The Vampire Diaries
Season 7 Episode 9: “Cold as Ice”
Directed by Geoffrey Wing Shotz
Written by Brian Young
Created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec
Starring Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Candice Accola, Zach Roerig, Matthew Davis, Michael Malarkey, Scarlett Byrne, Todd Lasance
The CW
Air Date: Thursday, December 10, 2015, 8pm

The midseason finale of The Vampire Diaries helped move the plot closer to this “three years from now” world we keep getting glimpses of, and continued to explore the common TVD themes of kindness, family, revenge, and betrayal.

Spoilers ahead.

In Chicago three years from now, we see Valerie (Elizabeth Blackmore) and Stefan (Paul Wesley) together as a couple. At the beginning of the season, this idea would have seemed crazy, but the story has brought the two closer and closer together, and this couplet is very believable. Stefan declares that he must go save Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Caroline (Candice Accola King) because they are both people he cares about, and that Valerie can’t come because he won’t add a third to the list of people he loves that are missing.

The Vampire Diaries
Season 7 Episode 8: “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me”
Directed by Leslie Libman
Written by Brett Matthews
Created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec
Starring Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Candice Accola, Zach Roerig, Matthew Davis, Michael Malarkey, Annie Wersching, Elizabeth Blackmore, Scarlett Byrne, Teressa Liane, Todd Lasance, Jaiden Kaine
The CW
Air Date: Thursday, December 3, 2015, 8pm

The latest episode of The Vampire Diaries is titled, “Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me.” Can I actually NOT end that title with, “Kill Me?” The answer is no. But all you teens will have no idea what I’m talking about. Batman Forever, anyone?! U2?! Ugh, maybe I’m old. Let me know.

ONTO my spoiler-filled recap/review!

Three years from now, Damon (Ian Somerhalder) is kidnapped at the very news studio where Caroline (Candice Accola King) used to run the show! Finally, we see it’s Lily (Annie Wersching) who has Damon captive. He apologizes, but…no…it’s not Lily; it’s someone else…

The Vampire Diaries
Season 7 Episode 7: “Mommie Dearest”
Directed by Tony Solomons
Written by Chad Fiveash and James Stoteraux
Created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec
Starring Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Candice Accola, Zach Roerig, Matthew Davis, Michael Malarkey, Annie Wersching, Elizabeth Blackmore, Todd Lasance, Jaiden Kaine, John Charles Meyer, Gavin Casalegno, Luke Judy
The CW
Air Date: Thursday, November 19, 2015, 8pm

Do people spell “mommy” with an “ie?” The Vampire Diaries does! In Episode 7.7 of the hit CW show, “Mommie Dearest,” the concept of motherhood is further explored. Parenthood has been a growing theme all season and it’s clear that this very human, very soul-felt connection is a complex relationship that can often be both predictable and surprising.

Today, I’m going to take a look at the storylines of TVD 7.7 with a focus on our resident TVD mothers, Caroline (Candice Accola King), Lily (Annie Wersching), and Valerie (Elizabeth Blackmore). With my weekly SPOILERS AHEAD WARNING, onward we go.

The Vampire Diaries
Season 7 Episode 6: “Best Served Cold”
Directed by Darren Genet
Written by Caroline Dries
Created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec
Starring Paul Wesley, Iam Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Candice Accola, Zach Roerig, Matthew Davis, Michael Malarkey, Annie Wersching, Elizabeth Blackmore, Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, Todd Lasance, Scarlett Byrne, Teressa Liane
The CW
Air Date: Thursday, November 12, 2015, 8pm

Children. This episode is all about children. HERE’S YOUR CHANCE; IF YOU HAVEN’T WATCHED THE VAMPIRE DIARIES EPISODE 7.6 “Best Served Cold,” READ NO FURTHER!

But yeah. Lily’s (Annie Wersching) children (of all varieties). Alaric’s (Matthew Davis) children. Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Valerie’s (Elizabeth Blackmore) child. Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Elena’s (Nina Dobrev) fantasy child. Caroline’s (Candice Accola King) fateful baby transference situation. More on that later.

As usual, an opening scene unfolds of three years from now. Children’s drawings are shown on Alaric’s fridge and Damon is grilling Alaric about the whereabouts of his fiancée. When we see a bloodied Caroline on the news broadcast saying she has “an urgent message for Stefan Salvatore,” it all clicks. Alaric is engaged to Caroline. WHAT?! This feels so beyond creepy to me. The writers are just messing with us!

The Vampire Diaries
Season 7 Episode 5: “Live Through This”
Directed by Kellie Cyrus
Written by Rebecca Sonnenshine
Created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec
Starring Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Candice Accola King, Zack Roerig, Matthew Davis, Michael Malarkey, Annie Wersching, Elizabeth Blackmore, Jodi Lyn O’Keefe, Todd Lasance, Tim Kang
The CW
Air Date: Thursday, November 5, 2015, 8pm

Hi friends. I, like many of you, have finally settled down for the evening and curled myself on the couch with a nice glass of wine to watch my weekly indulgence, The Vampire Diaries. Sweet relief. Forget about your day, your responsibilities, your stresses, and enter the world of Mystic Falls.

As always, SPOILERS AHEAD for The Vampire Diaries 7.5: “Live Through This”

Three years from now, we see Bonnie (Kat Graham) in a support group within a rehab facility. We aren’t told what put her in there, but I am willing to bet it’s alcohol. They’ve been setting that up ever since she was alone in the prison world. She definitely has a drinking problem. She reveals the theme of the episode when she says to her group leader, “I’ve been thinking about the past and how one stupid decision can” ruin your life, and then, “I made a mistake and lost someone I loved and I would do anything to take it back, but I can’t. All I can do is try and find a way to live with it.” Who did she lose?! Did she lose them to death, or perhaps they just lost their soul? Damon does seem pretty evil in the future.