The Vampire Diaries Season 8 Episode 12 Review: What Are You?

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Well, that was quite the ride. 

There was a lot going on during The Vampire Diaries Season 8 Episode 12.

Seriously, if you blinked, you probably missed something. 

Watching everything with Bonnie was just heartbreaking. I was so sure she had her magic back, but she had actually opened up a door to hell and Enzo was communicating with her. 

The Truth - The Vampire Diaries Season 8 Episode 12

It was about time Abby showed up to help Bon-Bon through a tough spot, but it's doubtful Bonnie will be able to get over Enzo's body being burnt. 

For Bonnie, there was a real chance she could save Enzo. In reality, there was no chance, and that's what made it even sadder. She spent much of her life helping those around her, so she deserved a happy ending. 

I can't be the only one who thought she and Matt were going to unite against the Salvatore brothers in the final moments of the hour. Something seemed off about the way Matt was just sitting there. 

Matt had a horrible time of it as he got to witness firsthand what went down for his ancestors all those years ago. Seline and Sybil being present was a good way to remind us that they each played a big part in the origins of this storyline. 

These days, however, their story is getting dire, so it would be great to just cut them out completely for the final few episodes. There are a lot of characters we need to cover before the series winds down. 

Ringing The Bell - The Vampire Diaries Season 8 Episode 12

Having Zach Roerig play his ancestor was a nice touch, but it was surreal to witness Matty Blue eyes hitting up the 1790s to find out a way to take down the devil. 

It would have been totally ironic if Matt really died due to a heart attack. The dude has been in so many perilous situations I've lost count, but it would have been a terrible, terrible end for the character if that was how he went. 

Damon stealing the journal was something that was always going to happen. Stefan did not deserve to be saved, but Damon was not about to let his brother die so soon after becoming human. 

Damon admitting he was selfish made his actions okay. Everyone in that room knew he would do anything to save Stefan.

Mending Fences - The Vampire Diaries Season 8 Episode 12

The return of Kai was awesome. Even though Damon handed the Maxwell journal with the key to killing Cade over, he still had another trick up his sleeve. 

Sybil was always battering on about insurance policies, so it made perfect sense that there would be a weapon for them to use to take Cade down. 

It remains to be seen just what Kai can do to help matters. Additionally, how did he find his way back to the two people who hated him the most? 

Kai was one of the better villains on the show, but he will probably only be there to help himself. He does not do anything without an ulterior motive. 

Fighting To The Death - The Vampire Diaries Season 8 Episode 13

It was super difficult for me to feeling anything for Stefan. Yes, he had his humanity off during his reign of terror, but he really needs to understand what he did was terrible. 

Saving one person did not make up for the countless other people he murdered over the course of The Vampire Diaries Season 8

Caroline needs to snap out of her denial. Maybe the only way for Stefan to forgive himself would have been for him to spend a lot of years in prison. 

Caroline's actions were out of love for her man, but I'm now getting the feeling she thinks everything is going to be fine. Realistically, things will never be the same again.

Bonnie will never be able to think about Stefan without remembering what he did to Enzo. It will be difficult enough for her to get to grips with the fact that her best friend is getting married to the man who murdered her boyfriend.

Hey, maybe she won't have to worry about that much longer since Stefan got abducted in the closing moments of the episode. It was a huge shock, but could it be another blast from the past showing up to cause some drama?

"What Are You?" was another solid episode of this CW hit. Only four episodes remain, and I have no idea how it's all going to end.

Other tidbits from the episode:

  • How amazing would it be if Kai sent Cade to a prison world?
  • The throwback to the magic Bonnie tapped into earlier in the series really helped up the nostalgia factor. 
  • Did anyone else shed a tear for the poor little girl who thought she had lost her mother because of Stefan?
  • Did Alaric leave the kids with another nanny? 
  • It was sad that Damon learned he would never get out of his own deal with Cade. 

Remember you can watch The Vampire Diaries online right here via TV Fanatic. Get caught up now!

Over to you, The Vampire Diaries fanatics. What did you think of all the developments?

Sound off below!

Note: The Vampire Diaries Season 8 Episode 13 airs February 17 on The CW. 

What Are You? Review

Editor Rating: 4.6 / 5.0
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User Rating:

Rating: 4.2 / 5.0 (126 Votes)

Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.

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The Vampire Diaries Season 8 Episode 12 Quotes

Matt: Everything okay?
Alaric: No, it's bad.

Damon: I'll deal with Stefan.
Bonnie: I already did.
Damon: What do you mean?
Bonnie: He's human now.