‘The Vampire Diaries’ season 7, episode 5 review: Could Valerie’s past change Stefan’s future?

“It’s funny how one event can change the outcome of your entire life.”

This was a quote uttered by Valerie tonight on “The Vampire Diaries,” and in a story that proved to be imperative to the story of Stefan Salvatore. He learned for the first time everything about her history, and let’s just say that this could make things even more complicated for him and Caroline. He already has pushed her away by not being there as promised, and we know where this relationship is going in the flash-forward. Something must have happened in order to cause the two to sever, and this may be the beginning of it. This knowledge could be that one event for him.

For Damon, the game is a little different: Giving Lily exactly what she wants, and then make her realize that it will all crumble. This is why his endgame suddenly allowed for the revival of Julian; she took away his heart in Elena, and now he wants to do the same thing. Cruel, no? Remember how he was briefly talking about turning over a new leaf? We now that that he has stepped on said leaf and destroyed it into a million pieces.

Alaric’s already realized in his own way that getting the person you want back is not always as it seems. He has Jo back in the flesh, but not in the soul. There is someone in her body, but it’s not her. It is a heartbreaking revelation for him, almost a physical reminder that now is time to move on and there is nothing that he can do to change the past.

In the end, this was a powerful episode. We would not call it one with a seismic shift, but there were enough individual moments that took place throughout for it to be placed within the pantheon of important character-based stories on this season. Episode Grade: B.

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