Saturday, November 17, 2012

The Vampire Diaries Season 4, Episode 6: We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes

Elena is lying in bed, full of angst and so decides to get up and have some warm milk.  A voice says, "can't sleep," but when she turns around she is all alone.  Suddenly, Connor appears and tells Elena that it makes sense because she has a guilty conscience. Elena is frantic to believe that Connor is a ghost, but he grabs her and chokes her from behind.  When Connor goes to attack her, she stabs a knife through his throat, but the person she actually stabbed was Jeremy.

Jeremy is now laid out on a couch and Damon and Elena are talking.  Elena is worried about what she is going to tell Jeremy and Damon says she should thank him for not ditching the family ring. When Damon asks why Elena didn't call Stefan, she says that she is still mad at him and that he has been lying to her. Stefan walks in and Damon admits that he called him.  Elena goes upstairs to wash up as Jeremy comes back to life.

Stefan heads upstairs to talk to Elena and says that he wants to help her, but Elena is not interested.  Stefan brings up the fact that she turned to Damon for help, but Elena reminds him that it was Stefan who decided to work with Klaus. Stefan tries to tell her that it's not what she thinks, but Elena does not want to hear it.

Tyler comes downstairs and finds Chris and Hayley still drinking to mourn the loss of the hybrid we lost last episode.  Interestingly enough, Chris is Black and I wonder how long he will last and if he will be yet another token to be quickly killed off? Hayley has her flirt on and Klaus interrupts and is pissed that Dean was unsuccessful and that Elena killed the hunter. Tyler asks why Klaus cares that Connor is dead and Klaus replies, "I have my reasons, but they have ceased to matter." There's a knock at the door and it's Caroline dropping off Tyler's things.  Tyler tries to tell Caroline that it is not a good time, but she shoves the box at him.  Klaus says, "by the break up drama unfolding before me, I assume that you have met Hayley."  Klaus and the other hybrids clear out to leave Caroline alone with Tyler.  It turns out that Hayley let Caroline know that Klaus was there but when Tyler and Caroline kiss, the look that Hayley gives them, suggests that she would be more than willing to push Caroline out of the way.

Elena is in the shower and when blood pools at the bottom of the tub, she freaks out and steps away. Elena quickly hops out. Downstairs, Damon and Stefan are talking when Klaus calls.  Stefan tells Damon that if Klaus finds out he knows, then they are both dead.  Klaus is not impressed but Stefan says that if he hadn't been sworn to secrecy that Connor would not be dead right now. Klaus tells Stefan that the hunter was one of five and that they will find another. Klaus asks if Elena has started to hallucinate yet and then knocks on the front door.  Klaus reminds Stefan that he killed the original five hunters.  "Because the hunters were spelled by witches to kill vampires, if one is killed, then he will take you down with him," Klaus says.  Klaus adds that Connor's death will not prevent him from making Elena his last vampire kill.  Klaus' big plan is to lock Elena away and keep her away from any sharp wooden objects.  Stefan says that Elena is not going anywhere with him.

Upstairs, Connor appears in Elena's mirror.  Elena tries to say that she wasn't herself but Connor replies that she is a monster, who deserves to die.  Elena runs downstairs but instead of seeing Damon, she sees Connor, who says that he is rotting in an unmarked grave because of her.  To escape, Elena runs outside and Klaus grabs her and disappears, as Damon walks onto the front porch and calls out her name.

At the school, Jeremy shows Matt his hand and asks if he can see the tattoo. Of course Matt cannot see it and asks if the mark makes him the next chosen one? April shows up with the professor and April asks why he looks so familiar.  Once again, April is in search of Rebekah. Personally, Rebekah can just stay in the plot box because I find her entire character useless and annoying.

Back at Elena's, the Salvatores have once again leaned on Bonnie.  Can her character ever do anything but concern herself with what is going on with Elena? Bonnie says that if she could do anything to help she would but she can't.  Damon is not buying that, even though Bonnie says that the witches won't let her do the magic to break the curse.  Bonnie says that she can ask Shane for help.  It irks me that Damon does not even stop to consider what the consequences might be for Bonnie, because he wants his precious Elena safe.  Stefan leaves saying that he is going to get Elena back, while Bonnie and Damon do their thing.

In the meantime, Klaus has imprisoned Elena in a dark room to prevent her from taking off her daylight ring and burning to death.  Elena says that she would never do that and Klaus answers that she will want to. Klaus admits that he did but could not die because he is immortal.  Klaus says that he went through this for fifty-two years, nine months and five days.  Elena asks if he knew that this would happen if Connor died and if Stefan knew as well.  Klaus responds that what Stefan knew is that the hunter had to be kept alive.  Elena asks what else Stefan knows and how he made it stop. Klaus answers that he didn't and that eventually it just stopped, before leaving the room and locking Elena in.

Stefan gets on the phone with Caroline and asks if Tyler can get the other hybrids away, so that he can free Elena. Stefan heads to Tyler's where he learns that Hayley helped Tyler break the sire bond and that she has also been helping her friend Chris to do the same. It turns out that Hayley's mission is to break the sire bond of all of the other hybrids. 

Chris delivers clothes and a toothbrush to Elena and the moment he leaves, Connor appears again.  Elena admits that she liked killing Connor and that she liked the taste of his blood.  Connor says that he had family and asks her if she is sorry about her parents because they died because of her. Connor promises that he will be there until she takes her last miserable breathe because she is a monster and deserves to die. Katherine suddenly appears.

Shane is giving his seminar and April realises that she knows Shane through her father. Damon and Bonnie show up at the seminar.  Shane dismisses the group and approaches Bonnie.

Katherine is now tormenting Elena and asking what Stefan is thinking of the new her.  Katherine says that she is a vampire and that she will kill again and become just like her.  Katherine tells Elena that she at least still has Damon.  When Elena tries to tackle Katherine, she disappears.

Damon is having a drink and Shane and Bonnie enter the room.  Bonnie explains Damon by saying that he is an expert in this area.  Damon hands Shane the drawing that Jeremy did of the hunters tattoo and asks about the hunters curse.  Shane says that a hunter will haunt the person who killed him, until a new hunter reaches his potential and the legacy is passed on. Shane offers to get his research for him and leaves. Bonnie asks how they are supposed to find a potential hunter and so Damon gets on the phone and calls Jeremy.

While Caroline is distracting Klaus, Tyler is meeting with Chris.  Klaus says that he cannot release Elena because she needs his help.  Klaus adds that if Tyler were still sired to him, that he would not have allowed Tyler to hurt Caroline. Klaus offers Caroline a drink.  Tyler and Stefan try to convince Chris to give them access to Elena.  Chris says that Klaus will send one of his other hybrids after him, but Tyler promises that both he and Hayley have his back and will make sure nothing happens. Yep, you know damn well at this point that Chris is going to be lucky to get out of this with his life.

Katherine is continuing to torment Elena.  Katherine decides to point out the fact that everyone around Elena keeps getting hurt.  Chris sends the two hybrids guarding Elena away and then hands Stefan the key and leaves. When Stefan enters, she stabs him and then rushes out of the room.

Jeremy comes rushing in and they tell him that he needs to kill a vampire.  Jeremy asks for a stake but Bonnie tells him that before he does this, he has to figure out what he is getting himself into.  Stefan calls Damon, who tells him that they have figured out their Elena problem. Stefan admits that he lost Elena and asks Damon to go and find her because she will listen to him.

Caroline gets a text explaining what is going on with Elena and she admits that she is there to distract Klaus.  Klaus jumps up to leave and threatens to kill Caroline if she does not stop talking and Caroline quickly says that they have figured out how to stop the hallucinations.


Elena is walking and beside her are Connor and Katherine, calling her a monster and saying that she deserves to die.  Elena is at the same bridge where her parents died, when her mother appears and says that she knows what she is going through. Elena's mother says that this bridge is where Elena's life should have ended twice. Elena looks down at her daylight ring and her mother says that when the sun comes up that this will all be over and that this is the right thing to do.  Elena says that she is a monster and deserves to die and then drops her ring in the water.  Suddenly Elena says that she cannot leave Jeremy, but her mother claims that she will be a ghost who helps him, instead of a monster who hurts him. 

Damon suddenly appears on the bridge and Elena is shocked to see him.  Elena tells Damon that he is right and that vampires kill people.  Damon suggests that they go talk about this before she does something stupid but Connor appears and reminds Elena that the sun will be up soon. 

Chris has packed up his things to leave but when he opens the door, he is greeted by Klaus.  Klaus chokes Chris and Tyler quickly tries to take the blame, but Hayley says that Tyler is covering for him and that she is the one responsible for releasing Elena. Hayley says that she would rather die than end up one of his sired bitches.  Klaus tells Chris that his existence is to serve him and Chris promises not to do it again.  When Chris starts to leave, Jeremy enters and stabs him with a stake.

Damon tires to plead with Elena and say that what she is going through is a curse and that she just has to get through it.  Back at Tyler's, Stefan says that he is sorry, just as Jeremy finishes off Chris. At the bridge, Elena quickly comes back to herself, but the sun is rising.  Damon grabs Elena and the two of them jump off the bridge together.

When Elena awakes, she is in her bed and the daylight ring is back on her finger. Damon tells her that he fished it out of he river for her and that vampires hate to swim.  Elena says that she remembers everything and that it was like a really bad dream.  She thanks Damon for saving her and Damon joins her on the bed.  Elena takes his hand but Damon says that he has to take a very high and annoying road and tell her something.  Damon says that the rough patch she is going through with Stefan is because he has been working on her behalf. Damon admits that there may be a cure for Elena.

Tyler is sitting on his couch when Caroline enters. Tyler says that it's just them. Tyler is upset because he told Chris that they had his back and promised him his freedom.  Caroline points out that they had to help their friend, but Tyler points out that they helped their friend by handing over another friend. When Caroline starts to deny the importance of Chris, Tyler asserts again that Chris was his friend and that all he wanted was to be un-sired. When Tyler asks how Catherine got Klaus to agree to give up one of his hybrids, Caroline admits that she agreed to go out on a date with Klaus. Caroline says that she thought it might help keep up the ruse about them having broken up. In a rage, Tyler throws his bottle of booze across the room, much to Caroline's dismay.

Back at the bar, Damon is drinking and Matt approaches to say that he is learned some things about the explosion at the Young farm. Matt tells Damon that April said that Pastor Young knew Shane, who in turn knew all about the hunters curse. Matt then dug up the pastors phone records and it turns out that on the day the farm blew up, Pastor Young called Shane ten times.

Shane is sitting with Bonnie and asks if Damon got everything he was looking for in his files.  Bonnie asks how Shane knows this stuff and he says that he has studied this and that he is Bonnie's biggest ally.  Shane adds that when the new hunter completes his mark that he is going to be the only one who can help.

Stefan goes to see Elena and she apologises for stabbing him.  Stefan says that Damon told her what was going on and that they all want the same thing. Elena asks why he sent Damon instead of coming himself and Stefan admits that lately Damon seems to be able to get through to her in ways that he can't. Stefan says that Elena listens to Damon and trusts him, even when she cannot talk to him. When Elena starts to deny this, Stefan tells her that after everything they have been through that she can admit it. Elena admits that Stefan has been so strong but the girl who she has become, is different somehow and darker.  Elena says that something has changed between her and Damon and that there is so much more than it ever used to be. Elena adds that everything that she felt for Damon before she became  a vampire has been magnified.  Elena says that she doesn't want to lie to Stefan and apologises. Stefan tells her that he can't do this anymore and Elena responds "I know."

Okay there was tons of angst, but then that is to be expected from The Vampire Diaries.  For those who are counting, this is now officially two episodes in a row in which a character of color has been killed off.  They could have shelved Chris because it's bad enough that he was mentally enslaved by a White character but sacrificing him to save Elena, is just more evidence of the racial problems on this show. Not even Bonnie, a character who has been there since season one, actually means anything to any of them.

I am sick of the storyline of Elena being in peril because we all know that everyone will come to the rescue for her.  I like the fact that it was pointed out by Katherine that everyone around Elena gets hurt but we all know that this will continue to happen because the show has decided that Elena is a special snowflake which everyone must sacrifice for.

As for the ongoing love triangles, am the only one who couldn't give a hot fart what is going on?  I don't care that Elena has stronger feelings for Damon and that this is breaking poor Stefan's heart.  I don't care that Caroline might end up with Klaus - though I have to admit that Klaus is at least more interesting than Tyler. In short, I just don't care.

It would be nice if just for one, The Vampire Diaries could have some real inclusion and sacrifice the angst to provide the viewers with real plot.  I know that this is an impossible dream, especially after four years of this nonsense but one can always hope.