The Vampire Diaries – “Memorial” – Blog/On Air Recap

This episode serves it’s title – it’s a memorial to the people that the town of Mystic Falls has lost. That’s not the main plot line, however. We start with Stefan attempting to teach Elena to feed from animals, much to Damon’s displeasure. Stefan is proud when she does it, but she hides that she throws it all back up again. For days, she throws up the blood she drinks, whether it’s animal, Damon’s (yep, they did blood sharing), or from a blood bag. Pastor Young’s daughter, April, arrives back in town and immediately reconnects with Jeremy and then Elena (who used to babysit her). Leading up to the memorial service, Sharif Forbes, and then Mayor Lockwood (both seemingly reinstated now that the council has gone), receive visits from Connor. When he gets menacing towards Carol, Tyler steps in, only to be discovered and attacked.

At the memorial service, Connor stabs April in an attempt to lure out the vampires. Elena starts to lose control, and Damon is ready to go and ‘rip his head off’, until Matt steps in and offers Elena his blood, which she takes, and manages to keep down. Tyler then takes the stage, and Connor shoots him (though obviously, given he’s a hybrid, it doesn’t kill him). Damon goes to confront Connor, but Connor manages to get the upper hand and then leaves. Later in the bar, he speaks with Matt and Jeremy, and as they leave, Jeremy admires his tattoos – which Matt cannot see.

The episode ends with a memorial from the friends (minus Tyler, who had to be taken to hospital, despite being fine, as everyone saw him get shot). They each light a Japanese lantern and say who it’s for, which brings up memories of the likes of Lexi, Uncle Zach, Caroline and Tyler’s fathers, Mr and Mrs Gilbert, Aunt Jenna, Alaric and Grams. Damon refuses and walks off, before Elena joins as well, and they let the lanterns go. The episode ends with Damon drinking in a cemetery, and talking about grief, and how he’s been left to ‘look after the kids’. Earlier in the episode whenever someone went to sit next to him at the bar, he’d tell them the seat was taken, and now in the cemetery we realize that he’s at Ric’s grave. Damon continues to express his grief in his own way – moaning, drinking and making jokes – whilst Ric’s ghost watches on with a sad expression (that’s right folks – Ric is back for this scene!). The episode ends with Damon walking off, and Ric saying “I miss you too, buddy.”

It’s an excellent episode, that really tugs on the hart strings (especially at the end). It was superbly written and acted, and helps to move the story along nicely, as well as introduce Connor in a very no-nonsense way. I’m looking forward to the next episode.

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