THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: ‘Bad Moon Rising’

Previously on THE VAMPIRE DIAIRES….

Caroline became a vamp and quickly got out of control. Stefan stepped up and offered to help her adjust to his way of life. Both Tyler and Damon suspected that something isn’t quite right with Uncle Mason. They’re correct.

This week, the search to uncover the Lockwood family mystery continued. Damon was clearly worried. Why else would he call in Alaric for advice? Not that I’m complaining. Just last Thursday, I was wondering where good old Rick was hiding out and voila, here he is!

The D word was interested to know if Isobel said anything about the family in her pre-dead pillow talk. It seems that Izzy once spoke of the legend of werewolves in Mystic Falls, but that can’t be right…monsters aren’t real.

Oh…

Road trip! Elena, Damon and Alaric headed off to North Carolina to sift through Isobel’s research. Stefan needed  to stay behind and keep an eye on baby vamp, Caroline. Elena wasn’t too pleased to be traveling with Damon, but Damon was rather okay with their little adventure.

At the university, the threesome (yes, I’ll give you a minute to enjoy that visual) met Vanessa, a research assistant and former student of Isobel. She agreed to show them Izzy’s research and artifacts…but not before she tried to kill Elena. Fortunately for Elena, vampires move faster than bows & arrows. Unfortunately for Damon, they still hurt when they get lodged into your back. Oh the things we do for the ones we love.

I don’t want to see either Damon or Elena hurt, but you’ve got to give it Vanessa for being quick on her feet. The girl is just a research assistant but she recognized ‘Katherine Pierce’ and Damon Salvatore right away. Of course she wanted the duo dead. You can’t blame a girl for trying to Buffy them before they slayed her.

After offering explanations, they all kissed and made-up and continued with their research. They eventually found what they were looking for. Yes, werewolves were thought to exist in Mystic Falls. Humans inflicted with the curse turn into werewolves during full moons. When in their animal state, the wolves will kill anything in their path, but when it comes to fine dining, it seems werewolves prefer vampires to humans. Werewolves are the natural enemy of vampires (fighting off the temptation to insert a ‘Twilight’ joke here) and legend has it that one bite from a werewolf can kill a vampire. Uh oh.

Even after finding out that predators, hell bent on killing his kind, are walking amongst the people of Mystic Falls, Damon’s main concern continued to be Elena. She still wants nothing to do with him after he (almost) killed Jeremy. But all Damon wants is for things to be right between them.

“You have every right to hate me. I understand. But you hated me before and we became friends.
It would suck if that was gone forever. Is it? Have I lost you forever?”

Inquiring minds want to know, Elena. I want to know!

Caroline’s aversion to daylight has really put a damper on her dating life. I suppose it’s better than killing Matt. Still it’s quite limiting. Lucky for her, Stefan came by with some seriously powerful sunscreen, courtesy of a bewitched ring. Bonnie meka leka hi mekka hiney ho’d the ring but reserved the right to disenchant it and send Caroline back to the dark if she started misbehaving and killing random carnies.

Caroline’s determined to be a good little vamp, even if she is a little cranky.

“I haven’t been in the sun for days, and everyone is at the swimming hole having fun, and Matt is there and he finally told me that he loves me but I’ve been blowing him off and now you want me to eat bunnies and I’m kind of freaking out, okay?!”

Okay Caroline, take a blood-filled chill pill already. We’ll get you to that swimming hole. But when you get there you have to promise me that you won’t compel any hootchies trying to get their flirt on with your man. And whatever happens you definitely can’t try to get frisky with Matt, because you’re not in control of your new emotions yet and it could go all kinds of bad. I mean, what if Matt accidentally cuts himself in the woods and starts bleeding. What are you going to do then? Are you going to lose control and start biting Matt? That’s going to lead down a slippery slope of you having to compel him in order to control his memories. You don’t want all that to happen, do you?

Wait, what do you mean I should have spoken up sooner?

Oh, Caroline.

As devastating as it was for Caroline to realize that she just hurt Matt, she had bigger fish to fry. Or should I say bigger dogs to grill. As suspected, Mason Lockwood has the curse. And it just happens to be a full moon.

Trying to be a responsible werewolf, Mason attempted to lock himself up in the underground cave, but when Tyler showed up, trying to get his swerve on with Amy, Mason took off. With the ‘bad moon rising’, Mason took to his car for refuge, but the old jeep couldn’t control the wolf. Just as Stefan approached the van, Mase Dogg busted out and ran.

Stefan grabbed Caroline and ran, trying to keep Mase Dogg away from a bleeding and vulnerable Matt. But they weren’t fast enough and the wolf pounced on Caroline. Lucky for her Tyler happened to be emerging from the cave and yelled at the wolf to stop. He did. Then he ran.

Move over Cesar Milan, Tyler Lockwood is the new dog whisperer.

Later Tyler comes face to face with his uncle and his worst fears were confirmed. His uncle was the wolf. You think that’s bad, Tyler? Guess what’s in store for you my friend.

After returning from their road trip, Damon sees a slight crack in Elena’s Damon-hating heart. In a moment of rare, unadulterated honesty, Damon finally confesses that despite what he told Elena earlier, he didn’t know that Jeremy had the ring on when he snapped his neck. It’s the honest answer he thought Elena wanted to hear.

Damon: Elena, I’m sorry.
Elena: Thank you for being honest with me. And the answer to your question about our friendship is ‘Yes.’ You have lost me forever.

Ouch.

These two kids are killing me!

A few more random thoughts on tonight’s episode while I rip my heart out of my chest…just as Elena did to Damon tonight. (How’s that for overly dramatic?)

• Will Bonnie have anything to do this season other than swoop in, perform some charm, and then leave again? Give the girl a storyline of her own already.  And while you’re at it, give this girl a broomstick. She’s a witch and that would be kick ass.

• Jenna’s love life seems to be cursed.  I’m not sure this hook up with Rick is going to turn out well.  Am I the only one that felt like Vanessa was trying to get her flirt on with Alaric? I wonder if that’s the last we’ll see of her. Something tells me it’s not.

• All the cool kids seem to be calling ‘Alaric’ – Rick…or is it Ric. Please tell me. I don’t have the energy to look it up.

• So Katherine Pierce is really Katherine Petrov. A Russian. Wondering if The Dobrev has been working on some accents for the inevitable flashback ep.

• How about Caroline breaking up with Matt because she loves him too much to see him get hurt?  Aw, I love my sweet Caroline…even if she is an undead. I’m hoping that these two will find their way back together soon.

• Excuse my rampant speculation, but am I the only one that foresees a storyline in which Tyler and Caroline get together?  Mortal enemies overcome their deep issues for love? I’m not saying I want to see it, but I’m just throwing it out there.

• Um, donde esta Jeremy?! (Hey that’s the same way I ended last week’s TVD post and lo and behold we get Alaric tonight.  What? I’m a little superstitious.)

Shipper or not, was that final scene with Elena and Damon not heartbreaking? And was I the only one screaming “NO!” when Caroline started attacking Matt?  Are you glad they finally got to the werewolf story?

Did you guys all read our interview with Ian Somerhalder? Be sure to check it out if you haven’t already.

Share your thoughts on tonight’s THE VAMPIRE DIARIES in the comments below.  For me, the episode isn’t over until I get to talk about it with other TVD fans.