The Vampire Diaries Round Table: "Home"

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Rest in peace, Mystic Falls Grill, Lexi, Markos the Annoying Traveler and... Damon Salvatore?!?

In the latest edition of the TV Fanatic Round Table, staff writers Carissa Pavlica, Miranda Wicker and Leigh Raines are joined by Love You to Death friends Crissy Calhoun and Heather Vee to break down The Vampire Diaries Season 5 finale.

Are you prepared to discuss Damon's (possible) death? Take a deep breath and jump in to our debate now...

What was your favorite scene or quote from the episode?

Carissa: It was great seeing Lexi again and with a nice, straight hairstyle. They have great stylists on the Other Side. I don't remember exactly what she said, but telling Stefan to finally go on that date with Caroline already was a relief. Let's make that happen... even though Tyler is back and Damon's pretend-dead. You cannot deny chemistry!

Miranda: That has to go to Matty Blue's line that The Grill was the only place dumb enough to hire them. I laughed. I shed a tear. I remembered my set visit and time inside the Mystic Grill.

Leigh: Great line by Matty D. Also, clearly The Other Side offers a salon doing major hair extensions! Favorite scene was Elena sobbing and turning around to find her old guardian Alaric.

Crissy: Elena crushed me, but I'm going to go with Bonnie letting Silas whoosh into Oblivion. Bygones!

Heather: Yeah. That Matt line got a big belly laugh on this side, too. You know, I'm going to go for that final moment between Bonnie and Damon. The Birdy song, the light, them holding hands and facing that shit down... I loved it.

Is Damon actually dead? Do you hope he's actually dead?

Carissa: No. I'm kind of amazed that people were up in arms over his supposed death again. Really? Damon would get a doppelganger before Ian Somerholder left the series. I don't want Damon to be dead because he's fab, but since he was supposed to die, it would be better to stick with it. Death has to mean something. However, since he was holding Bonnie's hand, he's going to get a free pass. There's more on that in the next answer.

Miranda: Not a chance in Hell. And not a chance in Hell.

Leigh: I hope I'm wrong because I think he is. Didn't the writers say any deaths would stick? That was a really Sopranos ending with the mid-sentence/scene cut off.

Crissy:  I need answers! It feels like no way could that actually stick. Certainly don't hope he's dead. He's kinda important to the show.

Heather: No. I think he and Bonnie have...gone someplace. I think whatever failsafe Grams worked out for Bonnie so she could have peace extended to Damon in that moment. Also, and this is going to sound devastatingly mushy and I don't care, I think part of Bonnie's "peace" is ensuring Damon's. I sort of see this as an extension of Bonnie doing anything for Elena. Bonnie may not be fully aware of it, but I think this is what Grams was referring to.

Is Bonnie actually dead? Do you hope she's actually dead?

Carissa: No - and if anyone was paying attention to poor Grams, they'd know she had a trick up her sleeve. She said she made sure Bonnie would get her happy ending. That was hardly a happy ending by traditional standards, although going out holding Damon's hand has its merits (and it's his free pass back to the living). I wish she was dead, poor dear. She and Tyler could ride off without me shedding any tears.

Miranda: Probably not. She might actually be a cat. I kind of do hope she's dead and that Grams' spell misfires and sends Damon back (as a human) while leaving Bonnie gone. Then we'd see human Damon grappling with the fact that he's mortal AND dealing with the fact that he took the place of one of Elena's best friends.

Leigh: Normally I'd say yes (see above answer) BUT that scene with Grams was pretty interesting. I'm holding on to some hope.

Crissy:  Grams! And then Bonnie holding hands with Damon's seals his fate with hers?

Heather: See the Bonnie answer above. I think we'll be seeing them next season.

Alaric is back! REACT!

Carissa: Squeeeee! If that's not enough of a clue that Damon isn't dead, then what is?! They are comic gold and I expect them to mine their bromance for everything it never was during their very short friendship before Alaric was inhabited and died. That's the best reason to tune into The Vampire Diaries Season 6.

Miranda: YESSSSSSSS!!!!!!

Leigh: Read this spoiler on twitter before I saw the episode and was screeching like a banshee… so yeah, just a little excited.

Crissy: The best. The absolute best. That Alaric-Elena hug? It's just like the world is right again.

HeatherGOODBYE. #TVD.

Most surprising: Tyler is human, Bonnie thinks Jeremy is akin to a young Bruce Willis or no one will ever order a bourbon at the Grill again?

Carissa: I'm surprised Tyler is alive at all, but more importantly that Bonnie didn't compare Jere to Steve McQueen. Yeah, I get that the younguns might not know who he was but what a wasted opportunity!! It was right there, ripe for the picking. People could have learned something. I need a bourbon. Dammit! The Grill is gone. Sigh.

Miranda: Tyler is human! I'm pretty sure Jeremy is NOT reminiscent of a young Bruce Willis and The Grill will be rebuilt. It has to be rebuilt. Tyler as a human? Innnnnteresting.

Leigh: Isn't Tyler still a werewolf, just not a hybrid? Also, doesn't Bonnie have a more recent reference like Jason Bourne or something? RIP Mystic Grill.

Crissy:  I'm confused about Tyler's werewolf vs. human status too. I think it makes most sense if he is a werewolf: that the Traveler spell undid his hybrid side and killed him, so he died a werewolf-only, still went to the Other Side (being supernatural) and got resurrected as werewolf-only.

Heather: I think he's human but the werewolf gene is not activated? So technically he'd still be a werewolf and go to the Other Side. (Which, it occurs to me, is pretty sucky for unactivated werewolves who live their entire lives without activating the gene. Wah-wah.)

Grade The Vampire Diaries Season 5.

Carissa: C. With all the hot people and one-liners, it's never going to be a D or F - but it falls dangerously close when there aren't any consequences. It's not Days of Our Lives. People should die in Mystic Falls. After all, there are vampires and werewolves. Raise the stakes. I'm confused.

Miranda: It had some seriously rough moments. Like, the roughest of rough, but it gave us Katherine closure, doppelgänger closure, the Other Side closure, AND the return of Alaric. I'll give it a solid B-.

Leigh: C. This season mostly sucked and would've gotten a D, but the last two episodes were great, the 100th episode was fun, Katherine was bounced and now ALARIC.

Crissy: B. Definitely had some, uh, diversions, but in addition to all the amazing Katherine stuff, we got Luke, Liv and Enzo. 

Heather: The highs of this season were exceptionally high (100th episode, the Katherine arc in particular), ENZOOOOO), but...I think I'd go with a C+/B- overall. It was a rough, rough ride.

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The Vampire Diaries Season 5 Episode 22 Quotes

Is it a crime for someone so good looking to be so sad all the time?

Silas [on Stefan]

I’ve saved you from metaphorical darkness and actual darkness. I think you owe me a beer.

Lexi