I don’t know about you, but I love flashback episodes. They always provide so many answers. Can you say overjoyed?
We begin with Katherine and Damon in bed together. I believe the best scenes always start with the characters in bed. Katherine says she will turn Damon into a vampire in due time. Ian Somerhalder rocks the 19th century style. His eyes appear to pierce you even further since they are not obstructed by a 21st century shaggy haircut.
In present day Elena wakes up with Stefan. In bed. Silent yes! Elena promises Stefan that she will look for Jonathan Gilbert’s journal later that day. And inside the journal lies the key to finding Emily’s Grimoire, or witch’s cookbook, of all her spells. These vampires really seem to want Katherine and company released from the tomb. It’s interesting that each new vamp we meet has the same endgame: Katherine’s release.
Back in the 1800s Emily is Katherine’s maid and Anna is Katherine’s friend Pearl’s (another vampire) daughter. Great casting of Kelly Hu as Pearl. It’s a natural step to go from playing an X-Man to a vampire, no? And now we know how each character knows each other. I’m picturing a web chart of all these connections, and let me tell you, it’s quite complex.
In present day Mystic Falls we learn Ben is a newbie vamp and Anna only turned him so she could use him to her advantage. Well I’m sorry to be so blunt, but duh? Anna says she needed someone in a position to be her eyes and ears. “You were sad Ben. You lacked purpose. You needed me.” Wow, talk about harsh. This makes me sadder for Ben and Bonnie because there really could’ve been something there if Ben wasn’t being manipulated. Writers, find Bonnie a real boyfriend stat!
Jeremy tells Damon and Elena that he gave the Gilbert journal to his teacher, Alaric. Uh-oh. Time to get that journal back! Both Stefan and Anna separately sneak into the school to get it, only Alaric is there reading it. Well, in true vampire fashion they make Alaric question if someone is there and he gets up from his seat leaving the journal unattended. Bad move, Alaric. Anna manages to sneak in and get the journal without anyone noticing, leaving Alaric and Stefan to attack each other before they realize communication is probably a better way to go about things than shooting each other with compressed air powered stakes. Stefan tells Alaric to have a seat, which is followed by a mature discussion of the truth about Alaric’s dead wife. Damon killed her. Her body disappeared and they never found her. Stefan tells Alaric not to tell Damon why he’s really in Mystic Falls. Smart move, Mr. Salvatore.
Back in the flashback Giuseppe Salvatore, played by the fabulously dead-on James Remar, tells his sons Damon and Stefan that the town is in trouble because of the vampires among them. Pearl also warns Katherine, telling her to be careful. Foreshadowing should tell you that Katherine doesn’t really listen to this sage advice.
Presently, Damon is over at the Gilberts cooking dinner with Jenna and Elena. Can Damon trust Stefan? Elena says yes, but we all know she’s lying. Props to Elena for successfully pulling one over on Damon, although it may come back to bite her. As much as I hate to admit, Damon is seriously growing on me. He can’t possibly be as evil as the writers want us to think he is. All he wants is the love of his life back. “I’m sure you can understand that,” he says to Elena. I understand it Damon, really, I do.
By the way, in my head I totally saw Jenna being interested in Damon. He is hot, no argument here. But how weird would that be if they actually got together? She should stick with Alaric.
Bonnie and Ben finally have their date. It appears to be going well and Bonnie even gets up in the middle to go call her BFF Elena. At the end they kiss and Bonnie gets a weird feeling. Must be witch’s intuition. Bonnie tries to book it out of there, but the speed of a vampire is no match for her and Ben whisks her away somewhere. To be continued.
At the Gilberts’ Jeremy tells Stefan and Damon he mentioned the journal to his new stalker friend Anna. Cue the mad dash to The Grill to find Anna and the journal where Damon recognizes her as Pearl’s daughter. Dun dun dun.
Luckily, Alaric had made a copy of the journal, which he gives to Stefan. Stefan and Elena read it and learn more about Giuseppe’s plans for the vampires. Back in the 1800s Stefan confronts his father about his concerns for the vampires. Giuseppe replies that “These creatures are from the darkest parts of Hell.” Ouch. Katherine and Stefan are still together at this point, but not for long as Giuseppe has dosed Stefan with vervain. As soon as Katherine bites him, her likeness is revealed and Stefan’s father carts her off with the other vampires.
The journal reveals that the grimoire is buried with Giuseppe Salvatore, so Stefan goes to his grave to get it. Damon arrives there with the actual journal and becomes aware that Elena lied to him about being able to trust Stefan. “You had me fooled.” Damon threatens Elena and forces her to drink his blood before vowing to snap her neck right then and there unless Stefan hands over the grimoire. Drama!
Returning to the 1800s one last time we see Pearl and Jonathan Gilbert talking. There had been a flirtation there, but as soon as his watch points to Pearl as a vampire, it’s gone. Jonathan gives her up as Anna and Emily watch from the sidelines. Emily promises to protect Anna as Pearl is taken into custody.
Stefan and Elena return home. But all is not well for long. Elena goes upstairs to her room, only to be kidnapped by an unseen Anna. Stefan turns to Damon to help him save her. Damon’s retort? “I hope Elena dies.”
Mini cliff hangers you know will be resolved the following week make for some truly great television. Can’t wait!
Choice quotes: “Damon believes that everything he’s done, every move that he’s made, he’s done for love. It’s twisted, but kind of sad.” -Elena. Truer words have never been spoken.
Damon: “Can I trust him?”
Elena: “Honestly, of course you can.”
Bonnie to Ben: “Elena and I are bonded for life. She’s my sister. I mean, I’d die for her.” Be careful what you say there, Ms. Bonnie!
Damon to Stefan in 1800s: “You did this. This is your fault.”
So Damon wasn’t always such a bad guy. And as I said before, I really don’t think he is one now despite his I hope Elena dies comment. It’s just his way of coping with a terrible loss. I was also saddened to see Caroline and Matt sidelined yet again. And I hope Tyler comes back saying “oh by the way friends, I’ve been in Atlantic City and made a bajillion dollars” or something like that. The writers better give him something good to explain his severely prolonged absence.
What did you think of ‘Children of the Damned’? It certainly answered some burning questions and then raised some more. Marks of a great TV show! Do you love or hate Damon? Until next week!
Lauren Strupp is an NYU grad and New York City based television addict and media professional. She’s worked at several national magazines including Us Weekly and in broadcast news at CBS. Obsessed with television, Lauren is known as a walking IMDB.com by her friends. Not only does she love all things vampire, but she’s been following Paul Wesley’s career since his days at The Guiding Light. She is thrilled to be joining TheTelevixen.com as a reviewer!
Photo courtesy of The CW
