The Vampire Diaries - Disturbing Behavior

*** / ****

As I was watching Disturbing Behavior—another episode which reveals yet another Damon “relapse”—I was grooving to Claire Holt’s sister to Klaus, a sexy and deductive vampire once romantically tied to Stefan, quite an alternative to Elena. But she is loyal to Klaus, even after he left her within a dormant state thanks to the white oak ash dagger that sends Original vampires into a comatose (and petrified) condition, inquisitive of Stefan’s reasons for remaining by her brother’s side. Stefan maintaining his silence regarding Elena, keeping Klaus away from Mystic Falls, has included doing horrible things, like feeding from human victims and just dumping them off like trash. Holt’s Rebekah is at odds with the times she is awakened to, but her feelings for Stefan still remain. Stefan was the one who gave Elena the necklace so sought after by witch Gloria, so concealing both its existence and Elena from Klaus continues to present him with a problem. But while Damon and Elena spend their time back in Mystic Falls trying to avoid the feels, Stefan finds aid in Katherine, in Chicago out of curiosity, actually helping him when Gloria realizes he knows more than he has revealed. Gloria has the power to get to the truth, but she seems disinterested in providing Klaus the means to build hybrids. But her torture of Stefan, before Katherine arrives to take her out with a good, sharp stab to the neck, gives her the information that could have been damaging in regards to Elena. But Rebekah senses Stefan is hiding something after a kiss “seems off”, quick to tell Klaus, who takes immediate action. While Katherine is denied the chance to assist Stefan in finding a hunter that Klaus fears, she successfully procures from Bonnie (convinced she is Elena, in a nice surprise) the necklace, instead easily convincing a restless Damon to come with her to Chicago. But Stefan awakens in the hauler of a truck, Klaus revealing their current location: Mystic Falls!

Damon’s inability to “conform”, never wanting to truly abandon his vampire nature, leaves him a nuisance to Elena and Alaric (he again kills Alaric when confronted over all the flirting with Elena, understanding that it will only be temporary due to having the resurrection ring once owned by John Gilbert). Damon goes after Caroline’s father after stirring things up with Mystic Falls’ Special Counsel. Damon is always of the mindset to be rid of those that threaten the existence of his kind, so Caroline’s father is a particular target. But Caroline comes to the rescue, actually handling herself quite well against Damon, much to my delight! I felt Caroline has come into her own on the series by this point, even if she’s constantly enduring punishment for being turned into a vampire (or because she’s Elena’s friend, caught in the crosshairs of vampire activity). I particularly enjoy seeing Damon put in his place sometimes. Although he momentarily subdues Caroline with a grasp across the neck, she tosses him aside, grabs her daddy, and escapes! Although her father must feed from Caroline in order to recover from Damon’s serious bites to the throat, at least he was saved from a continuous savage attack.

Damon’s bad behavior is the subject of the episode, while in Chicago, Stefan continues to try and deny Klaus his desire for a hybrid army. With Rebekah now involved, the screws will no doubt turn tighter and Klaus back at Mystic Falls appears to be an obstacle Stefan might have a hard time evading. In the oddball storyline involving Jeremy seeing and hearing dead vampires, Jeremy has a hard time not thinking and dreaming about Anna, while Vicki is considered the representation of darkness. Whatever came back with Jeremy from the dead due to Bonnie’s resurrection spell, it is quite galvanizing. In this episode, Anna is the one around while the “darkness” Vicki seems to symbolize attempts to burn journals Jeremy and Bonnie are studying to identify the necklace Gloria was after and Rebekah had been wearing (burning Elena’s neck, she gives it over to Bonnie, who later accidentally hands it off to Katherine-masquerading as Elena…). Trying to shield Anna out (while she pleads with him not to shut her out), Jeremy wants to devote himself to Bonnie. So, yes, Jeremy is in a love triangle with a ghost and a witch…leave it to The Vampire Diaries for certainly dipping into the supernatural grabbag for its off-kilter romantic entanglements!

Alaric goes to the mayor and sheriff over protecting the mortals in Mystic Falls. He's fed up. Damon killing him was a key reason for confronting them over the threats ongoing in town. Klaus and Stefan returning doesn't help matters. And Caroline waiting for Tyler after her father leaves town, disappointed that his daughter is a vampire, once again reinforces the romance's "perks." Oh, and returning to the father, his resistance to being compelled, and Damon's reaction, adds a bit of tension later ratcheted when Caroline arrives on the scene ready to do battle...and stand her ground!