Hello dear readers! I was so late with this review that I considered doing a double edition with tonight's new episode, but then I realized that such a review would be longer than the list of reasons I'm sad Nina Dobrev is leaving the show. So I've split it up accordingly. Let's review and discuss The Vampire Diaries 6x20, "I'd Leave My Happy Home for You." For what it's worth, I liked this one a lot better than the previous episode, and found that it moved forward in a more productive and engaging way.
"Damon, if you take that cure, you can never be a vampire, ever again." So we finally got the explanation of how Damon and Elena can both take the cure: if Elena takes it and then Damon feeds on her. Hmm, I didn't think of that. Anyway, while I'm still no fan of this storyline, it was used to somewhat better effect in this episode, mostly succeeding where it probed and questioned the very nature of who Damon is: what would he be as a human? Could he deal with losing all of the aspects of vampirism he loves, and that have come to define him so much as a person (but at least he can keep the leather jacket!)? Does his love for Elena equal his love of being a vampire, or exceed it?
Deciding, despite pretty much everyone's objections to his decision, to become human so that he can stay with Elena (a swoon-worthy show of his love for her that no Delena shipper could resist, despite the other drawbacks of this cure redux), Damon took her to the porch of her old house via vampy fantasy projection, setting the scene for her to take the cure. As we reminisced about all the wonderful memories of the Gilbert house and the gravity of the situation overall, Elena slurped down that cure - and abracadabra, got her memories of loving Damon back! Yup, the twist that had so many fans irritated has been reversed, though this cure plotline is probably just as bad, if not worse, than Elena's memory wipe. Plus, the more flashbacks of Delena bliss that we get to enjoy, the more I feel my emotions being strategically manipulated by the writers in preparation for a doubtless heartbreaking departure for Elena by season's end. Ugh.
Of course, the instant that Elena was all joyful about her regained humanity, someone - Lily, since she's the current threat in town - showed up to attack her. Well, come on Damon and Elena: obviously, someone's always going to be after Elena and being human again comes with those same seasons 1-3 consequences. However, I loved seeing scrappy human Elena back in action, cleverly using the hidden passageway in the Mystic Grill to make her escape. Later, Elena told Damon that she remembers that time when he said being human would be the worst thing ever, prompting me to groan, "come on Elena, that was Season 4!" Yup, now she's second guessing whether he could ever be content as a human, leading us to yet more Delena angst.
"You guys aren't full, are you?" A nice balance to the melancholy of some of the episode's events was the fun of the bachelor and bachlorette parties for Alaric and Jo. Of course, it's not a Mystic Falls party without violent party crashers, soul crushing arguments, and Matt complaining about something. At this point, I basically think Matt should be shipped off to wherever Jeremy is and they can have their own little unaired spin-off. Poor Tyler isn't doing much better, with his will-he-or-won't-he wibble-wobble over his fear of becoming a werewolf again. Typically, Alaric spent his bachelor party more interested in the well-being of his friends, like on-the-precipace-of-a-life-changing-decision Damon, than in his own affairs. However, grumpy little grey cloud Matt reminded Ric of the irresponsibility of introducing an innocent child into a place full of evil, malicious killers - prompting Ric to ponder leaving town. You shut your mouth, Matty. True though your words may be, I'd prefer to keep Alaric around, thank you very much!
Stefan: "What are you doing in my bedroom?"
It's a testament to how little sense the Stefan vs Enzo storyline made that the two can interact so casually and even almost work together towards the same goal now. Sure, they'll probably never be buddies, but deadly, epic enemies? Hardly. In addition to seeing Stefan and Enzo discussing Lily's predicament, I also enjoyed the shocking sight of Damon and Enzo actually interacting! Plus, Stefan's voicemail to Caroline was definitely "utterly adorable," and I can't wait to see what will happen with Caroline the next time we see her.
Stefan's conversations with Lily were revealing of the two admirable sides of his personality: he can be armored in appropriate cynicism and yet hold out a little hope that someone dreadful still has a tiny modicum of good left in her. I like the complexity of Lily's relationships and interactions with her sons, and am also excited to see how the situation will be effected when her chosen family, the Heretics, return from their prison world.
That amazing ending: I was so totally thrilled to see Kai plotting with the Heretics instead of being eaten by them, and on top of that, to see that they are probably all busting loose very soon. Watching the mayhem this gang will bring to Mystic Falls should be crazy fun.
Also, Defan! Who could not get warm fuzzies and aww vibes from the scene of Stefan telling Damon he was hurt to be one of the last to know about the cure? I especially liked Stefan's emphasis that he had to hear it from Enzo. Ouch! I love a good poignant brotherly scene between the Salvatores, and this was a great one.
What did you think of this episode? We already know Elena's leaving town / the show, but will Alaric and Jo follow suit? Other ideas about what is in store (or what you want to see!) in the last couple of episodes in Season 6? Share your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to catch an all-new The Vampire Diaries, tonight, Thursday at 8/7c on The CW.
