Bonnie finally returns to Mystic Falls
Amazing acting from Candice Accola.
Nice job by Ian Somerhalder and Kat Graham as well.
Moving goodbye to Liz.
Jolaric baby and engagement.
Two cliffhangers.
Flashbacks odd without a younger Damon cast.
Predictable Caroline flipping her humanity switch.
Drunk douche Tyler
New Mama Drama, A Heartbreaking Goodbye, and Bon Bon’s Return
This week’s episode of The Vampire Diaries 6×15 titled, “Let Her Go,” is just as heartbreaking as the title implies. Loved ones, friends, coworkers and the entire town of Mystic Falls gather to say goodbye to the beloved Sheriff Liz Forbes (Marguerite McIntyre). Caroline (Candice Accola) has a lot of her mind and focuses on making it through the day. She assigns tasks to each of her friends to make the day easier, but is stressing about her and Stefan (Paul Wesley) kissing and where things stand with them. Elena (Nina Dobrev) stays at Caroline’s side throughout the day, while Damon (Ian Somerhalder) struggles with Liz’s eulogy he is reminded of his own mother’s death. After everyone gathers for Liz’s funeral, Caroline heads home, but Elena notices something is a bit off so she goes to check on her. Knowing what her friend is planning to do Elena tries to reason with a grief-stricken Caroline, but she has made up her mind already. She snaps Elena’s neck and flips her humanity switch. Elsewhere, Alaric (Matt Davis) and Jo (Jodi Lyn O’Keefe), who is a little under the weather, get a visit from Kai (Chris Wood) looking for help. He too is sick as a side effect from a non-traditional merge and needs her magic to save their lives and the Gemini coven. Jo gives Kai her magic and he recovers, but it turns out she isn’t suffering post-merge side effects. She’s pregnant. Meanwhile in witchy hell, Bonnie (Kat Graham) returns from her road trip equipped with magic and ready to witchy-wu her way back home. Unfortunately because of Kai’s sickness, she is transported into another prison world before finally able to return home to Mystic Falls and discovers she’s wasn’t the only one trapped there. While, this week finally marked the long awaited return of Bonnie back into Mystic Falls, it also brought a new mystery into the light. Let’s not waste anymore time and get right down to discussing.
Just Making It Through the Day
Facing one of the worst days of her life, Caroline Forbes must make it through the day of her mother’s funeral and final goodbyes. Candice Accola does an amazing job again this week in her portrayal of Caroline. Surrounded by the comfort of friends Caroline is still unable to sleep with the weight of the day looming ahead on her mind. Her face conveys how grief-stricken she is showing the audience how deep the pain runs losing her mom. Even as she gets up to get a glass of water viewers can see how much of a struggle it is. Her body language is completely defeated and lethargic. Then discovering Damon in the kitchen, viewers can see how she’s instantly annoyed as she rolls her eyes upon seeing him and only answers with short and snappy remarks. Before Liz’s service as Caroline stands alone inside the church she looks completely lost. Standing motionless in the middle of the empty room she looks around as if in disbelief of how things transpired. Her eyes are wide and so sad that viewers can’t help but see a sad little girl desperately missing her mom. When Stefan comes to check on her the audience can see she is just trying to keep it together. Holding back tears in her eyes, Caroline can’t help but look over at her mother’s body lifeless in the coffin. She attempts to address their kiss, but her day gets imaginably worse with Stefan’s answer. Our hearts sink as her expression shows her endure even more pain as they share a hug. Viewers can’t help but cry along with Caroline as she says her final goodbye to her mom heartbreakingly promising her and trying to convince herself she will be alright.
“Were they mistakes? Because when you came out the other end the worst part of the pain was gone and that’s what I need. I just need the pain gone.” – Caroline.
Throughout the service viewers can see how Caroline is going through the motions forcing herself to keep it together. She puts on a brave yet deeply saddened face as she thanks everyone for coming and then sings one last time for her mom. Then at the end of the day, the audience and Elena can see Caroline is besides herself as she returns to an empty house. Elena confronts her knowing she is thinking about turning off her humanity. The pure anguish of Caroline’s emotional fragile state is displayed across her face as she pleads her case. Ultimately she resorts to snapping Elena’s neck to flip the switch and in split second viewers get a glimpse of Caroline devoid of emotion and sans her humanity.
Damon’s Deja Vu
One of Liz’s last requests she asks Damon to eulogize her as he confessed to her he was supposed to write his mother’s, but couldn’t and missed the opportunity. Determined to make the right choice this time, Damon struggles writing Liz’s and is reminded of his own mother’s death all those years ago. And in a creative way viewers learn a little bit more about Damon and Stefan and the death of Mama Salvatore. Ian Somerhalder does a great job in his portrayal of Damon this week and viewers can see his vulnerability throughout the episode. While working on his speech in the Salvatore kitchen, Damon’s face conveys to viewers how much pressure he is under stressing over the just the right thing to say. He has a heavyhearted expression and his eyes are so sad. Then in flashback, the audience can see Damon is very much playing the role of a big brother. He pauses for a second as to collect himself, takes a deep breath and forces himself to put on a brave face before he enters the room to help his little brother with his tie. Then alone as he looks at himself in the mirror before switching back to present day, viewers can see he is devastated by the loss of his mom. His eyes show that even the memory of this time in his life saddens him. While after missing his mom’s funeral and her eulogy, his choice not only affected him, but he disappointed his brother too. Damon adds regret to the sadness of losing a parent and his expression shows how much this deeply pains him. The audience can see how much Damon’s past choices haunt him and make him that much more determined to do right by Liz and get it right this time.
“Your mom wanted you to know how proud of you she was and she should be. You’re a beautiful strong woman, a generous friend and a bright light in a sea of dark. She said you were extraordinary and you are, so was she.” – Damon.
At Liz’s memorial service, the audience sees a heartfelt and sincere Damon as he speaks at her funeral. His expression is sad and completely genuine as he says goodbye. With a soft, sensitive tone to his voice Damon says some of probably the kindest words he’s ever said to Caroline, reassuring her how much her mother loved her while also honoring his beloved friend. Then returning home to find Bonnie has made her way back from 1994 hell, viewers see pure elation on Damon’s face. With a huge smile on his face, he motions for a hug and the audience can see this is exactly what he needed on such a somber day.
I’m Coming Home!
Finally after weeks of being trapped in a supernatural prison world, Bonnie returns home to Mystic Falls this week and happens to bring a whole new mystery along with her. Kat Graham does a great job illustrating to the audience Bonnie’s determination to return to Mystic Falls and she’s not taking no for an answer. Showing viewers come hell or high water she is getting out of this witchy hell, she records the day’s video entry. She has a stone cold and serious tone in her voice and determined expression on her face and the audience begins to see a new strong willed, take no shit from anyone Bonnie start to emerge en light of her recent experiences.
“Its day 278 inside this stupid prison world. I have two broken toes, nine blisters and an ear infection, but I don’t care. I have phesmatosed the crap out of this magic Canadian rock and I have my magic again and when that eclipse hits 12:28 I am going home.” – Bonnie.
Unfortunately, due to unforeseen side effects of a non-twin merge Bonnie’s plan hits a small speed bump. Viewers learn 1994 isn’t the only witchy created prison world when she’s transported to 1903. While exploring this new prison world time, Bonnie’s expression conveys to the audience there is something oddly familiar about it especially when she finds a picture of Damon and Stefan on the nightstand. However, steadfast not to spend another second in 1994 land, Bonnie moves forward with her plan and to her surprise discovers there is another person trapped there with her. With a bewildered look and wide eyes, her expression shows the state of utter disbelief she is in to see another person standing in front of her. The real shocker comes for viewers when Bonnie shares the footage of her transportation back to present day with Damon. He reveals the mystery lady confined to a witchy hell is his mother and new mystery comes to light surrounding the Salvatore family and the Gemini coven.
FINAL VERDICT:
The fifteenth episode of The Vampire Diaries, “Let Her Go,” is heavy laid with sad and somber tones, but also sheds light on new mysteries for everyone in Mystic Falls. Giving a focusing theme to one chapter of life closing as a new chapter opens, Julie Plec penned an episode offering viewers much more than just a good old fashioned cry fest. Plec creatively balances out the darkness of a daughter, friends and an entire town saying their final goodbyes to Liz Forbes with the light of Bonnie return home from witchy 1994 hell. She incorporates new details to the story of Mama Salvatore’s death cleverly paralleling Damon’s flashbacks of her death with his current situation. Allowing the audience to easily differentiate between the flashbacks and present time, Plec, who also served as director this week uses a special camera lens giving the flashback scenes a more aged look to them. While it is the predictable choice to have Caroline turn off her humanity, it is going to be interesting seeing Vampire Barbie go off the rails. However it is a pleasant and welcome surprise to learn of Jo’s pregnancy and a Jolaric engagement. Plec nicely weaves everything together in the episode including Bonnie’s long overdue return home. And it is only fitting that with new details on Mama Salvatore the new mystery unveiled surrounds her imprisonment.
Throughout the episode, Plec enhances each scene with the use of camera angles. As Caroline stands alone in the middle of the empty church before Liz’s service zooming out to emphasizes her feeling of loneliness to the audience. The added detail of Caroline fixing her mom’s uniform and badge before the service shows her need to still make sure things are perfect. And with the use of just the right camera angle, Plec gives viewers Liz’s point of view feeling as they’re looking up at Caroline as she says her final goodbyes. The uniformed officers present, the act of them covering her coffin with the flag and making one last call for Sheriff Forbes over the radio adds to the authenticity of the service. The teary eyed effect of Candice’s beautiful rendition of Sam Baker’s “Go in Peace” is the perfect fit for such an emotional scene. As usual, music superior, Chris Mlleore’s song selection for the episode is on point. Each scene’s emotion is taken to the next level with the perfect song choice. Damien Rice’s “The Greatest Bastard,” plays in the background as Caroline returns to a painfully empty house. The slow and melancholy tune coupled with Plec’s focus on each object Caroline adjusts especially when she smells her mom’s robe helps convey Caroline’s emotional state in this moment. Plec leaves viewers with two juicy cliffhangers, a humanity free Caroline and the mystery surrounding Stefan and Damon’s mom, to struggle with over a short hiatus.
Comments, Questions, Concerns…
- Anyone else bothered that they cast a younger Stefan for the flashbacks,but didn’t for Damon? Ian does a great job, but the age difference is too much.
- Love that Bonnie made Damon pancakes! And the hug between them is adorable!!!
- Matt (Zach Roerig) and Tyler (Michael Trevino) attending the police academy, Two hotties in uniform? Spin-off? YES PLEASE!
- Kudos to Matt for telling Tyler to get his shit together.
- Never would have expected a Jolaric engagement and baby so soon, but yay!
- Julie Plec directing a scene with Alaric proposing must have been pure joy for her because she does not deny her love for Matt Davis.
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES 6×16 airs THURSDAY, MARCH 12 at 8|9c on the CW
The Vampire Diaries 6×15 “Let Her Go” REVIEW
Stephanie Flasher