The Vampire Diaries - The End of the Affair

**** / ****
Well, the writing staff of The Vampire Diaries introduces the character of Rebekah (Claire Holt), a sure-fire barrier between Stefan and Elena, along with Klaus, of course. Rebekah is Klaus’ sister and formerly Stefan’s girlfriend in the Roaring Prohibition Era 20s of Chicago. Where has Klaus’ sister been? In a box with the white oak ash dagger stuck inside her, in this state for a very long time due to her choice of Stefan over him.

 Klaus actually knew Stefan, admiring his activities as a serial killer, known in vampire circles as The Ripper. Stefan loved to select certain mortals, playfully pick on them, feed from them, and cut their names in a wall in a secret room in Chicago. It appears Chicago is a right proper hunting ground for Stefan. To say that a past has a way of catching up with you is an understatement in Stefan’s case. Rebekah is the kind of character perfect for unveiling during a sensitive period in the relationship/romance of a series’ lead couple.

  The End of the Affair has two parallel romances under attack, with Stefan the victim and Klaus the culprit. In the 20s it was Stefan and Rebekah, perhaps a decision Klaus ultimately regretted. In present day, Klaus must not know that Elena, the doppelganger, is still alive, so Stefan must sacrifice being with her in order to keep her safe. And the episode includes quite a development at the end: Klaus had compelled Stefan to forget about his time with him and Rebekah. So over the years there was this block of that “brotherhood” reawakened once Klaus releases it, with Stefan remembering it all in one fail swoop. A whole period taken from him returned, Stefan could emerge a completely different person.

 Yes, Lexi taught Stefan to leave behind the monster, but an alteration in his memory through Klaus had concealed a past now open to him, including his romance with Rebekah. When Stefan refuses to embrace Elena’s request to return home (how can he when Klaus would kill her in order to form his hybrid army), in no certain terms holding back in regards to once and for all forbidding her to no longer seek him out. Stefan gets short with an Elena who traveled with Damon all the way from Mystic Falls to Chicago just to find him, in the hopes of talking him in returning home. Damon, meanwhile, contends with Klaus (who is in no mood for his presence or conversation), only saved from a stake when the owner of the bar (an older witch named Gloria (Charmin Lee)) sets fire the wood, telling them to take it outside.

Elena is broken, and Damon drives her back understanding that perhaps she has finally given up. Perhaps a turning point during the series, Elena might have finally made the realization that she cannot save Stefan, while Damon spends alternating phone dialogue with Katherine, not telling him where she is (actually following Stefan in Chicago). Damon continues to flirt with Elena, who seems not too amused with his shenanigans. Damon does risk his life confronting Klaus as a distraction, but Elena’s stubborn “take no for an answer” attitude appears to have met its end…Stefan sees no alternative but to keep her safe by rudely dismissing her. With Stefan and Elena seemingly officially broken up, this could be Damon’s chance to steal his brother’s girl away for good. Rebekah now in the mix (although her “witch’s necklace” is around Elena’s neck!), Stefan could be distracted by her, leaving Elena behind, while Klaus wants to make amends (and have his “brother” back).

The necklace in Elena’s possession is what Rebekah needs in order for Gloria to provide Klaus with knowledge of how to break the curse (or learn that Elena is still alive and well), but what she and her brother don’t know will help keep many others safe. So in order for Klaus to start his hybrid army, Elena is the one responsible for his lack of success.

The secondary sub-story involves Caroline tortured by her vampire-hating father in order to rehabilitate her from desiring and craving human blood. In a dungeon cell, Caroline once again is under attack, except tragically it is her father that makes her suffer! Using sunlight to burn her and sticking a blood bag in her face to see if the effects have done any good, Caroline’s father feels this is the only hope. If he can’t repress her hunger, death is the only other option. Fortunate for Caroline, Tyler goes to her mother for help. Caroline just seems to be the ultimate victim always, as The Vampire Diaries’ creative team find new ways for some new threat to punish her for being a vampire (not of her own choosing). The angle does involve Mrs. Forbes’ change of heart regarding vampires, admitting to her daughter that this was how they were raised through generations. She had to come to terms with Caroline’s condition, either accepting it or rejecting her daughter completely. So Mrs. Forbes, gun in hand, puts a stop to her ex-husband’s torture, as Tyler frees Caroline from her chains. The complications in family is a staple of the show, how vampirism and werewolvery only further create difficulties that already exist.

The Ripper past elaborated in more detail does reveal a side to Stefan many of us are realizing paints a different portrait of him. The sensitive, caring soul is almost a mask hiding a dark side that Damon already knew about but Elena is just starting to visualize. Trying to appeal to what Lexi encouraged instead of experiencing the Stefan of old, Elena seems to have failed. What lies ahead because of Klaus and his antics could very well reshape Elena’s life (as well as Stefan and Damon’s).

I think this episode is perhaps my highest rated of the show so far. I like the dark direction the show at this point was taking Stefan, the rejection of Elena sending her home defeated, Klaus and Rebekah revealing a formidable duo certain to challenge Stefan's grasp on any goodness still left, Caroline undergoing further family challenges, and Katherine still around to stir up trouble. I also enjoy wrinkles in the characters unveiled, and this episode has a fun trip back to 20s Chicago.