S07.E14: Moonlight On The Bayou

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Crossover episode with The Originals S3.E14: A Streetcar Named Desire
 

In order to lure a vengeful vampire hunter named Rayna Cruz away from his friends in Mystic Falls, Stefan heads to New Orleans, where Valerie has learned of a safe house that can protect him. Once there, he comes face to face with Klaus Mikaelson, who soon becomes suspicious of his old friend's unexpected arrival in his city. Meanwhile, Enzo, who is working on behalf of a mysterious organization called The Armory, approaches Damon and Bonnie with a plan that could protect Stefan from Rayna. Finally, after learning that Alaric has decided to leave for Dallas with the twins immediately, Caroline offers to accompany them on the trip and finds herself contemplating her own future in Mystic Falls.

[PinkRibbons]

I was surprised how much I'd forgotten about Klaus and Stefan's relationship -- I kept wanting to scream every time the scene changed from them. PW and JM bring such a nuance to their interactions. I loved watching Stefan as Klaus threatened him because I kept thinking how interesting it was that Stefan never seemed as scared as Klaus makes (and should make) most other vampires. Maybe because he's spent so much of his life with a crazy-ass brother of his own; I thought he just looked disappointed. I guessed he hoped that the affection Klaus had for him -- the one that has kept him from killing Stefan all the other times he had a shot -- might have gone a little farther. Which it did in a way, though of course that was made mostly about the Caroline/Klaus relationship.

 

And also I liked that while Klaus was drawing a parallel between Elijah and Stefan, it so fit in with his worldview to never consider telling Stefan to leave Damon for Caroline, and instead leave Caroline for Damon, just like Klaus will never stand for Elijah leaving him over a woman.

[Artsda]

I think this was my favorite episode in a long time, was so great seeing Klaus appear on screen and interact with Stefan. 

 

I wasn't expecting Tyler this episode either so Tyler plus Klaus makes a good episode.

 

Also enjoyed the road trip of Caroline and Alaric with the twins. Caroline and Klaus's heart to heart.  Klaus asking Stefan if he knew Caroline, when he was Stefan was telling him that Caroline was going to walk away from the twins. 

 

This is the 2nd CW show I think in 1 week that I've seen a hand be chopped off. I didn't expect Bonnie to do it, but of course next scene he has his hand back.

[grandemocha]

I love Stefan and Klaus together. I just do. I wish PW had moved to The Originals about a season ago. When he and JoMo work together, I don't know why but I just love their scenes together. 

 

What's the deal with Bonnie not healing? Even if Enzo gave her something to get rid of her magic, vampire blood still heals humans?

[paulvdb]

I'm assuming that vampire blood healing is also a form of magic and that's why it wouldn't work.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I was sure that Klaus's century old man crush on Stefan would be enough to get Klaus to protect him, but no, it's his woobie pony drawing love for Caroline that convinced Klaus to help Stefan.

 

Oh, Klaus. When he was talking about how his family tortures him and drives him to do unspeakable things, I just rolled my eyes. You've got it backwards, dude. You're the one bullying them, threatening them, daggering them, killing their boyfriends and girlfriends, etc. In other words, YOU are the one torturing your family, not the other way around. Good to know that Klaus hasn't lost his persecution complex.

 

I also laughed when Klaus told Stefan that Rayna would persue him until his paranoia would outweigh his desire to live. If anyone knows about paranoia, it's Klaus!

 

Once again, the flash forwards took away any feeling of peril. We knew that Bonnie, Tyler, Damon, and Enzo wouldn't die because they're all alive three years in the future.

 

I totally cracked up when Valerie strolled into Matt's office with a gigantic rolled up map. Girl, didn't Stefan tell you about the internet?

 

While I understand Klaus urging Stefan not to linger in werewolf territory, especially during a full moon, why didn't they take ONE SECOND to take Rayna's sword? They could destroy it, hide it, etc. so that she couldn't trap any more vampires inside the phoenix stone!

 

Am I really supposed to believe that unkillable Klaus is really that afraid of Rayna? Yes, she's immortal but they don't have to kill her. Taking away her weapon is the first step. Then just do a spell to trap her somewhere so she can't run around tracking vampires and killing them.

 

Once again, they brought up the fact that Rayna is terrifying because she will kill any vampire in her sight, yet last week we specifically saw her NOT kill several vampires who who were not only in her sight but only a few feet in front of her (Enzo, Damon, Mary Louise, and Nora were all standing in front of her at various times and she just walked away from them).

 

I don't know if Alexandria is telling the truth about being Enzo's family, but I don't care. The whole Armory storyline is boring to me. So what if she's his family? She knew this whole time and never told him, dangling that information in front of him to keep him working for them.

 

And you know what, Enzo? Maybe your friends in Mystic Falls would care about you and come running to your aid if you quit siding with other people against them. Yes, Bonnie went running to help Damon because she trusts him. No one in Mystic Falls can say that for Enzo. He has double crossed the Scooby gang at every opportunity. I thought Bonnie's criticism of Enzo was stupid though. She said the old Enzo knew what he wanted and did what was necessary to get it without steamrolling other people. Nope, the old Enzo did the same thing he's doing now, which is why they never trusted him.

 

I love that now that Elena is gone, the gloves are off with Tyler regarding Damon.

[Aeryn13]

 

Am I really supposed to believe that unkillable Klaus is really that afraid of Rayna?

 

And Klaus berating Stefan for being so careless as to make an enemy out of her. Seriously, Klaus? Your family spend the last 1000 years making enemies out of basically everyone. Yet somehow they missed her because she is so fearsome or what? The build-up for Rayna does not match what I see. Klaus easily batted her away. Back when Esther made Evil Vampilaric, three vampires, including Klaus couldn`t hold his own in a fight against him. THAT would have warranted such a level of fear and awe. 

 

Also, I do not understand why they are suddenly hammering home so much that Stefan will always sacrifice for Damon. Back in the 1950s Damon went missing for 5 years and Stefan didn`t even know. Only recently have they rebuild their relationship which is in showtime what 3 years? 4 maybe? And in that time Stefan has come to Damon`s aid and sacrificed for him and sometimes Damon has come to Stefan`s aid. This is hardly Klaus/Elijah scenario. This is just weirldy painting Stefan as some Stockholm-syndromed-saint and it devalues his lovely speech from the Season 6 Finale.

 

Not to mention the Fellowship of the Falls has done nothing but sacrifice for Elena for years and that was apparently okay in the show, to a lesser degree sacrificed for each other. Why is this suddenly a Damon-centric problem? I feel like this is such a plot device so Damon feels compelled, pardon the pun, the dessicate himself. Just like last year, Vampire!Elena suddenly wanted babies and growing old again when it was time to faciliate Nina`s exit. 

 

The writing is so clumsy and I don`t understand what they are going for. 

[miss-vanilla]

And Klaus berating Stefan for being so careless as to make an enemy out of her. Seriously, Klaus? Your family spend the last 1000 years making enemies out of basically everyone. Yet somehow they missed her because she is so fearsome or what? The build-up for Rayna does not match what I see. Klaus easily batted her away. Back when Esther made Evil Vampilaric, three vampires, including Klaus couldn`t hold his own in a fight against him. THAT would have warranted such a level of fear and awe. 

 

Also, I do not understand why they are suddenly hammering home so much that Stefan will always sacrifice for Damon. Back in the 1950s Damon went missing for 5 years and Stefan didn`t even know. Only recently have they rebuild their relationship which is in showtime what 3 years? 4 maybe? And in that time Stefan has come to Damon`s aid and sacrificed for him and sometimes Damon has come to Stefan`s aid. This is hardly Klaus/Elijah scenario. This is just weirldy painting Stefan as some Stockholm-syndromed-saint and it devalues his lovely speech from the Season 6 Finale.

 

 

The writing is so clumsy and I don`t understand what they are going for. 

You and me both which is why i can't get onboard with this storyline. The phoenix stone hell storylines make no sense, and this "Damon is so bad" narrative that has been ramped up subsequently, just feels unearned to me as does Tylers speech in this episode. 

After all, Tyler is only alive because of Damon and Bonnie, as is Stefan and Alaric. Damon risking his life for Stefan has had equally as dire consequences for Damon, as Stefans for Damon. He was trapped in a PW for months, and Elena thought Damon had died, then he gets stuck in the Phoenix stone because he was trying to save Stefan from Julian.

Basically,Stefans Phoenix stone hell was a whole lot of contrived nonsense and really disappointing.

 

Rayna is equally disappointing so far. I'm hoping she lives up to her reputation soon, and she can start anytime she wants with Nora and ML.

 

I'm willing to give the Armory story a chance, but so far I'm not that impressed.

 

Is Bonnie in love with Damon? She is sure acting like it. That girl is going over and beyond what can reasonably expected from a friend, even if they are BFFs.

Edited February 26, 2016 by miss-vanilla

[Couver]

I liked the episode overall. It was nice to have the entire cast used and have the story actually progress. 

 

With that said I have a lot of similar criticisms as most of you.

 

The main one being Rayna. 100% agree she is nowhere near the threat the show has presented her to be. Yes she is better than the totally useless male hunters we have seen but her story is too contradictory for her to be a big bad. As someone else mentioned she does not kill every vampire she comes across. She is also not strong or fast enough to be believable as a threat. Her 'immortality' seems to be the only scary thing about her. I could not figure out why Klaus seemed scared of her. I guess an Original can still be put into the stone but considering she cannot destroy their bodies she could never truly kill any of them. 

 

I almost screamed at my TV when they left her sword! Why? It was magic made surely magic can unmake it. Isn't Klaus' sister Freya a super powerful witch? I'm sure Bonnie & Valerie together could try and undo the sword & stone's mojo. Are the werewolves just going to leave it there on the floor? Will they take it when they become human again? 

 

The Armory.....shady black ops organization. So basically the Initiative. I am going to need someone affiliated with the show to confirm that this is some weird tribute to Buffy and Whedon and not the straight up lazy rip off it seems. Also why did that lady have to be related to Enzo. I hate when the show feels the need to connect everyone to someone else. 

 

Really not looking forward to Bonnie/Enzo after this episode. I was hoping Bonnie would avoid being romantically involved with a male who terrorizes and physically assaults her. But looks like she is following in Elena & Caroline's footsteps. 

[slayer2]

 

Fellowship of the Falls

 

Oh might I steal this?  Well, as always I'm here for the Bamon, basically just watched their scenes and Enzo (who is growing on me) on youtube. It's such a talented cast with zero weak links performance wise so I guess it's no wonder they keep feeding them crap since they know they can spin it like gold. It does make you wonder what magic the actors could spell if the writers actually knew what they were doing.

 

MM and KG were able to infuse their short scenes with a crapload of meaning and subtext, which I suspect came more from them than the text or overall show direction. I loved the Bamon although as a Bamon shipper (and perhaps any shipper of this woe begotten show) I have to wonder if the writers are even aware of how many layers they have added to Bamon's relationship and just how deep they've made it. A broken watch is right twice a day and it seems that just when I forget the watch was actually broken it reminds me again so better to assume the good bits were a happy accident.  

 

Always nice to see Tyler, MT is so fantastic, they have wasted him so on this show, but I do agree with what Tyler said about Damon. Maybe not in the context of this season but think about all 7 seasons what both Bonnie and Stefan have given up for Damon (and his Elena obsession) it had to be said IMO.

Edited February 26, 2016 by slayer2

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Fellowship of the Falls

Oh might I steal this?

FYI - this is an old term from TWoP. I think Cindy (the recapper) came up with it.

[miss-vanilla]

 

Always nice to see Tyler, MT is so fantastic, they have wasted him so on this show, but I do agree with what Tyler said about Damon. Maybe not in the context of this season but think about all 7 seasons what both Bonnie and Stefan have given up for Damon (and his Elena obsession) it had to be said IMO.

 

I would agree with you if we hadn't already seen it be said to Damon ad nauseum over the course of 7 seasons. Damon has had his issues and problematic behaviour, and throughout the seasons we have had a running commentary off every Tom, Dick and Harry that passes through MF give their opinion and critique of Damon like they are experts on his psyche. They have told this same story over and over, but suddenly they feel the need to tell it again, whilst ignoring their own canon. When they are out of ideas and drama, they assassinate Damons' character to provide it, and usually drag whoever he is closest to down with him, and this time it's Bonnie. I was all for team Bamon at the start of this season, I thought they were going to go somewhere good with them, like save the town from the Heretics together. I wanted to see Damon continue to grow from the person he was in S6, the person who was Liz' friend, Alarics bud, and Bonnies' newest ally and friend. The image of him on the clock tower promised so much and delivered nothing. Instead he has been stripped of all that and reduced to a sub par version of S1 Damon who was a least smart and resourceful.

I don't recognise this Damon. He shines through at times, but I believe that is more to do with Ian than the writing.

[chrisvee]

I love Damon and Bonnie.

I am ashamed to admit that I liked Klaus and his interactions both with Stefan and Caroline.

I loved Bonnie cutting off Enzo's hand.

They may need to merge these two shows or have more crossovers.

[Primetimer]

It can't always be about Elena.

Read the story

[2Old2BAFangirl]

I really liked this episode.

It was great to see Klaus and Stefan together.

The phone call with Klaus and Caroline was wonderful.

Bamon continues to make me happy.

I'm tired of the majority of people blaming everything bad on Damon. They bitch and moan about how awful he is but are happy to have him be the one with the plan, happy for him to be the bad guy.

I'm always happy to see Tyler show up and then he opens his mouth and I remember he's a jackass and I don't like him. This episode was no different.

Bonnie was badass!! For a character I pretty much hated for several seasons, she's really turned it around for me. At least Damon has one friend who still cares about him.

I wish they'd do more crossovers. I miss the Originals interactions with the MF crew.

[slayer2]

Damon will never be out of the doghouse for me for breaking Jeremy's neck because Elena hurt his feelings and of course...savagely murdering Lexi and Mason and then expecting Lexi's justifiably vengeful boyfriend to be grateful that he didn't kill her too and then going back to the bar of the friend of Lexi's who tipped her bf off and murdering her. Yeah, no, Damon can stay in the doghouse with Tyler until the chickens come home to roost or someone finds a cure to rid the world of that pesky Klaus.

Edited February 27, 2016 by slayer2

[gibasi]

I don't watch The Originals and am mad that the story was continued in The Originals.  I watched the first couple of episodes and just did not want to continue with it.  I liked Klaus and company okay in Mystic Falls but I just wasn't into the New Orleans thing.

 

I guess I am alone in not liking this episode.  I don't like the introduction of the Armory.  I don't like the Armory girl and don't even remember her name.  I thought the show actually seemed a little freer without Elena and surprised myself by liking this season.  But ugh to this episode.  Maybe it's me.  It seems they don't know what to do with their peripheral characters-Ric, Enzo, Matt.  So they just throw them in every now and then but it doesn't seem very well planned as far as story goes.

[GaT]

So, one minute I'm yelling "Bonnie chopped off Enzo’s hand!!!!! BONNIE CHOPPED OFF ENZO’S HAND!!!!!!!" & the next I'm wondering where it went to. Why did she chop it off & leave it there?

 

I do not like Klaus. I do not want to see Klaus. I was very happy to see him leave TVD, please do not bring him back. I will not be watching any crossover episodes.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

So, one minute I'm yelling "Bonnie chopped off Enzo’s hand!!!!! BONNIE CHOPPED OFF ENZO’S HAND!!!!!!!" & the next I'm wondering where it went to. Why did she chop it off & leave it there?

She only needed it to open the door to get Damon away from Tyler.

[GaT]

She only needed it to open the door to get Damon away from Tyler.

But it didn't look like she used it, did it? I was looking for the hand, but didn't see it, did I just miss it?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

But it didn't look like she used it, did it? I was looking for the hand, but didn't see it, did I just miss it?

She slapped it against the light up panel on the wall to open the door (after Damon told her to go).

[GaT]

She slapped it against the light up panel on the wall to open the door (after Damon told her to go).

I remember the scene, I thought it was her own hand that she used which is why I was confused.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

And as usual, the lighting wasn't great so that probably didn't help!

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Inside the episode:

[Aeryn13]

 

but I do agree with what Tyler said about Damon. Maybe not in the context of this season but think about all 7 seasons what both Bonnie and Stefan have given up for Damon (and his Elena obsession) it had to be said IMO.

 

I thought it came out of left field. If I had to pick a character who people always sacrificed for over the 7 Seasons, it would be Elena. No brainer. Even if she ain`t in this Season anymore. 

 

Apart from that, they always, always had a tribal mentality where they did stupid crap for each other that endangered themselves and often bystanders. I don`t see why Damon is suddenly getting singled out as the beneficiary of it sometimes. If Tyler wants to make that speech, he should make it to everyone. 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

they always, always had a tribal mentality where they did stupid crap for each other that endangered themselves and often bystanders. I don`t see why Damon is suddenly getting singled out as the beneficiary of it sometimes.

ITA - as a group, they have been pretty consistent with "protect Elena at all costs" (which was the main plot for six seasons) and everyone putting themselves in danger to save someone else in their group, even when the person being saved/protected specifically told them not to or wasn't told ahead of time what the cost might be. It's not just Damon who has benefited from this. Everyone in this group has been kidnapped/rescued (including Tyler) so I don't know why Caroline, Klaus, and Tyler are trying to make it sound like Damon is the one they've been bailing out nonstop. But I was fine with Tyler saying that to Damon because Tyler never liked Damon and only put up with him because of Elena, so now that she's gone it makes sense that Tyler would decide to hell with not picking fights with Damon.

[Aeryn13]

 

Most of the "Save Elena or Die" arcs were driven by Damon which is why it's valid that people have been getting hurt/sacrificed for him because it was his obsession with his brother's girlfriend that cost everyone else so much.

 

I completely disagree with this. Damon`s actions have contributed to some stuff that happend but so have other characters. They made their own choices in the "for Elena" battles. And everyone ignored her not wanting to be saved while doing so. Again, singling just Damon out for it is not something I can get behind.

 

 

Elena losing her own life for 60 years because of his feud with Kai Parker?

 

Kai`s feud was actually with Bonnie. He just used Damon and Elena in a ploy because Lily, worst mother of the century, suggested it. 

 

 

Caroline will always passively support him, her rapist who gave an eulogy on her mother's funeral.

 

Liz asked him to do that. He didn`t force his way into it.  

 

 

It's other people realizing this and actively cutting him out of their lives that would be groundbreaking and it's  never going to happen on this show.

 

Frankly, I hope not. In this group they pretty much always forgive each other everything. Stefan has benefited from that, Caroline, Alaric, Elena, so has Tyler actually. Even Bonnie`s decision to not depower some thingamagic in Season 1 directly led to the death of Tyler`s father, Anna`s death and Caroline being injured so badly, they blackmailed Damon to heal her with his blood which led to her eventual vampdom. Singling Damon out for punishment would just be asshattish to me.  . 

[TigerLynx]

I did not like the idiocy of Enzo being able to take Bonnie's magic away, but I cheered when Bonnie knocked him out and then chopped off his hand.

 

I like Damon and Bonnie's friendship, and I'm glad Damon told her not to open that door.  I'm tired of everything being so one sided.  If Bonnie would do anything to help Damon, then the reverse should be true to. 

 

Klaus is the last person who should be giving advice to anyone, but I actually agree that if Stefan is not willing to put Caroline first, and will always chose Damon over everyone else, then Stefan should not be in a relationship with Caroline, or anyone for that matter.

 

Damon deciding he needs to be boxed is probably the most intelligent thing he has done in years.  I miss Season One Damon who knew how to plan and get things done.

[Luciano]

I have no issue with Tyler singling out Damon for the simple fact that he doesn't like Damon. Yes, Elena was the one getting saved most of the time, but she was considered a friend. Tyler, Caroline, Matt, Jeremy - these people have put up with him because he was important to a mutual friend. He came into their lives as an antagonist and, even though he has improved, they never really became friends, just comrades in battle when it was mutually beneficial. So yeah, I could see why someone would get pissed off at having to do something (or seeing someone they care about having to do something) for someone they see as undeserving and still be okay (or at least more tolerant) with doing the same for a friend.

 

Damon has lucked out in always having someone by his side that the others respect/like enough to not be constantly trying to kill him. Stefan is the constant, then Elena, and now Bonnie - Alaric too, I guess, but he's off with his own thing. Tyler probably was the most dangerous one to put in that room with Damon, not just because he's a werewolf, but because he's the one that's most past giving a damn about how killing Damon would be received by the rest of them.

[Aeryn13]

 

Only Stefan chooses to save Matt's life and live Elena to die which pretty much invalidates that entire argument.

 

That is one instant. I still say the pattern of "save Elena at all costs" is more consistent than the one-time exception. I never disputed that Elena didn`t want to be saved most of the time. 

 

 

Kai's feud wasn't just with Bonnie. Why should it?

 

Because he fixated on her. Sure, Damon contributed but Kai made a helpful little "I blame YOU, Bonnie Bennett" tape. Doesn`t need to be logical. He got feelings after the Luke-merge and Bonnie actually hurt them because he expected different from her than he would have from Damon. 

 

 

The logic that Lily did something unforgivable is just frankly... unsupported by the facts.

 

I didn`t say what she did was unforgiveable, I called her worst mother of the century. Which, IMO, she was one of the most dreadful characters on the show. She very clearly sided against her biological sons and made sure they suffered, she gloated to them how she felt nothing anymore and how the Heretics were her true family. I could have been fine with all of that but then she starts whining how she is considered the enemy and why can`t everyone get along. Think real hard, lady, maybe it will come to you. At least Damon is aware why the people who don`t like him, don`t like him.  

 

 

Bonnie should have de-spelled that device because it helped rid the town of the tomb vampires who were planning to murder them all. The idea that sparing Damon's and Stefan's life somehow made this a bad thing is ... unsupported by the facts.

 

I was just pointing out how everyone`s actions and choices can and have contributed to certain outcomes. Most of the people making those choices thought they were doing the right thing. I wasn`t judging if they were or not. 

 

 

Tyler probably was the most dangerous one to put in that room with Damon, not just because he's a werewolf, but because he's the one that's most past giving a damn about how killing Damon would be received by the rest of them.

 

I don`t think Tyler really thought differently in the past. He was one of the few characters who IMO never fell under Elena`s spell. So if he were in a situation where he felt strongly about killing Damon and actually had the opportunity, I can not see him giving one whiff what Elena would think about it, even in the past. 

 

Tyler and Elena weren`t really played as friends but mutual aquaintances for most of the show. Even Tyler and Bonnie weren`t really played as friends. So he is an odd character to make the "stop hurting my friends" declaration. He cares about Caroline but Caroline would never behave like Bonnie did here.

 

Enzo pointed out that he wanted that and there is and never has been such a relationship between Damon and Caroline for obvious reasons. Who else would Tyler feel protective about? Matt possbily. Who is in the same boat as Caroline. He wouldn`t go above and beyond for Damon in the least. Jeremy is not around. I think that covers it pretty much. That`s why Tyler felt like a plot device to me giving that speech, it was so unorganic.

 

Now Matt and Bonnie have had some good friendship moments so Matt making a speech to either Damon or Bonnie on how Damon is undeserving of Bonnie`s friendship would be expected. That said, noone can make that call for Bonnie. Damon on his part is well aware that he is undeserving but Bonnie still considers him a friend she wants to help and be loyal to. Maybe a bad call but her call nonetheless.     

 

I get that people hate the Damon character, just as some people hate other characters. Same as people like characters. Doesn`t mean the writers somehow have to write only to please one faction. 

Edited February 27, 2016 by Aeryn13

[Luciano]

I don`t think Tyler really thought differently in the past. He was one of the few characters who IMO never fell under Elena`s spell. So if he were in a situation where he felt strongly about killing Damon and actually had the opportunity, I can not see him giving one whiff what Elena would think about it, even in the past. 

 

Tyler and Elena weren`t really played as friends but mutual aquaintances for most of the show. Even Tyler and Bonnie weren`t really played as friends. So he is an odd character to make the "stop hurting my friends" declaration. He cares about Caroline but Caroline would never behave like Bonnie did here.

 

We were told that they were childhood friends and they hung around in the same small group. Things were strained in the beginning because he was being an ass to Jeremy and Tyler continued to be the surliest and most closed-off of the group (to me, anyway) but there have been scenes which showed that they cared about each other as more than acquaintances - he took on Klaus alone for her, she took about half a second to forgive him for putting her in danger during the moon curse thing, he immediately confronts Luke when he finds out about Elena taking that Damon-seeing potion, he was one of the ones she called when she felt everyone was drifting apart, and at one point he even says that he's helping out Stefan because of Elena. I think everybody who said goodbye to her during the season finale was considered a friend.

 

They were never romantically-linked and Tyler tended to disappear for large chunks of time so that cut down on the number of scenes together, but I do think they showed that they cared about each other as more than acquaintances.

[Aeryn13]

 

That people can actually look past this and ... hate a character for doing hateful things and getting zero consequences for it ... is a step in the right direction.

 

Like I said, I have no problems with anyone hating Damon or any other character on the show. It`s not like I don`t have my fair share of "die, die, die" characters. If they are played by goodlooking people or not, it depends what I can stomach from a character. But others don`t have to like or hate those just because I do. 

 

I still like the Damon character because I find him interesting even at this late point in the show. Almost noone of the main cast are moral people, just varying degrees of "me and mine" so shadiness doesn`t bother me on this show. In other shows, it wouldn`t work liek that. And I like Damon`s friendship dynamic with Bonnie. Alaric was a far more unlikely candidate to strike up a friendship with Damon, given their backstory and I liked that too. Those respective actors have great chemistry with each other and it makes for dynamic scenes. Yeah, he is hot but after an episode or two hotness can only take you so far if a fictional character has nothing else to them. 

Edited February 27, 2016 by Aeryn13

[miss-vanilla]

It wasn't the only instant. There are several examples of Stefan willingly let Elena step into danger and death because that his her own choice. Not forcing vampire blood down her throat in season 2 is one. Letting her meet with Esther Michaelson is another. And that's just off the top of my head. It was a group effort when saving Elena coincided (contrived or not) to stop a greater danger e.g. preventing Klaus from Ascending to a hybrid, preventing Klaus from making more hybrids. Whenever the stake was only Elena, it was usually down to the Salvatore brothers and Bonnie. At least for most of pre-S4 before Damon and Delena took over the show. 

 

Kai's feud was not just with Bonnie was what I said. His fixation on her did not stop him from holding Damon as much to blame for his imprisonment as Bonnie because this was actually something that they both did to him. In fact, he'd have likely punished Damon anyway just to spite Bonnie because he knew that Damon was her best friend. And his 'punishment' was what...? Nothing, really. Damon and Bonnie lose nothing in it. Bonnie is arguably better off without Elena in her life than she was before. (Only she's transferred her slavish devotion from Elena to Damon, so that says something about her problematic personality not really about Elena, doesn't it?) Damon is even better off because he is the one who gets to have both women in his life, and even fuck both of them with no stint on his conscience. Elena is the one who got the rough end of the stick in this but no one ever seems to dwell on that. It's always about how Damon has lost the love of his life. 

 

Look, I'm not going to argue everything point by point. But it needs to be said that about the only faction that the writers have consistently written to please are Damon fans. This show went off the rails after it went from Stefan and Elena's story to push Damon into center-stage making everything about him, to the detriment of the other leads. The fact that it happened around the time that Plec and Dries took full control from Williamson - the same women who said that the show would thrive because everyone would tune in to watch Ian Somerhalder read a book for 40 minutes... says everything. 

 

If anything, that Damon is being hated at all by any of the viewers is quite refreshing. He raped Caroline, raped Andi, killed Elena's brother in front of her, bullied and tortured Bonnie, repeatedly betrayed his own brother, and (this is really what tips the scale) consistently suffers from Karma Houdini where he's always saved from the consequences of his actions. If Damon were: a woman, a POC, or someone less than genetically advantaged, this won't even be debated. But Damon is played by a hot, white man, played by arguably the best looking guy in the cast. (Arguably, so nobody jump on me). Which means that the audience is pre-programmed to handwave, excuse, rationalize most of his bad behaviour.

 

That people can actually look past this and ... hate a character for doing hateful things and getting zero consequences for it ... is a step in the right direction. 

Taken to the Damon thread.

[miss-vanilla]

I actually think that of all her male friends, Tyler was the one person who was truly Elena's friend because he had never been romantically linked with her - unlike Matt, for example. Jeremy was her brother, too so that didn't count. So it made me appreciate their friendship more. He also wasn't 'ride and die' for her to the exclusion of reason. He still had his own thing going on, sometimes offscreen, sometimes onscreen. But he always pulled through e.g. the season 3 finale where he saves her from being drained completely by Klaus and 'outs' himself as an un-sired hybrid. I never got the sense that he did it "for love of Elena" as much as he did because "this is my friend and I'm a decent human being." Tyler is probably the single most underrated character on this show, and it's not a surprise, I believe, that his arc which was so powerful in season 2, started going downhill in season 3 when Plec took over the show. 

 

 

Ok, I can agree with that. My issue with Bamon is how (currently) one-sided it is. Her sacrifices for him are way above and beyond ordinary friendship, and they are completely out of proportion to anything that Damon has done for her. It is completely un-earned and if they really wanted to sell Bonnie's devotion to him based on 4 months in a prison world and her promise to Elena, they've done a poor job. So far, they're having Bonnie behaving with Damon exactly the same way she behaved with the Gilberts, devaluing her own life and safety for their own.

 

In fact, I would rather they just admitted that Bonnie was in love with him and is now repeating the same behaviour she did with Jeremy (throwing away her life to save his own) because that at least would be consistent with her character. 

 

I agree with this. Everything Bonnie has done for Damon does seem above and beyond what could be deemed reasonable, to the point it does not make sense, hence why I think this whole narrative is completely contrived BS and unearned. Ultimately it is all to prop up Stefans hero storyline whilst ignoring the actual canon that has lead up to this point. 

However, having said that, I would not be surprised to learn that the writers are going to go down the route of book Bamon.

Book Bamon was basically a one sided crush from Bonnies' perspective. Bonnie "loved" Damon and did lots for him, but she knew he would always love Elena. Damon figured it out, and in return protected and held a deep affection for Bonnie, but he was never in love with her. 

I don't want this for the TV version, because this Bonnie deserves better than that.

 

I have always liked Tyler, even when he was a cocky douche in S1. He isn't perfect, but he always seemed to have a grounded perspective about things, and yes, he wasn't all about Elena. Remember when he let rip when the gang let Jeremy kill his friend Chris the hybrid to "save Elena" ?(another example of tribal mentality of people sacrificing to save Elena).

[Oracle42]

However, having said that, I would not be surprised to learn that the writers are going to go down the route of book Bamon.

Book Bamon was basically a one sided crush from Bonnies' perspective. Bonnie "loved" Damon and did lots for him, but she knew he would always love Elena. Damon figured it out, and in return protected and held a deep affection for Bonnie, but he was never in love with her. 

I don't want this for the TV version, because this Bonnie deserves better than that.

 

 

 

Aren't the book characters being written as soulmates? 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

I'm really hoping that the follow up to Bonnie chopping of Enzo's hand is a Lindsey-esque "Stop it, evil hand!" joke.

[ByTor]

I am ashamed to admit that I liked Klaus and his interactions both with Stefan and Caroline.

I liked it too. I always hated the Originals when they were on Vampire Diaries, but for some unknown reason I started watching The Originals on Netflix and they really grew on me & wouldn't mind having them back from time to time (I NEVER thought I'd ever say that!) From a shallow perspective, I always thought JM was a good looking man, but YIKES something about him was extra hot in this episode.

[miss-vanilla]

Yes I have to admit to reluctantly enjoying Klaus back on TVD. There is definitely something about JoMo that is captivating.

I enjoyed the TO side of the cross over too, even if it was just to hear Lucien refer to Stefan as a toddler. Hilarious. No but seriously, on balance, To was better than TVD this week by a mile.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

In my opinion, TO is pretty consistently better than TVD (despite Klaus's constant whining and paranoia). Maybe it's just Elijah's unending elegant BAMF-ness. Or maybe it's the lack of Elena drama. I still watch both shows but almost every week, I end up enjoying TO more.

[ByTor]

Damon will never be out of the doghouse for me for breaking Jeremy's neck because Elena hurt his feelings and of course...savagely murdering Lexi

I miss Lexi :(

Maybe it's just Elijah's unending elegant BAMF-ness.

I never understood what people saw in Elijah, but after watching The Originals I absolutely LOVE him (again...never ever EVER thought I'd say that!!!). I also now see what people mean when they say how awesome he looks in a suit :)

[phoenix780]

I don't do well with shadowy powerful organizations popping up randomly in my vampire shows, because I can't stop wondering why they pick their moments to pop up. Why now? Why not just grab Rayna years ago, when she was arrested and sentenced to a mental institution? Or if they're all about mystical threats...where were they when these characters were just a bunch of teens battling supernatural baddies like, say, Klaus, or Klaus's mother, or whatever that guy's name was, Stefan's doppleganger?

And this show, which I generally have loved, is asking me to accept a lot of previously unknowns this year (Stefan's real first love, this whole Huntress thing), which is making it extra difficult for me to get into the whole armory concept. Toss in Caroline's pregnancy, I'm kinda at my limit I think, and I hope the armory goes away soon. Although it feels a bit like a spinoff attempt.

On another note- I didn't know Tyler was still cursed. He's a tough character for me to follow, given how often they write him out.

Edited March 1, 2016 by phoenix780

[Bort]

I don't do well with shadowy powerful organizations popping up randomly in my vampire shows, because I can't stop wondering why they pick their moments to pop up. Why now? Why not just grab Rayna years ago, when she was arrested and sentenced to a mental institution? Or if they're all about mystical threats...where were they when these characters were just a bunch of teens battling supernatural baddies like, say, Klaus, or Klaus's mother, or whatever that guy's name was, Stefan's doppleganger?

Good points, although they did say they couldn't find Rayna, which is why Enzo sent the postcards to spur the heretics into looking for her. I imagine that with Bo exiled somewhere she couldn't track him to, she went dormant and got old. Maybe sold the stone out of her sword to pay for Depends.

[RachelKM]

Good points, although they did say they couldn't find Rayna, which is why Enzo sent the postcards to spur the heretics into looking for her. I imagine that with Bo exiled somewhere she couldn't track him to, she went dormant and got old. Maybe sold the stone out of her sword to pay for Depends.

See, this is what I find baffling about Rayna; why would she go dormant just because Beau was exiled?  She is supposed to be a vampire hunter.  We keep hearing that she will kill any vampire in her path, but she acts as if she's only interested in the marked vamps.  I mean obviously in order for there to be marked vamps, she must sometimes go after vampires not yet marked or there would not be marked vampires.  But the way she's been portrayed, you'd think she was only interested in Julian (as the vampire who compelled her to stab her father) and Beau.  So much so that the idea that she went dormant in Beau's absence seems totally plausible. 

[phoenix780]

Maybe her deal (meaning the spell to give her power and extra lives) is that she has to finish a kill once it's marked, before being able to go to another. I hope they explain soon, any other season they'd have wrapped her up in the first half, she'd either be dead or an ally by this point.

[Couver]

I think she is obsessed with Julian and getting revenge. That's what it's seemed like to me. I thinks she may even be after Stefan because he's marked but more so because he robbed her of the chance to send Julian back into the stone and destroy his body. That's how I have to hand wave it because yeah it's ridiculous that a vampire hunter has let so many vampires get away. Buffy Summers she ain't.

[Tara Ariano]

In case you missed it, here's the Previously.TV post on the episode!

 

The Vampire Diaries/The Originals Crossover: A Little Gore, A Little Witchcraft, And A Big Smooch
It can't always be about Elena.