Written by Duana

Our fast-forward recap of TVD continues with Season 2, Episode 8 – which all of you in the business of recommending got really squeal-y and excited about. Entitled “Rose” for those who keep track.

Previously, Stefan had lived in secret for a century, Elena was perturbed she looked exactly the same as Katherine, Stefan drops that the Lockwoods are vampires, Mason tells Tyler the truth about the killy-curse, Katherine killed a masquerade-goer in front of Stefan, some girl harasses Tyler with a stake, and he THROWS her on a desk, which makes Caroline crazy (you guys didn’t think I needed to see that?) as he wolfs out, Elena thinks she and Stefan can’t sneak around anymore, Damon keeps Katherine shut in a crypt even though she says Elena The Doppelganger needs to be protected (by her, one assumes) and someone in a masquerade mask gets all kidnappy on Elena.

But now there’s a car heading down a sunshiny rural road! I’d be all excited except it’s a black SUV which generally means super-bad-news on Big Love, so. A curly-head gets out of a car with something unidentifiable in the passenger seat. Curly gets Elena from his trunk and puts her in the back of the SUV. Everyone’s mouths are hidden, so we can’t see what’s going on, but when Curly gets snacked upon, it’s pretty clear the guy with the shades and the bad French accent is a vamp.

Title card!

Jeremy primps in the bathroom. Seems he does that a lot. He yells for Elena but when she doesn’t answer, just opens her bedroom door. Like what if there was something private going on, Jer? Anyway, he sees her far-too-neat and ascetic bed - where’s a teenage girl’s big duvet? - and scratches his head.

Meanwhile Caroline is totally gossiping to Damon. I’d love to ascribe more seriousness to her speech, but can’t. She says Sarah attacked Tyler, he shoved her, and she hit her head. Matt remembers nothing (um, is this a theme for Matt, people?) but Caroline thinks they were both compelled by Katherine. Anyway, Caroline covered for Tyler, in a way that is unclear. Damon thinks it’s a bad idea, but Caroline points out that it’s not a good idea for his mom (the mayor’s wife?) to find out her son’s a vampire. She’s getting dressed so – these two are totally boning, right? Anyway, her mom is out looking for missing teen Aimee Bradley. GOD I love this town. Damon’s more interested in whether Tyler’s eyes changed colour. He’s annoyed that Caroline is less focused on this than he is – but when she says she’ll find out, Damon gets super strict, all “DON’T BE HIS FRIEND”. He says it’s because vampires can be killed by werewolves, but really it’s a metaphor for Bad Controlling Boyfriend. He tells Caroline where Aimee Bradley’s body can be found. It involves the word ‘ravine’. Shudder.

At school, and I guess Aimee Bradley was the girl that Katherine killed at the masquerade. Tyler looks damn guilty as he walks the halls though. And more than a little jumpy. He turns his locker combo like he’s detonating a bomb, and pulls the lock off altogether for his trouble.

Meanwhile, Jeremy ignores my advice to stay out of his sister’s sex life by telling Stefan he needs to know if he’s supposed to cover for her. He’s glad they’re back together, but they’re ‘pushing it’ when Elena doesn’t come home. Stefan is all “I have NOT been getting any, so….” Anyway they discover that maybe the girl is missing…

Big Ol’ gothicky mansion with sun streaming in. Man in shadow unties Elena. She has blood on her arm, and I guess it wasn’t Damon in the SUV. Anyway, a greasy blonde wants ‘just a taste’ of the wound on her arm, but a woman barks him off of her. Elena goes into her “Hark! For I am not Katherine” routine, but the woman (vamp?) is way ahead of her and tells her to shut it. When her point isn’t made, she CLOCKS Elena, backhand! Damn!

Stefan and Damon debate about where Elena might be. Damon is indignant at the implication that he didn’t lock Katherine up, but then remembers that she said Elena was in danger. Accurately pointing out that everything Katherine says is a lie, so why would he give it significance? Stefan runs off to find out what she knows, but Damon is all “So, she’s going to negotiate to get out and then she’s gonna kill us both.” Stefan basically says “word” and heads off. Damon says it’s a bad idea, and Stefan calls back “It’s Elena” which is kind of hilarious.

Caroline takes in the vigil for Aimee. But then Tyler appears to talk about why she knew that something was up with him, and they have a full-on who’s-on-first about who knows what. She tells him not to blame himself without letting on or saying the W word.

Elena wakes to hear Trevor and British Woman Vamp debating whether they called Elijah. He thinks they could still back out of this, but she’s sick of running. He thinks running keeps them from dying, and she thinks they’ll be free if Elijah accepts their deal. Elena wants to know what I do, which is “who’s Elijah?” She’s told it’s her worst nightmare, and PS, don’t run.

Meanwhile, Bonnie’s all “I can’t undo the spell of the tomb.” Hey Bonnie, it’s been awhile. What up? Stefan says he can talk to Katherine, right? He can, she says, but Katherine will want something. Then Bonnie’s all reluctant like “what if there was another way?” Why didn’t you say so, princess?

Seconds later, it’s daytime and there’s a plan afoot to use Jeremy’s blood (ew) to track Elena. Stefan says Alaric (Rick?) says they have 10 minutes. Bonnie cuts Jeremy’s hand open and drips blood everywhere on a map to find Elena. The blood turns into an arrow which is wicked, and points to Reidsville. The guys get all annoyed that it’s not more exact, and then Jeremy decides he’ll Google-image it. Seriously. Nobody sees another drop of blood fall on the map – WTF? Nosebleed? – as Jer and Stefan debate over who’s going to find her, and Damon announces the debate is over. Because “It’s Elena”. OK. Fine.

Boys play basketball. Tyler can dunk, suddenly, but he’s over it because he needs to track Caroline. He points out that she’s lying to him, and gets physical when she says she isn’t. So then in awesome-sauce, she flips his arm and shoves him away. “You’re stronger than me?” he Neanderthals. He desperately wants her to tell him what’s up, but she tells him he’s just in shock over Sarah dying. So he takes his aggression out on kicking a garbage can – which flies across a parking lot and kills a Jetta.

Sexy-boy-car flies across a country road. Is there mythology about where they got the car? They talk about how Alaric likes weapons, one of the ones he gave them was a verveine bomber. They have 80 miles, and they discuss that Elena was kidnapped by someone from Katherine’s past. Then, they get all emo, saying that Damon’s participation in the rescue mission is not because he wants to help the brother save the girl he loves, but because HE wants to save the girl HE loves. Lots of meta-talk about road-trip bonding. Anyway, Stefan twists the knife about how Damon couldn’t leave even if he wanted. Which seems a bit cruel, twisting the knife like that.

Jeremy’s bedroom. He uses a Microsoft tablet-phone, i.e. pointedly not an iphone, to find ‘the only house for miles’. He sent it to Stefan, and then the two of them begin their bond as Bonnie says Elena’s going to be fine. Jeremy romantic-tensions that Bonnie doesn’t know that, and she rachets things up by starting another spell. She sends him off in search of Elena’s hairbrush and a candle. Speaking of Jere getting too close….

Anyway, Bonnie is trying to send Elena a message. On notebook paper. She concentrates. Jer looks freaked. She speaks in tongues. He shakes her, like do you not think she’s trying to DO A SPELL, Jeremy? Anyway, the paper in her hand burns away, then she passes out. On his bed. CONVENIENT!

Elena with her female captor, getting a bit imperious all “Why won’t you answer my questions? Why am I here?” Captor is appropriately irritated. Elena points out she can’t leave. The woman is a delivery service to Elijah, who’s one of the original vampires. She scoffs at the Salvatore’s lack of teaching Elena. She throws out “I could have had your boyfriend” but Elena keeps focused. She understands she’s trade-bait so they can be free, but why here. The woman tells her she’s a Petrova Doppelganger. Man, I LOVE when the previews I’ve seen come home to roost! Elena’s the key to breaking the ‘sun-and-the-moon’ curse. Moonstone holds it, blood-of-the-doppelganger breaks it.

So if I understand correctly, if Elena dies, the curse that holds Katherine breaks?

Caroline comes into her house, calls out for her mom. But her house clearly feels weird from how she’s walking all creepy. Oh yes, here’s Tyler creeping behind her. He says ‘I know”. He says she’s just like him. She says no. They ‘who’s on first’ some more, and he thinks she’s a werewolf. He gets all growly angry with her, like not all of these aggression issues are from werewolfiness, are they Tyler? Finally, Caroline shows her fangs in that apologetic way she has, like the cutest little vamp of all time. Tyler = appropriately freaked.

Elena, who really could try a little honey with these captors of hers, is pushier about who the ‘originals’ are. Trevor explains it’s the First Family. He pissed them off, apparently – Trevor and his friend Rose, the other captor, who had his back (and I mention this because her name is the title of the episode) have been running for half a millennium. Elena wants to know what he did, which was apparently he trusted Katerina Petrova, helped her escape the fate of the doppelganger, and they won’t make the same mistake with Elena.

Jeremy brings Bonnie some liquids, she’s revived. She pushed too hard which is why she fainted. Magic can tap you. I have Willow flashbacks. Bonnie doesn’t want anyone to know she’s weak. Jeremy promises not to tell Damon, and these two stare into each other’s eyes. Bonnie exposits that she’s all alone because her dad doesn’t want to know what she is. Coincidentally, Jeremy also feels alone. BONDS!

Elena flops around the mansion. Somehow manages to flop down on the note Bonnie sent. Yay!

Boys in the car. Why is Damon driving when it’s Stefan’s mission? Anyway, they swing d*cks about human blood, and whether he can handle drinking it. (Is every recap of this show forever going to involve my writing that phrase? Because I’m in.) Stefan points out he’s been drinking Elena’s blood, and Damon blanches. He tries to twist the knife to remembering when Stefan was a bloodhound, more-or-less literally, but S blows it off. Wait a second, did Stefan make Damon? That would be cool. Stefan found something else to live for, is all.

Trevor and Rose are all excited because Elijah is there. They fight among themselves because they’re so scared of him, and Rose says they’re family forever, and they’re both terrified, and Elena processes this, and Nina Dobrev looks about six years old here.

Elijah. He has a bad haircut. He calls Rose “Rosemarie”. She asks him to forgive the filthy-dirty mansion. He’s all “So you dared to call because…?” Anyway, Elijah CAN grant them immunity if he wants. Rose explains that Katherine didn’t die in the fire, and points out she has Katherine’s doppelganger. Elijah is all “Show me, because this doesn’t compute with what I know to be true, i.e. no doppelganger.” She makes him promise that he’ll pardon them.

Elijah sees Elena, apparates right in front of her, smells her all up, and declares her human. He says hello. Elena quakes.

Outside, Damon and Stefan strategize. Damon’s all “Those guys are old and strong, we might die”. Stefan – sing it with me – will do anything for Elena. Ian Somerhalder’s makeup is so makeuppy in the morning light!

Elijah likes the smell of Elena so they should be off, despite her beggings. He says there’s one more thing they have to do, and I’m pretty sure Trevor’s not long for this world. So Trevor grovels, Elijah wants to know where his loyalty was, Elijah forgives him, and then beheads him and I kind of wanted to be squeamish, but it’s all SO cool. His headless body flops. Rose cries.

Elena gets all desperate and offers up that she can find the moonstone. She can help him get it, and he’s just tickled that the little filly is negotiating. He yanks verveine off her neck, and compels her to tell him the truth about the moonstone which I assume she does, based on how little her lips move.

Elijah gets all antsy to leave as Stefan and Damon fly around trying to tease him. One sends a dart through his hand. They’re still pretty invisible though. Stefan grabs Elena and makes her be super-quiet as Damon grabs Rose. Elijah strides around wielding a coatrack, which is more menacing than you might think.

Elena’s all sacrificial lamb at the top of the stairs. “Take me, take me!” She throws a verveine bomb at him which SEEMS DUMB. Anyway, then it’s a full-on battle. Stefan shoots, nothing happens. Damon gets all stake-y with the aforementioned coatrack. Rose is impressed. Damon turns back to kill her but Elena begs him to let her go. And then. AND then, makes EYES at Damon while hugging Stefan. You hussy!

Jer’s bedroom. Bonnie sleeps. Clothed. He hears a noise – Elena staggers up the stairs. Bonnie and Jer are happy and emotional, as you are when this kind of thing goes down. Bonnie’s message made it! Everyone delighted. Hugs.

Damon drinking scotch. Good man. HE hands some to Stefan. LOVE this. “High School Boy” with a glass in his hand. Anyway, they vow to keep Elena safe because the curse is pretty ominous. Anyway, the only way they can do that is if they’re not fighting. They can’t let Elena come between them like Katherine did. Damon rolls his eyes. Then Stefan apologizes for turning Damon. Emotion works on their faces which means they face away from each other. Stefan says he did it because he was lonely. And that makes it OK?

Caroline brings Tyler some booze. This is the best. She says it helps with the jitters but he doesn’t have that, he has hot-inside skin. She says she was emotional at the beginning, and he wants to know how she can be a vampire, and who else is like her. She says it’s just her, and wants to know how many other werewolves there are. He says one, and Caro gets all historical on his ass. Her mom and his and the council and the founding families – but only if nobody knows about them. She makes him promise. He confesses he has nobody else to tell. And he’s a ticking clock until the next full moon. And they hug. What would Matt say?

Stefan goes for a booze refill, but a vampire streaks around the room in that way we know they do. It’s Rose. She confesses that Lexie says Stefan was one of the good ones. She misses Trevor, after 500 years. And she has nowhere to run. Stefan can’t help her, but she says he needs her help. Even though Elijah is dead, the originals will come for Elena. They’re doing it for Klaus, which makes Stefan’s stoic-face furrow in stoic-concern. Klaus!!

Bathroom. Elena in blue. She rubs her wounded arm, and Damon is there to tell her her pajamas are cute. He’s brought her back her verveine locket. But holds onto it while he tells her something. She gets all antsy because why does he have to say it while she’s naked and unprotected? I mean, metaphorically naked, but you know what Damon’s thinking as he looks at her. Anyway, he says it because he has to be selfish.

She begs him not to say it but he tells her he loves her, and that he doesn’t deserve her, and Stefan does. Elena is crying, and trying to breathe, and he kisses her forehead, and she struggles as she tries to understand the weight of what he’s just given her to deal with –

And then he compels her to forget and disappears, and all that’s left is a girl in a bedroom wearing a locket.

Old crusty mansion. Elijah, coatracked to the door. But then – he wakes up! Pulls the coatrack out! Oh, he is going to be MAD….

(Attached – photos from the next new episode airing April 7th which I’m sure are sending Duana into even more background research googles – Lainey)


Photos courtesy of The CW