Episode Report Card Cindy McLennan: A+ | 241 USERS: A- YOU GRADE IT In Which Everyone's Pretty And Nothing Hurts
By Cindy McLennan | Season 4 | Episode 18 | Aired on 2013.03.28
Elena's waiting at a booth when the Salvatores arrive. The place is otherwise empty, so the waitress tells them to sit anywhere they'd like. When they join Elena, she's giving them the silent treatment, so they remind her she texted them to meet her there. Finally, Elena says she doesn't want the cure. "You need to know that I never will, and I'm done talking about it, so will you accept that, and let me be who I am or not?" Damon looks at Stefan, then says, "Um yeah...no."
Stefan tells Elena this isn't her. He's right, but that would tick me off to no end. Elena tells Stefan it is her, now. "And you two really need to accept it, because if you don't, there will be consequences." Stefan says that when he was in the same situation, Elena refused to accept it. She didn't give up on him. She didn't stop 'til she pulled him back. The poor waitress picks that moment to top off Elena's coffee. Elena thanks her, then grabs her and breaks the woman's neck. As her body hits the floor, Damon cries out, "Oh!" Elena faces them. "Like I said, consequences. That's one body you're responsible for. If you keep trying to fix me, there will be a second, a twentieth, and a hundredth." With a fake smile she adds, "It's your choice." She steps over the dead waitress and out into the night. Damon turns to Stefan. "Are you still ready to ride off into the sunset?" Title card.
"American Gothic" is exactly the oasis, this parched fan needed. It is funny, surprising, suspenseful, and emotionally and otherwise satisfying. From a recapper's perspective, the prospect of a mini-hiatus doesn't hurt, either. I'll be back with coverage of April 18th's "Pictures Of You." In the meantime, please grade the episode at the top of the page and then come on over to the forum, where we're throwing a welcome back party for Kiki and EM.