for her with them?

[Fire Spirit]

I saw it as Elena assuming Damon was that self-serving, which to be fair is a possibility. This is maybe the first time Damon's done something that wasn't all about getting Elena to like him/forgive him/etc. I don't hold it against Elena that she thought that's what he was doing. How's she supposed to know Damon actually considers Bonnie a friend?

 

 

Exactly, considering his track record, it was a fair question. 

 

Kai was really funny in this and not as annoying as in the previous episodes. I disliked Liv last season, this season she is shaping up to be one of  my favourite characters. I like her and Tyler together. Yeah so done with Enzo.

[CaughtOnTape]

Of course not, even after the countless murders, suffering, and selfishness that Elena has brought about these several seasons she is still treated even after 6 seasons by everybody like this little pure special snowflake that is perfect and can do no wrong and this episode is no exception. 

 

How's that?  The only person who interacted with Elena for more than 2 minutes this episode was Damon.  

 

I saw it as Elena assuming Damon was that self-serving, which to be fair is a possibility. This is maybe the first time Damon's done something that wasn't all about getting Elena to like him/forgive him/etc. I don't hold it against Elena that she thought that's what he was doing. How's she supposed to know Damon actually considers Bonnie a friend?

 

I thought the same.  And yes, Damon told Elena they were friends but he went above and beyond this episode to get Bonnie back, including screwing with his relationship with Alaric (Which, really Alaric?  Get over it.  I get your pissed but if you're gonna be friends with Damon exercise your ability to look underneath the action to see what the underlying cause is.  You've known Jo for 2.5 seconds and these people have been friends with Bonnie for years.).  Elena is self-centered but in this case I didn't have an issue with it.  Damon doesn't go above and beyond for everyone, only those he really cares about.  And he and Bonnie have had a contentious relationship for years.  Damon may have told Elena he was now friends with Bonnie but he didn't expand further so she understood just what he meant by that.  Now she gets it.

 

And Kat Graham wailing on the porch.....just OMG....breaks my heart.

 

I don't mind Enzo.  He's an asshole, yes.  But right now he's keeping Stefan busy and away from Elena.  Which is what most of you want anyway.  This is the first time the brothers have had to face different enemies.  Stefan has Enzo to deal with and Damon has Kai.  It's nice to see characters get away from their normal circle and do something different.  When's the last time Stefan said 6 words to Matt?  

Edited December 5, 2014 by CaughtOnTape

[Pixel]

If all Kai has to do to render the Ascendant unusable is smash and burn it, why didn't Jo do that, instead of keeping it with her all the time?

[Goldmoon]

Doesn't Kai still have the ascendant that brought  him back or was it the same one in two different time lines?

[kmariee]

 

Stupid question, was there a reason that Damon/Elena didn't hotwire a car and try to meet Bonnie on the road? They apparently didn't need to be at the graveyard to be brought back, Liv said they had to drink her blood so she could find them.

Also, I think I missed it but how were they going to get Bonnie back? Did they have a vial of blood for her with them?

 

This really bothered me, in fact why did they even need to hotwire a car couldn’t they just vamp speed and meet her halfway. Do they not understand that time is of the essence and that Liv could bring them back no matter where they were? I swear when Damon is around Elena he has a lot of trouble using his upstairs brain and just seems to do borderline brain-dead things. Another thing, why didn’t Damon have Ms Cuddles with him so Bonnie could take her magic back? I mean he should have at least had that as a back-up plan no?

 

Also yes they had a vial of blood for Bonnie. 

 

I felt like this episode was a lot of exposition just setting things up for the mid-season finale. I’m really digging Kai and I liked how he joked about technology and skinny jeans since he’d been stuck in 1994 his whole life. He’s not the most powerful villain but he appears to be the smartest, not that it’s difficult because the MFG is dumb. I do feel like he should have had a couple of broken bones after falling off the balcony in the bar though? Is the immortality curse he had on him in his prison still there? Also did anyone else notice the sign under the balcony that said “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die” I thought that was interesting.

 

I’m so done with Elena, I really tried this season when she seemed a bit better after having her memories erased but that was short lived. Maybe she was right to question why Damon wanted to bring Bonnie back (even though he told her last episode that she sacrificed herself for him) but does EVERYTHING have to be about her! Kudos to Damon for saying it was for Bonnie and for acknowledging that Bonnie sacrifices herself over and over again for them and they let her down. Bravo to Kat Graham for the scene where she breaks down and you see that look on her face where she just loses all hope.

 

I was really enjoying Enzo up until this episode. I just don’t get what he’s trying to prove and why he’s so obsessed with Stefan. It almost seems like he wants to BE Stefan. He wants to be Damon’s brother, he wants Caroline to like him and he wants people to see him as a hero and not a villain. I will give Enzo props for his line about Matt being a big blonde bowl of mush, it made me think of the ongoing joke that he’s a bowl of mashed potatoes. I was happy they cleared up the whole Sarah Salvatore thing because I thought it was weird that Stefan would have left the hospital while Gail was in surgery and not realized the baby survived. It also showed why despite the fact that Stefan is a murderous vampire he does have morals and tries to do the right thing most of the time. However, I enjoyed Matt’s speech to him because Matt’s right, vampires have ruined his life the past couple of years and it’s no surprise he’d finally become sick of them. Still not sure why Stefan didn’t just tell Matt what the deal was though? Obviously Matt’s not going to tell Damon, only thing I could assume is he figured Enzo would find Matt and just compel the truth out of him. Stefan loves keeping secrets and sometimes I feel it’s unnecessary, plus we’re obviously going to meet the real Sarah Salvatore at some point this season now. Stefan looks like he’s about to crack, I thought it was a bit ominous when Damon mentioned him having an existential crisis in the middle of the road.

 

Ugh Tyler you of all people should know NOT to make deals with the villain.

 

Decent episode, good set-up for next week, Kai is close to becoming my favorite villain. Now all I’m wondering is what Christmas song will they ruin forever after they brutally murder someone to it.

[Pixel]

Doesn't Kai still have the ascendant that brought  him back or was it the same one in two different time lines?

 

I don't think they've ever said, but I just assumed (maybe wrongly) that it was the same ascendant, just in two different time lines.  So if Jo thought the one she had was the only one, why not destroy it to ensure Kai's imprisoned forever? Obviously, he'd have used the one from the other timeline, but she wouldn't have known that.

Edited December 5, 2014 by Pixel

[roctavia]

If all Kai has to do to render the Ascendant unusable is smash and burn it, why didn't Jo do that, instead of keeping it with her all the time?

 

 

And then add in that Jo's ascendant didn't even matter, since Kai found/made a different one in 1994...

While it wasn't cool of Damon to use Alaric to get the Ascendant, it has nothing to do with why/how Kai got out of 1994. Kai was already on his way before Elena and Damon used it to get into 1994.

[Carrie Ann]

So how long before the real Sara shows up? I know I should be more worked up that Monique was killed but ehhhh. I was just glad to see her go.

 

I'm not happy that Monique was killed, especially by Enzo who had no real reason to do it except that he's the worst, but in a way I was a little relieved that she's not the real Sara. Because she's not a strong actress, and it would be cool if that character makes a real impact on this show. Another POC would be lovely, and because all black people on TVD are witches, her mother was probably a witch right?

 

But yeah, I feel like there could be a larger reason Stefan's so protective of her. But honestly if that's all it is--that he hasn't ever told Damon because Damon is notoriously unstable--then I'll accept that reason too. (But it would be kind of nice for Damon to know, considering he thinks he killed her.) (Not that Damon deserves any sort of absolution for that; in fact, if the real Sara Salvatore takes the side of Team Human against Damon, that would be pretty great.)

[poppy-]

Pager humor never gets old. But Was Elena really 2 in 1994? That blows my mind. I was in college....

Stefan is cool as a cucumber with that milkshake order. But I am a little confused by Monique's motivation. She wanted Sarah Salvatore's life. But then she found out about VAMPIRES. And stuck around anyway?? I guess they it helps that they are wealthy vampires.

Kai having to give Liv hints to figure out his drivers licenses reveal was pretty damn funny too. I don't really get Tyler rescuing Liv. He is just a person now, not a werewolf OR a vampire, right? He was pretty lucky getting the jump on Kai.

[Moo]

Oh, I don't know. Maybe because he told her they became friends before she asked him to find her in that bar scene last episode? Nevermind that Damon was already trying to find her before she asked, since that's what the whole freaking road trip was about.

Damon also went all out to bring Bonnie back last year, but he did it entirely for Elena. I just don't think it's terrible that Elena assumed Damon was doing it for her again and maybe using it to get her to like him. It's not like he hasn't done that a thousand times in the past.

[romantic idiot]

But Elena shouldn't remember that, right? It's one of those good things that Alaric would have erased. 

 

I think the show sowed the seeds of reconciliation between Damon and Alaric when they made Kai get out without using Jo's ascendant. 

 

Eh whatever. I'm bored. I missed the Steroline. Sterling and Bonnie are the only good things this season. Damon back is way too much Delena for me, since it means way more Elena. 

 

I too thought Damon and Elena sitting around without going to meet Bonnie was dumb. Typical, but dumb. 

[immortalfrieza]

How's that?  The only person who interacted with Elena for more than 2 minutes this episode was Damon.  

And at no point did he call her on her self-centered B.S., nobody does, and that's what I was referring to. Every character seems to treat Elena like she's the most perfect person ever and never point out what a horrible person she actually is especially when she really deserves it and this episode is just another example of that.

[scarletregina]

What is the point of bringing in these new characters, giving them a story, & then having Enzo kill them? Why do we still have Enzo at all? He adds nothing to the show, & he's an asshole all the time. It doesn't even make sense why he killed her tonight, what did he think he was getting done?

Well, the point of him killing Monique was to drive Matt & Jeremey to become a hunters. It needed to be senseless to propel Matt in the right direction. In other words: she was a plot device.

 

But, like others here, I hope that the real Sarah will show up and that she has a purpose.

[DromrKopa]

am i the only one who watched elena burn over and over again? it was oddly satisfying. What would have made it better is if she had speed run ino Enzo and hugged him... hahaha burn nuisances, burn!!! i love bonnie this season, poor girl, nobody seems to really care that much, i mean if it was elena stuck in 1994, everyone and their grandma would be scrambling to save her.. and probably sacrificing bonnie to do it! instead people, a.k.a the ever irrelevant tyler, would rather save, or rather obsess over, an annoying girl no one really cares about rather than a close friend he's known since childhood!

[Miles]

My understand was that they had to be in Mystic Falls in order for Liv to get them back out. Even if they had met Bonnie halfway between Muncie and Mystic Falls and then driven back to Mystic Falls together, it still would have taken the same total amount of time to reach Mystic Falls as if Bonnie drove the whole way by herself.

That is what I assume the writers were going for. Problem is they never told us and it's not like Damon and Elena had to be in the exact place where Liv pulled them out. They were in the house and Liv pulled them to the graveyard. So is there an arbitrary range on that spell? How far does it go? 5 miles, 10 miles, a 100? Seems kinda stupid, is all I'm saying. I wish the writers would take better care with these things. They used to be so good about them, back in the day.

If all Kai has to do to render the Ascendant unusable is smash and burn it, why didn't Jo do that, instead of keeping it with her all the time?

Because plot!

Btw. we do know how they'll get Bonnie out, right? Kai probably brought the other Ascendant with him from 1994 (although last time it was used it stayed behind and so that does not make any sense and Bonnie should just be able to find it in the cave, but watch it happen anyway).

Another thing, why didn’t Damon have Ms Cuddles with him so Bonnie could take her magic back? I mean he should have at least had that as a back-up plan no?

I guess at that point they still thought that Kai was in there with her. So bringing magic-bear to the magic-vampire would not have been a good idea.

[roctavia]

Did Kai use the ascendant in Oregon? I'd assume that's where it happened, since he was talking about flying and the skinny jeans and all that stuff... along with needing to take a cab... or did he fly himself in 1994 back to mystic falls?   And how did he know where to find Liv?

 

They sent him away from Oregon, right? Isn't that where they did the circle pretend mergey thing in the flashback? So it's hard to know where his ascendent is, though it probably came with him for plot purposes later.

While I do find this "1994" thing interesting, it's not really time travel, since there are no people and the day just repeats over and over... but things from the past are still there. Does Kai taking them in the past move them in the future? Is Jo's magic still fully functional in the knife in present day or is that nullified because Kai stole it in 1994?

I'm sure it doesn't matter, since the writers will just make it however they need it for the plot... but it's frustrating when there isn't any consistancy in this sort of thing.

I am impressed with how quickly they can drive from one side of the country to the other.. .BTW...

[slayer2]

Also, I think that Sarah is a Chekhov gun.

I think you might be right. Which I dread since a) she'll be a guest star and b) she'll be part black so they'll just kill her off on both counts.

Edited December 7, 2014 by slayer2

[Jazzy24]

Yeah, I wasn't sure it was possible, but Elena was even worse here than usual. I mean, good for Damon for trying to set her straight, but it still didn't really seem to get through. More like she had to adjust to the idea that it was possible for someone to care about Bonnie completely without regard to Elena herself. I think she just recontextualized it back to being about her, ultimately.

Anyway, I'd seen reference to the preview about Jeremy having a surprising reaction about getting Bonnie back, but I was really on his side on this one. Probably because he was talking to Elena, but still. He made good points. And I had to actually rewind the part where he said, "But let me guess, Damon's still alive, right?"

I'm actually pretty intrigued by the humans vs. their vampire loved ones split we have working here, and glad to hear some of these things laid out explicitly. Yes, Bonnie is always ALWAYS fucked over*. Yes, Stefan is a murderer too. Yes, Enzo is a piece of shit who should have stayed dead**. Yes, the vampires value their lives over human lives. Yes, they take everyone else for granted.

*My God, Kat Graham just killed me in that last scene. Just tore my heart out. Poor Bonnie, but yay for Kat who is proving herself every chance she gets this year.

**No really, WHAT is Enzo's motivation at this point? "Revenge" against Stefan? Ugh, he is so tiresome.

Well said!!