Black_Betty

That's a problem. Elena was building a friendship of sorts with Damon before that happened. She already trusted him in some ways, and really wanted to help him if for no other reason than Stefan. Whereas she's spent her life hating John and he hasn't done much since her parents death to make her change her opinion of him, or even want to. She has no incentive to like or trust John, or to give him the benefit of the doubt. ('Course she will now...)

But it's true. If she can forgive Damon for killing Jeremy then she ought to be able to forgive John for trying to kill Stefan/Damon.

Well, in one of your posts you wrote:

It seemed like we were going down the road of giving John the benefit of the doubt regarding honorable intentions.

....We're splitting hairs. For you the most obvious tactic was Jenna through Isobel. For me, the ring offered up justification of sorts for a petty move designed to benefit no one but himself since there were other things to target. I get that he had a goal (the ring) I'm just saying he did it in a very John Gilbert way. Like Damon snapping Jeremy's neck. His goal was to hurt Elena and he had a lot of options including physically hurting Elena. But he chose the very worst thing he could do to her. And like you said: that was just Damon being Damon. John was just being John about everything.

That's what I was talking about regarding the council and the deed. John knows a lot and can talk a lot; same issue with the deed. He technically owns that house and could make a good case for guardianship if he wanted to. And every believes he's enough of a bastard to do something like that. Whether he would, I dunno, but no way does John not realize that Alaric cares about Elena and Jeremy and loves Jenna. He can lay down a realistic threat without having to actually involve Jenna, then apply pressure as needed. That provides incentive. Honestly, why should Alaric have given up the ring after John kicked up the dust? By that point John had so thoroughly screwed things over that the only explanation Alaric could offer - a vague, non-explanation - would not be enough for her. Especially once Isobel showed up and I still say he knew about that.

Because, imo, Isobel's 'unexpected' visit accomplished exactly what it was meant to. Jenna runs from the house to Alaric's 'cause she doesn't want to stay under the same roof as John. It's not a huge leap to assume she'd lodge elsewhere after finding out she's been sleeping with a married man who lied and said his wife was dead (with confirmation from her niece) and that everyone but her knew that was a lie. When said wife shows up on her doorstep. While John is hanging around the house. Hell, I'd run too.

But that's just what loving someone means. Elena and Bonnie and Caroline have each other's backs; because they are good people who love each other. That's just what you do.

What I meant by 'from the beginning' was when she started helping Katherine get out of the tomb. Like you I assume that a compulsion doesn't eliminate the capacity for truthfulness. I think Isobel was manipulating Katherine purely, even though she did care for her and didn't want to betray her. I think Isobel was more honest in her dealings with John; not to say I think she told him about the compulsion or her taking Elena. But I do think she was giving John his marching orders (like he said to Katherine "she's busy. She sent me instead") and a lot of that involved moving John into a good position to protect Elena. Schumiac's theory about the ring makes some sense. If that ring had to come off then Isobel knew when she went back to Mystic Falls. Based on who she was working with - John and Katherine - I say John was the only one she was 'really' working with.