By Cindy McLennan | Season 2 | Episode 14
Sometimes, I don't like to grade an episode until I've dug in deep, but "Crying Wolf" pushes enough of my buttons that I'm giving it an immediate A. What about you? Click the little A for how it presents our women. Elena is fierce, strong, cunning, brave, sexy, playful, nostalgic and compassionate in this episode. Bonnie and Caroline have agency and resolve, and their friendship shines through. Jenna stands up to John and starts to suspect Alaric. Awesome!
"Crying Wolf" doesn't just put the grrrrr in girl, though. Oh no, there's much more. Stefan is ruthless with the Pucking Wolfgang, yet he and Elena have tender, meaningful moments that remind me why I like them together (even though I also like Damon and Elena together). Alaric and Damon's bromance continues apace. Oh, and we learn Damon didn't kill intrepid girl-reporter Andi. He's just compelling her to think he's "the one", relieving her of some excess blood, jumping her bones, and introducing more scarves into her wardrobe, you know, like you do with your chew toy.
We get more of the delicious Elijah (do you even care if Satan Klaus ever comes to town?) and confirmation of what most of us suspected about his deal with Elena -- there's no guarantee for her safety. Also, there's Bonnie and Jeremy goodness. I'm in my happy place right now -- so long as I compel myself to forget that it looks like Tyler is out of the picture and off our screens, at least for a while. Darn it. I understand why it has to happen, but I'm not happy about it. Last season, Tyler was an arrogant and angry young man/attempted date-rapist, who needed a good kick in the crotch. This season, he's managed to retain his edge, while growing into a sympathetic and appealing character who is now nearly as likable and sexy as the actor who plays him. Big love to you, Michael Trevino. I sure hope Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson bring you back soon, and for good.
I can't cover everything in this recaplet, so here's the skinny: Stefan takes Elena away to her family's lake house. Now the Pucking Wolfgang wants the moonstone and the doppelganger. They want the moonstone because if they break the curse, they can transform whenever they want (which in traumatized Ty's case is never again), but the vampires will remain cursed forever. If the vamps break the curse, only the vamps will be free. You get the picture. To that end, Ty swipes Caroline's phone and texts (as Caroline) Elena to find out her location. But don't get too mad at my Pudding Pup. He doesn't realize the doppelganger must be sacrificed in order to break the curse. He tells Jules, Brady and um -- let's call him Wolfgeek -- where our girl and Stefan are. Jules and Wolfgeek (and maybe another nameless pooch or two) head to Mossy Manse, where they ambush Damon and Alaric (who dies for a while) and try to get moonstone intel. Damon is the victim of this week's torture porn, which is a refreshing twist. Meanwhile, Brady, Tyler and other nameless woofers head to the lake, capture Stefan and shoot him full of wood. Once Heroic Hairdo is temporarily defanged, Brady goes in the cabin and after Elena. She, at turns, fends him off, evades him, stabs him, tricks him, and stabs him again. Meanwhile, Tyler points a gun at an ensnared Stefan, but when Stef tells Pudding Pup that his new pack wants to kill Elena, he switches teams and releases Stefan, who rips out the Wolfgang's hearts, saves the day and keeps the girl.
Meanwhile, back in Mystic Falls, Uncle Snark Daddy John (sic) Gilbert plants seeds of doubt in Jenna's head regarding Alaric. Evil Hottie Elijah saves Damon and kills some more of the Wolfgang. Jules escapes. Bonnie, Caroline and Jeremy slip Junior Manwitch a mickey and then Bonnie does a hypnotizing spell on him to make him talk. He admits that Elijah intends to use Elena as the sacrifice, because right after the ritual is when Satan Klaus will be the weakest, and both Elijah and the Manwitch family have plenty of reasons for wanting Satan Klaus dead. But best of all? Thanks to a heart-to-heart with Caroline, Bonnie decides it's okay to be with Jeremy. She tries to make a pretty speech to that effect, but as soon as she calls him hot, Jeremy says that's enough and it's smoooooootchie time. Finally.
The episode ends on the so-called sad note, with Tyler leaving his mother a literal sad note. He's shaking the dust off his paws and heading out of town. Ty does stop by the Grill to see let Matt know, and to tell him that Caroline loves and needs him. He also lurks outside Caroline's house, but decides against seeing her, hops in Jules' car and drives off to her Obedience School, I guess. Bye-bye, Tyler. I'll miss you. Don't stay away too long. Lassie, come home!
I'll be back with the weecap ASAP. In the meantime, please grade the episode at the top of the page and then join us on the boards, where we're busy laying a trail of Caroline-kiss flavored kibble, to tempt Ty back to Mystic Falls.
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