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Vampire Diaries: Homecoming

“Vampires are usually so reliable.”

No. No, no, no, no, no. That is not what was supposed to happen. No, I say! And no, again, and thirdly: no.

Except for that one scene, which was almost... almost... almost a yes.

“Homecoming” had more double crosses than an Eastern Orthodox church. The biggest one—that Katherine was masquerading as Elena—I actually picked up on, thanks to my mystery-novel training. (Katherine told Damon Michael only ate vampires. Ergo, Katherine is back in the game and not dead in a Carolina crypt.) The obvious clue, when Damon said to Elena, “I don’t want you to have any part of it,” completely passed me by the first time. (That’s advanced mystery-novel school. I’m still in Clues 101.)

Is that the biggest twist? Maybe not. Katherine’s desire to fan the flames of Stefan’s smoldering humanity may be the biggest twist, especially as it really does make sense. She likes her toys to be a bit lively, and she can’t play with Stefan if he’s on the same team, or with Damon if he’s dead. That Katherine convinced Stefan to prevent Damon or Michael from murdering Klaus, though…as I said above, that is not how this was supposed to end!

The most emotionally shocking twist—okay, it’s still Stefan saving Klaus. But the second most emotionally shocking twist was Elena having the chutzpah to stake Rebekah. When they were talking about Rebekah’s burgeoning independence (because that’s really what it is), I thought Elena was strategically trying to make friends. Turns out, she was just strategically trying to stake her new buddy, ruining a perfectly good dress in the bargain.

Hurting people for a good cause was something of a theme tonight. Tyler vervained Caroline, which rubs me the wrong way in all kinds of directions. First of all, who is he to say? It’s her choice, whether or not to fight for her friends. I’d say it’s even a privilege, to have such wonderful friends to fight for. Caroline made the right choice to leave him. The siring thing is creepy, because it doesn’t even allow the siree the insight to realize how creepy it is.

Michael hurt Katherine/Elena for a good cause, even though he ultimately didn’t succeed. I’d thought Michael would succeed. I thought that because he was played by a well-known actor (at least among the crowds I run with), and because it really, really did seem like a fool-proof plan. In fact, the only foolish part of it—that Klaus could compel his hybrids beyond the grave—depended on a previously-unknown superpower. Klaus figured out a loophole (like not-father, like son) to get one last dig in.

Klaus has put himself in a terrible situation. He doesn’t have friends, and he demands loyalty from his family through a combination of fear and preying on their loneliness. He killed his mother’s husband and treats even his hybrid minions as nothing more than tin soldiers. It’s nearly impossible to feel pity for him, though, because he’s not dead yet. Why won’t he just die?

Stefan, spurred by Katherine, might have a plan. As his humanity seeps back in, he’s becoming more aware of just how much Klaus took from him and from everyone else. Indeed, Klaus did the unthinkable in breaking up a couple that’s fated to be together. What Stefan will do with the caskets, and how soon it will take Klaus to figure out that Stefan has taken him to the one other home he has, in Chicago, we won’t know until January 5th. (That sad fact is one of the above denials.)

All that betrayal—and especially the mystery behind Stefan’s willingness to save Klaus—has pushed Elena and Damon away from Stefan and towards each other. The firelight scene with Elena and Damon was so very, very close. If only Katherine hadn’t called, that easily could have turned into a beautiful development. As it is, Katherine is probably the worst (or best, if you’re not a Damon/Elena ‘shipper) person to have called at that moment: Damon’s first love, the one who looks just like his current crush…drat!

Bites:

• Klaus: “Portland is fantastic. Once you get over the whiny music and all the healthy-looking people, it’s essentially a breeding ground for werewolves.”

• Bonnie: “Let’s stay home, order take-out, and over-analyze ancient hieroglyphic thingies with Alaric!” That sounds like a perfect night.

• Stefan: “If I look at your track record at high school dances, it’s pretty tragic.”

• Stefan: “If I look back at our history of epic plan failures…”

• Caroline: “Quit hanging out with Rebekah the evil blood slut!”

• Damon: “It if makes you feel any better, she’s not really dead.”

• Damon: “Do you trust me?”
Elena: “Yes.”

• Caroline: “You’re sired to Team Klaus now.”

• Michael: “The big, bad wolf. Still hiding behind your playthings like a coward.”

And Pieces:

• Tyler has discovered those people who like to be drained of blood. Isn’t there a specific name for them in the Buffyverse?

• Poor Matt. Poor Matt, talking to two exes (Caroline and Elena) about his missing date (Rebekah) in a party being held by his hybrid best friend at the bidding of the hybrid master on a ruined Homecoming night.

• No more until January 5th. While I look forward to the sleeping, I’ll miss my heroes!

Dare I give a four to an episode that upset me so much?

Yes, I do dare. Four out of four blood sluts.

Josie Kafka is a full-time cat servant and part-time rogue demon hunter. (What's a rogue demon?)

19 comments:

  1. Excellent Review Josie!

    This episode had everything. Absolutely fantastic!

    I would like to point out that I am not a Damon/Elena shipper, so I did not feel good about the direction the show has taken. Elena seems to have gotten over Stefan and has accepted that fact that he's gone.

    I am a little confused about Stefan myself. Is he back to normal? Now that the compulsion has broken he would still love Elena as much, wouldn't he? So he again gave up a chance to be with Elena to protect Damon. But he is still taking human blood so that isn't cured.

    When I first saw him in the car with Katherine, I seriously thought that he decided to be with Katherine. Seems so silly now.

    And I don't know what it means for Elena and Damon. So is she really switching Salvatores now?

    As you can see from this comment my thoughts are still very jumbled and confused. Maybe I will comment again later.

    PS: VD just seems to be getting better and better.

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  2. Fantastic episode and equally fantastic review, Josie.

    These last nine episode have felt almost like a mini-season. And it has been so good that I don't think I can wait until January. Fecking January! How am I supposed to cope until then? Do I finally give into Paul's nagging and start watching The Secret Circle?

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  3. What an outstanding episode, even if it was seriously convoluted. I was bummed about Michael. As you said about Klaus, Josie, why won't he just die? I'm definitely an Elena/Damon shipper, and it's getting so close! I thought it was finally going to happen. Maybe in fecking January.

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  4. I can't believe they killed Michael off so quickly. That sucks.

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  5. No. Nononononononnononooooo. Do cable network shows get a kick out of killing Sebastian Roche off? He dies very well, but come on!

    Not a happy camper.

    I'm not a "Delena" shipper, but I adore Katharine and Damon. I think I like Katharine with everyone. Elena can just go hide in a cave for all I care. Or go back to Matt. But then I like Matt with Caroline... I know, why not put Elena with the two people she hasn't been with yet: Alaric and Tyler. I could like Alaric and Elena, despite the weirdness.

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  6. Noooooooo! I thought we were finally rid of Klaus! I figured we'd be switching big bads in January, with the team having to deal with vampire-hunter Mikael and not hybrid-obsessed Klause. My mistake... DAMN!!!

    Why the fffff are they making us wait 2 bloody months for the rest? This episode just exists to torture us!

    Hmmm... I wonder why Alaric wasn't in on the plan???

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  7. CrazyCris, my guess is that, like Elena, Damon didn't want Alaric involved in order to keep him safe. Or he's having so much fun in those caves Damon can't even drag him away to kill Klaus.

    Speaking of which, I think I've spotted a possible plot hole. If the white ash daggers kill any supernatural being who uses them, then how was Klaus able to kill/subdue his whole family?

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  8. Good question Mark! Perhaps an original is immune?

    I'm currently hoping Alaric finds another white ash stake in that cave...

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  9. Mark, I am guessing that Klaus just compelled humans to do the staking. Whoa, so many little facts to remember! I am starting to get seriously impressed with the VD script writers, they consistently manage to pack in more plot twists that I thought possible.

    Booooo for the one white ash stake burning up when it kills an original. But Klaus HAS to die, so there must be another. Props to the writers for making him so devilishly hard to kill!

    I have spotted another plot possibility - not that was remotely likely, but Katherine could have gone to Mikael and told him to compel the hybrids to be pacifists or something, then they could have proceeded to kill Klaus without hybrid retribution.

    And I have a question - why did Klaus say his hybrids would kill Damon specifically? If he thought he was talking to Elena, wouldn't he have said the hybrids would kill Everyone?

    Why did Katherine decide to go through with the plan despite not knowing whether Stefan would stop/save Damon? Katherine was a key element of the plan, couldn't she have just refused to participate? Or helped Klaus stake Mikael somehow? Oh, I don't know, my head hurts...

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  10. If I remember correctly, Klaus stabbed both Elijah and Rebekah so its likely he stabbed the rest of his family as well. I don't think there is any original immunity either because then Michael could've just stabbed himself rather than have Elena do it. Argh, this one is going to bug me til fecking January now.

    Harry, I think the reason Klaus said his hybrids would specifically kill Damon was probably because he knows, like everyone else, that Elena is in love Damon. She just won't admit it yet.

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  11. Harry and Mark.

    Actually Klaus knew that the only one foolish enough to attempt it would be Damon. The Hybrids were probably compelled/sired to kill the one who kills Klaus. Klaus just mentions Damon because he was the most likely to do it.

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  12. anaother gripping episode - loved it - great review too!!

    Can I just add, that if the writers deem it necessary to get Stefan and Elena back together before Damon has even had a chance to get raunchy with Elena, I will not be happy (And probably a little frustrated - ahem!)

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  13. Amazing to think that of all people whose humanity could get in the way of the plan it was the two coldest ones (ok, stefan is temporarily like that), stefan and katherine. And in the end it was Damon's love (and his will for freedom) that freed Stefan. Oh, damn it, why do we have to wait till fecking January to see one kiss of Damon and Elena? Because, please, she may even be happily ever after with Stefan in the end, but Damon is surely deserving a kiss :)

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  14. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  15. Hi Zdenka,

    I'm sorry about the delay. My review of 3.10 is posted now.

    (Also, I deleted your comment so that people who read the review of 3.9 in the future won't be spoiled on such a great moment!)

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  16. Josie - loved this review. You nailed everything that was important in this episode.

    And, I owe you a debt of gratitude. I've been stuck in bed for two weeks and have gotten through it on this show and 'Fringe'. Both were recommendations of yours.

    So, thanks from a fan.

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  17. ChrisB, thank you for the lovely compliment! I'm so happy that you're enjoying both those shows.

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  18. Great review Josie but I gotta say this was the first episode where i felt a little sympathetic towards Klaus. The way he was verbally abused by his father! And that lone tear falling from his left eye.. He seemed like someone who just wants his father's approval for once...

    Mark, the original muust be immune to the dagger because Rebekah specifically said to Mikael that Elena has the dagger so he can forget about staking her (Rebekah). I think Elena had to do it so that Stephen could truthfully tell Klaus that he saw Elena dagger Mikael.

    Harry, Katherine mentions that she had to go through the plan because if the didnot, Mikael would kill all of them for turning against him. So Stephen had to do something to ensure Mikael died too...

    Thanks a ton for the reviews Josie... All I can think about the entire episode is 'what quote would Josie use for this review' cos the selections are always spot on :)

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  19. "In fact, the only foolish part of it—that Klaus could compel his hybrids beyond the grave—depended on a previously-unknown superpower."

    I thought this at first, but actually the hybrids are not compelled at all; they are sired. Unlike compulsion, siring might continue after the sire has died; it hasn't been established.

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