TV REVIEW: Friendsgiving Proved a Mixed Bag on The Vampire Diaries’ “Fade Into You”

By Chelsea Ballinger

Last night’s episode proved that Vampire Diaries is still fresh and going strong after six seasons.

Here is all you need to know about “Fade Into You.”

The Three Amigos!

One thing to discuss is the hilarious banter between Stefan, Damon, and Alaric while making a trip to Kai and Jo’s hometown and house to find the ascendant and bring Bonnie back. Alaric and Damon teased Stefan about screwing up things with Caroline while also pointing out how awesome of a girlfriend she could be. I think we can all agree on that, including Cuddles whose voice was provided by Damon.

“See Stefan, Even the bear knew.”

Oh yeah side note; turns out Jo had the ascendant the whole time.

Gemini Coven Breakdown

Part 1: Long Lost

We start the episode with a Jo and Kai flashback as young Jo is lying on the floor in her house with a hunter’s knife in her stomach. As she pulls it out we hear a psychotic Kai taunting his sister, looking for her. We think we know everything: Jo got away and the Gemini Coven came and sentenced Kai away to his prison, but as young Jo goes to another room where two small blonde children are hiding we realize that these two kids – one boy and one girl – resemble two other blondes on Vampire Diaries.

If you guessed Liv and Luke, you were correct! Yes, ladies and gents, Jo and Kai are Luke and Liv’s older siblings.

Pictured (L-R): Jodi Lyn O’Keefe as Jo and Penelope Mitchell as Liv — Photo: Bob Mahoney/The CW

Part 2: One Jacked Up Twisted Family Tradition

Another shocker is that Kai and Jo are not only brother and sister, but twins.

Turns out that when Gemini Coven twins are born, those twins are chosen to be potential leaders of the coven, but here is the kicker. Only one twin can be leader. On their 22^nd birthday, the twins must merge their powers and the twin that absorbs the most becomes leader while the weaker twin dies. Kai having the ability to absorb power wanted to be leader, but his parents knew better, making Liv and Luke the next potentials. Kai killed his other siblings to make a point but only wanted to kill his little brother and sister, who were thankfully saved by Jo. Jo than hid her magic in the knife Kai used on her and hid it in a tree stump outside their house. Damon himself passes judgment on their father as he tries to kill his own daughter, Jo, before Kai can escape prison, but their father’s justification for his mistreatment of his children is pretty messed up.

“Coven, before family.”

Wow, pops, those are harsh words. No wonder why Liv doesn’t want to get attached to anyone. Tyler isn’t having it. He takes Liv to his home in Mystic Falls and explains to her that he will protect her and also adds that because of the anti magic spell, the Gemini Coven is going to have to get past him the old fashion way.

AWWW! *Feels*

Oh, Yeah Friendsgiving!

Friendsgiving was a hit!

Okay, we’re kidding, but there was a family reunion and many reveals. But before we get to one let’s add that Jo is still awesome.

Turns out she switched the files on the corn maze girl to protect Elena and stop Liam from digging. I really hope she survives along with Liv. Sorry, Luke we haven’t gotten to know you yet.

Back to the reveals! Elena couldn’t keep her secret for long as she was forced to feed Jo her blood in front of Liam to save her life.

“I’m a vampire!”

Liam was of course shocked, but Elena realized that even though she liked him she still couldn’t shake her feelings for Damon. She compelled him to forget her and he went on his merry way. Liam you will be missed.

Okay, maybe not.

Pictured (L-R): Candice Accola as Caroline and Nina Dobrev as Elena — Photo: Bob Mahoney/The CW

Stefan and Caroline Moment

Everyone and we mean everyone from Jo to Damon was invited to Friendsgiving, but Stefan was bothered by it. He and Caroline finally came face to face with Caroline showing she still couldn’t resist Stefan and his hero hair as she gave him leftovers. Stefan explained to her that he pushed her away the most because he knew she would be the one to let him be vulnerable, to let him cry and not keep it together, and he was tired of it. Caroline is the person around whom Stefan can be his true self. She is that person for him and a lingering gaze follows this reveal between the two.

There is hope for Steroline folks!

Unsanitary and Bro Code broken

Kai took Bonnie to his Oregon home in 1994 (that still had the blood of his siblings on the wall by the way). Kai filled Bonnie in on the horrific night and the origins of the Gemini Coven. Unfortunately he also realized that the hunter knife still in the tree stump has all his sister’s magic. He absorbed it, knowing the spell well enough now to know he doesn’t really need a Bennett witch anymore. He needs Bennett blood. He stabbed Bonnie with that same hunter’s knife and left her in Oregon. Don’t worry Bonnie isn’t dead but stranded in Oregon which sucks. Who want’s to be stranded in Oregon?

Also, Alaric didn’t want to put Jo in danger because he’s tired of all his girlfriends dying, so he refused to get the ascendant from her but Damon broke bro code and compelled his best friend to do it.

DELENA

In the end, Elena and Damon discuss he and Bonnie’s time spent in 1994 and it seems Elena realizes how much Damon has grown if Bonnie risked her life for him. (The stories of their bickering and talking of Elena didn’t hurt either!) Finally Elena admits to Damon why she broke up with Liam. She just can’t shake her feelings for Damon. So she grabs his hand and asks him is they can save Bonnie together so she can ask her best friend (the one person who has always given her best advice based on her happiness) what she should do about her and Damon’s relationship.

Last night’s episode showed that TVD can still be fresh. Last season’s villains the travelers were a bit of a let down, but this year we have a villain with a certain dynamic to him. Kai brings us back to when Klaus was the main villain – a villain with a backstory and more to him. Kai being the only one of his family not born with magic caused him to feel like an outcast and created a hunger for power. A little similarly to Klaus, but also different enough, given the fact that we really think Kai is simply a Psychopath without any redeeming qualities.

So the real question we are left with is how is this all going to end?

Will Liv and Luke merge powers? Will Delena get back together? Will Stefan realize Caroline is the one? Will Alaric and Jo live happily ever after? Who will live and who will die?

Hopefully not anyone accept the villains of the story, but again this is The Vampire Diaries.