Episode 2.13 – “Daddy Issues”

This episode was jam packed with goodies!  Soooo much better than last week in my opinion.

Tyler pays Caroline a visit, looking very intense when he tells her they need to talk.  Oblivious, Caroline tells him that they can’t “go there” meaning the kiss they shared.  He’s a little more concerned with the fact that she’s been lying to him about there being no other vampires in town and that she’s known all along that they killed his uncle Mason.  She tries to explain, but he flips out, pressing her against her car.  “I trusted you!” He yells before stalking off.

Cut to Damon in the shower, never a bad place to begin! (thanks TVD for answering my request for a shirtless Damon!)  It seems like everyone in town is watching the news which is covering the slew of murders, thanks to Rose, Jules and Damon’s recent activities.  The Mayor announces they will be holding a memorial service at the town square.  John is watching as well at the Gilbert household but turns it off when Elena emerges looking cute in a ponytail.  But that’s the only thing cute and cuddly about Elena today as she comes out swinging, demanding to know what John’s doing in town.  He insists that he’s there to protect her.  Elena gets some great lines in this episode, basically getting to tell John off at every opportunity, all those things that I shout out to my TV on her behalf in the past.  He has no right to be in her life, she neither wants nor needs him there, etc.; it’s glorious.  Jenna and Alaric come down and she demands to know what John’s doing there too.  Oops, guess they forgot to tell her about his arrival the night before.  She demands that he leaves, but John points out that it’s not up to her because despite her being Elena’s legal guardian, he is her biological father.  She looks suitably stunned. 

Stefan seems to be the only one who is happy about John’s return to Mystic Falls.  Not so for Damon who wonders if Stefan has blown a mental gasket for trusting him.  Stefan defends his decision, listing out all the ways they’re currently screwed, they can use all the help they can get.  He believes that John knows how to keep Elena safe – even though he refuses to divulge how to any of them.  Damon is less trusting, more ticked off about the new development than anything else.  “As if I didn’t have enough problems.” He grumbles, heading straight to Elena’s house.

Damon and Elena bond over mistrusting John, regardless of what Stefan says.  When Elena asks what they’re going to do, Damon responds by saying they’re going to kill him – but that he’s not serious – well, okay a little serious.  He promises not to hurt him because he’s a good guy now.  Elena comes with him just to be sure all he does is talk to her father. 

Caroline texts Stefan 911 to come over, revealing that Tyler knows about them being vampires and that they killed Mason.  We have to get to him and reason with him before he does something stupid, she insists. 

Jules goes to see Tyler, wanting him to join up with her werewolf pack.  She wants him to leave Mystic Falls because it’s not safe with so many vampires around.  “We live by a code of loyalty, we take care of each other.  It’s my duty and honor to help you, please let me.” She beseeches him.  Tyler continues to look skeptical and Jules leaves.  But before he can make up his mind Stefan shows up, getting to act positively Grr again as he tries to explain to Tyler the way things are.  Nice demonstration that except for on a full moon, werewolves are no match for the strength of a vampire.  Stefan tells him that they don’t have to have this kind of rivalry, they can all share the town together and that Caroline is his friend, so he should stop being a dick to her. 

Jules isn’t giving up so easily.  She goes back to a motor home in the woods where Brady is waiting, and he looks ready to go vampire hunting.  Jules says that she wants the boy more than she wants vengeance but he says, let’s get both.  She tries calling Tyler but when Stefan keeps him from talking, she figures out that something’s up.  In retaliation they kidnap Caroline just after she makes plans to meet up with Matt later to hash things out between them, with a gunshot to the head.  Though we all know she’s not really dead, that’s gotta be painful!  Sure enough, she wakes up in a cage and has to dig the bullet out of her head. (ow!)  Brady shoots her again and again with wooden bullets, watching her suffer dispassionately.  Man I hope this guy dies painfully…

Jules calls Stefan and demands that he bring Tyler to her in exchange for Caroline or they’ll kill her.  When he asks for proof that they really have Caroline, they torture her some more.  Oh yeah, these guys have gotta die… 

At the memorial service, Jeremy isn’t happy to see Uncle John and offers to give him the ring back if he’ll leave town.  John refuses to accept it, inviting him to lunch but Jeremy gives it a pass.  Bonnie arrives and Jonas approaches her but she has nothing to say to him.  Jonas insists that they aren’t enemies just because they are allied with Elijah.  That they are all on the same side and Elijah will keep his word and protect them all, but Bonnie isn’t convinced.  She sidles up to Jeremy and the pair seem pretty cozy.   

At the Grill, Jenna is still reeling over the news about Elena’s parents and Alaric looks pretty uncomfortable for having kept that secret from her all this time.  John moves to join them, but Jenna is less than welcoming.  Just then, Damon and Elena show up and she pleads with Damon not to do anything stupid.  “But stupid is so much more fun.”  He teases before promising to be good when she asks him to be the better man. 

Damon confronts John, asking him to tell him what he’s up to or he’ll kill him in his sleep now that he doesn’t have the ring anymore.  But John holds strong, telling him that he can’t tell him until he’s sure he can trust him.  Damon adjourns to the bar where Andi Star, the news reporter and apparently a friend of Jenna’s asks to meet him.  Elena seems more than a little interested in the exchange, eavesdropping nearby.  He pretty much blows her off, in fact he’s steering clear of all women for the moment he says.  Stefan calls to tell them what’s going on with Caroline and Damon wants to know why he’s been kept out of the loop about Tyler knowing about them.  Elena begs him not to kill Tyler when Damon says that’s what needs to happen and Damon tells her she needs to stop assuming that he’s going to do the right thing just because it’s her that’s asking.  John busts in wanting to know what’s going on but Damon tells him that trust works both ways, so get out.  Damon leaves and John keeps Elena from rushing after him.   John admits that he’s made mistakes, but they’re family and he wants to help her. “You may be my father but I’m never going to be your daughter.”  She spits back at him.  (You go girl!)

Brady continues to torture Caroline with vervain in a squirt gun and little shards of wood from a blow gun; it seems like he came prepared to get some information out of her before he kills her.  Jules balks a little, but as long as he’s helping her get Tyler, she goes along with it.  Stefan shows up with Tyler in hand, and I’m thinking that they’re working together because there’s no way Tyler would stand for Caroline being tortured, right?  “It doesn’t have to get any messier than it already has.” Stefan tells her, but Jules makes no move to release Caroline.  Damon arrives, letting Stefan make his pitch for a peaceful resolution before he tries his methods which are a little bloodier he says.  Without a full moon it’s not an even contest.  Jules whistles and werewolves come crawling out of the woodwork, surrounding them and brandishing everything from stakes to flamethrowers.

Okay, here we go cause the action starts flying faster than I can type.  Stefan pretty quickly overpowers the guy with the flamethrower, turning it against them.  Damon rips out someone’s heart so easily and casually it’s like it cost him no effort at all.  (is it wrong that I thought that was really cool?)  Tyler rushes into the motor home to release Caroline from the cage.  Stefan breaks another’s neck and then catches not one, but two stakes shot from crossbows out of midair, staking one of the Weres with one and hurling one of them back into the shooter’s throat.  How cool was that?  (and my bloodthirsty admiration expands to include both brothers) But uh oh, the tide starts to turn!  Stefan gets staked in the back and Damon gets shot with a wooden bullet!  Just as both brothers look like they’re gonna get killed the werewolves (except for Tyler) start clutching their heads and falling to the ground.  Jonas steps out of the woods, reminding them that Elijah keeps his promises and will continue to protect them.  They take Caroline and go, leaving Tyler there among the werewolves.  Jonas tells them that he had a message for them, they need to get the hell out of this town. 

 Stefan takes Caroline home and asks her if she wants him to hang out for a little while.  She insists that she’s okay and just wants to take a shower and go to bed.  Caroline puts on a brave face, but why do I think she’s going to start weeping the moment he’s gone?  Poor thing.  It turns out she’s still got a bunch of wood shards in her from that blowgun, and she has to dig them out one by one.  While she’s still doing this, Matt calls, wondering where she is.  Not up to dealing with him, she blows him off, telling him that she’s doing girly things with Bonnie.  Matt acts casual on the phone, but the camera pulls back to show Bonnie and Jeremy all cozy in a booth together at the Grill so he knows she’s lying.   Still pulling out the wood chunks, Tyler shows up again, apologizing for what happened to her, but he isn’t sure who to trust.  Caroline doesn’t accept his apology, angry because he just stood there and let it all happen.  She tells him that they’re not friends any more and to run back to his little werewolf friends. 

John shows up at Damon’s door apparently decided that both Stefan and Damon can be trusted where Elena’s safety is involved.  (duh, thanks for finally joining the class big guy, we could have told you that last season!)  He shows Damon a special dagger that when dipped in the ashes of an old oak tree from the time of the Originals and plunged into their heart can kill one.  (why does that sound too good to be true?)  He claims to know this from Isobel, who’s off attempting to accomplish something to keep Klaus from ever setting foot in Mystic Falls. 

Last nine minutes of the show:

John approaches Elena in the kitchen while she’s getting something from the fridge (shades of when Katherine tried to kill him, posing as Elena).  He tells her that he’s not there to fight with her, and gives her a bracelet that her mother Miranda had when she was young.  It was in a box of things that his brother left to him.  He knows that Miranda and Grayson were her parents and he’s nothing to her, but reminds her that when she lost her parents, he also lost his brother and he lost his way.  He’s going to do everything he can to protect her and the family.  Damn, I think he’s getting through to her because she gets all teary over it.  Stefan shows up and the music swells as they hug and she insists that she still doesn’t believe John.  Interesting.  Instead she changes the subject, asking how Caroline is.  Stefan tells her that he needs her help.

Tyler goes back to the motorhome to see Jules and Brady who might be the only survivors of the pack.  Tyler says he’s sorry about their friends.  Brady offers him a drink (yeah, throw some alcohol on the volatile temper, smart move), and they tell him that it’s not always like this, he’s just living among too many vampires.  They wonder why Mason wanted to stick around after his brother died.  Tyler volunteers that he was after the moonstone and their eyes light up in recognition, asking if he ever found it.  Confirming that Mason did find it but that he has no idea where the stone is now, Tyler looks like he’s got a whole new bunch of questions for these guys.

Stefan shows up at Caroline’s house again, and she insists that she’s fine, but he steps back having brought reinforcements; Elena and Bonnie.  He figured that Caroline could use a little girls night sleepover and the three girls hug.  (awww)  Elena looks up and trades whispered “I love yous” with Stefan.  (double awww)

And we’re back in Damon’s bathroom again and I got my wish, he’s in the tub!  A bubble bath no less with the plucky girl reporter Andi Star.  And while I hate her pretty much on principle, it’s interesting to see him talking to her, more or less admitting that she’s a distraction because he’s in love with someone else and her accepting it and inviting him to booty call her any time.  More interesting still, is his admission that he kills people, compelling her when she starts to freak out.  Thanks to that compulsion, the conversation continues calmly as she’s able to accept it and move on.  Damon admits that he kills people because he likes it, it’s in his nature, it’s who he is.  And Elena wants him to be the better man which means he can’t be who he is, ever.  Wow, what a revelation, no wonder he’s all tortured inside.  But tiring of going over it again and again, Damon decides there’s been enough talking and takes her for the distraction she is, first with a little kissing and then with a little feeding.  Andi looks like it’s painful for half a sec before she starts to enjoy it. 

Ready for our cliffhanger?  We cut to Katherine in the tomb, reading by lantern light and looking like she’s in pretty good shape for starving to death.  In walks John of all people, because Isobel was busy.  She wants out of the tomb.  “I’m already on it,” he replies.  (dun, dun, dun!)

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Random thoughts I had:

I’m not sure why, but it was nice to see Elena in a ponytail this episode.  I’m not sure if it means something or not, but it seemed like she was much more her old self if that makes sense. 

So I know that John is Elena’s biological father, but what difference would that make in Jenna’s ability to order him from the house?  Legally she is their guardian, and therefore the legal owner of the house I would think.  He has no legal basis to demand to stay there without a protracted court battle that would likely give him custody of Elena only, but not any rights to the house.  It seems like a thin argument to me to keep him around.  They have these things called motels… I’m just saying.

Did I miss an episode somewhere?  How did Bonnie know that Luka betrayed her?  Any why was she so cozy with Jeremy all of a sudden?  The last thing I remember was her giving him the brush off.  Maybe it’s because of the long hiatus, but I felt like I was missing something. 

Yes I know that Caroline and Tyler are awesome together, but did anyone else see a little something something between Stefan and Caroline again when he took her home?  I just think there is a spark there, but you guys know that.

How come no one considers good old fashioned decapitation for destroying an original?  I know they’re tough, but come on, if Damon was able to stake one, couldn’t he follow up with lopping off his head?  I’m pretty sure that’ll be hard to recover from, even for Klaus.  Hell, put his body parts in a blender and scatter them to the four corners of the earth if he’s paranoid about it.  Hmm, I think my bloodthirsty side is showing again…

So what do you think?  Did you enjoy “Daddy Issues” as much as I did?