Do Not Go Gentle

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The Vampire Diaries

Season 3, Episode 20 ()

Air date

April 26, 2012

Written by

Michael Narducci

Directed by

Joshua Butler

Episode Guide
(Transcript)
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Do Not Go Gentle is the twentieth episode of the third season of The Vampire Diaries and the sixty-fourth episode of the series.

Summary

WHAT THE WORLD HAS TO OFFER - Alaric finds an unexpected ally to guide him on his dangerous new path, while Damon and Meredith try to figure out what their next move should be. At the school's 1920s Decade Dance, Bonnie asks Jamie to go with her and at Caroline's suggestion, Elena asks Stefan to be her date. Caroline is pleasantly surprised when Tyler shows up at the dance determined to sweep her off her feet, but Klaus does his best to come between them. The dance takes a deadly turn when Damon and Stefan realize they need the help of Template:Matt, Template:Jeremy and especially Bonnie to undo a spell that could prove devastating for everyone.

Plot

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Cast

Main Cast

Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert
Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore
Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore
Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert
Kat Graham as Bonnie Bennett
Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan
Candice Accola as Caroline Forbes
Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood
Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman/The Darkness
Joseph Morgan as Niklaus Mikaelson

Recurring Cast

Trivia

Antagonist: Esther and Alaric Saltzman/Darkness.
All main cast members are present in this episode for the third time this season after The Birthday and Our Town.
This episode features a '20s decade dance. The theme of the dance was influenced by Rebekah, who preferred the 1920s over the previously-chosen 1970s, but she herself could not make it to the dance due to Esther's scheming.
- This was the second dance in what would become a streak of school dances that Rebekah was unable to attend for one reason or another. The first was Homecoming Dance/Party in Homecoming, which she was unable to attend because Elena daggered her beforehand.
Jeremy returns to Mystic Falls in this episode. The last time he was in town was in Our Town and the last time he was seen was in Break On Through during a phone conversation with Elena.
Julie Plec cried during the read-through of this episode over a sad Stefan scene.
The song written by the winner of the contest was used in this episode.
This is the episode in which Alaric was turned into an Enhanced Original by Esther. She did this with the intention turning Alaric into a powerful vampire vampire-hunter like Mikael, who would finally be able to kill all of the Originals, and thus, rid the earth of all vampires in existence.
- He would later be turned back into a human in The More You Ignore Me, The Closer I Get, after he was thrown into the part of town covered by the Magic Purification Spell and was saved by Jo before he could die from his wounds after having his vampirism stripped away.
Alaric is the fifth main character to turn into a vampire, after Vicki, Caroline, Jenna and Tyler (as a hybrid). As of this episode, over half the main cast are vampires, with the exception of Elena, Jeremy, Matt and Bonnie.
Jamie appeared in this episode.
Esther meets Jeremy and Matt in this episode.
Jamie meets Jeremy and Klaus in this episode.
Jeremy and Klaus finally meet in this episode.
Jamie and Bonnie kiss for the first time.
Klaus and Caroline danced for the second time this season in this episode.
- The first time was in Dangerous Liaisons.
Steven R. McQueen makes his 50th appearance as Jeremy Gilbert in this episode.
The indestructible white oak stake was created by Esther in this episode by coating the last one of the Mystic Falls Gang's white oak stakes with Alaric's melted-down Gilbert ring, infusing it with the protective magic in the ring to ensure the stake would not burn up when used on a Original.
- The stake is destroyed in The Originals Season 2 episode Ashes to Ashes by Dahlia in an attempt kill Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah all at the same time by burning them from the inside out with the stakes ashes from when she destroyed it.

Body Count

Esther - staked in the heart, killed by Alaric.

Continuity

Meredith and Jamie were last seen in Break On Through.
Abby is mentioned by Damon in the episode. She was last seen in Break On Through.
Elijah was mentioned by Damon. He was last seen in All My Children.
Bonnie's house was shown for the first time this season. She was last residing in Sheila Bennett's house in Season One.
Jenna was mentioned twice, once by Alaric and once by Esther. She was last seen in The Sun Also Rises, when she was killed by Klaus.
Mikael was mentioned in this episode. He was last seen in Homecoming, when he was killed by Klaus.

Cultural References

"Do not go gentle into that good night " is the refrain and title of a 1951 poem by Dylan Thomas, who wrote it for his dying father. He tries to convince his father to fight against his imminent death.
"Last Hurrah " is a final appearance or effort, usually at the end of one career. From the 1956 novel The Last Hurrah by Edwin O'Connor, also a movie adaptation with Spencer Tracy.
The Bachelor is American TV series were an eligible bachelor can choose a mate from a pool of young women. At the beginning of the show he must go on a date with each of the potentials.
"Bromance" a strong male-bonding, ideally not homosexual, relationship.
"Dapper " neat and trim in dress and appearance.
"Mercy Killing " is the practice of killing a person or animal, in a painless way or as painless as possible, as an act of mercy, usually to end suffering.
"Ring of Salt " it is traditional for witches to make a ring of salt to define a space, to keep evil spirits out of their working circles or to entrap them. On the other hand it could be a reference to the TV series Supernatural, where they frequently use rings of salt as defense, or their viral campaign "A Ring of Salt will protect you ".
"Seven minutes in heaven " is a teenagers party game where two people are locked inside a locker or bathroom for seven minutes, when they can do whatever they please - usually kissing and making out.
"Alpha Male" is the dominant male on a group of social animals. In wolves, the Alpha is the strongest animal, and he maintain his dominance by defeating challengers in combat.

Behind the Scenes

This episode had about 2.22 million viewers in the USA.

Quotes

Caroline: (to Elena about Matt and Jeremy) "Look at them, all bromancey."

Damon: (to Meredith) "Alaric, you remember him, right? About 6'2", tried to hack you into pieces?"

Esther: (to Alaric referring to the indestructible white oak stake) "The ultimate weapon, for the ultimate hunter."

Elena: (to Stefan) "Getting out of bed is dangerous these days, but we have to live our lives."

Damon: (to Bonnie and Jamie) "Sorry to spoil your seven minutes in heaven."

Esther: (to Elena) "That's the burden of being the doppelgänger, I'm afraid. Your blood is a potent binding agent for a witch's spell."

Esther: (to Elena about Alaric) "I'm going to remake him. Make him strong, fast, like my children. Indestructible. For one final time, I'm going to tap into the dark magic I used a thousand years ago. Like my husband, Mikael, before him, I will make Alaric into a true hunter. The vampire to end all vampires."

Caroline: "I watched The Bachelor, fair is fair. It's Stefan's turn."

Elena: (to Stefan) "I don't know where we are, what we are, or if we can ever make our way back to each other. But, I'm going to the dance and I'd really like you to go with me."

Esther: (in Rebekah's body) "I have big plans for tonight."

Damon: (to Alaric) "I've been calling you all day!"

Alaric: "Yeah, sorry about that. I just needed to get my head together."

Damon: "So, I take you and Rebekah got the stake?"

Alaric: "I don't know. I woke up alone."

Damon: "What now?"

Alaric: "I think I need to get out of town. I keep blacking out, which means I am still a threat to everyone."

Damon: "I don't know if right now is the best time for you to be going on a spirit quest, Ric."

Alaric: "It's just for a couple of days. I am stocked up on Bonnie's herbs, so I should be fine."

Damon: "Sorry I killed you... twice."

Alaric: "So I have to actually die to get a real apology out of you."

Damon: (hands him a bottle of bourbon) "Drink?"