Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: B | Grade It Now! YOU GRADE IT A Little Of Both
By Cindy McLennan | Season 3 | Episode 10 | Aired on 01.05.2012
Neka's argument is a well enough reasoned one. The part that doesn't sit well with me (I'm not picking on Neka, she just sees this differently than I do, and she probably sees it the way the writers intend) is this idea that screwing with Damon's magical ring, while he is in possession of it, is somehow pettier mojo than cloaking a few coffins. Sure, the witches respect "The Rules" but it feels like the logic of magical rules in this show needs some beefing up. Right now, it's more like... It's time for Bonnie to be in an episode again, so we'll create a magical need for her presence, and let her tip off Elena to Stefan's whereabouts, while she's at it.
I often think this show lacks a solid grasp on how to treat magic in its stories. I feel the same way about the human protect-o rings that Alaric and Jeremy have. You know this song. I've sung it before. I think they got too specific and too broad at the same time, when it defined the scope of the protect-o rings' powers. Okay, they protect humans from a supernatural death. No. Wait. It protects them from any sort of death (even a mundane one like being pushed off a balcony, or now, getting run over by a car) if and only if a supernatural creature is the one trying to kill the human. Oh an Elena isn't really human, because she's the doppelganger, even though, back when Stefan had to develop a tolerance for drinking human blood, Elena's blood served the purpose just fine. The human protect-o ring mythology will get more muddled by episode's end, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's get back to Elena's search for Stefan. Thank you for tolerating my digression. Or perhaps you didn't. Perhaps you've already stopped reading in which case I'm sorry for sucking, but you'll never know that, because you left me. End sidebar/diatribe.
When Elena reaches the basement, Stefan appears out of deep lurk and tells her to go away. Outside, Damon uses his vamponic hearing to eavesdrop on the conversation. Elena tells Stefan she needs his help. She asks him to give Klaus his family back, and explains that Klaus compelled the Germ to let himself get run over. When Stefan doesn't respond, Elena's tone grows more heated. Stefan voice is cold. "Elena, stop talking. I'm not giving Klaus anything." Elena says, "Are you listening to me? He's going to kill Jeremy." Stefan: "Not really my problem." Wow. You just gave her license to forget your sorry Beige-Angel-Arc ass, Stef. Elena slaps Stefan across the face, tells him to go to hell, and...Commercial.