The real backbone of this episode of The Vampire Diaries turned out not to be the endless supply of love triangle-ism that we’ve become accustomed to. It was the underlying relationship between Matt (Zach Roerig) and Rebekah (Claire Holt). There’s been a lot of one step forward, two steps back for this pair over the last season and a half. Matt’s overwhelming sense of chivalry keeps him from hating anyone completely it would seem. And, Rebekah’s constant attempts to grasp at anything that will bring her closer to human is reason enough to want to be around him.
Interestingly enough, Rebekah gave a finite date for when she would stop trying to make amends – graduation. She doesn’t give Matt, or anyone else for that matter, the indication that she plans to leave town, but it would be a sound time to exit. Not that Rebekah or any of the severely over-aged Mystic Falls residents are particularly concerned with appearances. Rebekah does seem somewhat immersed in the idea of fitting in with the humans, despite her constant nagging about their futility. Relocating to New Orleans after graduation would let her live out a dream of being a normal girl, and leaving the town, for whoever was paying attention, with the same impression.
It’s a bit unfortunate though that the duo has so little time left to explore the option of a relationship. Matt is the only ‘normal’ human left in town, so it’s likely he will survive the season mostly unscathed. His character, however, has now reached a state where it hovers on a pedestal more or less. He’s not perfect, but at the same time he exudes good – it washes over just about every decision he makes. Even in the rare moment where he loathes someone else, you can’t help but think he’s in the right. His moral compass is what makes him a perfect companion for Rebekah in her desperate desire to embody what it is to be human. It wouldn’t be the worst pairing we’ve seen – not by a long shot.
Continue reading on the next page…
