The season 3 premiere of The Vampire Diaries was a reminder of how much I missed this show. The premiere was powerful and passionate, hitting so many different elements, and bringing us back to the character’s we love and their storylines. It developed and introduced so many new developments and revelations along the way. There’s such loss and hope in this episode, a constant cycle of bliss and upsets, questioning which one will win out in the end.
Season 2 ended with some very intriguing material regarding Stefan. In the beginning of the series I was pretty bored and annoyed with Stefan at times. He wasn’t a very dynamic character and compared to the devious, sly, and alluring, Damon, he seemed all the more mundane. Luckily, the writers of the show have developed him more as the series has gone on, giving him moments where he shows shades of gray. Right now those shades are getting darker and darker.
Klaus himself is a very interesting and thrilling character. He is the first and strongest vampire of all time, but even that wasn’t enough for him. He is now a werewolf-vampire hybrid and is out to create a super-species like him. Since he holds Damon’s death in his hands if Stefan doesn’t comply to his every wish and command, Stefan has become his puppet. While Klaus thrives on the control and suffering of others, he likes corrupting others even more. He wants to see the glee on Stefan’s face as he tears his victims apart and consumes their lives.
Stefan’s material is even more exhilarating than anticipated. We know he’s doing everything he is for the safety of Damon and Elena. Still, a viciousness in him has been unleashed and is consuming him. He has to kill if Klaus tells him, but he is taking the art of killing in to his own hands, mutilating bodies when all it takes is one simple bite. Some of this could be for show to gain Klaus trust. Seeing him take control of his blood thirsty nature and awaken the monster so deeply buried inside him is still a gripping and long-awaited sight to witness. I will be enjoying every second of it.
I’m thrilled with the development between Caroline and Tyler. Despite their supernatural species being mortal enemies they’re perfect for each other. Tyler is much better for her than Damon, who used her as a toy to manipulate, or Matt, who just had zero capacity to be understanding of who she really was. Their relationship has complications, but it’s fierce and full of compassion. Of course, The Vampire Diaries couldn’t leave things too happy without throwing a few curve balls in there, leaving us with a terrible turn of events that immediately risks this happiness.
Damon is dealing with a lot, but he is still more or less his old self. He is trying to track Klaus and Stefan, seeing Stefan’s handiwork every step of the way. He has to keep this from Elena at all costs, not wanting to hurt her. She is still suffering from the loss of her aunt, one of her last family members left, not to mention having to deal with the constant worry that the love of her life is dead. Even knowing he is alive would help her keep holding herself together. Everyone wants her to move on, but this is the last thing she wants. When Stefan makes an appearance through a personal and morbid spectacle, Damon gets his message loud and clear. The Stefan Elena knew is dead, he has been replaced with The Ripper, an animalistic killer out for pain and suffering.
Jeremy’s storylines were among my favorite moments of this episode. They deal with his body having a brush with death and the connection to the dead he now has. What exactly does this mean? Anna is back! Jeremy is seeing flashes of Anna and Vicki’s ghosts. The only message so far is, “Help Me”. There are infinite possibilities as to what this means and what storylines and enticing villains it may bring along with it. I absolutely loved Anna’s character. She was deceitful when necessary, but only when necessary. She was loyal and passionate to those she truly cared the most for even though this made her disloyal to others. Anna isn’t ashamed of her vampiric nature. She’s not really evil, but a big part of who she is resides in a vile and brutal being. She’s an interesting and dynamic character, her new paranormal state only making her all the more appealing. It looks like it’s going to be a good season.
