| “ | I've been thinking a lot about the past lately. How one stupid decision can...Can turn your life into something that you don't recognize. Like it belongs to someone else. I made a mistake, and I lost someone I loved... And I'd do anything to take it back, but I can't. All I can do is...Try and find a way to live with it. | ” |
— Bonnie in (flash forward)
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Live Through This is the fifth episode of the seventh season of The Vampire Diaries and the one hundred and thirty-eighth episode of the series overall.
Summary[]
A NEW THREAT ON THE HORIZON — After realizing the downward spiral he was on, Damon decides he's going to turn over a new leaf and that his actions moving forward will do right by Elena. Lily prepares for the arrival of a special figure from her past, while Enzo stands by not sure what to expect. Elsewhere, at Caroline's urging, Stefan comes face-to-face with Valerie and learns some upsetting details about her past, while Enzo and Bonnie find themselves at odds when they're forced to fend off a violent threat. Finally, when Bonnie learns some disturbing information involving the Phoenix stone, she is forced to confront Alaric.
Plot[]
The flashforwards three years from now show Bonnie in group therapy. After the therapy, Enzo arrives and they kiss revealing that they're in a relationship.
In the present, Alaric is happy about Jo coming back to life via Phoenix Stone. Alaric teaches her about the world as she seems confused and unaware of it. but he just hopes that she'll get used to it and return to the old Jo. Meanwhile, Nora, Mary Louise notice that Oscar is behaving different than usual, also after being revived via Phoenix Stone. The three girls leave Oscar under Enzo's watch while they find Julian's coffin. He phones Valerie to tell her that the other Heretics are onto her.
Meanwhile, as she's about to leave the town, Damon blocks her way with his car. He interrogates her about her killing Oscar and than framing him, which she denies at first. Stefan arrives and the three head to find Julian before the Heretics.
While the Heretics are gone, Bonnie pays Enzo a visit and asks him about the Phoenix Stone. Oscar attacks the maid and Bonnie asks him if he recognizes him, he says that she's the one who'd helped him get out of the Stone. Oscar gets mad after they keep calling him Oscar and attacks Bonnie and Enzo asking for the stone. Enzo manages to kill "Oscar" who has found the stone, and Enzo takes it from him.
At the same time, Valerie, Stefan and Damon reach the warehouse with Julian's coffin. She explains to them the nature of the Phoenix Stone: it's filled with old vampire souls, which means that neither Oscar nor Jo are actually back, old vampire souls are just possessing their bodies. They reach Julian's coffin and set it on fire, but the other Heretics arrive and stop her. Lily banishes Valerie and then Valerie reveals that it was Lily's idea to put the sleeping spell on Elena. This angers Damon and he attempts to kill Lily, but Beau causes the explosion and the Heretics escape with Julian's coffin.
At the Salvatore Boarding House, Enzo asks Lily to choose between him and Julian and she chooses the latter. Enzo decides to hand over the Stone.
Meanwhile, Alaric tells Jo about how she died after being stabbed in the stomach, but she tells him that she was stabbed in the heart. Later, Bonnie calls him and tells him what the Phoenix Stone actually does and that that girl is not Jo. Alaric meets with "Jo" and realizes that she's not his wife, but promises that he'll help her.
Valerie tells Stefan about how she killed herself after Julian killed her child, not realizing that she had vampire blood in her system. As the Heretics bring Julian back to life, Bonnie teams up with Damon and vow to get revenge on Lily.
Cast[]
Main Cast[]
Special Recurring Guest Star[] |
Recurring Cast[]
Co-Starring[]
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Trivia[]
- Antagonists: "Oscar", Lily, Mary Louise, Nora and Beau.
- Valerie informs Stefan about the death of their unborn child. She also tells him that Julian is the reason behind the death of their child.
- Stefan learns that because of Julian, Valerie couldn't meet him as she promised.
- Stefan tells Valerie he will kill Julian for not only her but for what he took from both of them.
- Stefan tells Valerie that he would have wanted a child, and choose not to tell Caroline about his discovery.
- Damon and Stefan find out from Valerie that it was actually their mother's idea to link Elena's life with Bonnie which was executed by Kai in I'll Wed You in the Golden Summertime.
- This was done by Lily in retaliation for their refusal to help her rescue the Heretics from the 1903 Prison World.
- In revenge for her actions, Damon plans to kill Julian in front of her eyes to show her what she inflicted on him, and Bonnie promises to help him.
- Damon tries to kill Lily after finding out she was the reason Kai put Elena under a "Sleeping Beauty" spell but Beau saves her before he can do so.
- The Phoenix Stone does not have the power to raise the dead. Instead, it is filled with the souls of ancient vampires who can be united to a body by magic. Julian's soul was trapped inside after he was killed in 1903.
- Julian is brought back to life with the help of the Phoenix Stone by Nora, Mary Louise and Beau.
- Alaric agrees to help the vampire soul inhabiting Jo's body figure out who she is.
- In 2016, Bonnie is living in a mental institution, and is seeking help in a group. When she returns to her room, she finds Enzo waiting for her. He tells her that things have gotten bad, and that she can no longer hide in her home. They then kiss.
Body Count[]
- Unknown Vampire Spirit in Oscar's body - Staked; killed by Enzo
Continuity[]
- Julian was last seen in Age of Innocence in flashbacks.
- Beau and Lucy, the maid, were last seen in Never Let Me Go.
- Kai was mentioned twice in this episode. He was last seen in I'm Thinking Of You All The While and last mentioned in Day One of Twenty-Two Thousand, Give or Take.
- Ms. Cuddles was last seen in The Day I Tried To Live.
Locations[]
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Mental Health Center (flashforward)
- Warehouse
- McKinley, Virginia
- Mystic Falls, Virginia
Behind the Scenes[]
- The first version of the episode was three minutes shorter, so the extra three scenes were added.[1]
- The Warehouse was filmed in a small production office made to look larger through visual effects.[1]
- Bonnie's group therapy was Rebecca Sonnenshine's (the episode's writer) first pitch for the flashforwards.[1]
- "The idea to put Bonnie and Enzo together in the flash-forwards was born out of their scene last season at the door of the Salvatore House where she calls him a "ruiner." They had such a fun spark and good energy together, we thought it would be an interesting dynamic to explore." [1]
Cultural References[]
- Live Through This is the second studio album by American alternative rock band Hole. It was released by DGC Records on April 12, 1994, just four days after frontwoman Courtney Love's husband, Kurt Cobain, was found dead in their home. It was Hole's only album to feature bassist Kristen Pfaff before her death in June 1994.
- Grumpy Gus is a generic name to call someone who is being grumpy.
- Damon says: "Wham, bam, thank you, ma'am." which is a verse from David Bowie's song Suffragette City.
- When talking to Stefan, Damon says "Everything's coming up Salvatore." is reference to Colin Vearncomb's 1987 song Everything's Coming Up Roses.
Quotes[]
- Enzo: "Who's Julian?"
- Lily: "He was the love of my life."
- Enzo: "Oh. What's the occasion?"
- Lily: "My mother always used to keep fresh flowers when expecting guests."
- Enzo: "Julian I presume."
- Lily: "Yes. He'll arrive home today if all goes as planned."
- Lily: "So if your asking me to chose between you and Julian..."
- Enzo: "That's.. what I'm asking you."
Multimedia[]
Soundtrack[]
"Blossom" – Noah Gundersen
"Can We Work It Out" – Gordi
"Catch" – Dresses
"Girl Crush" – New Politics
"Undertow" – Drenge
"I'll Never Go Away" – Erin McCarley feat. Gave Dixon
Videos[]
Pictures[]
References[]
See also[]
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