#tvd rant

This will not make the Delena fans happy. So either disagree with kindness and civility or stay away.

According to me, Damon and Elena did not have a happy ending and it has a lot to do with him and his relationship with his humanity. Damon Salvatore is a man constantly at war with the vampire he’s become and the human he left behind. However true and pure his love for Elena may be, I think even hardcore fans will admit that it was somewhat helped on or fueled by his need to be picked over his brother. He may have fallen gradually in love with her but it started out as one-upping his brother, and that's not the best start. His love is as much about loving her and being loved back as it is about holding on to the fragile illusion that he can be something more than the monster he believes himself to be. His worth in his own eyes and in comparision to Stefan is tied closely to his relationship.

He doesn’t want to be a good person—he wants to be better than Stefan or at least good enough to be chosen over Stefan.

But that's not all.

Damon's identity is tied very intrinsically with his vampiric nature, so much so he can't separate himself from it. He is one of the vampires who has the least connection to his humanity and that's not a bad thing. He has leaned into his vampiric nature for so long— from hedonistic tendencies to self-indulgent ways to alcohol addiction to violent tendencies.

He is cured of vampirism, yes, but he has not been cured of what vampirism did to him.

His humanity is a thing of the past— he justifies his cruelty either as a natural consequence of vampirism (like feeding off and killing humans, compelling them) or as a necessary evil (like killing Lexi and turning Bonnie's mom). And in that, I see how distant he is from his humanity. Being with Elena brings him closer, but it's not a permanent change. When she's asleep in S7-8, he reverts back to someone more selfish or self-centered, abandons his brother and best friend, does morally questionable things again. Why does that matter? Because once he's human, where does that leave him?

What kind of human will he be after all that?

Per canon, he has alcohol addiction but it doesn't matter because vampires have great tolerance. What about as a human? Does he quit drinking? But that won't be easy. Habits are hard to break after 5-10 years. He's had his for more than a century. How does Stefan's death affect him? The morality behind him is deeply tied to some imagined competition with his brother. First off, he's suffering from a great loss. Second, he's no longer competing for Elena with anybody. Where does that leave him? Does he quit trying hard to be someone he's not eventually? Does he keep trying but come to resent her for it? What about his violent tendencies? Where do those go when he can no longer solve his problems by killing them? What about the loss of control when he can no longer go around compelling people? What about responsibilities? It's canon that he's never been really responsible for anything— can he come up to scratch for his children, fight with addiction, try to become a better person, all while not deviating from his love for Elena and not resent her for it?

I don't think he can.

If Damon had to live as a human again, he wouldn’t thrive. His violent tendencies, his addiction to alcohol, his deep sense of inadequacy, and his distaste for anything mundane would trap him in a life of quiet resentment. His inferiority complex would balloon, especially if he still had to be around supernatural entities and see the supernatural world continue on without him. His life would become one of neglect and passive-aggressive bitterness, not just toward Elena but toward everyone who reminded him of what he lost. If anything, he’d either open a bar to feed his indulgence or fall back into old destructive habits. His resentment would build to the point of emotional neglect and potential abuse (probably not physical, but unintentionally emotional abuse for sure).

The harsh truth?

Damon Salvatore will never be able to leave behind the vampire he is. It's all he is throughout the show. Some good, some bad, some ugly— but all of it is vampire. He doesn't particularly want kids, doesn't miss mortality, so how could he like being human when the thing he misses about being human is what he used to be as a human, but he's not that person anymore, and taking the cure won't make him that person. What ensues is a tragedy of loss, resentment, and disappointment in himself, his life and the people around him. So it's great that Damon wasn't shown as human on-screen so we can imagine a version of him that doesn't exist living out a happy life with Elena (because that's what the show tells us happens) but—

In a real, logical world, being human could never be Damon Salvatore's happy ending.

It all started with a comment a few moments ago. “Damon is the least mid character.” Followed by them saying it was stating the obvious with a laughing emoji.

Discount Spike isn’t mid? Okay.

I would say Stefan/Paul Wesley showed more character, charisma and likeability in one season than Damon did in the whole series. The Miss Mystic Falls pageant showed that.

{credit to GIF owner}

Man, that episode tipped me over the edge in many ways. Stefan is in the midst of his blood addiction and what does his big brother, Damon do? Taunt him with blood. Tells Elena like a tattling schoolboy and then walks away. Doesn't go looking for his missing brother, BUT INSTEAD uses the time to dance with his brother's girlfriend. And I don't care what anyone says. That dance wasn't oozing with sexual tension or romantic tension. Especially not when Stefan, the man she loves and his brother, is suffering whilst it's happening.

But all in all... that episode proved it to me because Damon was an absolute dick and I honestly don't know what the writers were trying to do with him. This was the time for him to try and redeem himself, at least as a brother. Especially because, I don't know, the previous episode or so, Damon was killing a house full of vampires to save Stefan. And then... nothing. He's just back to being a dick.

That's bad writing. That's a bad character. That's being unlikable when you're supposed to become part of the gang/be part of it already.

Stefan was pretty magnetic in the Miss Mystic Falls episode. He was so pitiful but also terrifying. Damon never achieved that. He was just irritating. Like, if I was in the TVD universe, I'd be so pissed off if Damon ever killed me. How embarrassing. The way Stefan's eyes are so dark and teary-eyed when Elena confronts him and he's like in total denial with a smile plastered on his face. MAGIC. The way he's in a rage, smashing the mirror. The way he's borderline manic with that girl. The way he cowers and runs away when everyone catches him feeding on her. That was, looking back, one of my favourite episodes of the show. All because of Stefan.

There's truly nothing unique or interesting about Damon to me. I'm not even trying to be funny. Like I always said, there was a glimmer of something in the early episodes of Season 1. I don't give a fuck about lovesick Damon or part-of-the-gang-wise-cracking Damon. I would've preferred cold-blooded killer Damon.

Klaus... I enjoyed the aesthetic or principle of him.

The moments where I really liked his character was when he was plotting, crying, or just shouting in a rage. Tangled up in Blue is one of my favourite episodes of TO because it's just him flexing his ability to orchestrate stuff to take down an enemy, to get what he wants. I wholeheartedly think he's a beloved character because of his charisma, because of Joseph's great acting and commitment to the role. He IS Klaus. You really understand him in and out.

Of course, I'm swayed because Klaus in TO is my Klaus. I don't like him caught up in teen drama. That goes for any of the Originals. Once you watch them in their own city, with their own arcs... it's quite difficult to imagine them in Mystic Falls, caught up in the Elena show.

Now... to throw in a curveball...

I don't remember Matt in the later seasons, nor do I understand the HATE he gets from the fandom. Feel free to fill me in on that. Because personally, I really liked his character. I don't talk about him ever, or Tyler, or Jeremy (because they are the B team and I just think we got what we got with them, I didn't dislike them or love them). In the earlier seasons, especially, I related to him. He was parenting his mother and sister, heavily burdened and alone. I loved his relationship with Elena and completely understood why "killing" him was the one and only thing that made her turn her humanity back on.

And yes, he's mid, but he's a human guy who served his purpose in the show (which is more than I can say for Damon).

My relationship with Elijah is complicated at best.

Again, I prefer him in The Originals, as a fleshed out character who wasn't bested by the TVD gang, like he was nothing. Then there was that weird romance plot with Katherine, which was just... why?

Objectively, though, Elijah had presence. He was TVD's first introductions to the Original family and I think everyone can agree that his flair had everyone interested. Do I personally think he's the most interesting character to watch? No. But he's easily overshadowed by many great characters, especially in TO. What makes him likeable though, is at least, his devotion to his family. It's a character flaw which also doubles as a reason to love him.

Kol... Kol, Kol, Kol... probably my favourite Mikaelson guy.

100% I think he was charismatic and a great character. I feel sorry for the people that have never seen him in TO because TVD barely scratches the surface with him. Strikingly, he embodies the "tortured soul who kills to cope with it" thing that I think a lot of Damon stans think Damon has. Kol pulls it off, though, because in his own words: "I'm the dead, but never mourned." He was treated like a burden, when really... he was the smartest member of the family. All of the problems that they had in TVD and TO, from what I recall, could've been resolved if people had him around/listened to him.

I remember when Kol made a big deal out of rising Silas in TVD and although we didn't know him that well, his conviction, his steadfast reactions... I was like "I want more of this character" and "why is no one listening to him?" And knowing what I know now about him from TO, I'm like... wtf was TVD thinking with him?

Do I really need to write anything? Marcel is the most lovable guy in the TVDU. That's just a fact. If I find anyone who dislikes him, I'll probably assume they're stupid. And to top it off... he really knows how to deliver a speech, how to lead, how to love, how to be a great father figure etc. Whenever he and Klaus had scenes, I was glued to the screen.

I think what makes him superior is how effortless everything feels with his character. I don't have to try to love Marcel. You just do it without realising. Klaus threatens him a couple episodes into TO and you're like "hang on now". If they had ever killed him for real, I would've considered that a gigantic blow to the show. It wouldn't be The Originals anymore. Because as much as it is about them, Marcel is part of that family and is one of the biggest reasons why the show is so loved.

Now, Lucien.

No one should be surprised when I say he is THE definition of wasted potential. If the writers were as genius as I wished, it would've been amazing if we met Lucien way before Season 3 of TO because then the betrayal would've been a real twist. As for whether he's mid or not, whether he's charismatic and a compelling character...

I didn't care for his backstory, per say. I liked his connection to Klaus, but his motives behind things... they are "mid". But him as a character? I loved him. Especially when Stefan came into the mix and Lucien was like... "you're a toddler, what good are you to me?"

The scene that really did it for me, though, was the way he talked to Klaus, his effect on Klaus. Lucien is said to be the vampire that made Klaus who he is, or at least kickstarted it. Before him, Klaus was still holding onto a shred of his humanity, he was timid and stroking the horses as his family argued. And I think it shows because Lucien just gives off a vibe.

Now... what you've probably been waiting for.

I genuinely wish I saw depth to his character outside of "I'm the third point of the triangle" or "I'm the roadblock of this episode". That's not to say there weren't any moments where I felt bad for him or sneered at something he said. I absolutely did. In Season 1, when Katherine's blatant rejection and indifference to Damon had him in tears, throwing bagged blood at the wall, or sat in the woods, staring into the distance... I did exhale and think "maybe I would feel compelled to sit with him". I can't describe it. It was like in those moments, I just looked at him like a sad kid. Then, he'd do something, or say something, and I'd be like... well, that didn't last long.

He was just exhausting. Annoying. He never grew, especially where love or Stefan or Elena was concerned. I don't understand how anyone could see him as "cool" or "badass" when he was the definition of the kid who still touches the hot oven/stove after you told them it was hot. If there was a villain, no matter what season, he'd act like he won every fight before that and would swagger up to them, make a remark, wiggle his eyebrows, smirk, and then immediately get choked, stabbed, thrown OR... the show would buff up its plot armour to make him look badass, like when they had him fight Kol in Season 3. So much so that whenever Stefan acts competent, wary or respectful around villains/anyone more powerful than him, Damon stans act like he's weak just because he's not vampire speeding towards them like a moron, like Damon does every time.

(Some Creative Writing Disguised as an Essay)

Look, I think we're all aware that TVD sucks. But that doesn't mean it had to be that way. The CW ruined plenty of shows; SPN, TVD, TO, Legacies, Arrow - I could go on. In spite of weak plot or disappointing endings, these shows had some excellent character concepts and could have been so much better if someone had put just a touch of creative thought into them.

Now, I can't pretend to know much about acting or the world of production, and I can't say I could actually direct anything effectively, but I do have something of an artistic eye. So if I had been the one to direct something like TVD, then I can guarantee that at least the cinematography and music choice would have been ten times better.

Allow me to demonstrate.

Example One:

Do y'all remember the scene where Klaus breaks his curse? (Of course you do.) Let's face it, there are plenty of very cheap, practical tricks that could have made that scene feel ten times as natural and formidable. But, for now, let's just focus on camera and music. The ending to that particular episode with that big, frightening cliffhanger was alright. But you know what could have made it that much better?

Some gosh darn cinematography. So, picture this, if you will:

The full moon has passed it's apex and now sets over the tops of the trees - the forest beyond is black as night. On the edge of the trees, a lone wolf - wild and fierce - is seen prowling into the woods and the camera spins, flipping upside down and you realize... The moon isn't going down at all, it's only just begun to rise. The eerie howls of a wolf pack can be heard in the distance as Feelin' Good by Michael Buble plays full blast....

Significantly better, right? Let's have another.

Example Two:

In season 4, Kol (aka the love of my life) slaughters a bar full of freshly turned vampires. Such would have been an excellent opportunity to exploit the show's TV-14 rating for use of gore, and seeing as vampires aren't technically human, that gives a show a little extra leniency with its gore total. (TVD rarely used gore to it's fullest potential, just a little bit of set dressing and makeup can really drive a scene home. Just watch The Originals: The Awakening web series. That was well used gore.)

Now, even after all the show did to dismiss him, Kol is still a reasonably intimidating character. However, that extra carnage allotment could have been used to create a truly terrifying antagonist. Instead, the show chose to reduce a one-thousand-year-old being's massacre of a dozen or more relatively innocent people to some vague off-screen unfortunate mishap. This was - pardon my French - AN ABSOLUTE PUSSY MOVE!

They could have shown the kills and brought all the horror, without breaking the season's gore total. How? Why like this of course...

The woods are quite dark, but not black. The old pine trees lining a well-traveled dirt road are individually discernable but only just, lit in tones of grey. It's just barely sunrise, yet shadowy figures seem to flit through the dim light. The camera angle is set on the ground, like a person lying in the dirt.

An early morning fog creeps along, pooling in the clearing provided by the path as it carves its way through these forboding woods. The fog rolls and shifts - you're unsure if something or someone has disturbed it. You wait - another moment, another heartbeat - and then you see it: A tall, shadowed silhouette appears through the fog - small and faint at first but growing clearer, stronger as he approaches, much like the music that begins to play - heard by the viewers through the dark figure's headphones. The terrible stranger stalks closer and closer, seeming to grow larger than life, thanks to the camera angle which changes as he passes. The camera moves with him, circling around him once in one continuous shot before settling just a short distance behind. The song heard in his headphones is Stayin' Alive by Bee Gees' and he sways to the beat - casually, carelessly - as he walks toward that absolute dump of a bar.

The figure opens the door and the music becomes just a bit muffled as the door swings shut behind him. The song continues for a moment - just a second or three - calm and ordinary as one would expect and then

BAM!

BLOOD SPRAYS ACROSS A WINDOW!

Suddenly, the audio is no longer confined to those headphones; it expands outward, and now intertwined with the music, the audience hears the screams, the pleas, and the tortured cries of those poor souls as they're slaughtered like pigs. One by one, the screams cut off until it's once again only the music. Then, just as you thought it was all finally over, there's a loud crash - the door opens with a bang and you see a pair of hands latch onto the doorframe. They scrabble and scratch, burning under the faintest touch of sunlight. Something tugs at them, drawing them back inside, but they fight! Then, with a spray of blood across the camera, the hands go slack and are yanked back inside.

The screen goes black and the music stops...

See what I mean?

In Loving Memory of Enzo St. John

It's no secret that I rewatch The Vampire Diaries like a good amount of others. It's no secret that I have tremendous love for Enzo St. John, Bonnie Bennett, and their relationship. I just finished rewatching 8x11 and no matter how many times I've seen it, it doesn't matter that I know what happens when, it never gets any easier seeing someone you love, that you've followed on this journey with die. Especially for no reason.

Julie Plec and others, I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever forgive you for one of many pointless murders of this show. Enzo did NOT deserve to die in any circumstance. If you were going to bring him back, then fine, I'd consider giving you a pass, but you didn't. Why ruin a perfectly good couple and character? Why do you constantly insist on giving Bonnie Bennett nothing? After all this time you're still against POC characters even though the millions of fans are die-hards for these characters. They deserve to be seen, they deserve respect, and they deserve better than you.

Enzo and Bonnie, they both came a long way individually and as a partnership. The one time they could've had their ideal life, it was stripped away by others once again. The other characters had the audacity to feel shocked and betrayed that the two putting themselves and their happiness first as if they've never done it themselves. It's been a few years since The Vampire Diaries ended, but I still demand justice for these characters.

*first gif credit unknown