With the heretics becoming a threat to Mystic Falls, Stefan, Caroline, and Matt formulate a plan to protect the town. Meanwhile, Damon, Bonnie, and Alaric gallivant through Europe to drown their sorrows. Here is a recap of the Vampire Diaries episode “Day One of Twenty-Two Thousand, Give or Take.”
Recap:
Brooklyn. Three years from now. Stefan dashes into a storage unit housing two coffins and wakes the contents of one. It’s Damon. In the present, Caroline fills her diary with odds and ends about everyone’s lives. Matt’s almost a deputy. Bonnie’s chaperoning Damon and Alaric’s bender across the pond to forget their woman problems. All’s quiet on the Lily front. Stefan interrupts Caroline’s writing. It’s a little awkward since he told her how he felt, but he wants to be friends while she heals. Deal.
Newcomer Valerie fills her diary with complaints about how terrible Mystic Falls is, especially when she’s the object of a hit and run. A-Okay, she returns home to Lily and four other heretics: lovebirds Mary Louise and Nora, Malcolm the suck up, and Beau, a man with an “X” on his neck and no voice. When Lily leaves on a mission, Valerie decides she’s sick of rules and rations. She and the lovebirds kill the hit and run driver and eat the passenger.
Matt’s new job comes in handy, and he locates the heretics’ house. Stefan consults Alaric on how to make an explosive, but Alaric would rather ask some guy in Amsterdam about a mystical stone. Lily tracks Enzo to NY and asks him to retrieve a mystical stone. He won’t until he gets more details. She claims it’s a family matter, but Enzo thought they were family. With an orchid and her bubbly spirit, Caroline pays the heretics a visit, distracting them while Matt plants the bomb. Boom.
During deputy graduation, Valerie, Mary Louise, and Nora send the ceremony up in flames. Lily arrives just in time to stop the buffet of mass murder. She’s furious. Stefan negotiates a truce with Lily: they’ll go door to door evacuating the residents of Mystic Falls and whoever’s left is fair game for the heretics. Lily also gets the Salvatore Mansion. Caroline and Enzo both think to protect Sheriff Forbes’ bench from future graffiti. Despite this, Caroline doesn’t trust him and neither does Lily, so she tells him to pick a side.
Back in town and mad at Stefan for putting Elena’s friends in danger, Damon chills in Bonnie’s dorm. He has nowhere else to go. They’re both brave enough to go up against Lily, so they decide to fight back. In a dark ally, Bonnie engages Malcolm in a game of witchy powers. While he siphons her magic, Damon sneaks up and rips his heart out. One down. Five to go.
In closing, Stefan tells Caroline she shouldn’t wait for the good times in life to come around, but rather try to forgive herself for being happy during the bad. She shows her agreement with a kiss. Alaric pays the morgue attendant to keep Jo in a freezer because he plans on bringing her back to life. Enzo informs Caroline that Malcolm’s dead, then syringes her. He picked a side – Lily’s. Back in the future, a weapon wielding woman shoots everything she’s got at the Salvatores. Stefan mentions to Damon that the “X” scar on his chest opened up this morning, and this woman won’t stop until he’s dead.
Comments:
– “Day One of Twenty-Two Thousand, Give or Take” was an average episode of The Vampire Diaries. Good but not great, interesting but not bewitching. However, it must be noted that the first episode without Elena worked as best as it could have and did not give off the impression of missing a vital element. Part of that was due to the occasional mentions of her character and the rebirth of the voice over she monopolized early on. The remaining part was due to the other actors’ and characters’ strength in carrying the show. Matt might finally get a storyline I can remember, and Bonnie has a whole world of emotions to explore. Unfortunately, the brothers didn’t have something to fight about other than Elena.
– Most of what didn’t work about this season premier fell on the hands of the new heretics. Since their characters and their storylines weren’t set up, this episode should have introduced us to both in a fascinating manner, but little progression was made on both fronts. The three female heretics come across as the same character type, while the males were even less developed. It’s hard to be invested in the characters or afraid for our heroes’ lives when we know nothing about them.
– Beginning last season, there have been numerous times when characters mention how crazy and how dangerous Lily is, but we have yet to see that side of her in a notable way. It’s a problem that she’s supposed to be a big bad and isn’t all that bad. We need to see the woman that everyone’s afraid of. At this point, flashbacks would be just as effective as a present day story.
– The aspect I’m most interested in this season is their storyline set three years in the future. After Arrow, The Vampire Diaries is the second CW show to employ the tactic with their season opener. It creates a mystery, though an easily created one, but filling in the gaps could be as interesting as revealing the identity of the woman after the Salvatores. How to Get Away With Murder does it well on a regular basis.
– The first segment in the “Previously On” was Jo’s death. Twist the knife a little further, why don’t you? Although, Alaric’s plan to revive his deceased wife gives even a tinge of hope of Jo showing up again. How many times has dead meant dead on this show?
– This mystical stone better not be the Moonstone, round two.
– It seems like they’ve tried to reinstate the diary voiceovers a few times before and they haven’t lasted. They work better when they’re not just a recap of what’s happened and instead they add insight into characters’ thoughts. This episode had a mix of both, so we’ll see how they continue throughout the season.
– Even though their plan was doomed to fail, watching Caroline and Matt team up provided a bit of wonderful nostalgia.
– Damon saving Bonnie from the van was an excellent moment to show just how much he’s grown as a character over the course of six seasons. Season One Damon would have let her die.
– Aw, the bromance is back.
Damon: This isn’t about what you need, Ric. It’s about what I need. Because keeping you from jumping off a cliff keeps my mind off the fact that my girlfriend’s magical coma is linked to a Bennett witch that has a knack for avoiding permanent death.
Alaric: I see. So, my misery is merely a convenient distraction for you.
– Damon: Stefan hangs up his hero hair for the girl. And here I thought my future was bleak.
– Love their friendship.
Bonnie: Do you know how long three seconds are in a life or death situation?
Damon: In the first second, I thought how amazing it would feel to have Elena in my arms again. By second number two, I kissed her. And by the third, I remembered you’re my best friend, and that if anything ever happened to you, I would lose my mind. So yes, Bonnie, I do know how long three seconds are.
