Life Was So Much Easier When I Only Cared About Myself

Does Superman always save the day? [...] I would gather that the true test of a hero isn't being strong when it's easy. It's being strong when it's hard. [...] I'm not a hero, either. Heroes are selfless. And that cape doesn't fit me.

”

— Lizzie and MG discuss heroism

Life Was So Much Easier When I Only Cared About Myself is the fifteenth episode of the second season of Legacies and the thirty-first episode of the series overall.

Summary

HEROES SAVE THE DAY — When things take a dark turn on the twins' 17th birthday, Lizzie is left to make a difficult decision. Meanwhile, Hope takes drastic measures when she and Alaric clash over how to handle an issue involving Josie. Finally, Rafael makes a heartbreaking discovery.^[2]

Plot

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Cast

Main Cast

Recurring Cast

Trivia

Antagonists: Josie Saltzman and The Necromancer
With 44 letters, this is the longest episode title of all three shows.
Rafael was previously murdered by Chad and has been resurrected and now controlled by the Necromancer.
Alaric plans to trap Josie within Professor Vardemus' Chambre de Chasse device, but Hope disagrees and traps him within it instead.
- Hope's plan involves Lizzie performing the Merge, and winning, so that her potion would create a safe space Lizzie's mind to hold Josie's consciousness. With her consciousness contained, then they could detox her with a dark magic cleanse, and move her consciousness back to her body.
- Hope's potion also had a secondary effect should Lizzie lose the Merge. It linked Lizzie's life with Landon's, albeit temporarily, so that should she died Landon would die too and then resurrect them both.
Alaric becomes self-aware from the Chambre de Chasse device with the Latin-based escape word sociis, which means "ally".^[3] Thought he and Kaleb are both freed from the device, Kaleb's escape words is unknown.
Josie reveals that performing the Merge at 22 is a guideline, not a strict condition of the ritual. Josie then forces Lizzie to perform the Merge with her on their 17th birthday. As siphoners, they completed the Merge Ritual having previously siphoned or gained magic. Lizzie siphoned MG's vampirism and Josie was filled with dark magic from the mora miserium.
- However, one of the previous requirements to complete the Merge is the use of a celestial event. During Lizzie and Josie's Merge, there was no mention of utilizing a celestial event and is likely a continuity error.
Rafael stabbed Landon with the golden arrow, leaving Landon's fate currently unknown.
In the Chambre de Chasse simulation, Kaleb takes on the personification of "Professor Hawkins", an archaeologist.

Body Count

Alyssa Chang - Broken Neck; killed by Josie, but resurrected by the Necromancer
Rafael Waithe - Stabbed; killed by Chad, but resurrected by the Necromancer (flashback)
Lizzie Saltzman - Lost in the Merge Ritual; killed by Josie, but resurrected via a linking spell to Landon
Landon Kirby - Linked to Lizzie's life; indirectly killed by Josie during the Merge, but resurrected; Fate remains unknown as he was then stabbed with the golden arrow by Rafael

Continuity

Alyssa, Jed, Kaleb, Landon and the Necromancer were last seen in You Can't Save Them All.
Chad was last seen in What Cupid Problem?.
The last birthday of the twins was in Mombie Dearest, meaning that a year has passed between the two episodes.
- This creates another continuity error with the timeline.
- Josie and Lizzie are the only characters in TVD Universe to have two birthday episodes.
Caroline was mentioned. She was last seen in I Was Feeling Epic on The Vampire Diaries and When The Saints Go Marching In on The Originals.
Ryan is mentioned. He was last seen in I Couldn't Have Done This Without You as a corpse.
Cassie was mentioned. She was last seen in Death Keeps Knocking On My Door.
Walt was mentioned. He was last seen in This Christmas Was Surprisingly Violent.

Locations

Mystic Falls, Virginia
- Salvatore Boarding School for the Young & Gifted
  - Grand Hall
  - Headmaster's office
  - Gymnasium
  - Josie and Lizzie's dorm room
  - Hope and Alyssa's dorm room
  - Rafael and Landon's dorm room
- Woods
- Mystic Falls Cemetery
  - Salvatore Crypt
- Chambre de Chasse

Behind the Scenes

This episode's title was a line used by Lizzie.

Cultural References

Quotes

Multimedia

Soundtrack

"All In My Head" – Whethan feat. grandson
"Gotta Go" – Gilde Flores feat. David Morgan
"All My Friends Are Falling In LoveUndisputed" – Chaptabois
"Tall On My Throne" – Torii Wolf & FWD The Man
"Take Me Apart" – SYML