you weren't perfect but you made life worth it

[heathershaped]

+ not really feeling the new navigation bar on LJ. It looks all unfinished.

+ I watched The Vampire Diaries' finale, and this might not be the squee you are looking for.

I'm happy about Stefan getting an actual storyline next season but I am so jaded about Damon that I can't help but see it as a contrivance. Especially given that this finale seemed so random/contained very little of what the rest of the season appeared to be about, except for Klaus's general presence. Looks to me like Stefan's now out of the way for Elena and Damon to make a go of things, which given how Stefan is literal perfection, was the only way that could ever plausibly happen. She'd never ever choose Damon otherwise. And I don't know what to say about it because I don't understand why she'd choose him even with Stefan gone but that's probably what's going to happen despite everything he did/will continue to do, because... Because. Because I don't know, this show doesn't seem to be aware of the fact that Damon is the worst the way I thought it was.

How can it be that in the first half of the season I thought they were actually leaning towards character development for Damon in which he learns important lessons about the value of selfless love? Instead we get Damon's deathbed regrets, followed by what I can assume will be another season of him complaining about how haaaarrrrrd it is that the woman he loves would rather he didn't rape/torture/murder people.

He is so gross, I'm sick of his face. :/ And it's weird to me because she's been through so much, much of it at his hands, and he's taken so many of her choices away from her, and she's aware of all of it, and she seems in all other situations to be focused on keeping the people she loves safe/being fiercely loyal to them, so it's jarring that on the other hand she feels all this affection for Damon, and forgives him for everything ever. Which I guess is why it all exists in this bubble apart from the other characters because they wouldn't understand it either. I assume Bonnie helps sometimes because she loves Elena.

So yeah. I dunno. I wish I didn't care so much about every other character/storyline.

+ I don't understand Klaus' obsession with Stefan and can only assume he wants to bone him. Just ask, buddy. Just ask.
+ The show keeps killing off good people/people I was just starting to like, and preserving the worst people. At some point they'll run out of people I like but then I'm sure they'll bring in new people for me to like and then kill them. This is my own fault.
+ I love Katherine, smartest character on the show. And Elijah. Poor, naive Elijah.
+ So Jeremy dies and then is...idk SHADOW-KISSED?!!? I was so happy to see Anna's face again I didn't bother to unpack any of it, but interesting setup for next season I guess. Even if it's bound to put Bonnie through more hell.
+ I hope next season Caroline gets to be a part of things instead of in her own little triangular bubble. I'm pulling for Matt/Caroline just because I like Matt and dislike Tyler. *kanyeshrug*

Comments

[such_heights]

oh, UGH. I suppose I will get around to watching the episode at some point, but this sounds very DNW. But, but, Anna! ~Conflict~ Why, show, why.

[heathershaped]

Anna's only there for a split second but SO MUCH PROMISE.

[marina]

Oh man, really? I didn't see it going in the Damon/Elena direction though I know that's where the books ends up. But I just saw Damon as usual being all into Elena and Elena as usual being inexplicably kind to him but still not actually interested in him/willing to be with him. But maybe I'm deluding myself :/

Like, in my head next season is gonna be about Katherine, Damon and Elena's hilarious hijinks as they try to save Stefan/make him ~good~ again/whatever. THAT IS THE SEASON I WANT.

-LOL YES KLAUS/STEFAN
-ANNA AND VICKY. ANNA AND VICKY! I have... such high hopes that will probably prove foolish, lol.

[heathershaped]

I JUST FEEL LIKE STEFAN MIGHT HAVE GIVEN KLAUS ONE IF HE'D ASKED NICELY/IF IT WOULD HAVE SAVED DAMON I MEAN IT BEATS A DECADE-LONG BENDER

in my head next season is gonna be about Katherine, Damon and Elena's hilarious hijinks as they try to save Stefan/make him ~good~ again/whatever. THAT IS THE SEASON I WANT.

That would be AMAZING. And I think what actually will happen is somewhere in the middle. It'll be mostly that with generous helpings of inexplicable tension between Damon and Elena.

[bigbrasskey]

I don't know if it's just me over-identifying but it feels so much to me like a woman having horrible things happen to her, and - when forced into constant proximity with her attacker - being made by survival instincts, the need to cope and pressured (however unintentional) by the people around her (even Stefan makes excuses for him and no one is trying to kill or stop him anymore) into minimizing her own pain and doubting herself. It hit me especially hard in the episode where they go off to see Isobel's things and Damon was constantly intruding her space and mocking her and telling her she didn't hate him, because god knows society teaches women to prioritize men above each other and themselves.

[heathershaped]

No, I know exactly what you're saying and I think it fits. EVERYONE around her minimalizes Damon's actions (whether it's in-character for them to do so or not) or the people who wouldn't minimalize them are either not around or don't have all the information. That's the kind of pressure that's put on girls all the TIME. Peers and adults around them talking about what wasn't a big deal or what didn't really happen, etc.

I just wish I could believe the show was doing this intentionally. I DON'T believe Elena has feelings for Damon, it's repeatedly stressed that she doesn't; but the writers treat the situation very carelessly all the same. I dunno how to explain but it's troubling.

[bigbrasskey]

Sometimes Damon's actions toward her make me want to protect her more than, like, the life-threatening injuries she suffers. At least when Klaus killed her, he didn't tell her she should like it.

I'm left brimming with frustration with the show, because if not the rest of the wealth of proof, Alaric's characterization in the latter half of season two, I really feel, proves that the characters take the actions lightly because the writers take the actions lightly and just value those female character less than they value Damon's angst. I'm sure they don't even really think about it: their priorities are simply stamped all over their work.

[heathershaped]

Well yeah, Damon's shit is far more insidious.

the characters take the actions lightly because the writers take the actions lightly and just value those female character less than they value Damon's angst

That's exactly it, and it's more frustrating than anything else I can think of.

[heathershaped]

ALSO: are you favoritezipper over on tumblr?

Because sadly enough there are few enough people talking about this issue in this way that I feel like it must be you.

IF NOT NEVER MIND IGNORE ME and either way you seem like a quality person, etc

[bigbrasskey]

Aheh, yep, I am!