Vampire Diaries - Small Screen Review

Vampire Diaries - Small Screen Review

Episodes 9 Review - "Homecoming"

Mid-Season Finale

Stefan calls Klaus to tell him that Michael is dead. When Klaus inquires for further information, we flash back an hour to Stefan, Damon, and Elena plotting how to get Klaus back to Mystic Falls so Michael can kill him. Michael volunteers to be stabbed so that Klaus will see his dead body. As Elena is the only non-vampire, she is the only one who can do it. Flash back to present, Klaus says he wants to see the body, reminds Stefan that he’s compelled, and Stefan confirms that Michael is really dead. Klaus wants to talk to Rebekah, who also confirms the story. She also tells Klaus she misses him, a further lure to get him back to Mystic Falls. It works. Klaus is “coming home.” Elena removes the dagger from Michael’s chest.

Rebekah is dressed for the dance, and when Elena walks in, Rebekah confides in her that this is her first high school dance. Rebekah is having a bit of a crisis, since she’s spent her entire life both loving and hating Klaus, and now she’s helping to end his life completely. Elena returns Rebekah’s necklace to her, and Rebekah starts crying as she sees it on her. The moment is really quite sweet. Until Elena stabs Rebekah with the dagger, apologizing, but stating, “I can’t leave anything to chance either.”

Bonne and Caroline walk into Tyler’s house party, which looks incredibly well put together, especially considering he’s only had hours to do it. When Stefan tells Tyler he’s impressed with the party, Tyler tells Stefan it’s Klaus’ party. Only it’s not a party, it’s a wake. Matt and Elena walk into the party together. She tells them Klaus is here, and they’re not really surprised. Elena walks off to find Bonnie, and Matt goes off for a drink.
Stefan and Klaus are walking through the party, and Klaus says he can now reunite his family. Klaus inquires as to Rebekah’s whereabouts, and Stefan honestly doesn’t know where she is. Stefan offers to bring Klaus to the body, but Klaus wants the body brought to him. Stefan tries to negotiate his freedom from compulsion, but Klaus says not until Michael’s body and the weapon are destroyed.

Michael shows Damon the stake. Michael admits that he prefers vampire blood to human blood. Stefan walks in and says that Klaus has thrown a wrench in their plan. When Stefan inquires about the new plan, Damon says it doesn’t involve him – and Michael lunges on Stefan and feeds on him. Guess Stefan will be out of the loop for a little while.

Klaus and Tyler are chatting, and Klaus tells Tyler that he’s invited a huge contingent of hybrids to this party. Quite a large number of bodyguards. He smells treachery, and isn’t going to go down without taking a few humans/vampires/witches with him. Tyler corners Caroline and asks what they’re up to with Klaus. Caroline honestly doesn’t know, so when Tyler tries to warn her and accuses her of lying to him, Caroline bristles. As Caroline tries to leave and go back to the party, Tyler injects her with something – presumably vervain.

Klaus comes up to Elena and ‘thanks’ her for killing Michael. He also says she seems nervous, and she counters with “I’m not nervous. I just don’t like you.” Klaus semi-warns her that whatever plan they have won’t work. Elena looks uncomfortable. Damon enters the party by ripping out a hybrid’s heart. Tyler tells Matt he has to get Caroline out of the party because if something happens to Klaus, he’ll have no choice but to protect Klaus. As Tyler is coming down the stairs, Damon grabs him and throws him into the next room. They tussle. Bonnie comes in and “witchy-migraines” them. Tyler collapses, and Bonnie lets up. Damon has the stake that can kill Klaus.

Klaus’ hybrids tell him Michael is at the door. When Klaus goes to greet his father, the hybrids begin to line up behind him, ready to attack. Michael isn’t particularly nervous, because they can’t kill him, but I doubt it will be a fun past time… Klaus says as much, and Michael reminds him that even though the hybrids were sired by Klaus, they’re still part-vampire, and as such, Michael can compel them. To prove this point, Michael has one of the hybrids bring a struggling Elena up to the front. Michael is trying to get Klaus to come outside, or he’ll kill Elena. He’s trying to goad Klaus into stepping outside the house, and it looks like he might succeed. But then Klaus says he’s calling Michael’s bluff. They’re at a bit of a stale mate. Klaus is almost crying as he’s screaming t Michael, “kill her.” Michael sticks a dagger in Elena as Damon pounces on Klaus from behind and attempts to stake him. While they’re tussling, Stefan lunges at Damon, knocking the stake free. As Katherine (a ha, I knew it) tosses wolfsbane grenades at the hybrids, Klaus picks up the stake, jumps outside, and stakes Michael. Stake and Michael go up in flames. Damon is incredulous that Stefan just ruined this, and Klaus happily frees Stefan from his compulsion. You can see the humanity come crashing down around Stefan’s ears.

Caroline comes to in her bedroom, as Tyler walks in and asks if she’s ok. He semi-contritely apologizes for stabbing her, trying to explain it’s all he could do to get her out of there. He knows she never would’ve left willingly. But Caroline is really distressed that Tyler is fully sired to Klaus. She doesn’t understand how he can be ok with this, and Tyler tells her it’s because he’s better. They sort of break up.

Katherine calls Damon, to “Say goodbye”. Stefan is in the car with her.
We flash back to Stefan on the floor after Michael bit him, and Katherine is feeding him a bag of blood. We flash further back, and we see the end of the conversation between Katherine and Klaus where he says she seems nervous. Klaus tells Katherine (who he thinks is Elena) that if he dies, Damon dies too. Once we’re back to Stefan on the floor drinking the bag of blood, Katherine tells him that Damon dies if Klaus dies. Katherine tells Stefan that if he leaves his humanity off, Damon will die. She tries to guilt him into caring enough to safe Damon’s life.

Back in the car, Katherine tells Stefan that she was trying to save Stefan’s humanity by saving Damon, because she likes the old Stefan better. She admits to sometimes letting her own humanity back in. Stefan says he doesn’t want to let his humanity back in, not after everything he’s done. And Katherine tells him of course she doesn’t want him to, but unless he does, he won’t be able to do what’s next.

Klaus is calling Rebekah, who’s cell phone is lying next to her semi-dead body. Stefan calls Klaus to tell him he’s pissed. Stefan tells Klaus the one thing that never gets old is revenge, as Klaus opens the van where he’s been toting around his family’s coffins – only now Stefan has them. Klaus threatens to kill everyone Stefan has ever met, and Stefan counters that he’ll make it so that Klaus will never see his family again if he does. “I wonder, Klaus, as someone who’s been one step ahead for a thousand years, are you prepared for this?”