When the screen transitioned to black and all you could see was The Vampire Diaries logo on last week’s monumental 100th episode, any hope you had that Katherine (Nina Dobrev) would exit the series on a high note was lost. From that point forward, it didn’t matter where the narrative was going, Katherine was fated to either outlive every other character, or die a villain’s death. All the brownie points she may have racked up in the meanwhile, gone.
Going into this week’s episode the writers had the challenge of continuing her storyline without the benefit of her physical body. Although having her take over Elena’s (also Dobrev) life may have been far too predictable for some fans, it created a new dynamic for the show to stand on (which after a sloppy start to the season, it desperately needed).
This season of The Vampire Diaries has moved through storylines like disposable razors – a couple weeks of use and it’s time for the garbage. Finally it looks like the show is establishing some stability by essentially going back to some of its original components. The love triangle between Elena and the Salvatore brothers is part of the foundation of the series, which was mirrored by Katherine’s similar history, and it’s also something that fans rallied around season after season until far after it became a redundant theme.
Elena may have chosen Damon (Ian Somerhalder) despite all doppelgänger odds, but she is no longer in control of her decisions – or any other part of her body. In fact, at the current moment Elena no longer exists. If there was any silver lining to her involuntary exile, it was that she quite literally went out in Damon’s arms.
Katherine on the other hand, always the survivor, has chosen to go the predestined route and has revealed her plans to stay in Mystic Falls and rekindle her romance with Stefan (Paul Wesley). No huge shocker there. She may have briefly convinced herself at one point that she would be satisfied settling for Elijah (Daniel Gillies), but she has always maintained a visible preference for Stefan. This is part of the reason she has always loathed Elena, his one true love. Now that she has the advantage of being Elena, she can have the happily ever after she’s always desired without constantly stepping on her past as she goes.
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