Revenge 1x20 & The Vampire Diaries 3x22

[butterfly]

Revenge
Almost the entire episode was a flashback.

And then there were flashbacks inside the flashback.

I love flashbacks. I just... I love them. So basically this episode owned my heart. Holy shit, Amanda Clarke! We saw a picture from that party! I remember it! Lydia had it! This is just like having the Fire & Ice party set up, except in reverse and possibly more awesome! One of the reasons that I really loved the first season of Vampire Diaries was that it had great flashbacks. Quality flashbacks are the secret to my heart.

And this episode was just full of information. I feel like I learned so much. It made me want to rewatch the rest of the first season just so that I could watch it while having this new knowledge bubbling away inside (though, gotta say, this is another knock for Jack and Emily's fated love. He didn't ping on her at all - I'm not saying he should have; it's perfectly reasonable that he didn't. Just that if Jack/Emily were what Nolan believes they should be, Jack would have pinged on her). But I will wait until the finale because I bet this show will give me even more to think about for that rewatch!

The Vampire Diaries

Ah-ha! Vampire Elena. Called it.

But it happened in an interesting way - this is basically the "why" of Meredith. Meredith existed for this moment, to make it so that Elena becoming a vampire wasn't about the Salvatores in any way.

The moment when Stefan saved Matt's life instead of Elena's was the one time when he actually seemed like he was genuinely respecting Elena's choices rather than, you know, using the facade of respect as a way to worm back into being her boyfriend again.

So, next season, Elena will remember:
a) that she did, indeed, meet Damon first; he just didn't feel the need to stalk her and manufacture a meet cute and world of lies in order to become her boyfriend
b) Damon's "I love you but I don't deserve you" from "Rose".

Score!

On the other hand, they made such a big deal of Elena's choice (which is... apparently Stefan because his lies at the beginning of their relationship made her happy. Okay, Elena. You have strange priorities but whatever, you've always loved denial best, I suppose) and now it's pretty much irrelevant because Elena is going to end up changing/intensifying as a result of being a vampire. So... seriously, I feel like a lot of manufactured triangle drama of the last few episodes was utterly pointless. I felt that at the time and I still feel it now.

I was so sad when Klaus died (yes, I know. He's the bad guy)! And then went, "OMG! WHAT!" when it turned out that Bonnie actually helped Klaus possess Tyler so that Caroline and her mother wouldn't die (if it were just Stefan and Damon's lives on the line, I don't think Bonnie would have done it). So, Alaric died-died. And Tyler is possessed, so he's still buried in there somewhere, but Klaus is in control. That's an intriguing set-up for next season. Except that I'll miss Joseph Morgan. He was really good as Klaus.

Comments

[scy]

YES.

And Damon and Ric. Elena is making a choice - dealing with things, and chose Stefan, for all of these reasons, and most people in town don't care about him - not the way Ric did, and he DIED IN HIS ARMS.

[butterfly]

Poor Ric. Poor Damon. I will miss team badass. And it's a shame that Damon has absolutely no one in his corner now (maybe Liz, but she's been very busy with other things).

And, you know, poor Elena, too, because she's still the person who choses lies and safety over truth. I was hoping this would be the season she would grow up, but. Alas. And now she's dead and she can't grow up (though maybe she'll still be able to become the best her she can be, like Caroline did).

[scy]

Yep. I think that chipping away at Damon's one supportive friend - his BFF, was not the best choice. I mean, I get that they may not have known what to do with Ric's character, but come ON.

Right, Elena can't seem to pick what's right for her, and even if she doesn't end up with Damon - he at least, is one person who, friend or not, gets some very important things about her. But he isn't SAFE, and so Elena can't choose him.

*HANDS*

I mean, I knew it was unrealistic, but I kind of hoped that if Damon was going to leave town, it would be with Ric, to help him recover, or SOMETHING. NOT KILL HIM.

He has NOBODY in his corner. Not the way that Ric was.

[threerings]

Yes to everything re: Elena, Damon, and Stefan. Also a good point about the purpose of Meredith which I hadn't considered. I was busy trying to figure out when the last time Elena had taken vampire blood was during the stuck for a ridiculously long time on the bottom of the river scene. I had called that Elena would have to get vampire blood to heal from her collapse last episode and that would make her a vampire.

Klaus. I was so upset. I was like, but NO, there will never be epic Stefan/Klaus love or sweet and creepy but kinda awesome Caroline/Klaus love. But then Klaus is still around, just in Tyler's body? Which I guess means there's hope for those ships, but that means no Joseph Morgan who was AWESOME and...I'm back to sad. At least Tyler gets to stay? Sort-of?

This is a very confusing finale.

[beck_liz]

Meredith existed for this moment,

Kinda sad that was her only reason for being around, though. It seems like they could have done way better by her.

Score!

Yes! \o/

seriously, I feel like a lot of manufactured triangle drama of the last few episodes was utterly pointless.

This. It was silly and unnecessary and I really don't appreciate it.

Except that I'll miss Joseph Morgan.

I wouldn't count out his return yet. I mean, I know nothing, but I'm sure they can work out a way for him to come back somehow.