MovieChat Forums > The Vampire Diaries (2009) Discussion > The whole 'he raped/killed/compelle d/un...

The whole 'he raped/killed/compelle d/unforgivable' argument

posted 8 years ago by Avaria_vasiel
51 replies | jump to latest

Before I start, I wanna make it clear that I do not condone or make excuses for rape, murder, control over someone, etc.

Seeing all these posts about whether or not Damon raped Caroline, that he and/or Stefan have are cold blooded killers, or that so-and-so's actions are unforgivable.

Really...what do you expect from a vampire-themed supernatural show?

Every single one of the main cast have done horrible things. Every last one of them, including holier-than-though Mary Sue Elena.

This isn't Buffy where the ultimate objective has always been to kill demons to protect humans or prevent the apocalypse to save the world.

Every single deed, every kill, every fight has been completely self serving to the characters' own needs and wants.

Are these acts forgiveable? No, most of them aren't. But this is a teen soap opera, not a politically correct morality tale that the audience should be taking life lessons from.

Most of all, it's fiction. These characters aren't real and their actions never really happened. It's pure entertainment. And if your response to that is "killing/torturing/raping/backstabbing, etc, isn't entertaining" then...why the fvck are you watching this show? This ain't The Babysitters Club.

[–] ThinkBfourUSpeak 8 years ago

what do you expect from a vampire-themed supernatural show?

This is the most important thing to ponder on. I have my doubts that anyone of them is innocent of NOT raping one or another in these 1000 or 150 or 900 years of history..

Not implying on the screen for our benefit does not necessarily means that it didnt happen.

------Pulling someone down will never help you reach the top -----

[–] ursulazsenya 8 years ago

Yes, but that's not the point.

Morality aside for a change... what's the point of having Damon do fiendish actions like this if no one ever reacts to it? If raping people is no big deal (and for the record, Damon is the only person we've ever seen on screen rape someone - none of the other vampires are ever shown having nonconsensual sex with humans --- paradoxically enough, the closest we've got to another vampire compelling a human into a sexual encounter was when Caroline did it to Liam in season 6) --- then why have him do it in the first place? If what Damon did to Caroline and Andi Starr had no effect on anything - what was the point then?

Look at Buffy, the gold standard. In seasons 1 to half of 2, Angel is part of the Scooby Gang, their 'friendly neighbourhood vampire', then he turns to Angelus & becomes the season's big bad. And even after he returns to being Angel, even though everyone understands 'logically' that he wasn't 'himself', he's never integrated into the group again. He never has their full trust again. And even in the 'Angelus' arc, Buffy is hesitant to kill him for along time because she's hoping to get back her boyfriend... until he kills Jenny Calendar. That is the point of no return for Angelus. He is never forgiven for this and Buffy vows to kill him for this - and she does. Seasons later, the First takes Jenny's face to haunt Angel and almost drive him to suicide.

Damon raping Caroline & Andi Starr and it having no effect on the story, is like Angelus killing Jenny Calendar, then sharing drinks with Giles at the end of the season. So it begs the question of why he did it in the first place? Apart from the SHOCK & AWE effect of that single/series of episodes... what was the point?

No one is arguing that this is a vampire-themed supernatural show. The truth is that the writers of the show don't write it as a vampire-themed supernatural show. There is no horror or fear when horrific, fearful things garner little to no reaction from the characters. If Damon raping and killing people is treated as no big deal by the people in the show who should be horrified and enraged by his actions ---- then why the heck, is the audience supposed to care ---- and if the audience isn't supposed to care... then once again, what is the point?

[–] ThinkBfourUSpeak 8 years ago

I dont doubt for a second that Damon or Katherine raped Caroline and Stefan respectively. It is obvious but yes I can understand fans not wanting to believe because

1) the rape was not shown

2) they are favorite characters just like KLaus and ELijah are. If people really think that those do didnt do any thing like that then they are severely mistaken. Elijah was never a gentleman we believe him to be.

The issue I have is that Caroline is/ was their friend. How can SHE tolerate him? How can she still call him part of his group or accept it? How can SHE be okay with Stefan not reprimanding what Damon did to her?

------Pulling someone down will never help you reach the top -----

[–] ursulazsenya 8 years ago

The only thing that makes any sense to me was that Caroline wasn't supposed to have stayed on as long as she did. Perhaps the plan was for to follow the route of Vicky Donovan or Coach Tanner and die as shock value early in season 1. I remember reading that Kat Graham was so sure she was going to die in the first season that she kept a monthly lease instead of a year's rental. Or something like that.

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[–] rencikraljica 8 years ago

People who support that kind of violence in the show,shows positive affection towards rapists,as long as they are 'hot' in real life.

People are ready to forgive anything,as long as criminal is good looking.

Its sad but true.

That's why teen population is not happy in love,and most of them suffer all the time.

Example : How can you let your boyfriend beat you?He is hot,and i love him,yet her face is blue all the time,and she wears sunglasses 24/7.

I think we all witnessed at least one example of that.I know i did.

Girls wants tough guy,dangerous and violent,even if that leads to nothing but pure misery for all eternity,as long as he is 'hot' And most of the times,she wont ever get rid of him,because he is psycho stalker,who is going to rape her or do harm,according to statistics.There u go smart girl,u wanted tough guy instead of normal person,just because he had 6 pack.

Same goes for that mugshot of gang member,and we all know what do gang members do,but most of the females comments were 'i would gladly let him rape me' this says enough,and topics on imdb,related to Damon's behavior shows nothing but what people actually are,and who they are.

We can discuss fake morality and whatnot,but my brain just cant understand how can someone hate rapists in real life,but love them in their favorite tv shows,or vice versa.