The Vampire Diaries Review: Oh, the Humanity!

This week brought us the mid-season finale of The Vampire Diaries and you all know what that means: Shit. Went. Down!

Recent weeks of the series have teetered on the edge of ridiculousness and over-exposition but it all paid off fairly well here with a well-executed and fast paced episode that dripped with tension, oozed with suspense, and crammed in all of the signature surprises that the series has become known for.

Things got off to a quick start with Damon, Stefan, Elena, Rebekah, and Mikael all plotting to kill Klaus by luring him back to Mystic Falls with the supposed death of Mikael, his father…but not really his father since he was a product of Mikael’s wife and a werewolf. The big obstacle of this whole scheme though is that Stefan is still compelled by Klaus to do anything he says so they have to tread lightly with how much they tell him or let him see. And even though Stefan is totally game for killing Klaus and thus freeing himself from his control, he is convinced that something will go wrong and points the likely finger at Elena’s humanity. Yeah…wait til you hear how that pans out.

For those not involved in killing Klaus, excitement revolves around the homecoming dance which has Caroline in a tizzy as one of its planners. Her tizzy only increases though when she learns that her ex-boyfriend, Matt, will be going to the dance with Rebekah AKA “Evil Blood Slut.” And just because I find that name HILARIOUS, Rebekah will never be called anything else by me.

Evil Blood Slut gets herself all pretty for the big night and confesses sheepishly to Elena that this will be her first high school dance. When did Evil Blood Slut become such a softy? Yeesh.

Anyway, Elena does Evil Blood Slut a solid and gives her back her mother’s magic necklace and then proceeds to stab her in the back with the special dagger that can kill original vampires until it is removed. I predicted last week that Evil Blood Slut would be killed so I guess I was partially right (for now) but would never have guessed Elena would be the one to do it. I guess you gotta do what you gotta do to make sure a plan goes properly. Damon encourages this type of activity with a stone-faced relish and consoles Elena that he has a secret backup plan ready to make sure Klaus becomes all kinds of dead.

The next twist of the night comes when the high school gets flooded and the party moves to Tyler’s house which miraculously has everything needed for a massive blowout including drinks, a weird band, and dozens of guests that no one seems to know. And since last minute party planning isn’t one of Tyler’s new half-breed abilities, we have to assume this bash is the work of none other than Klaus who treats it as a wake to the father who spent centuries trying to kill him.

Stefan quickly locates Klaus at the party but instead of Klaus going along with him to where Damon and Mikael are waiting to kill, he demands that Mikael’s dead body be brought to him at the party. (Is that sanitary?) He also promises Stefan that he’ll free him of his control if Mikael is truly dead. So Stefan heads out to break the news of Klaus’s demand to Damon and Mikael only to find himself becoming Mikael’s evening meal. This is done to allegedly take Stefan out of the game. Again, I say, wait til you hear how that pans out.

Back at the party, Klaus informs his little lapdog, Tyler, that the dozens of unidentified guests are actually part of his new half-breed army who will kill everyone there if an attempt is made on his life. Tyler doesn’t hate this idea but doesn’t want his friends to get hurt either so he drugs Caroline and instructs Matt to get her out of the party to safety, which he promptly does after a few of those “I’m kinda dumb” looks that Matt gives so well.

Tyler then comes face to face with Damon who is now aware that the place is crawling with half-breeds and the two of them start duking it out with Damon brandishing Mikael’s special weapon that can kill half-breeds and originals. It almost looks like curtains for Tyler but Bonnie shows up, gives them both a headache, and calms the fight down.

Elsewhere in the house, Klaus comes face to face with Mikael with only the protected door frame keeping them apart. This scene is particularly brilliant in the way the balance of power continually shifts. At first, Klaus sends out a band of half-breeds to rip Mikael apart but then Mikael reveals that he’s been able to compel them to be on his side. Mikael then produces Elena as a prisoner and threatens to kill her thus ending Klaus’s ability to make new half-breeds. Klaus calls Mikael’s bluff and invites him to kill her and after a few tense moments he does it!

But wait. Are you ready for all this? Here it goes.

Turns out that it was actually Katherine, not Elena, who got stabbed so she recovers quickly and tosses out a couple wolf’s bane grenades to take out the half-breeds. At the same time Damon speeds in and stabs Klaus with the weapon only to have Stefan zoom in out of nowhere, take the weapon, and use it on Mikael who quickly bursts into flame and kicks the bucket. And then, while everyone (including us viewers) catches their breath, Klaus thanks Stefan by freeing him of his control.

Got all that?

The aftermath is even more intriguing though. Tyler and Caroline breakup over their differing opinions of Klaus. Elena finally seems okay with letting Stefan go and proves it by touching Damon’s cheeks while she says it. And Stefan and Katherine skip town together where we learn that she was the one who revived Stefan in time to kill Mikael to save Klaus. She knew Damon would have been killed if Klaus died so that was one good reason to make things happen as they did, but she also did it to save Stefan’s humanity and make him feel again.

And you best believe what she wants him to feel isn’t love for Elena. Oh no. She want him to get mad! And get mad he does. He realizes that Klaus took everything from him and the first act of his revenge involves taking and hiding the caskets that contain all of Klaus’s family intended to be brought back to life. Oh yes, war is about to break out and unfortunately we have to wait until January 5 to see it play out.

So until then I say, Happy Holidays you evil blood sluts!

 

The Vampire Diaries Season 3, Episode 9 “Homecoming” (originally aired November 10, 2011)

Images courtesy of The CW.