A beautiful wedding and the sexy Salavatores and Alaric in a suit.
Great job by Ian and Nina.
Elena and Damon choosing a human life together.
Nice acting from Paul, Candice, Matt, Jodi and Chris.
Plot and character development.
Good cliffhanger to bring viewers back.
Kai, the wedding crasher.
Bonnie and Matt left unconscious.
Lily free and her heretic family on the lose in Mystic Falls.
Only one episode with Elena left........
A Wedding, Welcome to Club Human & Kai Takes Wedding Crashing to a Whole New Level!
This week’s penultimate episode of The Vampire Diaries 6×21 titled “I’ll Wed You in the Golden Summertime” features the union of two beloved characters and it wouldn’t be a formal gathering on TVD without a dose of drama thrown into the mix. As Elena (Nina Dobrev) and Bonnie (Kat Graham) help Jo (Jodi Lyn O’Keefe) prepare for the big day, Matt (Zach Roerig) and Tyler (Michael Trevino) assist Alaric (Matt Davis) for his upcoming nuptials. Luckily after learning the wedding planner has the flu, Caroline (Candice Accola) shows up just in time to do what she does best, planning and assigns everyone tasks gladly taking over the wedding planner duties. Before the wedding, Bonnie and Matt decide to take care of Lily (Annie Wersching), but find she has escaped. She tracks doiwn Enzo (Michael Malarkey) at the Grill and invites him to join her when reunited with her family. And unfortunately for Matt and Bonnie they are left unconscious overcome from some unknown magical force.
Meanwhile, Stefan (Paul Wesley) takes Damon (Ian Somerhalder) on a little road trip to one of his houses he attempted to start over in to put Damon’s decision to become human to the test. There Stefan makes sure his brother has thought his decision through by forcing him to see some of the ‘worst case scenarios’ he and Elena could encounter and how he would handle them. He even includea her possibly dying and him being left alone without her. After spending some time alone to think things through, Damon arrives at the wedding to tell Elena he truly wants to spend a human life with her, Despite Elena and Damon’s late arrival to the ceremony and Bonnie and Matt missing in action, Alaric and Jo’s wedding goes beautifully until Kai (Chris Wood) makes an unexpected appearance and leaves the lives of many in the balance including Elena’s. So much happened this week and we definitely have a lot to discuss. Let’s not waste anymore time and get right to it!
A Little Pre-Wedding Brother Road Trip
Despite Stefan coming across as a total dick at first to the audience by showing Damon the worst situations he and Elena could face living a human life together, Stefan does have his brother’s best interest at heart and Paul Wesley does a good job in the role of Stefan, a the concerned brother. While Ian Somerhalder is great in his portrayal of Damon this week. At first when Stefan takes the TV dinner out and shows Damon paperwork he cannot compel away, viewers can see he’s not phased by his brother’s subtle little reality checks. With an annoyed look on his face, Damon rolls his eyes and makes snarky comments. It isn’t until Stefan starts giving him visions viewers can see Damon is really starting to become affected. His expression becomes more serious while his eyes appear unsure and have a hint of sadness to them as each vision’s scenario gets worse.
“Even if you and Elena defy every single statistic and stay in love every hour of every day… You still can’t control life or death. She’s human. She could die at any moment. What is your life gonna look like without her?” – Stefan.
In each vision, viewers can see Damon is becoming more unhappy with his choice to be human. First it is just a sad expression with eyes that show he misses spending time with Elena, who is consumed by her med-school residency. Then with the next vision he’s turned to alcohol to cope and fill the void he’s feeling with Elena’s busy schedule. Viewers can easily see their relationship has become strained and the two fight. Elena’s expression shows she’s annoyed by his drinking and Damon raises his voice at her and throws a glass at the ground. It is last scenario that is truly heartbreaking. Learning the love of his life has died, his expression conveys to viewers he is miserable without her, He walks in the room with a defeated posture, bottle of bourbon in hand and he slumps onto the couch. Everything about him illustrates the agony he’s feeling living without Elena and alone. This is the scenario that really gets Damon thinking. His expression now melancholy and eyes show he’s afraid of one of these visions coming true. Ian Somerhalder does an amazing job showing the audience the weight Damon carries this week making such a life changing decision.
Welcome to Club Human
Ultimately, Damon comes to the conclusion that he wants to drink the cure from Elena and they can live out a human life together. When he returns to the wedding to reveal his decision to Elena, the chemistry between Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev as Damon and Elena is palpable. Both stand in front of the other with their bodies learned toward the other. Damon’s heartfelt profession conveys to the audience how much he genuinely loves her and would do anything for her. Viewers can see how sincere he is about joining club human with her. His expression is warm and affectionate and his eyes have a kindness to them that only Elena brings out. Coupled with Elena’s reaction upon hearing the news shows how in love they truly are. Her face completely lights up. She has a big smile on her face and her eyes are filled with joy, She exudes happiness. In fact, the pair are so overcome with passion from their fantasy of human life together becoming a reality they disappear for a ‘roll in the hay,’ literally, and almost miss the wedding.
“I’m taking it. I’ve been a vampire for a long time, Elena. It’s been a blast. I would give it up in a second to be your husband. Your partner, the father of your kids…” – Damon.
During the ceremony, both Damon and Elena radiate happiness as they walk arm and arm down the aisle together as Best Man and Maid of Honor. Basking in the afterglow of their pre-wedding trisk, there is a smile on each of their faces. They both look in complete bliss and sadly this looks as close to a Delena wedding viewers are going to get. Then at the alter, Damon is so happy and cannot wait to tell Alaric about his decision. Viewers see he is confident with in his choice by his expression and he looks so damn excited about it. Elena and Damon exchange affectionate glances at one another as Alaric and Jo say their heartfelt vows. The audience can see how excited they are about being human together and the couple envisioning their own wedding in the future. Both Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder are great again this week bringing Damon and Elena’s romance to life.
“Goin’ to the chapel. And we’re gonna get ma-a-arried”
The theme surrounding this week’s episode is the beautiful union of Alaric and Jo. Unfortunately like most formal functions or social gathering of any sort something always seems to go drastically wrong. If Matt and Bonnie missing the wedding due to some kind of magic or the entire Gemini coven including Jo’s murderous father all in one room together wasn’t recipe enough for disaster, Mama Salvatore also escaped from her cell in the Salvatore basement. It is Kai’s uninvited and unexpected appearance that takes the cake and is absolute worst case scenario. Always being one to make an entrance, he makes his presence known just as Alaric and Jo are about to say their ‘I dos.’ The audience becomes aware something is wrong as Jo’s expression becomes strained. She winces, grabs her stomach as blood begins to seep through her gown and hunches over overcome with pain. Kai then appears dressed for the occasion, He has that twisted evil smile that warns viewers he is up to something devilish. Standing in front of his coven, the people who trapped him the witchy 1994 prison world being the cheeky little bastard he is he makes a snide comment. Then he raises his hand emitting so much power that all the glass shatters and is as if there’s an explosion. Kai stands there with a smirk on his face making the audience believe he is proud of himself as the noise incapacitates so many. Elena falls to the ground and hits her head so hard it knocks her unconscious while a devastated Damon rushes over cradling her in his lap. As usual Chris Wood is spot on with his portrayal of Kai this week even though he is a devious bastard.
“I was gonna wait ’til the “death do us apart” bit, but it seemed a little on the nose. Am I right?” – Kai.
FINAL VERDICT:
The penultimate episode of The Vampire Diaries, “I’ll Wed You in the Golden Summertime” marks the last episode of the season before the highly anticipated season six finale and the dreaded summer hiatus until all the faves and not-so-favorites return for new episodes. And let’s be honest everyone has to be a little curious to see how the beloved Elena Gilbert leaves the series since Nina Dobrev announced she wouldn’t be returning. This week’s episode focuses on Alaric and Jo’s wedding and Damon thoroughly thinking through his decision to become human. Brian Young penned a wedding episode that is as equally beautiful as it is tragic. The wedding ceremony is done perfectly from all aspects. Young writes a touching vow exchange between bride and groom and both Matt Davis and Jodi Lyn O’ Keefe do a wonderful job bringing this moment between Alaric and Jo to life. Episode director, Michael Allowitz captures the essence of this magical moment and really makes viewers feel as if they’re right there with them. And with The Civil War’s “Dance With Me to the End of Love” playing is the background as Jo walks down the aisle is the perfect song selection from music supervisor, Chris Mollere. It just brings it all together at least until Kai crashes the wedding.
“I can take it for us. Okay? Because even if it doesn’t work, even if it all goes to hell, even if I’m miserable and alone, the smallest chance of a perfect life with you is infinitely better than an immortal one without you. And I know this, Elena. I love you… and I will love you until I take my last breath on this earth.” – Damon.
The scene when Damon reveals his final decision about the cure to Elena is done beautifully. Both Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev are perfection in their portrayal as the beloved couple. Their delivery of the heartfelt dialog penned by Young is spot on. While Allowitz focusing on each of their facial expressions at just the right moment enhances the emotion of the scene. The decision to pan out slowly as Damon leans in to kiss Elena on the forehead shows the entire room decorated to complete perfection and catches the sunshine coming through the windows makes a picture perfect shot. Coupled with another amazing selection from Chris Mollere, “To the Wonder” by Aqualung featuring Kina, makes the magical moment between them complete. This moment between the couple reinforces their commitment to one another and is symbolic of a wedding. Like any social event on the show, something ALWAYS goes wrong. Unfortunately, viewers are left wondering Elena’s fate and by the previews for next week’s season finale it doesn’t look too good for our heroine. And with Lily on the lose, Kai back from the witchy 1903 prison and Lily’s heretic family in Mystic Falls things are bound to get a lot more interesting!
Questions, Comments, Concerns:
- Why did we get happy, perfect couple future Stelena scenes last season and this season the future Delena scenes are filled with misery bullshit?? Yes, the point is to make Damon think about the bad, but DAMN.
- The scene between Stefan and Caroline before the wedding is heartbreaking, Viewers can really feel Stefan’s disappointment learning Caroline is not ready for a relationship with him.
- What exactly did Matt and Bonnie think they were going to do Lily? Mama Salvatore is ruthless.
- Love Caroline came back just in time and took over as wedding planner. Feel like that is Caroline Forbes’ true calling.
- Anyone else starting to feel a romantic vibe between Enzo and Lily? He was actually thoughtful bringing an MP3 player for her.
- So glad Jo’s dad showed up to walk her down the aisle on her big day.
- Good to see Liv (Penelope Mitchell) again. Love the new hairdo!
- Did Jo lose the babies??
- The finale is going to be a complete sob fest if Elena lays unconscious the entire time and her friends send her memory visions all episode. Just saying.
THE SEASON SIX FINALE of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES airs THURSDAY, MAY 14 at 8|7c on the CW
The Vampire Diaries 6×21 “I’ll Wed You in the Golden Summertime” REVIEW
Stephanie Flasher