The Vampire Diaries 3.18 “The Murder of One”

Some interesting insta-developments save this one from the disappointments of recent episodes. Sage, we hardly knew ye. Or Finn, for that matter. When his siblings track him down to drag him back kicking and screaming to the Klaus Haus (no respects for their elders, those two), they throw in a mighty fine enticement: Sage is there, and as she’s the Yang to his Yin (or something like that) Finn decides to extend his cursed mortal coil a few more poignant moments with his beloved. She’s the irresistible treat he can’t do without, even though he regrets turning her, and she almost succeeds in making him seem human as she takes him to the town hangout, and introduces him to the joys of tequila.

Sadly, our fang gang has other ideas, spiking the tequila with vervain, and leading to a confrontation where Finn is staked with one of the twelve White Oak weapons made from the Wickery Bridge sign (Mayor Carol’s not going to be happy about that one, as she wanted that sign for historical panache). Sage does not take the end of her few hours-long reunion (after 900 years) very well.

Elena is weirdly kept out of the loop while the stake-making is underway (boys only because there’s saws and stuff, I guess?), but is included when Stefan presents the finished products to everyone, including Matt (whose job will be to take down Rebekah, since she’s shown a passing interest in him). This show is all about keeping each act jumpy, even if the various beats don’t always make the most sense. The idea of each of the “good guys” running around with their own stakes, waiting for a stealth opportunity to strike the Originals, sounds like suicide to me.

Rebekah, still mad about last week’s bedroom shenanigans, captures Damon and proceeds to torture him slowly in the Klaus Haus, with the long-term goal of bleeding him out of all the vervain in his system, so he’ll be compellable again. Despite Klaus’ suggestions of more efficient ways to go about it, Rebekah prefers her slow and steady approach, and plays some head games regarding who Damon really loves while he’s weakened.

Klaus’ witch (needed to undo Esther’s spell that ties them altogether should one die) of course turns out to be a captured Bonnie, who’s had about enough of being caught up in vampire business these days (considering her long lost mom has just become one), and does Klaus’ bidding only when he makes it clear Kol is stalking Jeremy, who is not safe no matter how far they send him away. Of course she completes it (in quite the compelling creepy scene of blood pooling on a table of its own will, provided by neat little vials Klaus has collected in the cutest little medical bag; he’s nothing if not organized) just in time to doom Finn while saving everyone else.

Except it’s not that easy, because when Sage recovers from her grief enough to track down Stefan for some 900-year-old vamp vengeance, she suddenly sickens and dies. As does her most recent turnee, whom she made in order to have some extra muscle in town.

Seems she was the only one Finn ever turned, and at his death, all of his “line” dies as well. Sage, however, has turned many over the years, so we presume they are all failing inexplicably around the world. Gross. The implications of this are not lost on the Salvatore Squad … Katherine turned them, and Rose may have turned Katherine, but who turned Rose? Are they part of a Klaus lineage, meaning they can’t kill him? Or have the lucked out with Rebekah or Elijah as their vampire progenitors? Relatively?

And did Esther know about this when she tried to kill her offspring all at once … that she’d also be removing all vampires from the world? Well, except for herself? Probably, I’m guessing. Talk about being an evil witch.

Unless you believe it’s really for the best, that all vamps are evil, and we’re better off without them. Then it’s the best news ever. But, if you could live without the Stefan and Damon bromance, you wouldn’t be watching this show, would you? Oh, also, Klaus learns of the stakes from a compelled Damon and demands them all, but one is missing, the one they gave to the split-personality Alaric. So Houston, we’ve got a problem.