TV Review: The Vampire Diaries (6×19) “Because”

This week’s episode of The Vampire Diaries, centered around the gang trying to get Caroline to flip her humanity switch back on. Not as much in the foreground, we have Damon’s inner conflict over the cure, Lily wanting her vamp-witch family back, Elena’s struggles with vampirism, and Bonnie’s determination to keep Kai in the prison world.

Bonnie and Damon fought over the cure and the ascendent. Damon was in the middle of several different schemes in this episode that are all beginning to backfire for him, like they always do. Bonnie is one of my least favorite main characters. Bonnie always seems to make ridiculous choices, but in this episode I actually agreed with her. Bonnie is trying to protect herself and everyone else, while Damon is trying to protect himself and his relationship with Elena and his brother.

We find out that Sheriff Forbes wrote a letter to Caroline before she died. Caroline made Stefan burn the letter from Caroline’s mom. Stefan had to pretend that he still had no humanity, which wasn’t convincing at all.  Caroline throws Elena’s humanity-less bender back in her face, yet again. Sheriff Forbes death and Caroline’s subsequent grief has been very drawn-out over this half of the season. One of the things I liked is that The Vampire Diaries killed a lot of characters off and there was always so much happening that the viewer never had time to mourn the character. This just kind of shows that there isn’t that much going on. I’m over the Sheriff Forbes death. Caroline keeps calling Elena’s bad choices out, but Elena has lost every single person who is remotely related to her. I think it should have bonded them more, not made it a competition.

Stefan and Caroline really have no romantic chemistry at all. Stefan shows a memory of Caroline’s mom and we find out Sheriff Forbes shipped Caroline/Stefan. I feel like Caroline/Stefan worked better as an AU ship then they do as a realized relationship. When showed the letter then you see Caroline break down not able to see her mother. It made me cry. She realizes that she can’t read the letter. I did enjoy seeing a bit of a more badass side to Caroline, but ultimately I am glad to have the character that I know and love back to herself.

Elena and Damon’s five years from now, if they were human game was really sad. But it was foreshadowing if Elena gets the cure. Human Elena chose Stefan, which scares Damon and me. Elena is struggling with the idea of a vampire eternity, but being with Damon makes it okay for her.

Lily and her ‘family’ is strange, but I am excited to see the vamp-witches or rather witchires as someone in the episode said. It might be reminiscent of the introduction of the original family. The seventh season isn’t looking to great without Nina Dobrev, but these villains have the potential to be pretty exciting

After not getting the ascendent, Lily leaves the cure for Elena to find in order to punish Damon. Caroline has to confront all of her demons and right now that isn’t Stefan, thank god. Lily the ripper is back, we traded one for a worse one as it seems, and we actually see a compassionate side of Enzo. I like that Elena gets why Damon hid the cure from her. I think Elena a few season ago would have made a big deal about, which showed some character growth. We see all of Damon’s faults when it comes to Elena.The episode ends with Damon saying he will become human too.
The cure only had one dosage the first time we encountered it. How does Damon think he will become human, too ? Which do you prefer witchire or vampwitch?

Episode Grade: 6/10

The Vampire Diaries airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW