Spoilerific Vampire Diaries Discussion
Feb. 18th, 2011 12:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
windinthemaplesAnyone else want to talk about Vampire Diaries?
Andie Starr
So the sudden appearance of Damon's compelled love interest, Andie Starr, was jarring and unappealing to me. But I'm appreciating what it has done the past few episodes watching the two of them together in what, outwardly, looks like a normal relationship. He's kinda nice. He doesn't love her, obviously, and she has no choice in the matter but he wanted someone who wasn't afraid of him as a vampire. Someone who could completely overlook the risk associated with being anywhere near him. (Someone like stubbornly brave and fearlessly hugging Elena.) And through Andie, being unafraid and forceably trustworthy, you can see what Damon would be like in a relationship. Shockingly--he is starting to look more human. He has a bathroom and a bedroom and it isn't rustling with bats or dripping with blood. He's a guy who likes having someone as a companion and a confidante--even if that means having to compel a newscaster to play the part. He is genuinely friends with Alaric. His character's image as a heartless monster is on the mend.
On the Nature of Killing an Original
So let's call a spade a spade. You can't kill an Original with that tree ashed dagger. You can only put them into a helpless stasis and even that only lasts so long as the dagger is kept inside their body. This becomes extraordinarily problematic if you have more than two Originals you want out of commission--say Elijah and Klaus. So if Klaus arrives, what the hell are they going to do? Obviously the element of surprise will have to be employed no matter what they do since Klaus, if he suspected any trouble, could just compel everyone. This Original code of honor is probably their only weak point, yes?
(ETA: I don't know about you--but I'd be thinking about chopping Elijah's body into little bitty bits and trying to scatter them around with some brother-bonding road trips. If the dagger immobilizes him and neutralizes his power, wouldn't that be the time to try and chop his head off and lock it in a box? I mean, really, what could happen? Are all the parts going to start wiggling back towards each other if you then remove the dagger?)
(ETA2: I also wonder if Elijah's overly legalistic sense of morality would force him to uphold the promise he made to Elena right before she shanked him to not harm anyone she loves even if they harm him? If so, that could be useful.)
On Tyler Leaving
Tyler, in the books, is depicted as a rapist meathead. From the beginning, I've appreciated that they've portrayed him as being that dude in school that was a total jerk and yet, somehow, showing him as a human being. He's not evil he's just--friendless and hormonally driven. I'm not sure how long he's going to be MIA but I wasn't happy to see him sail off into his new wolf-y lifestyle with Jules. I don't want his character growth to take place off-screen. Would he have gone with Jules if Caroline had just agreed to speak with him when he was begging her to? And speaking of Jules--tell me how Elijah was caught flat-footed on that one. You can't tell me, based on what we've seen of his abilities, that he couldn't have snatched her before she did her speedy getaway.
On Bonnie's Power-Stripping
Who would have guessed it would be that simple for a witch to steal the powers of another witch? Serious liability. I can't imagine witches ever choosing to be friends with other witches. I'm wondering, though, if Bonnie was channeling Jeremy at the time of that theft and if, maybe, that'll give her a loophole exception where her powers aren't gone but Jeremy's, I don't know, hair mojo is. Damn, I miss Grams.
Motivations?
So Elena has to die for the Sun and/or Moon curse to be broken. Whether it is werewolves getting a handle on their transformations or vampires being able to walk under the sun, both factions have an interest in seeing Elena bleed out. The exceptions seem to be vampires with sunwalking rings--a special step-above-their-vampy-compatriots they seem unlikely to give up--regardless of how they feel about Elena. So with that thought, it is somewhat conceivable that Katherine would side with the brothers to prevent the curse from being broken. Also witches, being the magical modern-day descendants of shamans, might feel it their responsibility to join in the fight to protect humanity from the werewolf/vampire hoards. So if it came down to some massive battle to save Elena, it seems like it would be four vampires (Caroline, Damon, Stefan, and Katherine), two get-out-of-death-free ring wearing humans (Jeremy and Uncle John), three witches (Bonnie, Dr. Whatshisname, & Luka), along with maybe the weapon-wielding vampire hunter Alaric. If they got lucky, Isabel might join the fray. All versus the most powerful vampire of all time. Can we anticipate a bloodbath? Is Alaric going to eat it now that he doesn't have his ring o' protection?
The Witch Burning Ground
So Elijah needed to find the spot where the original witchy settlers of Mystic Falls were burned at the stake en masse. What would they find there? If they whip out some metal detectors will there be all kinds of kinda charcoally amulets and magic rings and god-knows-what that they died with? Or all they all trapped in a secret tomb under the ground having never really burned? ;)
What is your take on how things are shaping up for Season Two's home stretch?
Andie Starr
So the sudden appearance of Damon's compelled love interest, Andie Starr, was jarring and unappealing to me. But I'm appreciating what it has done the past few episodes watching the two of them together in what, outwardly, looks like a normal relationship. He's kinda nice. He doesn't love her, obviously, and she has no choice in the matter but he wanted someone who wasn't afraid of him as a vampire. Someone who could completely overlook the risk associated with being anywhere near him. (Someone like stubbornly brave and fearlessly hugging Elena.) And through Andie, being unafraid and forceably trustworthy, you can see what Damon would be like in a relationship. Shockingly--he is starting to look more human. He has a bathroom and a bedroom and it isn't rustling with bats or dripping with blood. He's a guy who likes having someone as a companion and a confidante--even if that means having to compel a newscaster to play the part. He is genuinely friends with Alaric. His character's image as a heartless monster is on the mend.
On the Nature of Killing an Original
So let's call a spade a spade. You can't kill an Original with that tree ashed dagger. You can only put them into a helpless stasis and even that only lasts so long as the dagger is kept inside their body. This becomes extraordinarily problematic if you have more than two Originals you want out of commission--say Elijah and Klaus. So if Klaus arrives, what the hell are they going to do? Obviously the element of surprise will have to be employed no matter what they do since Klaus, if he suspected any trouble, could just compel everyone. This Original code of honor is probably their only weak point, yes?
(ETA: I don't know about you--but I'd be thinking about chopping Elijah's body into little bitty bits and trying to scatter them around with some brother-bonding road trips. If the dagger immobilizes him and neutralizes his power, wouldn't that be the time to try and chop his head off and lock it in a box? I mean, really, what could happen? Are all the parts going to start wiggling back towards each other if you then remove the dagger?)
(ETA2: I also wonder if Elijah's overly legalistic sense of morality would force him to uphold the promise he made to Elena right before she shanked him to not harm anyone she loves even if they harm him? If so, that could be useful.)
On Tyler Leaving
Tyler, in the books, is depicted as a rapist meathead. From the beginning, I've appreciated that they've portrayed him as being that dude in school that was a total jerk and yet, somehow, showing him as a human being. He's not evil he's just--friendless and hormonally driven. I'm not sure how long he's going to be MIA but I wasn't happy to see him sail off into his new wolf-y lifestyle with Jules. I don't want his character growth to take place off-screen. Would he have gone with Jules if Caroline had just agreed to speak with him when he was begging her to? And speaking of Jules--tell me how Elijah was caught flat-footed on that one. You can't tell me, based on what we've seen of his abilities, that he couldn't have snatched her before she did her speedy getaway.
On Bonnie's Power-Stripping
Who would have guessed it would be that simple for a witch to steal the powers of another witch? Serious liability. I can't imagine witches ever choosing to be friends with other witches. I'm wondering, though, if Bonnie was channeling Jeremy at the time of that theft and if, maybe, that'll give her a loophole exception where her powers aren't gone but Jeremy's, I don't know, hair mojo is. Damn, I miss Grams.
Motivations?
So Elena has to die for the Sun and/or Moon curse to be broken. Whether it is werewolves getting a handle on their transformations or vampires being able to walk under the sun, both factions have an interest in seeing Elena bleed out. The exceptions seem to be vampires with sunwalking rings--a special step-above-their-vampy-compatriots they seem unlikely to give up--regardless of how they feel about Elena. So with that thought, it is somewhat conceivable that Katherine would side with the brothers to prevent the curse from being broken. Also witches, being the magical modern-day descendants of shamans, might feel it their responsibility to join in the fight to protect humanity from the werewolf/vampire hoards. So if it came down to some massive battle to save Elena, it seems like it would be four vampires (Caroline, Damon, Stefan, and Katherine), two get-out-of-death-free ring wearing humans (Jeremy and Uncle John), three witches (Bonnie, Dr. Whatshisname, & Luka), along with maybe the weapon-wielding vampire hunter Alaric. If they got lucky, Isabel might join the fray. All versus the most powerful vampire of all time. Can we anticipate a bloodbath? Is Alaric going to eat it now that he doesn't have his ring o' protection?
The Witch Burning Ground
So Elijah needed to find the spot where the original witchy settlers of Mystic Falls were burned at the stake en masse. What would they find there? If they whip out some metal detectors will there be all kinds of kinda charcoally amulets and magic rings and god-knows-what that they died with? Or all they all trapped in a secret tomb under the ground having never really burned? ;)
What is your take on how things are shaping up for Season Two's home stretch?
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no subject
Date: 2011-02-18 06:06 pm (UTC)Ok, I'm really violent, though only in the realm of vampire fantasy, not in real life, but come on, you're playing with some pretty powerful vampires here.
There could be a second special dagger out there? For Klaus. Or alternately, as staking Elijah in the earlier episode seemed to temporarily knock him out, then you could try that and cut him into little pieces and put each piece in a locked, reinforced metal box, stuffed with vervain, and then repeat the placement instructions above...
I really don't get why nobody is cutting anyone's head off in all of this.
Hmmm, I've spent too much time reading Russian folklore. Maybe I should stop while I'm ahead.
On rings of protection, if Katherine really is interested in helping, I'm betting she can replenish the supply somehow, she's had many years to build up a collection (even if she only collected them by cutting off fingers) and I'm assuming somehow they all go back to "her witches" right?
no subject
Date: 2011-02-18 06:16 pm (UTC)Seriously. You'd think they could bribe an army of vampires to help them if they said--"We can end the curse for you right now. The hell with the rest of the vampires. Most of those guys are jerks--am I right?" With as easy as Bonnie made it look when she made a ring for Caroline, it'd seem to be an obvious strategy.
And I'm totally with you on the hack and dismember bit. (I had even updated my post to include my thoughts on that--which is funny that it seems you and I have the same bloodthirstily utilitarian thoughts.) What's the harm in trying? Are you telling me that everyone is squeamish or maybe afraid that the boogieman will suddenly wake up mid-sawing? (Okay, that'd be scary.)
This show. Maddening.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-18 08:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-18 08:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 08:46 pm (UTC)I was annoyed by the whole, "you can only kill an original by leaving the dagger in" schtick. To me, that was just a lazy way to get Elijah out of the way for now but keep him in the game. I was asking the same question as you: Why not just chop up the body, burn the pieces, and then bury the ashes at the remotest parts of the world possible? The shows internal logic is beginning to unravel.
I was less put off by Bonnie's power stripping because the other witch was obviously more experienced and Bonnie had no way of knowing such a thing was even possible. I think it would be interesting for Jeremy to join the fight. He's been less whiney this season but still serves no real purpose. He'd serve more purpose dead.
I absolutely loved the scene between Damon and Stefan where Damon says, "Now that we've closed the chapter on the werewolves..." It made me laugh that they were literally telling us that the werewolf stuff was done for now, time to move on. I think we'll see Tyler and his wolf friends pop back up sooner rather than later.
I think this season is moving along quite well, but I'd rather see them start focusing more time on developing the characters rather than burn through all the plots. Troubling inconsistencies are starting to emerge and I'm worried that this show will veer off into tedious melodramatic soap opera cliches if it's not careful.