TV Recap: 'The Vampire Diaries' Episode 320 - "Do Not Go Gentle"

"Do Not Go Gentle"
Written By: Michael Narducci
Directed By: Josh Butler
Original Airdate: 26 April 2012

In This Episode...
"Rebekah" brings Klaus the last white oak stake, which he burns without a second thought, then tells her to prepare to leave town. After some begging, he agrees to stick around long enough for the Decades Dance.

With Alaric's help, Esther reclaims her body, then the two go to an old crypt in the woods, where Esther can draw on the power of violence that once occurred there. She makes the white oak stake indestructible, then collects Elena from the dance. The Salvatores try to follow, but Esther has cast a boundary spell, trapping all supernatural creatures inside the school. While Bonnie works to counteract the spell, Jeremy and Matt (the last two humans in Mystic Falls, I think) go searching for Elena. Klaus manages to direct them after Bonnie mentions how strong Esther's power is - he knows just where mummy would go.

Esther's plan is diabolical - and kind of stupid. She plans on turning Alaric into the ultimate hunter, just like Michael. Each time Alaric died, Esther saw him on the other side, and saw his true self held more anger and vengeance than any of her family. He will be as indestructible as Michael, and more bloodthirsty than Klaus - the ultimate killing machine. But this time, Esther built a safety net into the spell: after a time, Ric would just die, but not until he has killed all of her children, thereby ridding the world of all vampires. Elena's blood is necessary for the spell, and Esther takes it by force - then stabs Ric into another death.

A noise outside draws Esther's attention: Jeremy and Matt have arrived, and are armed. She summons magic so the boys will turn their weapons on one another. Elena is powerless to stop it - but Alaric isn't, and he stabs her. The boundary spell is broken, and all the vampires eventually find their way out to the crypt. Alaric has no recollection of what he agreed to help Esther with, but when Elena fills him in, he decides not to complete the transition. Meredith gives him a sedative so he would die peacefully, and Damon sits with him in his last hours. Elena is manic, clearing out Ric's classroom in a frenzy until Stefan calms her down, promising that he will always be there for her. Jeremy and Matt have a drink in Alaric's honor at the Grill. Jamie takes Bonnie home and stays with her because her father is out of town and she doesn't want to be alone (I didn't even realize Bonnie had a father). But in the middle of the night, Esther comes to Bonnie in a dream and tells her she must finish the work of her sisters.

As Alaric begins to slip into unconsciousness, Damon finishes his bourbon and heads out of the crypt. He is surprised to find Bonnie there, in a trance. When he tries to talk to her, she mind-rapes him, totally disabling him. Bonnie enters the crypt and forces Alaric to feed on her.

Dig It or Bury It?
Bravo. With tonight's episode, The Vampire Diaries did something oh-so-rare: they got sweet and romantic and a little sappy, and I didn't have the urge to vomit. Towards the end, with Stefan and Elena alone in the gym, that could have easily been terrible. Instead, Stefan came across as sincere and genuine. This episode was severely lacking in the violence and action, but I like where the story is going.

At this point , Elena's guardianship problem has almost become comical. No one in charge of Elena has stuck around. Her birth mother gave her away. Her birth father was evil at first, but then died just when he was becoming likable. Of course, her adoptive parents died, her aunt died, and then Alaric. Maybe she needs to take the hint: grow up and take care of yourself. Elena is 18 at this point; act like it! Speaking of which... do these kids ever go to class anymore? Is it naive that I still don't trust Meredith?

Ritualistic Behavior
Esther has this whole plan marked out. She combines blood and fire in a bowl with Alaric's ring, then dips the stake in the molten mixture. It takes on the magic of the ring and becomes indestructible, allowing it to be used multiple times (rather than burning up after a single use).

Devilishly Charming
Caroline: "Why do you always have to prove you are the alpha male?"
Klaus: "I don't have to prove anything. I AM the alpha male."

The Salvatore crew must join forces with Klaus to kill an even greater enemy - Alaric. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.