The Vampire Diaries - The Murder of One

I don’t think anyone expected the binding spell applied to the Mikaelsons by their dear mommy to last. Klaus and Rebekah weren’t going to die in one fail swoop. Bonnie was the perfect foil to that and Klaus knows the weaknesses of all of Elena, her family, and friends. Finn was an easy mark, because Klaus and Rebekah are the true Mikaelson stars on the show. So his death could emphasize Sage’s desire for revenge, and Bonnie’s release of the binding spell allows the remaining Mikaelsons to stay alive. But what should have been a good, old-fashioned rivalry between Sage and the Salvatores is undermined by the death of Finn. Although Bonnie does indeed release the binding spell, the wicker stake that did kill Finn also is a death sentence for the entire bloodline of anyone else turned by him in the process! So as Sage and a vampire turned by her look to get their pound of flesh from Stefan, the death of Finn effectively causes them to collapse and die. Goodbye, Sage. Goodbye, Finn. Not that Klaus is too worked up about it. Rebekah isn’t too fond of the Salvatores but at least they bicker but always are there for each other. Klaus just says good riddance and plots to take Elena with him to create hybrids, effectively bidding adieu to any “bringing together the family”. It also does appear that Klaus and Rebekah will be splitting up once they acquire all the wicker stakes in the possession of the Elena party. Most of them were returned but one…and Alaric’s demonic alter ego—the vampire-hating alter ego that also kills founders ancestors—has hidden that somewhere!

The dark side of the series returns again when Rebekah gradually knifes and bleeds Damon, leaving him hanging—yet again, it is essentially a running joke, now—by shackles in Klaus’ home. She’s mad because he worked to betray her. Ongoing this thing whatever it is between Damon and Rebekah is rather amusing to me. They will swap insults and trade barbs, verbally knifing each other. And yet they can’t help but sometimes fuck. It will continue to go back and forth, I guess.

Matt and Caroline are barely linked to any of the episode’s “let’s gang together and kill the Originals” plan, Caroline basically assigned to watch Alaric and make sure he drinks Bonnie’s herb juice to avoid the demonic alter ego attacking someone else, while  Matt serves drinks at the Grille. Neither factor into any staking ultimately. Finn and Sage get some time to chat and share longing looks at the Grille before both are dispatched by episode’s end. But, as you might expect, Elena and Stefan ache and agonize about their split thanks to Klaus’ misbehavior and hatred driving their rivalry. It often seemed we were guaranteed one scene between Elena and Stefan where they discuss love and breakup…and Damon, of course. She can’t dismiss feelings for Damon even as she’s completely lucid about how she feels for Stefan. Bonnie needs time away, understanding that her spell allowed the Mikaelsons to remain a-okay. Who could blame her? Previous episode, Bonnie and Elena hugged it out and forgiveness for Damon turning Abby was complete. But Bonnie having to deal with her actions won’t be easy to just avoid. Even as Klaus had presented a no-win (Jeremy in Denver, recorded on phone by Kol Mikaelson, his life endangered if she doesn’t cooperate), Bonnie still has to live with releasing the binding spell.

The neat development regarding killing the bloodline is frightening to the likes of the Salvatores, Caroline, even Tyler. If Klaus were killed, so would Tyler die. But Alaric’s alter ego hiding the remaining stake, Klaus making sure Stefan and Damon understand that if they provoke him any longer all those they love would perish, and Caroline concerned that the originator of her own turning could be killed provide some continuing threads to keep in mind. 3.5/5