The Vampire Diaries, season 7, episode 16, “Days of Future Past” was packed with love and sacrifice. We said a heartbreaking goodbye to two characters, and are desperate to save another one!
The episodes that are directed by cast members of The Vampire Diaries are always something special, and Ian Somerhalder did not disappoint with this one. The episode was stunning both in terms of visuals and content. It felt very cinematic, but with many elements of The Vampire Diaries that we love most.
The choices felt heavy, the emotions felt real, the stakes felt high and the mythology grew in interesting and exciting ways. Even though most of the main characters weren’t even in the episode, their presence was felt in a deep way. Overall, “Days of Future Past” was a beautiful episode that set the show on a great path for the rest of the season.
From the ashes
Now that we’ve caught up to the flash forwards that have been teasing us for all of season 7, we have three years of story to fill in. In The Vampire Diaries, season 7, episode 16, we started that process by watching the beginning (or continuation, I guess) of Stefan and Valerie’s love story.
Stefan’s scar being linked to Rayna’s life has given him back a weird form of mortality where you get to stay young and hot until you die, and he likes it! It’s no secret that Stefan would be among the first to drink the humanity koolaid if given the option, and while this doesn’t give him that, it does give him some sense of a more normal life. When your time is limited, you have to take in as much of the world as possible! So he and Valerie do exactly that while searching for a solution to his huntress problem.
We still don’t know how or when Stefan and Caroline officially broke up, but it looks like Stefan and Valerie didn’t let their friendship blossom into something more until a year into their fugitivity. I have to say, I actually really like Valerie. Her intentions are obvious, but she was never forceful or manipulative from what we can see. She was simply there for Stefan in his time of need, in a way that nobody really had been for a while.
She was completely right when she said that “everyone you know has made the choice that serves them best, why not make a choice that serves you.” Elena chose Damon, Caroline chose her family and Damon chose himself. Valerie chose Stefan and I think he desperately needed that; just to be picked first by someone. He probably is still harboring feelings for Caroline and Steroline might still be end game, but I think I would be okay with Stalerie.
The only complication comes with Valerie’s lie, or at least, omission of the truth. Why she chose not to tell him that there was a solution to the phoenix scar problem was likely for a combination of selfish, altruistic and practical reasons, but I’m guessing that decision is going to come back to haunt her. Really though, how would they have transferred the scar to Damon at that time since he was lying, desiccated in a coffin? I doubt Stefan would have even been on board to do the switch, especially since he was relatively safe at the time. Her explanation for not telling him was weak, but it likely wouldn’t have been a workable solution at the time anyway.
The bird takes flight
The Rayna Cruz mythology grew deeper and more interesting in The Vampire Diaries, season 7, episode 16. We learned that she can see through the eyes of her targets and has a “mystical connection” to them, and that the “voice” of the phoenix stone speaks to her, compelling her to carry out its mission. She also has the Jasper Hale factor in that she can feel what her targets feel. This is the first time I was ever truly scared of Rayna. If she can always see what you’re seeing, you can really never be safe from her!
The other thing we learned about Rayna though, is that she doesn’t necessarily like being the huntress all the time. She is “plagued with a responsibility,” but doesn’t always agree with it. While stuck in the Armory for the past three years, she has been watching Stefan and has grown attached to him, which is why she was so receptive to Damon’s plan. This makes me wonder what would happen to Rayna if she had simply let Stefan go. Would there be consequences for her?
The real magic in Rayna’s pursuit was how it showcased the Salvatore brothers. The Stefan and Damon relationship was the true heart of this episode. Stefan touched on Damon’s selfishness a little bit but Damon hasn’t really suffered any consequences for his choice to desiccate yet. I’m hoping that will come whenever he’s reunited with Bonnie. They can’t just make him go to sleep for three years, forsaking everyone he loves, and barely even touch on it when he wakes up!
Season 7 of The Vampire Diaries has been very much about Damon’s struggle to figure out who he is now that he has loved and lost Elena, and all the bad decisions he’s making trying to get there. However, it has equally been about Stefan’s unfailing love, support and need for Damon. No matter how many times Damon has failed him, or proven that he’s not worthy of everything Stefan does for him, Stefan has always been there because at the end of the day, he really needs his big brother! No episode has proven that more than this one. Unfortunately, he was let down once again.
I’m not really sure what Damon thought he was volunteering for when he offered to take Stefan’s mark, but his mind changes pretty quickly when he realizes there may be some actual consequences for him besides being forced into a bourbon sampling tour of the world. As of now, it doesn’t seem like Damon regrets his decision to desiccate at all and he definitely hasn’t become a better person during that time.
Thankfully, in the end, he comes around and chooses to take the mark and the mortality that comes with it, since Rayna is done playing with Stefan and his time is running out. However it’s too late for Damon to apologize, and Stefan is already back in the phoenix stone… except for the fact that the phoenix stone no longer exists! So where is he? There’s no way he’s actually dead, so where could he be, and how is Damon going to get him back? Could this open up a whole new avenue for bringing people back from the dead?
My biggest hope is that this is a true turning point for Damon. He has been making wrong and selfish choices all season and it has finally come back to bite him. Seeing his baby brother’s lifeless body on the pavement because he acted too late could definitely be a rock bottom situation for him. I hope he is able to turn things around to save Stefan, and to start to become the hero we know he can be!
Up in flames
Apparently the Armory has kept Enzo, Nora, Mary Louise and Rayna pretty busy for the past three years. Enzo has been working for them due to his family connection with Alexandria, but I don’t think the other three have been treated as well. The only thing we know for sure that the Armory has been doing is making pills out of Rayna’s blood that can render witches useless and also kill them.
One of the test subjects of these pills is Mary Louise, and she’s not looking too hot when we first see her. Nora, who loves her just as much as ever before, will do anything she can to protect her and is sent out on a mission to catch Enzo, whom Alexandria believes set Rayna free. For once though, Enzo is the innocent one and it was actually Matt who set her free! Why? “Ask Stefan Salvatore.” Well I would love to, Matt, but he’s kind of out of commission right now.
Bonnie wasn’t actually in this episode, but she was still present in Enzo’s thoughts and words. Whatever is going on between these two, it involves the Rayna pills, which Enzo has been stealing from the Armory. Bonnie didn’t look quite as bad as Mary Louise when we last saw her, but she wasn’t exactly in top form either. If she has taken any of these pills, Enzo will have his work cut out for him to cook up an antidote.
Now is when we have to say goodbye to two more heretics. Nora and Mary Louise were at times reckless and villainous, but they were also two people who were trying to do their best in a strange new world and who loved each other intensely and unconditionally. They’ve made it through centuries of every obstacle the world could throw at them, and in the end, they chose to go up in flames together.
They didn’t die in vain. They spent most of their lives running from Rayna and the phoenix stone, and they brought the stone down with them. The moment was beautiful and heartbreaking, interwoven with Mary Louise’s spell, Nora’s poetry and the melodic “When It’s All Over” by Raign. Rest in peace, Nora and Mary Louise! Your presence will be missed on The Vampire Diaries.