The Vampire Diaries Season 2 Episode 13

Daddy Issues

Sorry it’s taken so long this time, people. usually we’re on top of things like, gosh, the MOST awesome vampire show ever after Buffy and True Blood. I actually lived in an airport for three days this past week, so as you might imagine, my skills just weren’t as up to snuff as they would be had I had food, sleep, or personal space. But the past is the past, and now I’m back to regale you with Vampire Diaries plot points and the all-important review, so sit back, stop whining, and adore the show with me. A lot of issues are culminating in this episode, Tyler’s found out about a lot of the issues with vampires and werewolves from Jules, the worst possible source, and confronts poor Caroline. Meanwhile Damon is pissed off at Stefan for bringing Johnathan Gilbert to town, and now Jenna knows about John being Elena’s daddy.

Hence the title “Daddy Issues.” Damon and Elena head out to ‘talk’ to John Gilbert, while Stefan actually does -talk- to poor Tyler Lockwood, who’s being pushed around by Jules like a pawn in a bad chess game, –you know, the only kind of chess game a girl can play (ah, my sexist humor!). Speaking of Jules, she’s got a new friend; “Brady” a leftover 90’s grunge fan, who looks like he desperately needs a bath.  And on top of that, the new witches in town, better known as Elijah’s minions, are trying to win over Bonnie, but she’s definitely not going easy. But let’s get out of this huge circling whirlwind of uncertainty, because what’s going on with the Tyler/Caroline/Jules/Brady thing is most disturbing.

Tyler’s new friends, Brady and Jules, kidnap Caroline by splattering her with what’s most likely vervaine mace, and then shoot her in the head with a wooden bullet. Then they take off with her and throw her in a cage, and give Stefan a “bring Tyler here or your friend is dead” routine, while torturing Caroline for… information… and fun. Damon heads off from his whole ‘discussion’ with the idiot John Gilbert, and runs to help Stefan deal with the situation, leaving Elena under the care of… her daddy. Of course, she wants to go help mediate the exchange, and ..isn’t allowed. Oh well. But trust me, the whole hostage trade thing never works out anyway, and when you’re trying to do this with like eight werewolves and three vampires involved… well, the chances for peaceful enterprise dwindle into the negative integers.

See, Jules’ friend Brady wants to kill Damon, even though Stefan willingly gave up Tyler to Jules. And then all hell breaks lose. Tyler gets into the camper to let Caroline out of her cage, after only a moment’s hesitation, while outside, Jules and pals are getting their butts kicked by only two vampires. But the fight turns around when Damon and Stefan end up getting staked… not in the heart! but they’re weakened. Just when things are looking really bad, all the werewolves, except Tyler, start dropping like flies. Out of the gloom steps… Luca’s dad, the black witch guy, remember? Elijah’s bit– I mean, witch? He drops them all with his mind-melting powers in order to uphold the half of Elijah’s deal with Elena, that her friends would be safe. So off stroll Caroline, Stefan, and Damon, much the worse for wear, and Tyler’s left to clean up.

But even with the whole ordeal with Caroline over with (and hopes for a reunion with her and Tyler are looking bleak), there’s still Johnathan Gilbert’s crap to deal with. His formula for defeating an Original: special tree ashes on a silver dagger, plunged into the heart. Well, we’ll eventually see if it works I guess. Sounds… remotely feasible, but Johnathan’s really not very trustworthy. He is still trying to patch up things with Elena, of course, via a bracelet that belonged to Elena’s mom (not Isobel). The plot is moving forward, Johnathan Gilbert is apparently working towards releasing Katherine from her tomb, Tyler has gone back to the werewolves and now they know about the moonstone, Elena and Bonnie are comforting Caroline, and Damon is eating the reporter in his bathtub. All is… well, extremely far from right with the world.