The Vampire Diaries - Break on Through

So some plot developments happened in Break on Through that either resolved current lingering subplots or seemingly have built towards a possible end to them for the interim.

• ·         Alaric’s demonic alter ego, stemming from use of the resurrection ring too many times, rears its ugly head again in an attack on Meredith.
• ·         Stefan finally learns to control his bloodlust, assisting in helping heal Meredith after she is left to bleed on the bathroom floor at Elena’s home.
• ·         Sage returns to Mystic Falls to locate and reunite with her “one true love”, Finn, but it seems most of the Mikaelsons are out of town.
• ·         Damon hopes to help Sage trick Rebekah into revealing any secrets that might help in conquering her and many of the Originals.
• ·       Rebekah’s knowledge of the other wicker tree that might could lead to their destruction is important in Damon possibly securing a weapon to use against the Originals.
• ·         Sage, even betraying her pupil, Damon, proves she would do anything to keep Finn safe and reunite with him again.
• ·         Abby, unable to truly accustom herself truly to being a vampire, decides, particularly after attacking Jamie, her adoptee, due to not acclimating to the control of bloodlust, to once again leave Bonnie, even after Caroline tries to convince her to stay.

Alaric gets much needed attention, undergoing an alteration due to use of the resurrection ring. So obviously Elena wants to help him. Meredith sticking with him is also a sign that her benevolence isn’t always met in kind…because of the ring’s “evil possession”, no matter who you are, Alaric’s “good self” isn’t strong enough to deter the “bad self”. Curious case of Jekyll/Hyde? I like it! Davis gets the chance to go cold-blooded psycho, probably the most fun he’s had in the role of Alaric, while Meredith uses scissors and some properly placed kicks in an attempt to avoid a full-on assault. It wasn’t enough, but thankfully Stefan was there to help Elena.

Abby feeling the pulsing in Jamie’s neck, unable to resist the bloodlust and Stefan proving he finally can control that urge to furiously drink are two sides properly conveyed in the episode…it is just the beginning for Abby, who has lost her ability to “feel nature” and commune with it because the vampire is a direct foe to everything a witch is. Hell, a witch’s spell caused the vampirism in the first place, not good magic, but very bad. Creating a predatory desire to feast on humans isn’t exactly good magic, now is it?

Elena and Stefan’s ongoing soap opera is not my jam, but it comes with the territory. You just learn to expect that drama. I tolerate it because I enjoy the darkness that does often exists along with the Gothic Romance. Damon and Stefan seem certainly united in their cause to kill Originals, as Damon reveals to his brother a certain wicker sign made for the bridge burned down by Rebekah thanks to help from Sage. The binding spell that would kill all Mikaelsons if Rebekah were to be stabbed by a wicker stake is uncovered by Sage, not willing to let Damon accomplish his plans. However, Damon did pull a fast one on Sage, revealing to Stefan that he pulled a ruse on her. So you have all that back and forth going on.

The Vampire Diaries does occasionally get as naughty as it can considering the limitations of broadcast television. Not undermined as this show is, you can see how much more True Blood gets away with the seedy and salient…I do always wonder just how much naughtier The Vampire Diaries would be without its restrictions. Just the same, the boundaries are pushed as close as possible. Sage and Damon in the shower, or seductively dancing, while Rebekah gets bored with them, actually arriving at the Salvatore estate despite every reason not to accept Damon’s invite. Something about Damon, probably the bad boy nature and looks, just is too alluring for Rebekah to stay away from. Damon calls it hate-sex. I find all that hilarious. These two—Rebekah and Damon—keep going to bed together despite seemingly despising each other. Sage and Damon, by episode’s end, at each other’s throats introduces a new adversary into the series for the Salvatores to contend with.

It appeared as if either Bonnie or Caroline might fall for Jamie, so I was left wondering if that was yet another failed / doomed relationship drama on the horizon. Jamie just seems to be a minor character to stay for a bit and eventually exit. I just don’t feel like he’ll be around for very long. But Abby, despite Caroline’s best efforts, just can’t seem to handle the responsibilities of being a mother to Bonnie. 3.5/5