Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A | 553 USERS: B+ YOU GRADE IT Be Still And Know I Am...
By Cindy McLennan | Season 3 | Episode 20 | Aired on 2012.04.26
Mossy Manse. Elena is at Gilbert Gables when she calls up Stefan and haltingly invites him to the dance. Stefan is all smiles as he gratefully and graciously accepts. When they hang up, Damon is right behind his little brother. "I'm thinking a gardenia corsage -- wrist, obviously. You don't want to accidentally stab her in the chest with a pin. That could get messy." Oh, poor Damon. The only thing bigger than his love for Elena is his love for Stefan and his dedication to the Stefan/Elena 'ship.
Mystic Falls Hospital. Damon shows up and spooks Meredith, which is always a good time... well for him. She snaps that it's not funny when he does that. Damon's all, Oh c'mon. It was a little funny. I agree, Evil Pixie Monster. Anyhow, he's there basically to reveal that he knows Alaric hasn't been taking Bonnie's magical Psycho-Killer-Alter-Ego-Suppression-Herbs. Oh, Ric!
Cemetery, Salvatore Crypt. Esther and Evilaric approach. It seems this is the spot where Klaus once ripped out Esther's heart in a fashion far more literal than most children employ. The violence has marked the spot for all time, so it's mojotastic I guess. Inside the crypt, Esther has already set up her go-to tools. She's got the Son of White Oak stake and what I thought was a ginormous chalice, but later we see it's a bowl on a chalice-y stand. All she needs is Ric's protect-o ring. Evilaric is understandably hesitant about handing over the thing that keeps him alive in this old town without pity, but Esther could talk a dog off a meat wagon so of course she gets her way. After placing the ring in the bowl, she lights a magical fire with her mind like you do. There's some chanting and some ring melting. When the fire has done its job, it extinguishes itself in a way that would make Smokey the Bear proud. ["Only you can prevent crypt fires." --Smokey] Esther takes the Son of White Oak stake, dips it in the liquefied protect-o ring. The ring coats the Son of White Oak stake and presto chango. Now the ring's protect-o magic will protect the stake, such that it won't burn up after killing just one Original. Clever, show. Esther declares the ring the ultimate weapon for the ultimate hunter. Somewhere, Buffy's feeling maligned and she doesn't even know why. Commercial.