If you're anything like me, you've spent a good part of the last few weeks tumbling down a Lily Salvatore theory rabbit hole, desperately trying to figure out how this Vampire Diaries Salvatore matriarch could possibly still be alive. And while the assumption I initially jumped to was that she must be a witch like Kai, having assessed all the evidence, I'm now beginning to strongly suspect that Mama Lily Salvatore is a vampire, much like her two sons. That being said, I'm still on the fence as to whether or not she'll become a friend or foe for this present-day Mystic Falls crew, but given that she's been trapped in a prison world for well over a century, I'd say she more than likely deserved to be put there.
Granted, I supposed there's always the chance that she was falsely accused of a crime, but let's be honest here — on a show like this, no one is completely free from sin. Not even mothers. (Well, maybe except Sheriff Forbes. RIP.) Plus, if Lily truly is evil, it would make for a very compelling (pun intended) storyline to see how Damon and Stefan would handle facing off against their own mother. But what makes me so convinced that she's an actual vampire? At this point, the clues are proving to be rather difficult to ignore.
The Fact That She Hasn't Aged
Call me crazy, but when someone looks as though they haven't aged a day in over 150 years, I'd say that's a pretty clear indicator that something supernatural is at play here. (Either that or I simply have to get the name of her face cream.) Of course, the prison world could account for why she's hasn't aged since 1903, but that would still make her seventy-something years old by that time since her "death" was in 1858. So unless she's some sort of time traveler, vampirism is the perfect way to explain her eternal youth.
Stefan's Vision
Right before their mother's funeral, an adorable Young Stefan confided in his brother that their mother's angel had visited him in his sleep the night before and told him everything was going to be alright. But what if this wasn't her angel at all? What if this was simply an explanation she knew a 10-year-old boy would believe, when really she was visiting in her vampire form to say goodbye? You have to admit, it's entirely possible.
Papa Salvatore's Reign of Terror
We know how much Giuseppe loathed vampires, so if there was ever a reason he felt the need to cover up her disappearance with a fake death, it would be if she had become the one thing he hated most in this world. So either she was able to escape before being executed or he loved her enough to let her go as long as she promised to never return.
Damon's Odd Behavior
When he first described to Liz how he had neglected to show up to give the eulogy at his mother's funeral, I had assumed that was just Damon being Damon, opting to run away when the emotional stakes got too high. But then Reddit user bigsickselby pointed out the curious look on Damon's face (via flashback), when he was left alone immediately after helping Young Stefan with his tie. He gazed into the mirror and suddenly a look of shock spread across his face (above), but before we could see what caused it, the cameras cut to another scene.
What did Damon see in that reflection? Perhaps his own mother standing right there before him? Maybe she wanted to see her eldest son one last time before leaving town and compelled him to forget the interaction ever happened, thus making him late for the funeral. But, if that were the case, wouldn't Damon have remembered it upon becoming a vampire himself? This could be a further indicator of just how powerful Lily's vampire abilities really are.
Buckle up, folks. This is bound to be one hell of a family reunion.
Images: The CW [screen grab]; domesticdelena/Tumblr; niansomerhalder/Tumblr; vampire-diaries/Tumblr
