It’s fitting that this episode of The Vampire Diaries centers around a carnival because it is a roller coaster of emotions! Capping off the week with the Salvatore brothers has been especially exhausting as of late. Friday nights are supposed to be enjoyable. Most people are finishing up a long week of school or work and wanting to go into the weekend with positive vibes, but you won’t find that with season eight. Don’t get me wrong, there have been a few bright spots — one of which is tonight, and it isn’t just the blinding flames. Let’s rip the Band-Aid off and jump right to the depressing stuff recap.
The Gang Says Farewell to Tyler
Stefan, Caroline, Bonnie and Alaric all receive calls from Matt. It’s time to lay Tyler to rest. Stefan and Caroline are the first to show up. Stefan walks up to the open casket and we get a close-up of the awful truth. Tyler is dead. He’s pale and the gaping wound in his neck is still visible. It’s a harsh reality for Stefan knowing Damon is responsible.
Alaric has the twins, but Seline says that will watch them while he goes to the funeral. (She is such a caring nanny, you guys!) Before heading to the service, Alaric stops by the Armory to check up on Sybil. He’s going to torture her non-stop until she reveals who her sister is. Okay, he’s not personally going to torture her, but he’s going to have the last remaining intern strike the tuning fork over a loud speaker every hour.
Bonnie won’t be able to attend Tyler’s funeral though because she has Enzo tied up in the cabin in an attempt to turn his humanity switch back on.
In a scene very reminiscent of a Pretty Little Liars promo ad, Matt, Stefan, Caroline, and Alaric act as pallbearers carrying Tyler’s casket through the cemetery. They get to his burial spot and find four shallow graves that have been dug up by Damon — one for each of them.
Damon is on a mission to cut all of the people who matter to him out of his life. He grabs Matt and force feeds him his blood. If anyone tries to attack Damon, he’ll snap Matt’s neck causing him to turn into a vampire. There’s still a tinge of humanity left in Damon, and he’s hoping his actions are enough to keep the gang away from him. It works, for now.
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The Power of Love
Bonnie is trying everything to save Enzo. She has him trapped in a cabin with the Flame of Imprisonment. He can’t leave until the flame is extinguished, and she’s the only one who can do that. In an effort to ignite Enzo’s humanity, Bonnie plays on his memories of their time together, but nothing is working. She asks Caroline for advice. What was it that made Caroline come back? She says that she had to face her biggest fear.
Bonnie douses the entire cabin in gasoline while telling Enzo her plan. She says his greatest fear is abandonment, everyone he’s ever loved has left him. She vows she won’t leave. She strikes a match and the whole place goes up in flames. Enzo couldn’t care less. She says over and over, “I won’t leave you.” The only way she can be saved from a fiery death is if he turns. Her lungs are filling with smoke and heat, but she continues, “I won’t leave you.” He says those will be her last words, and then she passes out. After a few seconds, something clicks. He picks Bonnie up and tosses her outside. She comes to and sees him trapped in the doorway. He says that he’s okay with dying, it’s his time. Bonnie doesn’t like that answer. She runs inside and uses her hand to put out the Flame of Imprisonment. Enzo scoops her up and runs both of them outside. He realizes his humanity is back. Bonnie says he is stuck with her forever because she is never going to leave him. It’s a really great scene, that only bright spot I mentioned earlier.
Damon Loses It
Damon goes to visit Sybil. He wants to know why she still has control of him. She answers him pretty frankly — she doesn’t. He still has freewill or else he wouldn’t be looking for answers. She knows that he feels guilty about all of the terrible things he’s done to his friends, as well as his brother. She tells him he needs to give himself fully to her, that’s all she wants. If he doesn’t like that idea, then he can pay a visit to his brother, dim up that humanity switch, and deal with all the crap he’s done. Feeling that much at once should be enough for him to completely shut it off.
Damon calls Stefan and tells him to meet him at the carnival. Damon doesn’t know that Stefan has already decided Damon needs to be put down. They have a plan to desecrate him until they can figure out how to deal with the Sirens.
At the carnival, Damon tells Stefan he needs help. He tries to explain what’s going on. He feels compelled to help Sybil in order to stay away from hell. But at the same time, he’s sick of the control she has over him. He considers flipping his switch, but not feeling seems like the easier option. Stefan tries to shoot Damon with a vervain dart. Damon catches it inches from his face. Damon’s reaction to this betrayal is to go full dark. He immediately attacks Stefan. It looks bleak for Stefan for a second before Caroline comes to the rescue. She shoots Damon full of vervain darts and he goes out cold.They take him back to the Salvatore house and vervain-chain him in a coffin.
Seline is Crazier Than We Thought
Seline takes the twins to the carnival. They’re playing a game, but get disappointed when they don’t win. Seline works her siren-magic on one of the workers and tells him to give her a goldfish for the girls’ efforts. She chooses a dead fish. She says she’ll teach them how to give the fish a proper burial.
They go to an abandoned warehouse. There is a small shrine-like woodpile, and she’s laying pieces in the shape of the hell symbol. She wants to teach the twins about Cade. They all hold hands, and the twins drain just enough magic. She tells them to say the magic words, and the woodpile goes up in flames. There is more in that pile than just wood, though.
I’m guessing the fire gets a little out of hand. Later, the police are investigating the source of the fire. They see charred pieces of a human body. The tattoo reveals that it’s Georgie.
You Had One Job
The intern at The Armory is getting annoyed with not getting any answers. Alaric has told him to ring the tuning fork every hour on the hour, but hasn’t told him why. He also told him to try to find Georgie who has been missing in action. He doesn’t have to try very hard to find her because soon the police call him. (He’s listed as her emergency contact.) Upon hearing what’s happened, he immediately leaves the Amory leaving Sybil alone. Without anyone to ring the tuning fork, she’s able to break out. You had one job! I don’t think the intern will be getting promoted anytime soon.
Sybil now has the tuning fork. She finds Damon and releases him from the vervain chains. She’s pleased to see he’s all in now.
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Matt is Useful
Tyler had been working with Virginia St. John. She was trying to figure out the whole Siren story. When she died, she passed her work down to Tyler. And then Tyler willed the research to Matt. He received a box full of information, including pictures with the name Seline written.
Matt, Caroline, Stefan, Alaric, Bonnie, and Enzo all go to the carnival to reflect on the batshit crazy stuff they’ve been dealing with. They don’t know yet that Damon and Sybil are roaming free. Stefan makes a classic-Stefan speech about hope and memories and it’s all Kumbaya for a minute.
Matt is catching up with Caroline. He asks about the twins, so of course Caroline pulls out her phone to show him pictures. The first one that pops up is of the twins with their nanny, Seline. He immediately recognizes her and tells Caroline she needs to go home now.
Caroline and Alaric rush home, but no one is there. They find a drawing one of the girls did. It’s four stick figures showing Cade, Seline, and the sisters.
Kidnapping! The Vampire Diaries went there. I have a feeling that messing with Caroline’s kids is not the smartest idea Seline has ever had. I can’t figure out what the Sirens’ want with the twins though. Do you have any ideas? Let me know in the comments below.
The Vampire Diaries returns Friday, December 2 at 8/7c. Want more news? Like our The Vampire Diaries Facebook page.
(Image courtesy of The CW)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
