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butterflyI love the slow unveiling of the (ugly) history of Mystic Falls. We've known for a while that the Bennett family was in the area long before it was 'officially' a town, but here, the implications become clearer and more obviously not any kind of continuity error.
The Founding Families stole Mystic Falls from the witches. And they probably felt like they had the right to do that, at least in part, because the Bennetts are black (of course, then the question of who was there before the Bennetts arises). The 'founding' of Mystic Falls was the Founding Families' way of staking a claim on the area. Which is making me wonder if the land has some kind of intrinsic power that the Bennetts were trying to use - why does everyone want to live there?
I've mentioned before that the Founding Families seem to have quite a stranglehold on the town. It seems like it's something that they've cultivated very deliberately, by holding teaching about the founding as a higher priority than any other kind of history and by the way they keep hammering into everyone's heads how much the town owes to the Founders.
Fell, Salvatore, Lockwood, Forbes, and Gilbert. I bet they still have more secrets hidden than what we've heard so far.
I am of two minds about the fact that so many of Damon's sweetest moments happen when no one knows about it - I like it because it's directly contradictory to the idea that Damon is only 'playing' good for Elena and Stefan (does anyone actually believe that still? I think I saw it being talked about when I read reviews of S1, but I don't think I've seen it recently). But I also kinda hate it because they are things that would affect the way that Stefan and Elena view him (like that spoiler about this episode that Elena would learn stuff that would 'change her feelings about the vampire brothers' or w/e, but it was complete BS because no one tells her about Damon being all sweet and concerned about Stefan. Lexi is dead (and probably wouldn't mention it anyway) and Damon wouldn't ever mention it).
The audience gets to see the vulnerable moments - all the times when Damon has let himself care despite himself, even when no other characters get to see it. And I don't think there's any other character whose private interior world the show has us experience as often as Damon's. We know more about him when no one else is looking than we do about anyone else.
I'm also really feeling the urge to rewatch "162 Candles" and see how that last scene in 2x15 impacts my feelings on the Lexi/Damon scenes in "162 Candles". I'm thinking that it's probably going to make me like Lexi less, though. I found her character a lot less compelling in "The Dinner Party" than in "162 Candles".
Completely random and selfish thought: I would have killed to see Ian S. playing David in Kings. I did like the actor who played David quite a bit, but you shouldn't just 'like' David. You should be hopelessly enthralled by his overpowering charisma. With a guy like Ian playing him, you could have gone full-bore with how complicated and oftentimes flawed David is while still showing that (almost) everyone adores him anyway, despite themselves. That's exactly what Ian is showing himself to be capable of in the role of Damon. Okay, that's my random thought of the day.
The Founding Families stole Mystic Falls from the witches. And they probably felt like they had the right to do that, at least in part, because the Bennetts are black (of course, then the question of who was there before the Bennetts arises). The 'founding' of Mystic Falls was the Founding Families' way of staking a claim on the area. Which is making me wonder if the land has some kind of intrinsic power that the Bennetts were trying to use - why does everyone want to live there?
I've mentioned before that the Founding Families seem to have quite a stranglehold on the town. It seems like it's something that they've cultivated very deliberately, by holding teaching about the founding as a higher priority than any other kind of history and by the way they keep hammering into everyone's heads how much the town owes to the Founders.
Fell, Salvatore, Lockwood, Forbes, and Gilbert. I bet they still have more secrets hidden than what we've heard so far.
I am of two minds about the fact that so many of Damon's sweetest moments happen when no one knows about it - I like it because it's directly contradictory to the idea that Damon is only 'playing' good for Elena and Stefan (does anyone actually believe that still? I think I saw it being talked about when I read reviews of S1, but I don't think I've seen it recently). But I also kinda hate it because they are things that would affect the way that Stefan and Elena view him (like that spoiler about this episode that Elena would learn stuff that would 'change her feelings about the vampire brothers' or w/e, but it was complete BS because no one tells her about Damon being all sweet and concerned about Stefan. Lexi is dead (and probably wouldn't mention it anyway) and Damon wouldn't ever mention it).
The audience gets to see the vulnerable moments - all the times when Damon has let himself care despite himself, even when no other characters get to see it. And I don't think there's any other character whose private interior world the show has us experience as often as Damon's. We know more about him when no one else is looking than we do about anyone else.
I'm also really feeling the urge to rewatch "162 Candles" and see how that last scene in 2x15 impacts my feelings on the Lexi/Damon scenes in "162 Candles". I'm thinking that it's probably going to make me like Lexi less, though. I found her character a lot less compelling in "The Dinner Party" than in "162 Candles".
Completely random and selfish thought: I would have killed to see Ian S. playing David in Kings. I did like the actor who played David quite a bit, but you shouldn't just 'like' David. You should be hopelessly enthralled by his overpowering charisma. With a guy like Ian playing him, you could have gone full-bore with how complicated and oftentimes flawed David is while still showing that (almost) everyone adores him anyway, despite themselves. That's exactly what Ian is showing himself to be capable of in the role of Damon. Okay, that's my random thought of the day.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-02-18 08:30 pm (UTC)And it works because of how the other side of the town is full of ugly secrets and how the populace bands together to push them down and out of sight. (the townspeople are willfully blind and don't ask the right questions, as the Council suppresses knowledge). When Kevin W first signed on for TVD I remember reading that he agreed to do it because though the books were teen vampire novels, he realized that the story could also be about a little town, it's "underbelly", and what "lurks under the surface".
The Founding Families stole Mystic Falls from the witches. And they probably felt like they had the right to do that, at least in part, because the Bennetts are black
YES. There's so much subtext they've laid there, especially with the Lockwoods, and I want it to become text... except still in a subtle, clever way instead of anvils. Which I suppose is a difficult thing to ask. So, okay, just MOAR SUBTEXT. LOTS MORE. GIVE ME.
It seems like it's something that they've cultivated very deliberately, by holding teaching about the founding as a higher priority than any other kind of history and by the way they keep hammering into everyone's heads how much the town owes to the Founders.
I loved that little moment Alaric gives us, when he mentions that they made him stop teaching his course work (was it WWII?) and instead focus on the history of Mystic Falls aka The History of the Founding Families.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-02-18 08:36 pm (UTC)I know, right? There is something going on there. That place is a nexus for supernatural activity.
And it works because of how the other side of the town is full of ugly secrets and how the populace bands together to push them down and out of sight. (the townspeople are willfully blind and don't ask the right questions, as the Council suppresses knowledge). When Kevin W first signed on for TVD I remember reading that he agreed to do it because though the books were teen vampire novels, he realized that the story could also be about a little town, it's "underbelly", and what "lurks under the surface".
Oh, nice. I didn't know that. I find it very reassuring that he said that. I hope they keep digging into that underbelly.
YES. There's so much subtext they've laid there, especially with the Lockwoods, and I want it to become text... except still in a subtle, clever way instead of anvils. Which I suppose is a difficult thing to ask. So, okay, just MOAR SUBTEXT. LOTS MORE. GIVE ME.
Ha, yes. I agree.
I loved that little moment Alaric gives us, when he mentions that they made him stop teaching his course work (was it WWII?) and instead focus on the history of Mystic Falls aka The History of the Founding Families.
It was! He was so hilariously 'wtf?' about the whole thing.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-02-18 09:13 pm (UTC)What will be interesting is seeing how the Salvatore Pack chooses to change some of that - the power that the land has, which has been kept dormant for years because not enough witches have lived here, or not a powerful enough one? Methinks that Bonnie is going to tap into that and in addition, you have the Salvatore brothers and Caroline around - that isn't as much supernatural presence as back in the day, but it's constant and it's protective. Completely different energy,
Re: the Founding Families - they called the massacre of the vampires a 'war battle.' They were able to do that because they kept so many people out of the loop and used relevant events to their own ends.
Note: Stefan doesn't think vampires are people. Damon thinks that vampires aren't HUMAN, but that they are PEOPLE.
Intersting distinction.
It might be funny if Alaric got so fed up with having to do random Founding Families propaganda that he just yanks Damon in and says 'you are running the Council, here, you guest lecture so that I can teach these kids something.' That would be hilarious.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-02-19 03:17 am (UTC)I kinda hope we find out more about the history of the Bennett witches and the whole thing about Salem. The Salem Witch Trials was something of an obsession of mine in middle school. I found some really old books in my school library with transcripts of the witch trials in them and it was seriously creepy stuff. And that right there sounds like a L.J. Smith plot.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-02-19 03:21 am (UTC)Hmm. I kinda like the idea that the witches living there for two centuries kinda.. soaked magic into the landscape and made it more attractive for other supernaturals, like the Lockwoods and the vampires.
I kinda hope we find out more about the history of the Bennett witches and the whole thing about Salem. The Salem Witch Trials was something of an obsession of mine in middle school. I found some really old books in my school library with transcripts of the witch trials in them and it was seriously creepy stuff. And that right there sounds like a L.J. Smith plot.
I hope so, too!
Yeah, on a related subject, I've recently read some old Inquisition trials - for witches and also ones for heretics and such - and it was such a trap for the people who got put through those things. They were really completely at the mercy of the authorities.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-02-19 03:22 am (UTC)And creepily so! They've made the town stay devoted to their image for a hundred and fifty years.
It might be funny if Alaric got so fed up with having to do random Founding Families propaganda that he just yanks Damon in and says 'you are running the Council, here, you guest lecture so that I can teach these kids something.' That would be hilarious.
Ha. Now that would be a good use of time in the high school.
(no subject)
Date: 2011-02-19 04:02 am (UTC)