The Vampire Diaries: Rose

Posted by: Kyle Tetarenko  •  November 8, 2010 @ 10:00pm

Filed under: Recaps & Reviews

When Stefan and Damon discover Elena has been abducted, the two decide to mount a daring rescue unaware that with a new enemy lying in wait, Elena's life is not the only one at stake.

Immediately following the events of last week's episode, Elena is abducted and taken to an abandoned house by the vampires Rose and Trevor. The two of them have been on the run for the past five hundred years from an ancient group of vampires called The Originals and took Elena because she is the key to their freedom. Back in Mystic Falls, Jeremy and Bonnie help Damon and Stefan find Elena using magic while Caroline reveals her secret to Tyler Lockwood. When the Salvatores arrive on the scene, not only do they have to rescue Elena from certain death but contend with Elijah, a vampire who makes Catherine look like a cheerleader.

While not quite as exciting as last week's "Masquerade", this week's episode of The Vampire Diaries did not disappoint. Even before the halfway mark is reached in season two, another story arc is beginning to unravel which will certainly change the characters for better or worse. Elijah's brutality was refreshing because by killing Trevor without hesitation, he instantly becomes a threat to everyone else when he can kill the five hundred year old vampires with the wave of his hand. In addition, Elijah was more than a match for Stefan and Damon coupled with the fact that he was able to return from death making him seemingly unstoppable. With Elena being the missing piece of the puzzle for The Originals and their leader Claus, it will be great to see what impact it has on the cast and more specifically, Stefan and Damon.

Speaking of Damon, Ian Somerhalder was absolutely fantastic in "Rose". There have been several times throughout the course of the show when Damon is simply the flipside of the coin to Stefan; uncaring, brash and selfish. Rather than be his usual callous self, Damon recklessly threw himself at Elijah to protect Elena without a second thought. His scene with Elena at the end of the episode when he confesses his love for her but then compels her to forget only moments after is tragic. His realization that he will never be selfless when he is around her while simultaneously acknowledging that his brother is the man she deserves is fascinating. Stefan has always been the character to do whatever it takes to keep Elena safe but Damon's transition over the course of the series has been the most human aspect of the entire show.

The supporting cast has often been a distraction to the Salvatores and Elena but that is beginning to change. Bonnie has often been a frustrating character this season due to her self righteous hypocrisy while Jeremy has played the stereotypical younger, brooding brother. The relationship developing between the two of them is refreshing because it breaks up the story between Elena, Damon and Stefan while giving their characters an opportunity to grow apart from the others. It's impressive when the two of the rather annoying characters move out from under the shadow of the main cast and take a more active role in the series.

Closing in on the mid way point, "Rose" has taken the series in a new and exciting direction. As I mentioned last week, most shows would have dragged out the Catherine story line but The Vampire Diaries is obviously pushing the boundaries of how much plot can unfold in a single season, making it one of the best shows on television today. It's also apparent we have not seen the last of Katherine but how she will fit back into the mix will hopefully be revealed in next week's episode "Katerina".

Tags: The Vampire Diaries, Stefan Salvatore, Damon Salvatore, Elena Gilbert, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev, Bonnie Bennett, Jeremy Gilbert

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