The Vampire Diaries: As I Lay Dying Review

'As I Lay Dying'

Where the writer's make us eat our words about last week making an epic finale

Previously on the Vampire Diaries: Everybody’s brains exploded from the stress of it all.

What? Elena becomes the adult of the house and suddenly sleep overs with Bonnie are banned? Jeremy will never heal if he’s deprived of shirtless hugs.

Oh now I may just start crying after looking in Jenna’s room. I was upset by her death, but somehow the absence of her being made so obvious like this makes it even harder.

“And I need some time – maybe a lot of time.” Yeah Damon, now might be a good moment to point out that we don’t have a lot of time before your werewolf bite supposedly makes you go crazy… Although seriously, he needs a hug right now. And why is Damon tanned???

“Take all the time you need.” SOB.

Oh there’s something very upsetting about non eyebrowy, trying to come to term with his death, trying to get forgiveness, quiet Damon.

Eeee – that bite looks more disgusting every time. I don’t think there’s enough alcohol in the world to make that one go away.

No no no, he’s being a moron! Someone quick, leap from the shadows and save him!

Yay Stefan! Seriously who directed this episode? Because there have been a lot of very beautiful moments with Damon over the last two episodes.

I suppose locking him up does prevent him from doing anything poetically beautiful with his death, but it seems a bit mean that his last few days be spent locked up in that musty cellar.
Oh goody, so the blood hacking begins.

YES! Is anyone else insanely glad that the baddies are still around? I was worried that would be the last we saw of Elijah and Klaus until next season.

Yummy and evil what more could one want?

Jeez, almost two days? Klaus is going to be one bad MF.

I love these two interacting. I love the difference – how coarse Klaus is next to refined and delicate Elijah.

Elijah does not look particularly fussed with how this is going. Klaus is so not going to make it easy on him. Although why is he suddenly back to bending and scraping and helping him on with his coat?... Elijah, we want your badass self back again!

Also, double yes for Ric having a massive chip on his shoulder for being shut up in the house. I really hope he takes it out on Bonnie later. That was not cool what she did.

Although I love that all it takes is for Stefan to mention that Damon is dying, and Ric is all helpful again. That bromance is truly epic.

I want to live in Mystic Falls. Not for the hot vampires and werewolves running around. No, I want to be there because of the sheer amount of awesome town events. Dress up ‘Gone with the Wind’ movie in the square? *sigh*

Caroline is so insanely bubbly I love it. Although Jeremy seems more grumpy than grieving.

Love that little mini speech, but Jeremy seems way unimpressed. Someone get that guy his girlfriend. He needs shirtless hugs.

Seriously Stefan? Let’s contact the witches that tried to burn Damon alive and then locked him out of the house? They might be able to help save him? Who hit Stefan over the head with something heavy? Because this plan makes no sense whatsoever.

Haha, yes, Klaus is the answer… Well, possibly. But I love where this could be heading.

See Stefan, there could be a silver lining to being double crossed and the evil vampwolf hybrid still being alive…

Mrs Lockwood, you’re being awfully snappy today… Who’s compelled you this time?

Urgh, Stefan can never keep his mouth shut can he? Although I am kind of glad, just because Elena now feels really bad for being mean. Yeah that’s right, you go apologize. Because they so need an epic moment together to get all their feelings out in the open. Even though I doubt Damon is going to be dead by the end of this, I’m still impressed that Stefan has the guts to man up and accept that they may need that epic moment because they do both have feelings for each other.

FLASHBACK!

Wow that was weird. Elena is creeping into his subconscious.
I love those moments where we get to see human Damon. He was so innocent, and gentle before he was turned. I love the different facets to his character, and the journey he’s come on to reach this point. His story is the one that fascinates me the most – hence why I don’t think the writers are done with his character yet.

Haha, I love it. Of course Katherine is still stuck in Ric’s flat. That poor girl has no luck when it comes to getting stuck in weird places. Do we think Klaus has forgotten about her, or will she be coming with him on their epic quest to find some siblings?

O. M. G.

So unfair Klaus. So unfair. I don’t want a dead Elijah again – he’s no fun when he’s dead… BRING HIM BACK NOW.

Stefan, you did not think this through.

Is it possible for Klaus to get scarier as time goes on?

I love that Ric remembers the little things that Damon needs. A glass of something and his ring. Stefan is such a lame brother, Ric is where his true love lies…

And he feels his pain and gives him a double shot. I love it.

“He’s just doing what he always does – trying to right the wrongs of the past.”

“Give me a glass, neither one of us is drunk enough for this conversation.” Oh god, this is so awful and so good at the same time. Drunken/dying reminiscing over the women in Ric’s life that Damon has destroyed. Because after all that bromancing you knew that they’d have to tackle it eventually.

Is Damon trying to make Ric hate him? Or is he just desperate?
“Kill me, please.”
“Screw you.” *stab”

And yet even after that he stays… Ric has the patience of a saint. I suppose you’d have to to have any relationship with Damon. That guy is like a hyperactive, cranky/bitey puppy.

Why does Elena wait until it’s dark to do things? WHY? Dark is bad. Bad things 

can hide in it. Does this girl just never learn?

Oh you have got to be kidding… Sherriff Forbes decides that NOW is the BEST TIME to do a raid?! Urgh. This woman should just go curl up in a corner of her office and feel useless.

Oh Ric, you are not having a good time of being shut in places you don’t want to be. I feel your pain.

Seriously Mommy Forbes, you had that coming. I would have had sympathy for the Mommy Forbes who got compelled to forget about Caroline. But this version has been pissing me off for the last few episodes.

“All this waiting around for news is ruining Scarlett for me.” Have I mentioned recently how much I love Caroline?...

YAY! Bonnie’s stopping people thing was really irritating. So glad Jeremy put her back in her place for a minute.

I love that Klaus has kept tabs on Stefan all along. And I love that Stefan’s past is a lot darker than we’ve been lead to believe. I mean we heard he was a bad boy, but if you tie in the appalling Stefan’s Diaries, then whilst he had minor rampages, the guy was a bit of a pussy. This sounds more like someone that Klaus would actually respect. And I want to know everything about this ripper…

Wow, Katherine was actually scared. I am impressed.
Is she know a werevamp hybrid?... Cos that makes Katherine even cooler than before…

Good ok, so we’ve got ourselves a potential cure. Props to all of the fans out there who called that it would be something to do with Klaus’ blood. And possible a hybrid Katherine. What is going to be the price for Stefan to pay though?

I love how this has been shot. Love his delusions spilling into the dressed up reality. It works beautifully.

Urgh Mommy Forbes. Why did that fall not hurt more…

What.

What the hell.

You have got to be kidding me.

Jeremy has to survive this right? I mean Jenna survived a stab wound. Please don’t kill Jeremy too.

PUT PRESSURE ON THE WOUND YOU IDIOT POLICE WOMAN.

How’s about you open his mouth before you ram your blood into it? That might help him drink it…

Tell me how no one heard that smash as she broke the window?...

This episode is terrifying. Way more than I anticipated. If Jeremy dies I may go into full blown mourning.

I literally hate Sherriff Forbes right now. And I don’t think I’ve ever full out hated a character on here before.

“You want to save your brother, how about a decade long bender?” I love Klaus. I’m also curious because of course Stefan will do it, it’s to save Damon. But will Stefan tell anyone about the deal? Or will he even get a chance to?

Hasn’t Stefan been drinking blood precisely so he doesn’t fall off the wagon? Or did he just forget about that plan?

“Finish it. All of it.”

Jeez, Klaus takes drinking and peer pressure to a whole new level here.

“You do everything I say, and you save your brother, that’s the deal.” This can never ever end well.

All your people worrying about Poor Damon? You should so have been worrying about poor Stefan. Misdirection – the writers are brilliant at it.

Does Klaus just want to see if Stefan explodes after one to many blood bags?
Now now Klaus, he is not a toy. “Again.”

Maybe it’s just me, but Bonnie doesn’t seem as upset as she should be. Or maybe it’s just that I’m used to Elena’s incredible tears, and Damon’s single tear sadness.

Wow, we came into this episode expecting Damon high terror and upset, and instead we get Jeremy. I am crying throughout this scene. This is so unfair if Jeremy dies. I refuse to believe he’s already dead.

HE’S ALIVE! I am doing a little happy dance.

I love how this is shot with the flashbacks intermingling reality. I loved when they did that when Stefan was out of it in season one, but it seems even better this time.
But if Damon accidentally kills Elena because he’s hallucinating I will not be impressed.

He’s so heart breaking. And finally she’s being nice to him. Mini yay.

“I thought I killed him.”
“You did.” I love Caroline for saying this. For pointing out that just because he’s alive and we’re all very happy about this, the Sherriff did actually kill him in the first place. And she should be hung drawn and quartered as punishment.

This does not redeem Mommy Forbes in any way, but it helps a bit if she’s not actively trying to kill Caroline.

Does Jeremy have some sort of contract that involves him dying/trying to die in every finale?...

Also, I think Bonnie wants lots of shirtless hugs too. These kids are made for each other.

Why has no one suggested that Ric move in with the Gilberts? Since Klaus has taken over his flat. Where is he sleeping? In his car? This is crazy. ADOPT SOME CHILDREN RIC!

Oh Jeremy can’t you be a little more enthusiastic about Ric ‘crashing here’ the poor guy has no house and no girlfriend. And is possibly suffering from a really bad hangover. He needs a hug.

Oh I love them. That was a moment of much needed laughter in this episode. Seriously Ric should move in and adopt them, and then they can play happy families FOR EVER. And then Damon and Ric can get married and look after them, and it’ll be this weird incestuous family.

I can picture season three now… AND IT’S EPIC.

Wow there are some echoes with Rose right now.

“It’s not alright. It’s not alright. All those years I blamed Stefan, he never forced me to love her. It was my choice. I made the wrong choice.” Oh Damon, you really are growing aren’t you. I would be more upset, but really, he’s not going to die.

“Tell Stefan I’m sorry.” But you know that he’s going to milk the going to die thing for ages before he gets saved in the last two minutes… I’m just going to get some tissues in preparation.

This is such a weird scene. Klaus, Elijah dead on the floor, Stefan and his trail of blood bags.

Aw pants. Stefan looks like he might cry at any moment, and I really don’t trust Katherine. Although since she finally got what she wanted which was out of the flat, and she did seem a little bit concerned about Damon, maybe there’s a chance he might still get the cure. It’s a lot slimmer than it was a moment ago.

“I’ve made a lot of choices that have gotten me here. I deserve this. I deserve to die.” Aw Damon, you do dying redemption so well. It’s almost worth all the pain and the torment of would he survive just so we get to see this.

“It’s ok. If I’d have chosen differently I wouldn’t have met you.” Collective swoon.

“I’m so sorry. I’ve done so many things to hurt you.”
“It’s ok. I forgive you.” Collective sob and swoon.

“I know you love Stefan – and it will always be Stefan – but I love you. You should know that.”
“I do.”
“You should have met me in 1864, you would have liked me.”
“I like you now. Just the way you are.” Is anyone else crying over how gorgeous this is? And how long we’ve been waiting for it?

Whilst I’m devastated he’s too ill to even really kiss her back, I love that they just kissed. Oh it was perfect. And it wasn’t forced, and she wanted to. Because she loves him, just as he is. Even if it isn’t the same kind of love as she has for Stefan, she does still love Damon. And it was chaste and sweet, and not at all like the kiss he shared with Katherine at the end of series one.

I love how guilty and childlike Elena is next to Katherine. And I also love the difference between Elena’s careful nursing of Damon, and Katherine’s pat on the cheek. Yeah, Damon picked the right girl to obsess about eventually.
Also impressed that Katherine did come with the cure.

“Where’s Stefan?”
“Are you sure you care?” Ouch – Katherine must have seen and heard a lot more than Elena would have liked.

“He just sacrificed everything to save his brother – including you. It’s a good thing you have Damon to keep you company.” Oh series three is going to get twisted…

So glad they finally got that line in. “It’s ok to love them both – I did.” And it also works so much better coming from Katherine rather than Rose. Katherine knows what she’s talking about. Rose just liked getting in Damon’s pants.

Oh good lord. So Klaus has a crypt with all the family members in? That’s way less fun than having to search the world for original corpses. Although having them all in one handy place makes it easier when someone decides to come wake them all up.
(Please let that be soon.)

I love that Klaus knew all along that Katherine was on Vervain. Seriously, this guy just doesn’t let anything get past him. He’s truly terrifying.

Oh Stefan baby you are so screwed.

What the hell?
Jeremy is being haunted by his dead ex girlfriends??... This is going to take some explaining guys. And I am also completely terrified by that whole chasing him round the house. 

Although I for one, am happy to see Anna back again. Although Vicki was never my cup of tea. Looks like Bonnie’s got more competition on her hands.
Jeremy took that way too calmly in my opinion. Two of your dead gf’s show up and you look mildly confused?

(Ric gets points for sleeping on the sofa by the way.)

Ok, so as finales go, season one was more of an edge of the seat oh good god what are you doing kind of one. But this one did live up to the hype. It felt like more of a slow build simmer which is going to explode come the next season.

We still had plenty of action to keep us going. Jeremy looks like he’s going to play a bigger role next season which is good.
Stefan has by the looks of things, gone diabolically evil, which is always fab.
Damon is no longer dying which is always a bonus.
Elena is horribly confused by her love for both brothers – took her long enough.
Ric might get some more responsibility with the kids.
Caroline and her Mom might bond.
And Bonnie might get her head out of her ass one of these days…
Probably at the same time Elijah catches a break and doesn’t get killed for more than three episodes at a time.

Thoughts? Opinions? Moments that had you screaming at the screen? Theories for next season? Share and dish in the comments below.