THE VAMPIRE DIARIES has a new Big Bad…The Huntress. Not the one from ARROW. This one is a decades-old vampire hunter who warns vampires of their impending doom via a postcard marked with an X.
Last week, Bonnie (Kat Graham), Mary Louise (guest star Teressa Liane) and Nora (guest star Scarlette Byrne) tracked down the suspected source of the missives at a hospital for the criminally insane. Finding a fragile mental patient rather than a ruthless hunter, the witches made the mistake of believing that The Huntress, aka Rayna Cruz, was no threat.
Rumored to have been chasing vampires for over a century, the patient they found showed no physical sign that she was able to hunt for more than her favorite cookie…until she revealed that looks can be deceiving, almost killing Bonnie in the process. Hard to believe that the fragile, gray-haired woman actually is the young, vibrant Rayna (guest star Leslie-Anne Huff).
When Bonnie and Damon find Enzo (Michael Malarkey) held captive by Rayna, The Huntress takes the Phoenix Sword from Damon (Ian Somerhalder) by attacking Bonnie. Will Damon take his wrath out on the Augustine Vampire? Doubtful, since Enzo reveals that Elena is alive, and he and Tyler know how to find her body.
At another hospital, Caroline’s (Candice King) pregnancy is in distress. Valerie (guest star Elizabeth Blackmore), Nora and Bonnie lend some magic help to save Blondie’s life as she gives birth to Alaric’s (Matt Davis) twins. As if a complicated delivery is not enough trouble, a furious Stefan has to take Caroline and the babies on the road to hide them from Rayna. Damon’s choices inadvertently put everyone he loves in Rayna’s path, and he is forced to make things right before it becomes too late. Rayna is threatening the lives of all of the Mystic Falls vampires, starting with Beau.
Given that the “look ahead” to three years from now finds Caroline driving to New Orleans with two toddlers who call her “Mommy,” is it safe to assume that the relationship rifts are resolved? What happens in three years that causes Matt (Zach Roerig) to lure Stefan to the television station and render him unconscious?
In that future, will Caroline, Stefan, Alaric, Damon and the twins become an unusual blended vampire/Gemini Coven witch-type family? Will Uncle Damon be tapped for diaper duty?
Tonight’s episode, “This Woman’s Work,” provides the setup for next week’s crossover between THE VAMPIRE DIARIES and THE ORIGINALS. When Stefan goes to New Orleans to lure the hunter away from his friends, he will come face to face with Klaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan), who is suspicious of his old friend’s arrival. Being on Klaus’s suspicious side is never good.
Other guest stars on THE VAMPIRE DIARIES this week are Cynthia Evans, Lily Rose Mumford and Tierney Mumford. Tonight’s episode, “This Woman’s Work,” was written by Chad Fiveash & James Stoteraux and directed by Garreth Stover.
THE VAMPIRE DIARIES airs tonight at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT on The CW.
