“Gods & Monsters” hit the typical finale beats in its
effort to tie together the major themes of the season before transitioning to
next season, and the new problems created by the old. There’s a moment in the
finale when Alaric and Caroline discussed using their three old twins to
re-open the house imprisoning the ancient evil, and they decide to do it for
Bonnie, because the Mystic Falls gang always choose who they love over the
unknown evil to come. The unknown evil
always has to come as a consequence of the greater good so that the heroes are
absolved of their involvement in unleashing the evil.
The epilogue/prologue absolved Enzo and Damon of their
brutality streak across the western coast of the United States, as the episode
absolved Bonnie of her actions while cursed, and as the series absolved its characters
through the ‘switch’ in previous seasons. Bonnie nearly made a grave mistake
under the Huntress curse by killing Enzo until Damon saved the day. The nick of
time always arrives—unless an actress or actor declines to return for another
season. Damon saved the day by burning the body of the final Everlasting. He
saved Enzo’s life and Bonnie’s soul. She forgave him. Stefan experienced his
brother asking him to walk out on him because Damon walked out on him
enough—his way of making up for choosing the casket over spending the next
fifty years with his family and friends. He did good, but he’s still bad.
Damon’s selfless act to enter the vault alone gave Stefan a
chance he lost three years ago when he took Rayna’s knife to the chest
protecting his brother. Alaric recognized his place outside Caroline’s romantic
heart. Before he let her go, he delivered a speech typical of characters in a
melodrama: about how knowing her changed his life for the better and filled his
heart forever of love for her. The twins
only opened the door because they thought about someone taking Caroline away
from them. Alaric’s speech seemed to imply she would live a life separate from
him and the twins. Stefan, then, becomes the villain in the twins’ eyes trying
to take away their mother from them. Will the twins become Big Bads next
season?
The Stefan/Caroline dynamic was great last season, but
marred this year by narrative flaws and real-life. The writers chose to write
in Candice King’s pregnancy, and they chose to introduce another True Love of
Stefan’s life. The three-year time jump fractured the narrative and
relationships. Alaric described a domestic life with Caroline unseen by the
audience. Caroline told Stefan her feelings ‘thawed’ after he exited the evil
mansion. They kissed and began a new life tracking down Damon and Enzo.
Bonnie’s last hours as The Huntress followed her struggle
between her destiny to kill every vampire and humanity which wanted to spare
and save her friends. Her emotional
centerpiece was the cabin scene with Enzo, in which she almost killed him. He
believed in her humanity triumphing the curse, a tribute to his love for her
and his appreciation of finding such love after over a century of torture and
loneliness. It seemed the misery of Bonnie’s life would include reluctant
murder of her truest love so far in her life. She hid in a psychiatric ward
during The Armory’s search for her. Enzo rescued her from there, and he
continued helping her hide from them. The tragic twist of things in her life
would’ve been returning to the ward because she killed the man who saved her
from it.
The central conflict of the finale was resolved two acts
before the end of the episode. Damon saved the day. Bonnie forgave him before
she lost him again. “Gods &
Monsters” was underwhelming, because of the aforementioned fractured
storytelling in the season. Last week I described it as a ‘loose, baggy mess’,
which I owe to Henry James. Henry James used those words to describe Tolstoy’s War and Peace (which was anything but).
This episode lacked oomph and gusto because “Requiem for a Dream” reached the
emotional zenith of the season. Unfortunately, tonight’s finale was bogged down
by resolution to the curse plot, which had a half-heartedness to it.
I’d describe the finale as weary and tired. The writers may
or may not have struggled writing a season without their heroine and heart.
We’ll never know. Julie Plec will never admit it. Visions and a sense of Elena
motivated Damon to return to the vault—a suggestion that Elena will continue to
be central to the show, even if freeing the narrative from her would benefit
the series. Next season may be the last, though. We will see.
Other Thoughts:
-Season seven was a struggle for long-time fans, maybe for
the writers, and for me. I made a few terrible blunders in my reviews this year.
But everyone’s trying his or her best.
-Matt asked the ghost of his fiancée to take him with her to
the hereafter. She said no, because he needs to find a better life for himself
on earth. Matt finally left Mystic Falls, a Mystic Falls long since free of
vampires. Zach Roerig’s always solid when asked to play heavy emotion.
-Alaric doesn’t seem to fit in the show anymore. Him and
Matt probably will return next season. If not, it’s down to five characters,
two of who have gone evil.
-Bryan Young wrote the finale. From what I read it was his
last TVD episode. He’s off to, I’d guess, work with Caroline Dries on Kevin
Williamson’s new FOX drama. Michael A. Allowitz directed.
-That’s it for season seven. Thanks for reading.
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