The Vampire Diaries Season 1, Ep. 20 “Blood Brothers”

‘Blood Brothers’ revealed so much about the relationship the Salvatore brothers share with each other. The complexity which this episode has added to Vampire Diaries makes other shows look like child’s play … and this is exactly why I like the show so much!
As Stefan is getting over his blood thirst locked up in the basement, he drifts into past memories… of the events that lead to their transition in the first place. We find out that the brothers are discovered and shot as they try to help Katherine escape the vampire hunt. They both again regain consciousness under Emily’s care who later tells them that the two of them are transitioning as they both have Katherine’s blood in their system.
We find out that Damon willingly drinks Katherine’s blood while Stefan was forced to. Now all they have to do is feed on some human blood to complete their transition. But neither of them really wants that life now that Katherine is dead (or so they think.) So Stefan goes to meet his father and say goodbye. And here’s the biggest shocker of the episode: Stefan finds out that it was their father who had shot them and in fact he looks ashamed to see Stefan alive again! He tries to attack Stefan again while the latter resorts to self-defense. Without realizing his strength, Stefan throws his father against a wall and he ends up landing on a stake and starts to bleed. As soon as Stefan smells the blood he is overcome by an uncontrollable urge to feed and he ends up feeding on his father!!
Back at Emily’s house, Damon still doesn’t want o go on living without Katherine. Stefan feeling alive and powerful brings back a human girl and bites into her neck. Now its Damon’s turn to experience the urge to feed and eventually he also turns! This back story tells us so much about the love-hate relationship that the brothers share.
Stefan’s beef is more of a self-loathing one than about what Damon did to him although I’m sure he resents the fact that Katherine ‘chose’ to turn Damon while he was just a by product. He also feels responsible for all of Damon’s killings over the years and of course his own father’s death which I guess is the biggest blow to his will. While Damon plainly has a reason to hold a grudge against Stefan – Stefan turned him completely, against his will.
Back in the present day Mystic falls Stefan ends up spilling his guts to Elena. Stefan is consumed by self-hatred and decides to put an end to his own life. He walks out under sunlight without his ring… Elena soon finds him and convinces him not to go through with his plan. There were several conversations that I really liked at this point… They were very insightful! Damon later tells Stefan: “You brood too much… My actions, they belong to me. I own them.” I love the depth that such dialogues add to characters!
What’s even more interesting with the development of this new dimension is that Damon is somehow becoming more and more human while Stefan is taking over the beast role. I wonder if this new information about Stefan will end up changing things with him and Elena. I suppose no one missed the scene in which Damon casually sits on the couch and puts Elena’s feet on his lap…
Things changed drastically in other storylines as well. I guess Anna’s not going to take very well to losing her mother all over again. We find out that John is in control of the vampires that escaped from the tomb. He also ends up staking Pearl who later dies in Harper’s arms. John subsequently escapes and places a call to the Sheriff saying he has some useful information about the vampires in Mystic Falls. And here’s another shocker: Isobel is back in town!