The Vampire Diaries - Season 2

The Vampire Diaries

      Well, let me just start by saying that season 2 was nothing short of extraordinary! My heart stopped so many times that I'm surprised I'm still alive (no pun intended). There was a lot of intense emotion, especially regarding Damon, which made it all the more gripping and heartbreaking. Another great aspect was there was numerous period scenes dating from Bulgaria in the 1500s and back to Mystic Falls in 1864. So incredible costume drama and beautiful scenery!!!

     Season 2 picks up immediately where Season 1 left off, so the show is just a roller coaster ride of drama and intensity. For a recap on Season 1 go here The Vampire Diaries Season - 1

~ ~ ~

Elena Gilbert

Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert

     After a whirl wind of emotions and drama that took place in season 1, mainly bringing 145 year old vampires back from the dead, finding out that her best friend is a witch, her brother is going from bad to worse since his parent's death and then throw in two handsome brothers that have captured her attention, one can assume Elena Gilbert wants to relax. Although, nothing ever goes as planned when you live in Mystic Falls. 

     Within the first 5 min. of episode one, Elena comes face to face with her worst enemy, her ancestor Katherine Pierce. Elena finds out that she is Katherine's doppelganger, a person who bares a striking resemblance from someone (usually an ancestor) who has been long dead. Afterwards Katherine becomes Elena's greatest enemy as well as the enemy to all of Mystic Falls.  Elena then falls to pray to an ancients vampire's ruthless chase to find and kill her in an ancient practice to undo a lifelong curse.

     In the midst of this confusing enterprise, Elena is still in love with Stefan, but finds herself conflicted with her feelings toward Damon. Even though she and Damon fight nonstop, Elena still manages to find glimpses of kindness, honesty and even humanity in him. Stefan still remains her steadfast support and comfort, but he is haunted by his past and must come face to face with Elena about it.

     Nina Dobrev's acting in this is nothing short of AMAZING! Not only did she have to do several dual roles that take place at various times in history, she was able to convey intense emotion and pain and make in believable. She's an incredible actress and is well with the praise. 

     Elena has grown quite a bit since season 1. She is much more independent and sometimes a little careless, but her family and friends still come before her self and her heart. As Elena grows, so does her question in her humanity and her love for Stefan. Does she want to remain human and have a regular human life or does she sacrifice her humanity to stay with the man she loves?

Katherine Pierce/ Katerina Petrova

Nina Dobrev as Katherine Pierce/Katerina Petrova

      Cruel, conniving, heartless and unmerciful, Katherine is a 516 year old vampire who has spent her entire life running and protecting herself from Klaus, an Original who is considered the oldest vampire in the world. Klaus has hunted her down for the sake of revenge when she denied him the use of her body to be used as a sacrifice to cure his curse as hybrid vampire/werewolf, which is known as the Petrova curse. With Katherine as a vampire and now rendered useless, Klaus and his estranged brother Elijah now seek to capture Katherine's doppelganger, Elena Gilbert and use her instead.

    Katherine is originally Katerina Petrova of Bulgaria (interesting enough, Nina Dobrev is from Bulgaria) who is banished from her country after she gives birth to her illegitimate daughter. Katerina's father sends her to England and gives the child away. After meeting Klaus and Elijah in England, fleeing for her life and becoming a vampire, Katerina Petrova becomes Katherine Pierce and spends the rest of eternity on the run, using any means possible to escape.

     Eventually she comes across the paths of the handsome Salvatore brothers in Mystic Falls, Virgina, whom she grossly misuses. First turning Stefan into a vampire and he then turns Damon into a vampire. When the townspeople of Mystic Falls realizes there are vampires, they herd them together (Damon and Stefan are excluded) and burn them in the church. Only conniving Katherine manages to escape, but deep inside she longs to rekindle her love with Stefan Salvatore.

     145 years later Katherine is back in Mystic Falls and is ready to raise more hell....

~ ~ ~

Stefan Salvatore

Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore

     In season 2 we get a harsh look into Stefan's life as a vampire, long before he met Elena Gilber. Once cruel and unmerciful, with an addiction to blood, Stefan was the furthest thing away from generous and sacrificial. If Damon was bad in 2010, Stefan was worse in 1864. Now 145 years later, Stefan has given up his former life and has settled into Mystic Falls in plans of securing a home and a family, hopefully with Elena.

     The past can never be forgotten, not even Stefan's, when Katherine Pierce comes into town and does everything she can to turn Stefan and his brother against one another and above all, break Stefan and Elena apart. He is committed though to staying true to his new life, regardless of what Katherine is trying to do.

     Stefan really doesn't change too much in this one, which is perfectly fine. He is still moral and courageous and puts his time and energy into helping those around him, especially a newly turned vampire who Katherine cruelly killed. Yet, helping the ones you love and by the end Stefan is put to the ultimate test, how far do you go to save the ones that you love?

~ ~ ~

Damon Salvatore

Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore

     Damon, Damon, what are we ever going to do about handsome, charming, narcissistic, compelling Damon Salvatore?? The answer is usually, nothing. Quite frankly Damon enjoys who he is and anyone be damned who try to think otherwise. Damon Salvatore might seem a hero to the Mystic Falls Founders (the leaders of Mystic Falls whose ancestors settled the town), but to everyone else, he's a menacing mastermind who is better left alone.

     Although, contrary to what people may think, there is a heart and a soul left in Damon and like a full moon, it only shows up sparingly. Once the quiet and moral of the two Salvatore brothers, Damon's struggle between good and evil, right and wrong is constantly challenged  The vampire who once killed without a second thought, now finds himself thinking about the implications of his actions. He is even more confused when it comes to his brother's love Elena. Originally writing her off as annoying, he now admires her for her courage, fiery spirit and compassion, but slowly that admiration becomes deeper...and much to his dismay it becomes love.

     I LOVED Damon in this!!! His role just keeps getting better and better. He's still the comic relief of the show, but there was an incredible emotional range that kept appearing giving a very honest and vulnerable look into Damon's soul. That is mainly seen when a lovely vampire, Rose, is bitten by a werewolf and must slowly suffer. Rose, in her short time on the show, did a work in Damon's heart and found the kindness and generosity that was buried inside for so long.

     I swore I would never cry when it came to vampires, but after seeing this scene, my heart was in pieces!

~ ~ ~

Bonnie Bennett 

Katerina Graham as Bonnie Bennett

     In season 1, Bonnie finds out that she is a gifted witch who is a descendant from a long line of witches who hailed from Salem Massachusetts and settled in Mystic Falls. Bonnie puts her natural born gifts as a witch to combat the evil vampiric forces that threatens her home and her friends.

      Bonnie and her grandmother (also a witch and Bonnie's mentor) are the reason the season 1 ended on a satisfactory note, but when her grandmother dies, Bonnie is now alone to carry the ancient burden of her family to protect Mystic Falls. Bonnie is Elena's childhood friend and trusted confidante. Loyal and faithful, Bonnie is not pleased when she finds her best friend dating a vampire and even more untrusting when his older brother shows up. Despite the tensions, Bonnie is committed to helping Elena. 

     In season 2, Bonnie is a little more trusting of Stefan Salvatore, but comes at constant odds with Damon and his cocky prejudiced attitude. Bonnie is more powerful than she believed herself to be and her deep friendship with Elena fuels her desire to protect her best friend at any cost, even if it means her own life.

~ ~ ~

Caroline Forbes

Candace Accola as Caroline Forbes

     Usually seen as ditzy and shallow in the show, Caroline Forbes has a lot to put up with, whether it's from her workaholic mother, Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes, her jealous on again-off again boyfriend Matt or even becoming a vampire. In the first season, Caroline started off as a little clueless about life and was evidently jealous of popular much more loved Elena Gilbert. 

     When Stefan shows up, she falls madly in love, but becomes bitter and resentful when he, like everyone else, is more interested in Elena. The she meets Damon who uses her as a ploy for his own entertainment, but eventually grows tired of her and lets her go. By the end, Caroline becomes content when she starts a relationship with Matt Donovan (as well as beating Elena for Miss Mystic Falls).

     In season 2, Caroline has matured greatly. Her life is happier and everything seems all right her world, but happiness is short lived when Katherine Pierce shows up and turns her into a vampire to use her as a spy. Caroline, scared and confused at this drastic transformation, is found and rescued by Elena and Stefan and it's Stefan who teaches her to hunt animals instead of people and how to live the life of a controlled vampire. As a new vampire, her relationship with Matt becomes rocky and unsteady and Caroline must choose whether to tell him and risk losing him or leave him all together.

~ ~ ~

Tyler Lockwood

Michael Trvevino as Tyler Lockwood

     The mayor's son who is first seen as a snobbish bully who pushes people around to get what he wants, Tyler and his family hold secrets of their own that are deeply embedded in the folklore of Mystic Falls. In season 2, after the death of his father, Tyler comes upon the news that he and his father's side of the family are descendants of werewolves.

     Tyler must now live a life of secrecy from his mother and only living relative. Afraid that he may have to do it alone, it's Caroline Forbes who stands by his side (risking her new life as a a vampire and therefore mortal enemy to werewolves) throughout all of his painful transformation. 

     After accepting the fact that he is werewolf, Tyler must face the ultimatum of either staying in Mystic Falls or joining a pack of werewolves. If he stays in Mystic Falls, he has a better chance of making life right with the vampire inhabitants, but if he leaves with the werewolf pack, he must surrender all ideas of possible unity with vampires and only look at them as his mortal enemies.

~ ~ ~

Alaric Saltzman

Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman

     History teacher, former vampire slayer and father figure to the fatherless adolescents of Mystic Falls, Alaric is an confusing and complex as the mystical creatures themselves. His original intent for coming to Mystic Falls was to find and kill Damon for killing his wife. Then much to Alaric's surprise, he finds that his wife is not only alive, but is also a vampire. Upon realizing that his wife never cared for him, Alaric disregards his former hate for Damon and becomes a trustworthy ally to the Salvatore brothers, a father figure to Elena and her brother Jeremy and a love interest to their aunt and guardian, Jenna.

     ~ ~ ~

The Vampire Diaries: Season 2

     There are numerous other cast members, including Elena's brother, Jeremy and her aunt Jenna, as well as vampires, Klaus, Elijah, Rose and Trevor, and werewolves Mason Lockwood and Jules. There is also the story of Elena's biological parents that play an immense role in the story.

      This season was a great season and I could not stop watching. There was a good deal of time dedicated on the past of the vampires and were able to get some great period pieces from several of the episodes. The one aspect I love about TVD is the character development, but also the idea that first impressions are almost never right. Just when I think that I'm going to hate this character, I then find out their back story and realize, wow there's more to them then I thought.

     Like season 1, season 2 left off on an intense cliffhanger and so I was desperate to get my hands on season 3, but by far, this has been my absolute favorite season.