‘The Vampire Diaries’ Fans Thought the Storyline About the 1864 Mystic Falls Vampires Was ‘Rushed’
The Vampire Diaries had eight seasons to wrap up several storylines. And there were a lot of convoluted (yet interesting) ones that kept the show going for so long.
One setting that fans on Reddit wished they saw more of was 1864 Mystic Falls. Not only was 1864 an important year for Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley), but it was a pivotal moment in the war between vampires, werewolves, and humans in the mythical town in Virginia.
What exactly happened in Mystic Falls in 1864?
While mentioned throughout the first season, it wasn’t until the episode “Blood Brothers” leading up to the season finale did fans finally get to see the origin story of the brothers Salvatore.
Stefan’s flashbacks due to a lack of blood (and while he’s locked in the basement) show that both Damon and Stefan were shot and killed trying to rescue Katherine.
Katherine, who is an ancient vampire, orders both brothers to be brought back to health so they can fully transition to be her powerful new minions. The plan backfires as both brothers agree they would rather die.
Unfortunately, Stefan accidentally kills his own father and feasts on his blood, compelled by his own transformation, and he completes his transition to a full-fledged vampire. Damon still resists the temptation, but Stefan urges his older brother on by bringing him a young girl to feast upon.
No wonder both brothers hate each other at this time in their lives. Their world was torn apart.
Then came the werewolves…
At the beginning of season 2, fans got to see “Memory Lane,” where the vampires strike a deal with the werewolves of Mystic Falls in 1864. In The Vampire Diaries, vampires and werewolves are mortal enemies. This led Katherine to help werewolf George Lockwood with the moonstone in return for his help faking her death.
But it came at a considerable cost. Katherine escaped a burning church that entombed and trapped 26 other vampires. She was arrested afterward, leading to Damon and Stefan trying to rescue her before they were shot and killed.
Eventually, the trapped vampires escaped into 2010s Virginia. Fans wished they saw more of them, along with Anna, an 1864 vampire who managed to escape the tomb, and her mother, Pearl, who she helped free from the tomb.
Some fans thought the 1864 storyline was rushed
Fans took to Reddit to voice their feelings about 1864 in Mystic Falls, with many agreeing they “definitely rushed” the storyline. One fan noted, “1864 was the best story they had. Pearl, Anna, and the tomb vampires having a secret war against the council was the BEST. TVD would have been such a good vampire period drama had it been about this.”
Another fan said, “Yeah, I would loved to have more Pearl storylines, they got rid of her too soon!” A third fan wished for more about minor characters who influenced The Vampire Diaries in a big way. “Loved this storyline! I wish we had more of them, they join the group of characters who deserved so much better.”
Still another couldn’t believe that Pearl’s time in the tomb seemed to weaken her intelligence after 150 years. “I can’t get over the way Pearl, a + 500 years old vampire, was killed by John Gilbert after opening a freaking door.” A few other fans thought the 1864 storyline was boring.
Why wasn’t the 1864 storyline explored more?
No one knows for sure. Perhaps there were logistics of needing a wardrobe and costume department as well as requiring horses and horse-drawn carriages for transportation. The added costs for the production might not have been worth it.
Another possibility was the fact The Vampire Diaries wasn’t meant to be a period drama and continuing the storylines of the 1864 vampires might require too many flashbacks for the series.
