…and, we’re back. With a bang. The Vampire Diaries has finally returned with yet another outstanding episode. The boys are back, and they’re all grown up – especially Jeremy. Tyler, Matt and Jeremy have gone from boys to men, and it’s probably couldn’t come at a better time, now that there will be hybrids to deal with.
The other thing I noticed is that there’s a lot of testosterone around. Even Mrs. Lockwood’s packing a punch. But wait….I’ll get to that later. My point is that Elena and Caroline did the female heavy lifting in this episode. Bonnie made only a brief appearance by phone, and Andie made her final appearance. Other than that, it’s the boys’ show all the way.
I left Season 2 with “choices” and started Season 3 by saying we’d see where those choices are leading. So here’s what I’m seeing so far:
Jeremy – As I said, Jeremy left Season 2 a boy and came back a man. He’s still seeing the ghosts of Vicki and Anna, but so far, he’s choosing not to share that with anyone except Matt, who doesn’t want to believe him. To escape, he’s apparently regressing by smoking weed. He may look like a man, but he’s returning to where he was way back in early Season 1.
Matt – he’s still feeling the pain of his life (and apparently dulling it by joining Jeremy for a smoke) but at least he’s not isolating himself. He came to Elena’s party, and he even talked to Caroline, sort of. And he’s talking to Jeremy – albeit under the influence. It’s a start.
Tyler – he’s remained in Mystic Falls, and he’s not getting any! Confessing that problem to Caroline gets him some, but there’s a price for that.
Caroline – I love how Caroline is still true to her original persona (super party-organizer) and yet is coming to terms with her new vampire traits very quickly. She continues to persevere, and she’s going to enjoy herself. She also has the absolute best lines in this episode, including this classic.
“Just because I tell you things doesn’t mean you’re allowed to know them”.
She compels Tyler’s party date to leave and then they have their way with each other – but that has some unfortunate consequences. Mrs. Lockwood shoots Caroline – our dear, sweet, “Vampire Barbie”! How does Carol Lockwood know Caroline is a vampire? Who told her? And what does she know about Tyler, if anything?
Alaric – he remains in Mystic Falls but he’s not feeling great about being the adult in the Gilbert household, so he chooses to leave. To me, Alaric is the third Musketeer with Damon and Stefan, so I am hoping he winds up at Chez Salvatore. Damon needs his buddy. Alaric remains a loyal friend, if not a great role model.
Elena – abandoned by Alaric, she’s in charge of her own life now. She’s trying to track down Stefan, refusing to believe that he will completely abandon her and give himself over to his darker side. She continues to endure by holding on to her love for Stefan, and refusing to believe Damon’s statement. “Stefan is gone and he’s not coming back. Not in your lifetime.”
Damon – he gives us the greatest reveal of the night. And now we know he’s known the depths of his brother’s depravity all along. It is a terrible burden to carry. Stefan, as “the Ripper” apparently feeds on his victims, and the blood lust drives him to literally rip them into pieces. Once his thirst is satisfied, he feels remorse and attempts to put them back together again.
Didn’t work with Humpty Dumpty – won’t work here. The scene of this reveal – the head falling of the first victim’s body after Damon describes the process to Alaric – is chilling. I don’t know anyone except Alaric who could listen to it and see it and not be shocked senseless.
Damon, seeing the evidence of his brother’s relapse into his darker side – and probably feeling guilty at being the cause of it – returns to the Salvatore mansion and starts to tear Stefan’s room apart. He stops after a few seconds, probably realizing it will do no good.
Stefan – I have formerly confessed I am not a Stefan fan. Some people may like Stefan as a bad boy this season, but that final scene between Stefan and Elena sent me right back to “the breakup” and the Stefan of the quivering lip. Romantic Stefan.
Bah! My opinion is that Stefan leads with his head. It is Damon who leads with his heart. Note the look on Damon’s face at the death of his “toy” Andie. This is a man who – despite the act he puts on – CARES about people. He just doesn’t want to show it.
In contrast, Stefan is bone-chillingly cold in this scene. He knows Andie. He was contemptuous of his brother’s treatment of Andie. Now, he treats her far worse than Damon ever did. He doesn’t rip Andie apart – he doesn’t even bite her. He compels her to walk off a 30 foot ledge in front of his brother – because he KNOWS that Damon cares about her, and Stefan is sending a message.
“Leave me alone.”
Stefan’s RIPPAH persona works for me because only someone who leads with the head would be able to fake out on such a bad-ass as Klaus. Stefan and Katherine have that in common. They lead with the head – they “don’t let love get in the way”.
So while Elena’s entreaty in their final scene touched me, Stefan’s response felt disingenuous. I don’t think he should have called Elena at all. But when he called he should have hung up as soon as Elena answered. He’d have heard her voice and that would be just enough.
Damon, on the other hand, allows love – and his other emotions – to drive him. But he won’t let his emotions compromise his values. Yes, Damon loves Elena, but I think viewers who are “Delena shippers” will be disappointed because Damon also loves his brother and he won’t compromise his integrity – or the love that Elena and Stefan have for each other – to fulfill his own selfish desires. Damon will be Elena’s protector – not her lover. Especially since he knows the sacrifice his brother has made to save him.
Don’t get me wrong. I understand that Stefan’s behavior – especially towards his brother, but also towards Elena – is motivated by love. He wants to protect them both. So he wants to keep them distant from him – because he is with Klaus, and Klaus is still a danger.
I just think it’s not necessary to get soft or sentimental in order to make that point.
With Damon, no matter how bloody or cruel his kills, I always felt his sarcasm was a mask and that he was redeemable because he felt something underneath it all. Now that Stefan is the “bad” brother, I find him much less sympathetic – but much more frightening, because he’s less emotional and more rational than his brother. I am really looking forward to seeing how I will feel as the story advances.
Last but not least….
Klaus – he’s decided to create his werepire/vampwolf army, starting with…..Simon – from Seventh Heaven? Simon apparently spent too much time with Happy! Nice to see him again, even if he’s a werewolf now, but I have a feeling it may not be for long.
We still don’t know what Klaus’ true motives are, or why they involve Stefan and his particular “talents” but I am looking forward to the next episode and seeing where the story goes in Season 3.
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It Should Have Worked – Recap for 3.02 – The Hybrid
by Cathy on September 24, 2011
Previously on the Vampire Diaries, Elena turned 18, Jeremy kept seeing Vicki and Anna, Damon tracked down Stefan and Klaus, Klaus tracked down his first werewolf victim and turned him into a hybrid, Tyler and Caroline hooked up, and Mrs. Lockwood shot Caroline with vervain darts.
In tonight episode, The Hybrid, Klaus tried to create an army of hybrids with the help of Stefan.
Damon Giving Up:
After what happened in the last episode with Stefan, Damon gave up on getting Stefan back. I can’t really blame Damon, though. It’s hard to still believe there is hope in Stefan when he ruthlessly killed your fake girlfriend. He didn’t believe Stefan was ever going to come back even when Elena tells him about the phone call.
Elena Not Giving Up:
Even when Damon told her that Stefan is never coming back (at least not in her lifetime), Elena still doesn’t give up on Stefan. When she couldn’t get help from Damon, she goes to Alaric, who had moved back into his apartment and still brooding. Elena also asked Tyler about the wolfpack hangout location on full moon in Tennessee. Most werewolves stay loyal to their pack and to each other, so this is the kind of information that a werewolf should never tell an outsider. But Tyler feels responsible for Stefan being in this situation because he was the one who bit Damon. When it really comes down to it, Elena really doesn’t have anything to worry about. She has friends who would be there for her when she needs them. Who needs a hybrid army? You should really take notes, Klaus.
Jeremy and Matt – Ghosthunters:
Jeremy did some internet research about contacting with ghosts after Vicki asked him to help her in the previous episode. So, he goes to Matt, the only family member that Vicki was closed to. Matt was against it at first because it’s too painful for him to go through Vicki’s personal items. However, Matt changes his mind when Vicki communicated with him with a picture frame. It’s a picture of he and Vicki at Christmas that he lays it face down on the table. When he looks back after a few seconds, the picture frame is standing up on the table. I don’t believe in ghosts but I would be questioning my beliefs if that happened to me, too.
Jeremy does get in contact with Vicki. She tells him that she can come back and she wants Jeremy to help her. Then, the window breaks and Anna tells Jeremy not to trust Vicki. This is more twisted than a knot of yarn. How does Vicki know that she could come back to life? Why doesn’t Anna want Jeremy to trust Vicki? If Vicki could come back, Anna can come back too, right? So then, why wouldn’t she wants Jeremy to help them? What really is Vicki’s plan?
Matt and Tyler – Friends Again?:
Matt and Tyler’s friendship has been on the rocks for a while now. Matt is jealous of Tyler and Caroline’s relationship or friendship or whatever they have, but in this episode, it looks like things might be looking up for Matt and Tyler. Matt offers to help Tyler when he turns at the full moon. I’m really proud of Matt in this episode. He really is trying. I hope they can repair their friendship and be bros again.
Mrs. Lockwood’s Plan:
There’s a new guy in town and he’s not a vampire or a warlock. Mrs. Lockwood called the guy named Bill to help her with the Caroline situation. Before she did that, she put vervain in Tyler’s coffee to test to see if he’s a vampire. Oh, Mrs. Lockwood, you really are clueless. You have no idea what’s going on and you don’t know anything about your own family. How could you be married to someone for more than 15 years and not know that your husband is a werewolf? Mrs. Lockwood asked Bill for help and he tells her they have to do what they have to do even if the vampire is Caroline. She finally learns the truth about her family when Tyler shows her when he’s transitioning into a werewolf.
Three’s Company:
Elena, Alaric, and Damon are working together again to save Stefan. Elena and Alaric drive to Tennessee to find Stefan. Of course Alaric tells Damon and he follows them to Tenessee. Can I just say that, I loved the part where Damon threw Elena into the lake? I would throw her in the lake too if I were Damon. What a reckless girl. She would really do anything for love.
A Hybrid Army:
Klaus’ whole plan is to create an army of hybrid. He wants to create his own race of monsters, an army so big that no one would dare to declare war on. Klaus and Stefan find a pack of werewolves on the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and Klaus turns every single werewolf into a hybrid.
An Error in the Master Plan:
Klaus’s plan to turn the werewolves into hybrids doesn’t turn out well. Actually, the plan breaks down before he can say hybrid army. All the werewolves who have been turned start to bleed from every whole in their bodies and most of them bled to death. Klaus tells Stefan that he did everything right. He killed a witch, a vampire, a werewolf, and a doppleganger when he broke the curse. It should have worked. He should be able to turn them. Well, Klaus, it didn’t work because the doppleganger did not die. Klaus may have broken the curse on him and transitioned into a full hybrid, because the doppleganger lived, he can’t turned werewolves into hybrids. Yeah, Elena is definitely not out of Klaus’ To-Kill list.
Ray:
After he was turned, Ray ran away from Klaus, bit Stefan, and was captured by Damon, Alaric, and Elena. He turns into a werewolf before the full moon rises since he’s transitioning into a hybrid. Hybrids can turn into a werewolf whenever they want to and they can walk in the sun without being burned. Ray goes after Damon and if it wasn’t for Stefan ripping Ray’s heart out, Damon would have been bitten by Ray. Ray’s life on the show is short lived, but who’s really going to miss him anyway?
A Change of Heart:
When Stefan saves Damon’s life in the woods, Damon changes his mind about giving up on his brother. Even when he’s being the Ripper-Stefan, he still can’t let his brother die. The real Stefan is still there and there’s still hope for Stefan. Damon promises Elena that he would help her bring Stefan back, but not before making her realizes her feelings toward him. Elena was hell bent on Operation Rescue Stefan until Ray became a threat to Damon. She aborted the mission because she didn’t want Damon to get killed. I was completely team Stefan and Elena since the series started, but now I’m not too sure. Nice work, Damon! You warmed your way through to my heart.
The Cliffhanger:
So, guess who Bill is. He’s Caroline’s dad. What kind of father wants to hurt his own daughter? Apparently Bill Forbes does.
It looks like next week is the roaring 20’s. I can’t wait to see the Gatsby-esq wardrobes and the speakeasy era.
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