The Vampire Diaries Review: The Age of Innocence (Season 7 Episode 3)

This episode of The Vampire Diaries  is all about Stefan, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

The episode starts off three years into the future, and who do we see? Tyler! In a suit! There’s some speculation going around that he may be Care’s fiancé, but I just can’t see that happening. And even if he is, I think it’d be more a… friendship love. Two friends who wouldn’t mind spending the rest of their lives together. Not really romance, you know?

Anyway, we get a great shot of Stefan walking away from an exploding car, after Tyler tells him he should be running since his scar has opened up.

Something that amazes me is how seamless all these time jumps are. Watching Tyler drive a super fancy car in a super fancy suit three years into the future doesn’t phase me one bit. I truly believe that these kids would be talking to each other, and would have each others’ backs no matter what.

But my question is: Why was it important for Stefan to call Caroline? Is she in danger? Or is it his last wish (per say) to see her/talk to her, because he knows he’s being hunted?

Whatever the reason, I can’t wait to see these two come face to face three years from now. Actually, I can’t wait to see if we’ll have an episode purely in the future. Because I’m so excited to see what makes everyone so dispersed, and in danger.

More likely than not, it has something to do with the heretics. And my bet’s on Julien; Lilly’s lover boyfriend who she’s apparently going to Europe with for a while. I’m going to go ahead and assume that Enzo won’t take the rejection very well, and may switch sides after he finds out that his declaration of love meant more, or less, nothing to Lilly because of Julien — who, I’m going to go ahead and assume is the big bad for this season. Since, you know, Valerie called him the devil and killed one of her own to keep Julien away.

Speaking of Valerie…

Remember how I said this whole episode is about Stefan? Turns out Valerie was the first love of Stefan’s life. Sure, she was sent to him by Lilly, but in the end, she fell for him too… and became pregnant with his child. Watching a 16-year-old Stefan fumble his way around a corset is probably the cutest thing I’ve seen in a really long time.

This was “The age of innocence,” everyone. The episode’s namesake. When Vampires, and heretics, and doppelgangers didn’t exist.

One of the hardest things I’ve had to do this season was watch Care listen to Valerie tell the story of her and Stefan. You know why? Because it reminded me of the first time Stefan sat around a bonfire and told Care “Caroline, me and you? It’ll never happen” back in season 1.

But of course, Caroline handles the story of her love’s first time with the grace and finesse we all know she has. When she’s later united with Stefan, we see that she is a bit insecure (who wouldn’t be?) but Stefan’s reassurances help her though them.

Stefan: All I care about is that you’re here, you’re safe, and you’re with me.

Swoon!

It’s great, as a Steroline shipper, seeing Stefan saying these things, and making them seem believable. The Vampire Diaries has really resurrected itself (maybe with that fancy phoenix stone), and even after a bit of a lull, they’re able to make pairing—like Bamon and Steroline, seem believable. And that’s not something easy to do. So a round of a applause everyone to, Ms. Caroline Dries.

So far, this season is probably my favorite yet. If the writers can keep up this momentum, I’m not sure if there’s any power in the world that could stop it. The time jump have set a level of curiosity that will pull me back, for all twenty-two episodes, and maybe, if there is a season eight, we’ll get to see everyone, seven years into the future, all the time.

Hey, I can hope, can’t I?

What did you think of “The Age of Innocence?” Let me know in the comments below!

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The Vampire Diaries airs Thursdays at 9/8c on The CW.