The Vampire Diaries: Prayer for the Dying (6x12)

Noooooooooooooooo. Well, this is not going to be good. Let's just say that. As is often the case with this show, the plot is just the tiniest bit convoluted, so let's just jump right in and try to get all the details, shall we?

Caroline is startled to find Colin, the cancer patient she fed her blood to, show up at her doorstep. Very quickly, Stefan discovers that Colin is a vampire, meaning that he died after Caroline fed him her blood. Sadly, he is in immense pain, as the cancer continues to plague him even in his vampiric state. Caroline is horrified, because this means the same thing is likely to happen to her mother. Jo runs some tests, and everybody waits anxiously to see what can be done.

Damon, particularly distressed about Liz, kills Colin to put him out of his misery. He also finds time to talk to Elena about their relationship. He's eager to pick up where they left off, but Elena says she needs to start over and make new memories.

Meanwhile, Liv and Luke's 22nd birthday has arrived, which means that they're ready to merge. Tyler is resistant, obviously, and Liv and Luke have also decided not to go through with it. Their dad takes them out for a birthday meal, and they propose to him that they hold off on the merge for a little bit, and wait for Jo to get stronger so she can merge with Kai. Their father doesn't think that's going to work, and Tyler, desperate for some insurance, goes to get Kai.
 

Kai has been held in a comatose state, and Damon catches Tyler coming to get Kai. Damon knows that Tyler would rather Kai and Jo merge, to save Liv's life. However, Tyler does give Damon another idea... if Kai can suck magic out of things, maybe he's the key to saving Liz's life. Damon wakes Kai up and agrees to let him merge with Jo that night, if only he promises to save Liz. Kai does so, sucking the magic out of Liz and then taking Jo and running off.

It looks like Liz's heart can't handle the strain of all this activity, though, and she flatlines. The doctor tries to save her, but Liz is pronounced dead. Caroline, sobbing and hugging her mother, is shocked to find that Liz is not dead after all - she mysteriously wakes up after having a strange vision of Caroline with blood on her face.

Damon, after freeing Kai, calls up the Gemini Coven leader, and tells him that he better let Liv and Luke merge quickly, because Kai is on his way to merge with Jo. Liv and Luke's father tries to start them on a merge, but Tyler shows up and stops him before Liv can die. Luke has an idea - he runs off to find Jo and Kai, who have just started a merge of their own. He knocks Jo out of the way and decides to merge with Kai himself. He figures since they're both twins of the Gemini Coven, it will still work. Turns out, it does.

Both Kai and Luke are knocked out by the power of the merge. Jo wakes up and cradles Luke in her arms, waiting to see who will wake up. Damon shows up in time to see Luke die - Kai has won the merge.

Liz, now no longer about to die because of Caroline's blood, is still obviously dying of cancer. She makes Stefan promise to always take care of Caroline and look after her after she's gone. Stefan promises. Damon and Elena share a moment, too. Elena has realized that life is too short, immortal or not, to waste any more time. They share a passionate kiss.

Okay, I think I got everything important. No Alaric, Bonnie, Matt, Jeremy, or Enzo this week, which kind of bums me out. Are we ever getting back to Bonnie? Is she just stuck there forever? What a depressing end for her character, if that's the case! Also, what about this whole Enzo plot thread? That was just getting interesting!

I had a few other complaints, too. Elena and Damon's final scene together was too cheesy for me. Normally I can get swept up in their gooey romantic stuff, but this was crossing the line a tiny bit. I don't know why, but Elena's line about "life's too short" just felt like an egregious sort of cliche.

Also - what the heck happened with the Sheriff? She was totally dead, and then she had some creepy vision, and the power of Caroline's sadness brought her back from the brink? I need answers, damn it. Maybe there's an explanation forthcoming, but it sort of seems like there might not be.

Mostly, though, I'm a fan of this episode. I certainly did not see a lot of this coming, and it's very intriguing.

First of all - woah! Kai saving Liz, and then Luke and Kai merging! Two plot-twists I did not see coming. I wasn't expecting that at all. I thought maybe Jo and Kai would merge and somehow Jo would win, or maybe Luke would just stop the merge and keep trying to help Jo do better. I wasn't sure what was going to happen until the moment Luke showed up and announced his intentions. It was a brilliantly executed twist, I must say.

I love all the complexities with these characters, because you've got Tyler, willing to sacrifice Jo to save Liv. Then you've got the Gemini leader, willing to sacrifice Liv to save the world from Kai. Then Damon, willing to risk Jo's life for a chance to save Liz, but also willing to force Liv and Luke to merge to save the world from Kai. Luke, willing to risk his own life to save Liv's. Jo, willing to do anything to protect Liv and Luke. The layers and complexities here are so wonderful, but then of course it's all peeled back to the sad conclusion - Luke dead, and Kai victorious.

Great acting from Candice Accola this week. Caroline's despair at her mother's impending death was really gut-wrenching. The guilt she was feeling really came through. I particularly liked the moment when Damon starts to accuse her of killing her own mother, but Caroline beats him to the punch - she knows exactly what she's done. Also, when Liz woke up (miracle of miracles), the two had a very lovely mother/daughter moment. Liz was so comforting, asking Caroline if she was going to be okay. These two have such an amazing relationship. You don't often see mother/daughter relationships on TV, and this one is particularly good.

The sweetest part of this, though, was probably Stefan and Liz's conversation. I think we're building up to a really adorable relationship between Stefan and Caroline, and I love the natural progression of it all. I don't want Liz to die, but it's comforting to know that Stefan has learned his lesson and won't be running away from Caroline - he'll help her through it.

I am mega-depressed that Luke is dead. I know he was never much of a complex character, but his love for his sister was really touching, and I'm sad to see him leave the show.

Damon and Stefan didn't get any broments, except for once when Damon patted Stefan on the shoulder on his way out of the hospital. Literally I am so obsessed with these two that I felt the need to comment on the one brief, fleeting moment of connection.

I think that's where I'll leave things. I never really know what to expect with this show, but I can't give it up, no matter what else happens.

8/10