Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A+ | 5 USERS: A+ YOU GRADE IT Founders Finale Finally
By Cindy McLennan | Season 1 | Episode 22 | Aired on 05.13.2010
As a still-weak Damon moves away from the flames, Stefan and Elena confront Uncle Snark Daddy. He's convinced he's doing what should have been done 145 years ago. "This is the right thing, Elena." Stefan realizes they're not going to get anywhere with John, so he asks Elena about other entrances to Grayson's building. Elena points him toward a utility door on the side, but when she tries to follow, Snark grabs her. "You take one more step and I'll alert those deputies that they missed a vampire." Elena: "I'm asking you not to." Snark: "That doesn't mean anything to me." Elena takes a breath. Perhaps Stefan's advice wasn't so useless after all. "As my father, it should." Snark is completely disarmed. He releases her and backs up. "You know?" Elena: "I wasn't sure, but now I am." She gives him a dirty look and heads off.
Stefan reaches the utility door and is headed inside when Bonnie tries to stop him. "You can't go in there. The fire will take you out." Stefan exhales. "He's my brother, Bonnie." Inside, Stefan finds his way to the basement door, but smoke is pouring out from under it and the knob is hot. Just then, Elena arrives outside. She starts in the building but Bonnie grabs her and tells her she can't. Elena's a better friend than I, because she doesn't call Bonnie out on her betrayal, she just tries to get free. Bonnie: "I'm sorry I lied to you." Before Elena can move, Bonnie grabs onto her tight, because as Grams taught us, many emotions can fuel a witch's power. What we've got working here is guilt, contrition, love, and fear. Bonnie chants, ignoring Elena's pleas to release her.
Inside, the spell must start to work, because Stefan can now grasp the doorknob. He opens it to find the basement in flames, but as Bonnie chants, the flames subside enough for Stefan to descend the staircase. He finds Damon in the only non-flamey spot, pulls him to his feet and drags him out at super speed. Bonnie must be able to see (in her mind) what's going on, because as soon as the boys are up the stairs, but long before they're out, the fire rages once again. When she finishes chanting, she reels as if she's going to collapse. Elena grabs her. "Bonnie! Bonnie, what is it?" And then, "Are they going to be okay?" I think that stings Bonnie a little, but right now, I think it should.
Our beautiful Brothers Salvatore come spilling out of the building. Damon is coughing because of the smoke (and because he forgets he's a vampire). Elena hangs onto her men as Bonnie watches with a mixture of relief, guilt, and possibly disgust. Commercial.