When Katherine said that, I had a "Huh?" moment since this seemed to contradict what we had been told/led to believe previously. I think there were other references to the lack of vampire heartbeat, but the one I recall most clearly is in an episode from last season (A Few Good Men?) where Elena is telling Stefan that Damon makes her cranky blahblah, and then something about how maybe this--the fallout from Katherine not being in the tomb--will help Damon realize he does have a heart "even if it doesn't beat." Elena certainly seemed to believe vampires have no heartbeat, but then again perhaps this is just another little inside joke that vampires share that is similar to the Rose bombshell that "there is no emotion switch."

Other than that one comment -- which in retrospect seemed more like Elena making a joke about the fact that he's dead -- there's not only never been a reference to lack of vampire heartbeats, we've had little things here and there that made many of us wonder WTF? Because we thought that vampires had no heartbeats. So this finally gave canon to what makes sense -- even if not being the case for most vampires in fiction -- on this show regarding vampires and heartbeats.

>>there's not only never been a reference to lack of vampire heartbeats<<

Hmmm...then I wonder why I thought there had been a reference other than Elena's comment? Something must have been said or implied in an earlier episode that I erroneously took to mean our vamps have no heartbeat. Oh, well, doesn't really matter since Katherine has verified that they do, and I'm really quite happy she did. :)

I've watched season 1 four times and other than that Elena comment, I can't think of any other. I'm going to rewatch it again tomorrow so maybe I'll catch something, but I really think it was more our general perception that vampires don't have heartbeats, because I know I automatically assumed they didn't, as have many others that I've read elsewhere on many different forums.

I'm soooo glad they adressed that (although I missed it when she was talking about it the first time I watched) because now everything makes soooo much sense!! I remember going through so many discussion forums that questioned how on earth Damon couldn't tell the difference between Katherine and Elena (I defended it by claiming that perhaps he was still a bit disoriented from the vervain injection, but even then it seemed a but off) & now we know!! =)

Yup, now we know. Explains not only Damon, but Stefan in the bed at the beginning of "Memory Lane." As well as Frederick not realizing that Elena wasn't Katherine when he saw her at the Grille.

I really want to compile some kind of resource for fic writers in this fandom because there are a few 'quirks' that are important for canon characterisation that could easily be missed by writers... this being one of the biggies.

I also sat up and took notice when Katherine started describing the effects of starvation to Stefan...

That would be nice, and might help with a few of the things that are in fics all the time that bug me. Number one being references to the boarding house being where the Salvatore brothers and Katherine first me. That was the mansion that was in ruins that Stefan took Elena to in "Lost Girl." I'm sure there are others out there. A resource like that would be nice.

Thanks for this tidbit, Arabian. It is good to have more details in the TVD vampire lore. It does not sound at all pleasant, what Katherine has to look forward to in the tomb.

No, it does not. Couldn't have happened to a nicer vampire, though. :)

LOL. I'm just reading your Stefan scene post. Katherine has certainly earned a few months (or years) of misery after all she's done.

Yes, she certainly has! Bad, Katherine, bad!

I had kinda been under the impression that vampires were pretty much physiologically the same as humans (at least as far as body functions go), but it's nice to have Katherine confirm it for us. I think that's why they had that scene in Bloodlines where Damon tells Elena that vamps function pretty normally as long as they have a healthy supply of blood in them. It explains a lot, like how they can eat, have sex, and not be noticed by humans because their skin is too cold.

I'd have to say that for all the different versions of vamp mythology I've watched/read, TVD's lore is my favorite. They don't have to deal with deus ex machina of a soul (Buffy), they don't cry blood or burst into piles of gooey innards (True Blood), and thank the Lord, they don't sparkle (Twilight...*shudders*). In all respects, it just makes our vampires feel that much more human, which is what makes it easier for us to relate to and love them.

Actually, if I could change one hung about TVD's vamps, it'd be that they dusted like Buffy's. That way they wouldn't have to worry so much about those pesky bodies being unearthed.

not be noticed by humans because their skin is too cold

Actually, they are a little cool to the touch. That one was explained by Stefan (to Vicki, I'm pretty sure) by way of saying that they drink a LOT of coffee (and hot drinks) to keep their skin warmer.

I'd have to say that for all the different versions of vamp mythology I've watched/read, TVD's lore is my favorite. They don't have to deal with deus ex machina of a soul (Buffy), they don't cry blood or burst into piles of gooey innards (True Blood), and thank the Lord, they don't sparkle (Twilight...*shudders*). In all respects, it just makes our vampires feel that much more human, which is what makes it easier for us to relate to and love them.

I agree; and the dusting would be nice, but think of how much story-fun we'd lose out on! LOL!

I really liked hearing that vampires have a heartbeat in this universe. Because if they didn't, it really would make no sense that vampires can't tell the difference between humans and vamps immediately, given the super-hearing (and Stefan had already mentioned that he couldn't, back in S1, I think).

Exactly. It's been bugging me ever since I wrote up my post for that episode that I didn't mention it that I just had to write up a post just for it. Because I'm weird like that. :)