Vampire Diaries Recap EP312 “The Ties That Bind”. Bonnie’s Mom Exists!

I must say, I was pleasantly surprised with this weeks episode. I was not excited about seeing this one, considering the amount of nonsense going on and the Damon and Elena eye-sexin’ more than usual, but I genuinely enjoyed it. It wasn’t overly exhausting like The Reckoning or jam packed with mythology like Ordinary People. It had just the right amount of action, snark, backstory, and exposition that there could ever be in any Vampire Diaries episode. And top that off, this episode showcased more of Bonnie and Tyler (but no Matty). God bless whoever decided to give Bonnie a storyline this season; she hasn’t had one since Grams died (RIP!). Ever since then, all she has done is join the “Save Elena at all costs” cult and she shouldn’t do that because Elena sucks.

Previously on The Vampire Diaries: (Does anyone notice when a character has a pretty big episode, that person always does the voiceover? No? Fine.) Stefan had a good plan, but then Damon find out and it possibly went downhill from there. Klaus made Tyler bite Caroline, even though Tyler refused. And everyone starting shipping Klaus and Caroline.

Bonnie needs to be handcuffed to her bed, because this is about the third time in these past few episodes she’s out wandering about having a stroll in a graveyard in the woods. It’s not like this hasn’t happened before either, so Bonnie should know better. Klaus is not invited in anyone’s dreams, by the way. So, after that happens, Bonnie was locked in a coffin! She wasn’t happy, but she didn’t have the Buffy strength to claw her way out or the witch power Cassie has to destroy it from the inside (The Secret Circle. Watch it. It’s that noise coming from your TV after watching Vampire Diaries but you don’t pay attention to it because you’re having heart palpations and tweeting about TVD. Yeah, that one). And right before she woke up, her mother opened the coffin and she brought that white light you see before you die with her. Yes, it was her mother guys. Pay attention!

Heading over to the plantation, Bonnie did something really stupid that everyone needs to stop doing! She told Elena about the coffins. Everyone needs to stop telling Elena things! Hasn’t history and common sense taught you that when you tell Elena about your plans, it all goes to hell! Stefan even knows that. He doesn’t know that if you tell Damon, the same thing happens, but it’s progress guys. Anyway, Bonnie says that her mother can help her open the coffin. Bennett witches to the rescue. As usual.

At Elena’s house, Bonnie and Elena think they’re smart and detective savvy, but they’re not. Who asks for a NATIONWIDE search for one person when everyone has obviously been in Mystic Falls at one point. All you have to do is search the town records, not the nation one. I give Damon half a point for that, considering he thought it’d be nice to flirt with Elena in front of Bonnie AND spill the beans about their kiss. No one needs to know these things. Those things are irrelevant.

Caroline got home to find Klaus sitting on her couch! :O. No, I’m just kidding! It’s just Tyler. He wanted to apologize for biting Care and thought it’d be smart to have Daddy Forbes come to town again and “fix” him like he tried to “fix” Caroline. How are any of these children graduating when they think of something like that to do to themselves?

Alaric doesn’t waste any time. Having lunch at the Grill with Meredith. Listen, Jenna died (JENNAAAA. *tears*) just about a couple months ago in your time, stop it! Meredith said she’s an angry drunk, Jenna was a fun drunk. Not liking you, Meredith. And Damon stopped by to let Alaric know that his new girlfriend maybe possibly killed her ex-boyfriend. But psychos seem to be pretty okay with Alaric so he didn’t mind much.

I think Klaus is great for stuff like this. At the Salvatore place, he’s just loungin’ on the couch, drinking some of Damon’s bourbon probably, while listening to some rock and roll. Stefan probably liked it since he didn’t turn off the music. Anyway, Klaus was to there to find out the next step to get his coffins back, but Stefan wasn’t having any of that. He’ll probably consider giving them back if Klaus leaves town for a years and… calls him for them? Writes a letter? Draws a picture? I don’t know. Stefan likes being kinky, I guess.

Since when does Bonnie have a prius? Since when is it white? Since when does the CW advertise a prius? I thought the CW advertised Kia. (And BING but that’s not the point). Have I just not been paying attention to these things or what? Anyway, Bonnie and Elena should have more scenes together. Elena needs to be told off more often. Stefan called them and Elena got really annoyed by his three questions. You can’t fool a vampire.

Klaus was way ahead of all of them and called up his new boyfriend (since Stefan doesn’t obey anymore, he’s found someone new) to basically compel everyone. Aaaaaannd… BONNIE’S MOM! Welcome to The Vampire Diaries, Persia White! Don’t die.

Later, Bonnie and Elena finally arrived and that new guy showed up. I guess he’s living with Bonnie’s mom. They’re probably siblings. Elena looks like she thinks he’s hot. That’s not going to end well for anyone. But, Jamie and Bonnie aren’t siblings so I guess that’s a plus. And, I really don’t care for him, he seems irrelevant already. BAM, enter Abby Wilson. Bonnie finally meets her mother! This was such a long awaited moment for us fans and for Bonnie. And Kat Graham pulled it off nicely. She had all the right expressions for everything Bonnie would be feeling. A+.

Now we’re in the Lockwood cellar, I guess…? Everyone is going everywhere and it hurts my brain. SHIRTLESS TREVINO, is always a pretty sight. Aren’t we grateful for Julie Plec for these things? Anyway, Daddy Forbes spends his life reading urbad legends and that’s how he knows everything about everything supernatural, and he insists on Tyler turning into a wolf again. Poor Trevino, these scenes are hard on him.

So, Abby sat down with Bonnie to tell her the reason she abandoned Mystic Falls, and her. It was weird because part of the reason had to do with Elena. (Didn’t I say it was always her fault for everything!) Apparently, Mikael came to town looking for the doppelganger when Bonnie and Elena were just running around in diapers, so Abby used all her witchy juju to desiccate him and lock him in that crypt. But in doing so, Abby lost all her powers. (Oh, and Elena’s mom was best friend with Bonnie’s mom). Bonnie was so quick to leave her knowing that she doesn’t have magic. Ha. She’s not as nice anymore, when I said Elena and Bonnie should have more scenes, I didn’t want Bonnie to pick up on Elena’s sucky tendencies.

Elena went outside to find Stefan had been stalking them. “Hi Elena. Nice lake house.” Be mine, Stefan?

Oh hey, look, the hospital got bigger over the years. Remember when it was that one little section when Caroline was in the hospital, now it’s an actual hospital. And it’s not dark! Anyway, Damon stopped by (because he has to smize at everyone who walks in town) to talk to Meredith, I guess. Or investigate. I didn’t really pay attention here because… well, you guys should know by now. But Meredith is a complete BADASS! She took down Damon! She took down Damon! Okay, Torrey DeVitto, you can stay forever IF you continue to do that to Damon.
Look at her! She’s freaking amazing! Taking Damon’s blood and all. Wait… shouldn’t that mean something. I mean, why would you want vampire blood? Does she want to turn someone? Is she actually a psycho? Hmm.

Oh man, poor Tyler. He’s starting to have second thoughts about transforming on his own, because it seriously hurts, obviously. But then, that other psycho Daddy Forbes, grabs an axe and starts cutting Tyler all over! Tyler’s getting mad and he’s just not having it. Poor kid. One day, you’ll be a real boy.

Back at Abby’s place, Bonnie wanted some answers on why her mother left town and abandoned her. This woman confuses me. She’s saying that she left because she found herself in a new town with a chance to start and I guess get away from Mystic Falls. But, why not take your daughter WITH you. You know, when you want to move somewhere else, you pack up your belongings and take your CHILDREN WITH YOU. But it was all good because Bonnie had her horrible father she don’t care for nor does she even see, and the fabulous Grams. Which Abby didn’t even know she died. Sigh. She was also saying some nonsense about how nature was against her and slowly took her powers away…? She says she’s not completely useless but I don’t know anymore.

Back outside, Jamie comes out to try and make Stefan go away. And little did we know, Jamie has been compelled by Klaus’ boyfriend hybrid so he just straight up SHOT Stefan in the stomach! THAT JERK. And guess what, Abby was compelled too. Poor Bonnie. She’s being dragged along the dirt like she’s THAT heavy, and Elena’s getting all tied up. Meanwhile, NO ONE HELPS STEFAN. You all suck!

Damon stopped by Alaric’s place but all that really mattered was that Ric was lifting weights and he was all sweaty and hot. That. Was. All. Damon told him that Meredith bloodjacked him, but it doesn’t matter.

I think Tyler might have wolfed out and killed Daddy Forbes, and I’m oddly okay with that.

And somewhere in the middle of nowhere on a random road, Abby met up with that hybrid guy Klaus is now dating to get over losing Stefan, and he told her to finish her job and find out where the coffins are. Bonnie ain’t telling. And, Abby bypassed her compulsion somehow and told Bonnie to warn the rest of the Scooby gang about the coffins. Meanwhile, no one was helping Stefan, at all, and Elena was trying to get out of her ropes. She should be able to slide out of there easy anyway, she’s a freaking stick. “What about me? What did he say about me?” LISTEN ELENA. The man JUST told you that he was compelled to kill himself if the plan fell through, and you’re asking him what this hybrid told Jamie about you? There is no hope left. But, Elena was sorta smart and convinced Jamie the ropes were hurting her and knocked him out with his own shotgun. Stefan wasn’t impressed though.

Meanwhile, back at the plantation, Klaus has been tipped off about the coffins! It’s about to go down. It’s funny that Klaus insults the witches and he gets the horrible migraine, while Damon is off to the side giggling about it. What wasn’t cool was when Klaus threatened to off the Bennett family and the witches backed off. And the witches show him the coffins. One of which, Damon had some time to hide it. Klaus was mad.

Ric finally seemed mad about whatever it is Meredith is doing. (In which I learned that Damon has been drinking vervain everyday, and it might have been said before). Meredith reveals her little secret to Ric, saying that she uses vampire blood to save lives. Which I don’t think is all that bad at all. She uses Damon’s blood on Bill Forbes; she’s a doctor that hates losing a patient and this is her loophole.

Elena has the WORST timing. Seriously. This part hurts my heart. Stefan notices that Elena has gotten stronger, that she’s changed, saying it’s a good thing. And Elena decides now would be the perfect time to say: “There’s something I have to tell you. And it’s not that I feel guilty that it happened, it’s just that I feel guilty you don’t know. I kissed Damon.” YOU. GUYS. THE LOOK. ON STEFAN’S FACE. IS THE WORST. I could not at all control myself, I let out the weirdest noise anyone would ever hear and I started crying. And the fact that he doesn’t say A WORD to her, hurts even more. He just gets up and starts walking away. MY HEART. I should know better to have tissues handy just in case every Thursday night. My Stefan/Elena heart can’t handle these things. But, to be honest, I don’t want them back together just YET. Elena has to get pass her weird attraction to Damon, and Stefan has to finish his mission and start learning to forgive himself for the things he’s done. Especially the most recent one to Elena. He tells her: “I shouldn’t have kidnapped you. The car, the bridge, it was too far.” Stefan knows he went too far, he knew it would be too far before he executed the plan. When Damon shoved his blood on Elena, it was for selfish reasons, and I don’t recall him sincerely apologizing for doing it, both times. Stefan recognizes what he did was a horrible mistake, apologized for it, and he’s hoping, deep down, that she’ll forgive him for it, despite everything else he’s done. And even after she told him that she kissed Damon (mind you, she’s most likely referring to the kiss back in 2×22 “As I Lay Dying”), he still holds her to such high standards and he tells her: “You’re better than him, Elena. You’re better than both of us.” And hopefully with that, Elena will realize that Stefan still loves her. (I’d also like to mention that my good friend, Jessi, and a Stefan/Elena fan wanted to throw a rock at Elena’s head. I can’t blame her.)

So, Abby is hoping to stick around Bonnie for a while and see if her magic will come back. If it’s what Bonnie wants, then she’ll help.

It’s nice of Tyler to go visit Bill in the hospital after he nearly killed the guy. Tyler’s all happy that he made it through his first voluntary transformation and decides to call it a day, but Bill says he has to keep transforming until it doesn’t hurt anymore. And Bill wouldn’t let him around Caroline until that happened. Sucks for Tyler. Poor kid.

At Elena’s place, which is also still Ric’s place apparently, he shows Meredith all his huntin’ stuff and they bond over his mystical ring. Then they kiss and Elena, being the cockblocker that she is, interrupts them. Although I like Badass Meredith, I’m still not too sure about these two. Elena is sweet on Ric, they’ll get together around season 5.

ALL that matters in this scene is… STEFAN PUNCHED DAMON. *Rewinds and claps* The fact that Damon didn’t even hit him back, means he knew what he did was wrong and he deserved it, yet he did it anyway. Jerk. I’m not getting into that. Damon makes my brain hurt. But the smartest thing that Damon has ever done in his entire 160-some odd years of living was in the next 20 seconds……

ELIJAH IS BACK! THE MAN HAS BEEN UNDAGGERED AND EVERYONE IN THE FANDOM EXPLODES. TAKING NAMES AND RIPPING HEARTS.

Next week: WE HAVE SHIRTLESS STEFAN. And other stuff happens. BUT SHIRTLESS STEFAN. YES YES.

MVP goes out to Paul Wesley (duh), Michael Trevino, and Kat Graham. With a special MVP mention for Daniel Gillies because Elijah is fabulous. To be honest with you guys, Paul Wesley owns this entire season. It’s ALL his. He’s the best actor on the show, hands down. I might be bias, considering the site I work on, but it’s true. Trevino is so fabulous doing his transformation scenes, and Kat Graham is just all around fabulous.