The CW
Firstly, let’s all take a moment to give Nina Dobrev some much deserved credit. It is completely insane that that girl is playing THREE different doppelgangers, and doing such an amazing job at it. How she avoids getting completely confused or exhausted in the performances is pretty astonishing. Nina, you’re one of the key reasons we’re all still watching TVD. But the rest of this week’s episode is also pretty great, with some much needed resolution to a few story lines that have gone on way too long. Here are the 10 best/most important parts from “Death and the Maiden.”
1. Katherine is dying, legitimately: Last week, Katherine freaked out when she realized her hair was turning gray and her teeth were falling out (I would be a little disturbed, too). Trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with her, she goes to Dr. Maxfield where he runs blood tests that all come back normal. He says that since she has lived over 500 years, the pace of her human life is obviously going to speed up, explaining that she most likely only has a few more months to live.
2. Amara can see (and touch!) Bonnie: Amara is roaming around the Salavatore dungeon (How cool is it that they have a dungeon!? And use it on a regular basis!) and she is going out of her mind, as per usual, talking to people that aren’t there. However, when Jeremy (with a ghostly Bonnie following) brings her a sandwich, Amara sees and speaks to Bonnie. Suddenly they realize that Amara can see and touch Bonnie because she is the anchor. Amara, in fact, is not totally crazy, but is just able to see both the living and the dead. This is when Bonnie and Jeremy come up with the brilliant plan to swap in Bonnie as the anchor, so she can come back to life (sort of). Side-note: Amara is completely suicidal after being the anchor, so maybe this isn’t the best idea. We don’t want to see Bonnie go crazy too – though I do want her back in the land of the living, I’m really sick of the Bonnie/Jeremy “I want to touch you but I can’t” story.
3. Stefan plans to kill Silas: Stefan explains to Elena that he is having nightmares since Tessa gave him back his memories. In fact, he feels his time in that safe so clearly that it’s basically like being down there again. So, in order to stop these visions, Stefan says he believes that killing Silas will be the trick in getting rid of them, because if he doesn’t do something soon he is going to lose his mind or turn off his humanity – or both (uh-oh).
4. Tessa casts a spell: Damon informs Tessa that Silas wants to kills Amara and let her die in peace (while effectively destroying the other side), and convinces her that she should do a spell to swap Bonnie in as the anchor (since Silas reneged on his promise to bring her back). Tessa agrees, but says she would need something powerful to do the spell… something like doppelganger blood. Damon frustratedly says, “You want doppelganger blood? I got doppelgangers coming out my ears!”
5. Katherine and Tessa strike a deal: When Tessa arrives at the Salvatore house, she encounters Katherine, who says she will only give Tessa her doppelganger blood if Tessa can find a way to stop Katherine from aging. Tessa agrees to do it after they cast the spell, and Katherine agrees. (Quick question, Katherine: why are you trusting Tessa?)
6. Spells and stabbings: While Tessa is casting the spell to make Bonnie the anchor (using Katherine, Amara, and Elena’s blood) the power suddenly goes out because Silas is stopping the spell (remember, he’s a witch or something). When the lights come back up, Stefan and Amara are gone, but Silas appears and stabs Tessa, saying she tortured him and Amara for 2,000 years, why can’t she just let it go and let them die in peace? Tessa replies that she loves him. Cockily Silas says, “Yeah, well, get in line.” (Can I just be the first to say that Silas is pretty awesome? Except for the fact that he’s evil, he’s pretty hilarious, and provides some much needed comic relief to TVD … too bad he dies soon.) During this little conversation, we also find out that vampire blood can’t heal people who have taken the cure. Katherine tries to heal the cut that Tessa made on her hand by drinking Caroline’s blood, but she quickly and violently spits it out, almost as if it burns her.
7. Stefan lures out Silas: In the woods, Stefan is holding Amara hostage, and calls Silas saying that he will kill Amara is he doesn’t come and get her. Quickly Silas appears and Amara asks for forgiveness, but she just can’t live anymore. (This scene is heartbreaking, and shows a sweet side to Silas. It is also another moment to appreciate the acting chops of Paul Wesley and Nina Dobrev, who were completely convincing in their portrayal of Silas and Amara. In no way did I feel like I was watching Stefan and Elena.) Once Silas is about to kill Amara, Stefan shows up and chokes Silas. But Silas quickly gives Stefan a witchy headache and explains that Stefan can’t even relate to the pain that Silas has been through, living through three months in a safe is nothing compared to living as a stone for 2,000 years. However, Stefan needs to get rid of the visions and stabs Silas, effectively killing him for good.
8. Damon finds Amara: Elena convinces Damon to go look for Stefan while Tessa, who is stabbed and bleeding, finishes the spell to swap Bonnie in as the anchor. However, when Damon gets to the woods, he instead finds Amara, who has stabbed herself with the knife from Silas. Damon quickly realizes that if she dies too soon, Bonnie won’t be anchor and the other side will be destroyed. He tries to feed her his blood, but since she took the cure, it doesn’t work. He then resorts to begging Amara to hold on, but she explains, “I’ve been in hell for 2,000 years.” To which Damon wittily replies, “What’s another five minutes?” But, unfortunately, it looks like Amara has died too quickly for the spell to work.
9. Bonnie is back: In the Salvatore house, Bonnie and Jeremy say their goodbyes because it looks like Bonnie will very soon, be dead for good. Jeremy says he loves her and Bonnie tearfully agrees. However, when he goes to touch her, he realizes he can feel her. Apparently the spell worked and Bonnie is now officially the anchor. The two happily embrace (which, weirdly, did absolutely nothing for me emotionally) but then Caroline and Elena see her and they all hug and cry (which, oddly, was extremely emotional– I’ve missed these three!). In another room, Katherine finds Tessa so she can keep her promise and cure Katherine from aging. Unfortunately for Katherine, Tessa has cut her wrists and is bleeding out, thinking that Silas is waiting for her on the other side. Then, once dead, Tessa appears to Bonnie, and informs her that every time a supernatural dies, they will have to pass through her. Oh, and Bonnie, it is going to hurt like a bitch. (Remember when I deemed this a really bad idea? Did you guys learn nothing from crazy Amara?)
10. Stefan breaks our hearts: When Stefan returns to the Salvatore house, he finds Elena and explains that when he was down in that safe all he thought about was her and Damon, and that’s how he got through it. He says, when that safe opened, “I wanted it to be you.” Then Damon walks up behind Elena and Stefan says, “I wanted it to be both of you.” (Crying, we are all crying Stefan.) Then, in the inevitable cliffhanger, Stefan goes to bed, but quickly jumps up from another nightmare, realizing that killing Silas did not end his visions, and his torture will continue.
Alright, as usual, I have a bunch of questions. Firstly, how is Stefan going to get rid of these visions? Will they cause him to go insane and turn off his humanity switch, going all psycho/ripper Stefan? Are we going to get to see the Silas/Amara/Tessa love-hate fest play out on the other side since Bonnie can now see them? Will Bonnie go crazy like Amara did, since she now has to deal with both the living and the dead? Will Katherine actually die, or will Maxfield somehow be able to save her? Will Katherine and Maxfield get together? (He is way too hot not to have a love interest.) And finally, and most importantly, where the hell is Matt!? This is now three episodes he has not been in. I’m annoyed.
Check out the promo for next week’s episode “Dead Man on Campus” below. (Spoiler: Bonnie gets a haircut!)
The Vampire Diaries airs Thursdays at 8 PM ET on The CW.
