Vampire Diaries: some thoughts on Stefan, Elena

[butterfly]

In some ways, it's horrible for Elena that she managed to 'fix' Stefan back at the end of the S1 blood-arc. It's bad because it made her believe that she'd already seen the worst and gotten through it. And slowly the information keeps piling up that what she saw was only the tiniest of hiccups and slip-ups and that Stefan's past is so much more bloodstained that he's ever wanted to admit (because Stefan never wanted to admit anything to Elena; he wanted to be her perfect human high-school boyfriend. She had to figure out that he was lying. Every single step along the way, Stefan has played spin doctor).

And here, she keeps talking the talk - she trusts him, she loves him, he would never hurt her - but she reacts when he says, "Look what I found," to Klaus. For all her tough words, part of her is afraid that he's going to turn her over. Her subconscious has already figured out what her conscious mind is desperately trying to deny. This time is different.

When that wall of denial cracks... it might create a hell of a mess. Elena has been pinning a lot on that denial of hers.

This Stefan is not that S1 Stefan. This Stefan made a choice to go back to being a ripper. He has a reason for it. It's not an impulse or a slip-up; it's something that he embraced in order to save Damon.

It's not something that he can walk away from - staying with Klaus is the best way that he has of ensuring that both Damon and Elena live. This is the only thing that he can do to save his loved ones - become a monster. And he has been trying so hard to keep it on that level; not let himself take joy in his killings, making it all about keeping his loved ones' safe and not about his own desires. Which is... yes, there is certainly something very monstrous in leaving behind a trail of innocent bodies in order to save a handful of people.

"You know, I really think that Damon believes that everything he's done, every move that he's made, he's done for love," Elena says about Damon in S1. And now Stefan is the one leaving behind corpse after corpse because of the decisions that he's made in how best to take care of the people he loves. Those Salvatores are a lot more alike than they give themselves credit for being.

"It's twisted, but... kind of sad."

Comments

[scy]

Yes. I mean you think about what Damon did. For almost a century and a half. For love.

And then there is him being a more well adjusted predator in many ways because he embraced what he was.

Now Stefan is going back to what made him popular in school - *coughs* And it's damaging his relationship with Elena.

Oh, and btw, I loved seeing Damon compartmentalize - that's how he deals, handle a crisis, figure out what to do, and ACT.

Stefan does not seem to have a plan. Other than going along with Klaus.

*hands*

[butterfly]

Yeah, Damon and Elena's plan isn't horrible on the face of it - this is the plan that worked last time, but this time around has factors that last time didn't; this time has Klaus - but Stefan... love him, but he's not a 'plan' guy.

[scy]

Yes, and Klaus thinks that if he messes with Stefan enough, he won't want to go back, won't think of it. But, it's not that he doesn't want to, Stefan is more apt to be ashamed and feel that he owes it to Klaus. Those are his first reactions.

Meanwhile Damon and Elena are ready to kick his ASS. And Klaus' - of course Damon knows that Klaus is way stronger, he knew that going in, but what Damon does is pull back, regroup, think things over, and then try another angle. He doesn't run straight at a brick wall, he tunnels under it, or just uses dynamite and strolls through.

[silviakundera]

but she reacts when he says, "Look what I found," to Klaus. For all her tough words, part of her is afraid that he's going to turn her over. Her subconscious has already figured out what her conscious mind is desperately trying to deny. This time is different.
That's a good insight into the implications of that moment -- one that I hadn't thought through all the way.

One thing I'm loving about this storyline is that it really is on track with everything we've been saying about Stefan in S1-S2, the darkness and smoke-screening and repression that we read in the text has become text after lingering in the subtext.

I love that even Klaus back in the 20's was like, "sorry sis, but he's just TOO CRAZY PANTS to keep with us right now. have to put him on ice for awhile untill we're not running for our lives. dude is nuts." I mean, that was his whole rationale: Stefan's behavior drew way too much attention for safety's sake. Ripper!Stefan was ultimately just too hardcore for Klaus. o.O

Until now, that is, when Klaus is on a fucking rampage (sprinting towards the finish line?) and has thrown all caution to the wind.

[butterfly]

One thing I'm loving about this storyline is that it really is on track with everything we've been saying about Stefan in S1-S2, the darkness and smoke-screening and repression that we read in the text has become text after lingering in the subtext.

Yes. I always wanted to see more of what was underneath Stefan's too-good-to-be-true perfect boyfriend act. And what we're seeing is just fascinating and perfect.

I love that even Klaus back in the 20's was like, "sorry sis, but he's just TOO CRAZY PANTS to keep with us right now. have to put him on ice for awhile until we're not running for our lives. dude is nuts." I mean, that was his whole rationale: Stefan's behavior drew way too much attention for safety's sake. Ripper!Stefan was ultimately just too hardcore for Klaus. o.O

Until now, that is, when Klaus is on a fucking rampage (sprinting towards the finish line?) and has thrown all caution to the wind.

Yes, I kinda love this. Ripper!Stefan is not a low-profile guy.

[scy]

Yes, for all his crap about Damon being low profile? Apparently eating entire schools of girls (0.o) possibly was done in such a stealthy way that it was 'attendance problems' maybe he even pulled off 'mysterious illness. FFS, that is the sort of thing that leads to the rug getting pulled out from under you. That is scary.

And Stefan is more 'tralala, I leave bodies in my wake, isn't it a lovely day for a massacre?' until he is surrounded.

While Damon is having drinks with the local coven and perhaps shagging people and rolling his eyes at his brother until he has to drag his ass out of trouble.

[threerings]

Your point about Elena believing he would sell her out is an excellent one. That struck me strongly at the time, but I forgot to mention it in my review. I find it really odd that S/E shippers are talking about how cute that scene was between them when my focus was definitely on, "She believes he is capable of handing her over to the bad guy." And also, he thinks it's cute(?) funny(?) to psych her out in that way. *sigh*