THE VAMPIRE DIARIES - 4x02 "THE MEMORIAL" (REVIEW)

Episode Rating: ****/5.

One warning to all TVD fans before you watch this episode: be prepared. If you aren't, go grab a bucket, some tissues and all the comfort food that you need. Then, remove all the kohl and mascara from your face. Also, if you have an issue with crying in front of people, make sure you are in a dark room with no one around you, because you are going to cry, and cry real bad.

Even though the season premiere "Growing Pains" surpassed expectations, "The Memorial" will go down in the history of The Vampire Diaries with the honour of being one of it's BEST episodes ever. It was an episode that stirred everybody's emotions, an absolute tearjerker, and a real sexy ride!

The episode started off with Damon and Stefan having an argument over Elena's feeding techniques. While Damon was sure that a 'bunny diet' would push her off the rail for longer than usual, Stefan was and still is in denial and believes that Elena can actually master her urges without going through the bloodlust phase that every vampire needs to go through in order to be in control of it. One of the best moments of that scene was when Damon tells Elena (as she and Stefan were off to their bunny picnic in the woods) 'You're a vampire Elena. Be a vampire.' This is a key moment, because it once again tells the viewer that the older Salvatore believes in embracing his true nature.

Damon and Stefan

After feeding on a deer Elena and Stefan proceed to have a full on vampire make-out session in the woods, only to be interrupted by her puking out all of the Bambi blood. She then decided to go to Damon, Damon mind you, not her epic love Stefan, for help. When she told him that she didn't want to drink human blood, he asked her to drink his blood, warning her that blood sharing was personal thing.

What follows was one hell of a sexy scene. It was far more intimate than any other scene in the show. Elena took Damon's hand and drank from him, pushing him against the wall and leaning in against him. Damon was clearly aroused, but he just patted her, supporting her.

While people accused Damon of blowing up the whole council, he sarcastically retorted to both Liz Forbes and Elena, with witty lines such as 'If I were to kill twelve people I wouldn't blow 'em up, I would have a dinner party' and 'Am I wearing my I blew up the council t-shirt?' Though the scenes were filled with typical Damonesque snarky comments, they were also mingled with some really touching moments, for he doesn't let anyone sit next to him saying 'that seat is already taken' in reference to his late best friend, Alaric Saltzman. 

Two new characters enter the show in the episode. The new baddie vampire hunter Connor, and the daughter one of the dead council members, April Young. While the former is ruthless and heartless, the latter is a confused young girl (pun very much intended) who is caught in the middle of a very dangerous game.

Grace Phipps as April Young

Todd Williams as Connor Jordan

Some of the highlights of the episode were:

Damon and Elena's blood sharing: This has got to be one of the steamiest scenes in the show. Yet, as the writers always make sure is the case with with Delena scenes, it was also one of the most emotional ones. The sharing of blood meant more to Damon than to Elena and he was putting himself in a very vunlerable position by letting her drink from him. Yet, he didn't care because he's easily one of the most selfless characters on the show...actually the most selfless character.

Elena feeding off Damon

The memorial scene and Tyler's sacrifice: It's a delight to watch how the entire group communicates secretly, yet wide out in the open. The way all of them reacted to April's blood dripping was really cool and showed howw truly united they were.

Stefan, Elena, Matt and Jeremy at the memorial

Tyler Lockwood's sacrifice is also worth mentioning. He has never been shown as an official part of the group, as his scenes never entwined with their emotional ones. But today, he stepped up to help Elena and his friends, despite knowing that he was the only vampire Connor actually knows. It was such a touching scene and shows the level to which his character has developed over the seasons. This is also reflected in the touching speech he gives about Pastor Young. This sacrifice gives Damon and Stefan the lead to run after Connor.

Tyler giving a speech, which in turn is a sacrifice for his friends.

Elena's first compulsion: When Elena sees a bleeding April she's unable to stop herself from rushing forward to attack her, so thank heavens Caroline was there to stop her. It is also important to mention how much their friendship has grown from the first episode of the show, because the minute Elena left the Lockwoods and Caroline, the later knew where she would be and rushed to her.

So, when Elena told Caroline to let go of her, the latter reminded her that April was her friend, a young confused orphan who needed their help. She then asked the new vampire to compel their greiving friend, wisely telling her 'the only way you can learn is if you do it yourself.' Shaking, Elena proceeded to the bleeding girl and told her that she's going to be okay and she'll be there for her. At the end of it, she happily looked up at Caroline, who was wearing a very proud smile.

Elena making her first compulsion.

Caroline proudly looking at Elena after the latter completed her first compulsion.

Japanese paper lanterns: This scene also was very touching and Stefan made a good point about how all of them were hiding their sorrow and pain, numbing it down or making jokes out of it. They finally paid a tribute to the ones that they lost, by lighting up lovely Japanese paper lanterns and releasing them into the air. It was such a beautiful sight to see the entire gang (minus Tyler who was at the hospital) come together and take part in their own funeral. It was also really, really sad, as you realize that they have lost so so much in such a short period of time. On hearing Alaric's name Damon just walked off, still very much in denial of his best friend's death.

The gang releasing Japanese paper lanterns in the memory of their loved ones.

The eternal 'Bromance': The last scene in which Damon poured his heart out to Alaric's tombstone has got to be one of the most heartwrenching scenes on the show. It tears you apart and the minute you learn that he was talking to Alaric you burst into years. This scene also proves how much Damon has grown and who he actually is. It shows the depth of their friendship and also how much he is grieving for him. 

We get to see yet another layer of Damon that not only cares for Elena and Stefan, but also for the rest of the gang as well. He didn't just stay back for Elena, he stayed back for Alaric as well. He stated a brutally honest fact: when we lose someone, no amount of memorials actually make it better. The pain is always there, reminding us of the beloved person we lost. It's always there, always. It was so bittersweet to learn that Alaric is still there, listenining to Damon when no one else did. He was so lonely and alone and Alaric's death has made it a hundered times worse.

And Alaric's 'I miss you too, buddy' truly ripped all our hearts open.

Damon talking to Alaric's tombstone with him listening.

The new big baddie: Finally the show has a villain that is actually scary! I didn't find Klaus to be much of a bad boy in season 2 and 3 and am super glad we finally have a villain that is not funny and just wants to harm all the good guys. Unlike Klaus, Connor was ruthless and can stoop to horrible levels to get what he wants, and this was visible when he stabbed the innocent April just to bait Mystic Falls' vampire coven. It was good to see that we have new big baddie, and I truly hope to see Connor causing for the Originals to join with the other Mystic Falls residents. AT LEAST ELIJAH!

Mystic Falls has a new bad boy- Connor Jordan!

Damon's witty one-liners: This episode was filled with them and boy, were they funny or what?

Just one of Damon's many one-liners of this episode.

Overall it was an excellent episode, a tearjerker, really. Every actor gave their best, especially Somerhalder, Dobrev and Davis. Accola excelled in her scene with Dobrev, while Wesley and Graham were really good in their scene at the beginning. Newbies Grace Phipps (April Young) and Todd Williams (Connor Jordon) have made a mark in their first episode on the show and have made a very promising start.

Season 4 of the show seems to be taking a different route all together. This one is more of teamwork, friendship and it's really lovely to see that. I love the bond the gang share and I cannot not mention the part in the paper lanterns scene when Jeremy heads to Damon with a candle. I see hope for a brand new bromance there!

And Jeremy is finally getting an independant and interesting storyline of his own. As scary as it is, that he might be seen fulfilling his legacy of being a vampire hunter, it's something that is very much needed for the character and the brilliant actor playing him, Steven McQueen.

Check back soon for more reviews on movies, tv shows, books and other such stuff!

Until then,

Nidheya Suresh