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"Lost Girls" -- which is easily the best episode of the series to date -- picks up right where "You're Undead To Me" left off. Elena demands to know what Stefan is. He tells her she already knows, and then helps her through her denial. "Everything you know and every belief you have is about to change. Are you ready for that? [...] I'm a vampire." They go back and forth a million times over the course of the 24 hours or so; I'll hit the details in the full write-up. What matters is this: he gives her more backstory, and she gives him a day to convince her to keep his secret and, I guess, to stay with him. In the course of Stefan's confession, we are treated to Stefan/Katherine/Elena flashbacks from 1864. Stefan is already courting Katherine, when Damon, a Confederate Soldier, comes home on leave. She leads them both on, and when Stefan makes the mistake of telling her he will love her forever, she sucks his blood, and revels in her plans for an immortal ménage à trois.
Meanwhile, a ravenous Damon (see what I did there?) finishes off Vicki's small town-lifer friends at the cemetery and covers his tracks by burning their remains. He calls Stefan and demands the return of his magic ring, making clear Elena's life is at risk if Stefan refuses. Since Vicki's still alive, Damon takes her back to Mossy Manse, and feeds her some of his blood. Her wounds heal, he puts her under his thrall and they party. Damon's dance left me breathless -- with wonder and laughter -- and yet it also left me wanting to stab my eyes out with a stake, too. How can that be? Anyhow, when he realizes how pathetic Vicki's life is, he snaps her neck and kills her, but because she's fed off of him, she doesn't stay dead. Instead, she begins "transitioning" into a vampire. To complete it, she must feed. Vicki runs to Jeremy, who has no idea what's going on. He calls Matt for help, but he's just as lost. Poor Pudding Pop. When Stefan and Elena return to Gilbert Gables, Stefan immediately knows what's going on and promises he'll help Vicki, but when she's tempted to feed on Jeremy, she takes off.
Stefan tracks Vicki to the woods, where she reveals that her memory of everything is returning. She wants to know what will happen if she refuses to feed. Stefan tells her she'll die. He tries to sell that option, but Vicki is devastated. Just as Stefan is about to explain his vampire vegan-equivalent vittles to her, Logan "Scum" Fell shows up and shoots Stefan. It's a wooden bullet, meant to disable him enough so that Scum can stake him. He finds Stefan, by the way, thanks to the pocket watch which the F'n CoW upgraded into an ACTUAL VAMPIRE COMPASS. For reals. As Scum is poised to stake Stefan, Damon swoops in and saves the day... er... night. He bites Scum (who passes out), then removes the bullet from Stefan, and retrieves his ring. But while the brothers bicker, Vicki can't resist Scum's oozing blood, and her hunger makes her decision for her. Stefan shouts out to stop her, but he's too late. Realizing what she has done, Vicki apologizes and runs off into the night. Damon retrieves the vampire compass. He and Stefan are long gone by the time She's-the-Sheriff and another police officer find Scum, or what's left of him. She orders the officer to find the watch. Nice. That ought to give him a lot of pre-holiday overtime pay.
Back at Gilbert Gables, Stefan lets Elena know that he wasn't in time to stop Vicki from feeding. He promises Elena that he'll show Vicki how to live a non-murderous unlife. They'll have to lie to Matt and Jeremy. Elena is unhappy about this. She will keep Stefan's secret. She doesn't fear him, but she can't be with him. Leaving him on her porch, she returns to her house and dissolves into tears. I'll catch you on the flipside with full coverage, including many mythology moments. In the meanwhile, come on over to the forums, and whatever you do, don't invite strangers into your house.
Discuss this episode in our VD forums, then see what vloggers Val and Beth think of ancient vampires dating teenagers in TV is the Answer.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!
Previously, on The Vampire Diaries: Stefan takes a flying leap. Elena, who looks just like Katherine -- don't you know -- flips her gloriously shiny, shiny hair. At the Founders' Party, she spies Damon and Stefan's signatures on the very first Founders' Day guest registry, but Damon smoothes things over. Damon later says Stefan and Katherine were the perfect couple. She's-the-Sheriff asks the rest of the F'n CoW if they got the Gilbert watch. Logan "Scum" Fell can get it. A blood-starved Damon tells Vicki to come closer, and she foolishly does. As he drinks in her blood she sinks to the ground. Tiki's "Alzy-heimer" Grandpa recognizes Stefan from that time he saw him...in 1953. Stefan wants to tell Elena things he can't.
Now: There's a new poll right over there, on your right. Don't forget to vote on it and grade the episode, too. I'll give the results of the last poll, later in this weecap. Right now, let's get to "Lost Girls" -- which is easily the best episode of the series to date. I know, I've said that a lot lately, but it keeps getting better. Believe me. No one is more surprised than I. "Lost Girls," which thankfully has nothing to do with the Alan Moore property of the same name, picks up right where "You're Undead To Me" left off. Elena tells her diary that she's not a believer. After she's done recounting her reasons for thinking Stefan is a vampire, despite her unbelief, she takes off in her car and screeches up to Mossy Manse, because... smart girls who are not blessed with the preternatural ability to kill the things that go bump in the night -- they run to the monster? Um. Inside, Stefan grabs a stake, and sets out to hunt the brother he should have killed long ago. Elena approaches his front door, just as he rips it open, and we jump to...
Mystic Falls Virginia, 1864: A still human Stefan Salvatore throws open his front door and walks out into the bright Virginia sun. He waits on the veranda in his impossibly cute outfit, as a carriage approaches. The footman helps a female slave descend. She, in turn, helps her mistress -- Miss Pierce. If you can ignore oozing sore on our nation's ass that is slavery, I guess she's a vision. Wait. Wipe the pus away. Now see. Isn't she so pretty? You missed some slime, right on her bodice. There ya go. Katherine and Stefan are taken with one another from the first. He approaches her with a bow. She curtsies in return and holds out her hand, telling him to call her Katherine. Three cheers to both Wesley and Dobrev, here. He manages to look younger than his years and she looks older. Costumes aside -- I can tell which character I'm looking at -- just from their faces. That's no mean feat. Title Card!
Theme Song! [Side note: Whenever I use that song, it's dedicated to my late, great friend, Billy Lowell.]
Mossy Manse; Present; Evening: Stefan throws open the door to find Elena on his stoop. She demands to know what Stefan is. He tells her she already knows, and then helps her through her denial. "Everything you know and every belief that you have is about to change. Are you ready for that? [...] I'm a vampire." Crickets. Elena says she shouldn't have come. Stefan tries to get her to listen, but she starts to run toward her car, so he Stealth Salvatores her. She screams for him to let her go, jumps in her car and speeds off.
Gilbert Gables: Inside, Elena tries to get a grip. She seeks out Jeremy, but he's sequestered in his room, wearing his headphones to drown out the world and his latest Vicki-induced heartache. Elena retreats to her bedroom, but does she close the (screenless!) window like any sane woman who's just found out her latest beau is but a blood-sucking boyfiend? No. She takes off her jacket, and lo! and behold, who should appear, but said blood-sucking boyfiend?! She tries to run out of her room, but he stops her and then assures her she's safe with him. Yeah, fellas, 'cause girls love being held against their will. Nothing makes us feel more secure, I tell you what. She asks about all the animal attacks. He tells her that it was Damon, and that he (Stefan) doesn't feed off humans. He'll explain it to her, if only she'll give him the chance. But he begs her not to tell anyone, because just knowing the truth is dangerous. "You can hate me, but I need you to trust me." Elena's breath comes short and fast. Her eyes fill with tears. "Just go. Just go, please go. If you mean me no harm, then you'll go." Stefan says, "I never wanted this," as he retreats. She opens her bedroom door, and when she turns back toward him, he's gone. She charges across her room, and shuts and locks her window. Granted, that won't actually keep a vampire out, but still, I'm glad to see it.
Cemetery: Damon gets his feedbag on, moving from one victim to the . He drags their bodies to the campfire and pours booze all over them -- like Bananas Foster. Frisking one, he grabs a cell phone and calls Stefan. "I want my ring." Stefan asks where he is. Damon looks around him and says, "I'm at the Sizzler. I had the buffet." Hee. He again demands his ring, but Stefan wants to know where he is and what he's done. Damon says that since Stefan is the one who tried to starve him to undeath, the blood of his victims is on his head, and then again demands his ring. Stefan scolds him for being too obvious with his kills. Damon says he covered his tracks (burnt them, really) and, oh did he mention? He'd like his ring back. Stefan is quicker on his feet than you might expect and says he gave the ring to Zach to hide. "You probably shouldn't have killed him." So, that's confirmation for like the three people who weren't sure if Zach was still alive after having his necked snapped. Damon falls for this for a second, and then says, "Ahhhh, you almost got me. Where is it?" Stefan says he needs time. Damon says, "What, did you FedEx it to Rome?" He then threatens Elena for good measure. Stefan says, "I already want you dead. Don't give me another reason to make it happen." Damon tells him not to give him another reason to rip him apart. And then, since Damon can only say, "I want my ring," so many times, before he ends up annoying even himself, he hangs up on Stefan and gets about to stoking his fire. Sizzler. Ha. (Sorry.) He grabs the bottle of booze and walks away a piece, to Vicki's corpse. Oh, wait, she's not dead. Damon's surprised too. He crouches over her and says, "You just don't want to die, do you?" Vicki coughs (and possibly coughs, "No"). As he tilts his head and considers her fate, we jump to...
Gilbert Gables: As Elena tosses and turns in her bed, Stefan, unbeknownst to her, stands guard on her front porch. Commercial! Dear ADT, you should sponsor this show.
Gilbert Gables; Morning: Elena sits on her window seat, diary in lap, but writes nothing. Instead, she looks out the window. She finally gives up and performs her morning ablutions. Once she's ready, she charges right out the door, without even eating breakfast. These kids really need a mom. The camera pans to pictures of wee Elena and wee Jeremy on the mantle. Per Julie Plec, these are pictures of the actors when they were little. They were beautiful then too, no surprise.
Mystic Grill; Exterior: Elena and Stefan sit at an outside table. "You said you would explain everything, that's why I asked you to meet me here. When you Google vampire, you get a world of fiction. What's the reality?" She sounds like she's a reporter doing an interview, doesn't she? Stefan says to ask him whatever she wants to know, which is only of so much use, since she's never seen a picture of Katherine, but I digress. Elena says she knows he can eat garlic. "And somehow sunlight's not an issue?" Stefan tells her his ring protects him. Mythology Moment: Crucifixes? Decorative. Holy water? Drinkable. Mirrors? Myth. Elena says, "You said you don't kill to survive." Stefan explains that he exists on animal blood. Damon drinks human blood, which is why he is more powerful. When she calls him out on "letting" Damon get involved with Caroline, Stefan tells her that forcing Damon to do something is... counterproductive. Elena's still angry that Damon was hurting her friend. Stefan corrects her. "He was feeding on her." Um. Yeah, I'm pretty sure that doesn't make it better, cutie. "He was able to take away her memories of being bitten using a form of mind compulsion. She never knew what was happening to her. If he wanted to kill her, he would have." Is mind rape supposed to make it okay? Elena agrees with me. Stefan allows that none of this is okay. After an awkward pause, Elena asks if there are more vampires lurking around besides him and his brother. Stefan says not anymore, but basically, the town used to be crawling with the undead and Mystic Falls knew it. "It didn't end well for anybody. That's why it's important that you don't tell anyone." Which... is what all the pedophiles say. Ahem. Elena says she's making no promises, so Stefan asks for the day. "I will answer any questions that you have, and when it's over, you can decide for yourself what you want to do with what you know. It will be your choice." I want to rag on how very magnanimous he makes her already God-given freedom sound, but my word, did you get a gander at Paul Wesley's chin? He has the jaw line of a caricature of a romantic lead. It is actually square. I expect to hear a little twink when his eyes sparkle.
Cemetery: As She's-the-Sheriff examines the remains of the Bananas Foster Gang, Scum covers his mouth with a hankie. Do men still carry handkerchiefs? My dad always had one. Scum whines about the smell, as poor Sheriff Forbes posits that a vampire tried to cover its tracks. They'll have to check dental records to ID the victims. In the meantime, Scum should run a story about a drug deal gone bad. The Sheriff says, "It's not too big of a stretch." Right after Scum informs her he has the Gilbert watch, a deputy comes up to show Sheriff Forbes what he found about ten yards away. It's Vicki's wallet. The Sheriff is visually upset. "I went to high school with her mother." She hopes Vicki isn't among the sizzled.
Mossy Manse: Damon leaves a "Where's my ring, bitch," voice mail on Stefan's phone and chastises a nearly comatose Vicki for bleeding on the couch. He then checks out her neck. "I got you gooood, didn't I?" She moans in her sleep, so he adds, "You're not going to be any fun today." After a moment's thought, he adds, "I'm so going to regret this," then bites into his own wrist and holds it up to her mouth. She tries to resist drinking his blood, but he persists and in her mostly unconscious state, she can't refuse. Watch Damon. Even in all his eye-rolling exasperation, there's something softhearted about him, here. I think it's the way he leans his chin on Vicki's head. Anyhow, we cut to...
Ruins of the Original Salvatore Mansion: Stefan explains that this is where his home once stood, a half century before "the boarding house" (aka Mossy Manse) was even built. After a few, it finally clicks with Elena that Stefan is a lot older than she ever suspected. He tells her, "I've been 17 years old since 1864," and this brings us to the first reason this episode didn't get an A+ from me. Look, I understand the characters were teenagers in the book, and Paul Wesley is hardly a crotchety old man, but he's 27, and in no way does he look 17. If, in the future, the writers decide to make Stefan cop to being 20, 22 or older when he was sired, and retcon it so that he was lying to Elena in this confession, I've got their backs -- because? No. Just no. Anyhow, Stefan explains that he and Damon were both born at the original place and were the best of friends. Like Ernie and Bert. We then flash back to...
Salvatore Mansion; 1864: Damon has a football, and tells Stefan he picked it up at camp, from one of the officers who picked it up at Harvard. As they toss the pigskin around, Stefan tries to avoid his brother and demands to know the rules. Katherine appears on the veranda. "Who needs rules?" When she asks to join in, Stefan tries to discourage her, noting that she might get hurt, because Damon plays rough. Coquettishly, she reckons Stefan plays even rougher, then steals the ball and runs from him. The brothers watch her go for a moment, and then Damon points out that she's a woman who likes to be chased. "If you don't do it, I will." He's off like a shot, with Stefan in hot pursuit. We flash forward to...
Salvatore Mansion Ruins; 2009: Elena can't quite grasp that Stefan knew Katherine in 1864. He explains that Damon was trying to make her think that he was still heartbroken. We studiously ignore the fact that he sought out Elena because she looks just like Katherine and flash back to...
Salvatore Mansion; 1864: Katherine runs through the hedge maze with Stefan on her tail. She's not only the kind of girl who likes to be chased; she likes to be caught, so she stops. Damon, in uniform, sits unnoticed in the verge, until he interrupts. He's AWOL, because he was having too much fun to return to battle. We need to employ our finest technique to ignore the fact Stefan should have been at war too. Are you ready? Okay! Jazz hands. Jazz hands. At any rate, Katherine is thrilled that Damon is a yellow-bellied deserter. "Now I'll have both of you here to keep me entertained. First and foremost, I'll need someone to escort me to Founders' Ball." As Stefan says he would be honored, Damon doffs his cap and bows. "With pleasure." Honor versus pleasure sums up what we know of these two so far -- doesn't it? Since her back is to them, Katherine feels free to let us know just how much she wanted EXACTLY this result. Trollop. She flirts about being unable to choose between the two men. Stefan narrates, "She chose me," as we flash forward to...
Salvatore Mansion Ruins; 2009: Stefan says he took Katherine to the ball at the original Lockwood mansion. Elena remembers the registry signatures, but it's a bigger deal to her than to Stefan -- I suppose since he already knew he was there. Also, he's hell-bent on confessing that he didn't care if he hurt Damon. He just knew he wanted Katherine. Who looks like Elena. Which he does not mention. When Elena assumes Damon was upset, Stefan sets her straight. "That's the thing about Damon. He doesn't get mad. He just gets even." Well Stefan, don't just stand there. Get ahead!
Mossy Manse: Vicki, who is wearing a tank and cheeky undies, towel-dries her hair as she descends the staircase, singing the shower's praises. When she checks herself out in the mirror, she's surprised that her wounds are gone. Damon enthralls her, then tells her he attacked her, killed the Banana Fosters Gang, brought her back to Mossy Manse, gave her some blood -- which she loved -- and that now they're going to party 'til sunset. Vicki is all over that. She just wants another hit of blood. He bites his wrist and offers it to her, and drinks from hers.
Salvatore Mansion Ruins; 2009: Stefan tells Elena that Damon always gets what he wants. Although he didn't know it at the time, Katherine was also with Damon on the night of the Founders' Ball. When Elena asks if Damon stole Katherine from Stefan, Stefan explains that she was never theirs to steal and we flash back to...
Salvatore Mansion Bedroom; Evening; 1864: Katherine and Stefan are in bed. She's still wearing her corset and bloomers, but he's shirtless. Bless. Good thing, because if they're going to have the actresses bottoms hanging out on a regular basis, I want me some man flesh. As Stefan kisses Katherine's neck, he exclaims that he will love her forever. When she declares that forever is an awfully long time, he says it isn't long enough. Then don't you know it -- Katherine vamps out and bites Stefan's neck. Raise your hand if you didn't see that coming. Now, feel judged -- because we are all pointing and laughing. Commercial.
Salvatore Mansion Bedroom; Morning; 1864: Katherine braces herself on a full-length mirror, as her slave laces her stays. When Stefan stirs, she wishes him a good morning and clears the room. Once they're alone, Stefan accuses her of being a demon. She then enthralls him to convince him he's not afraid, feels the same way for her as he did before, won't tell anyone, and that they will continue on as they always have. "You have no idea of the future I have planned for us Stefan. You, me, and Damon. No rules." Swell. So Salcest is one step closer to canon. Oy.
Salvatore Mansion Ruins; 2009: Stefan explains vampyric mind compulsion to Elena, and that Katherine compelled him and Damon to keep the secret from each other. He then retrieves Damon's ring from the rubble. Elena tells him not to give the ring back to his brother, but Stefan reveals that Damon is holding the only thing that matters to him, over Stefan's head -- that thing being Elena's safety. Elena lets this sink in as we jump to...
Mayoral Mansion: As She's-the-Sheriff updates the Mayor on the Bananas Foster Gang situation at the Sizzler, he retrieves an object from a floor safe. He asks after Vicki and when the Sheriff tells him Vicki is not among the deceased, he wants to know where she is. The Sheriff wishes only wishes she knew. Just then, Scum walks in, apologizing for being late. He turns the Gilbert watch over to the Mayor, who removes the lens and pops out the clock works. He then opens up an old box and removes what looks like a compass. He pops it into the watch housing, and presto change-o, it's an ACTUAL VAMPIRE COMPASS. No, I don't know why they needed the pocket watch since they already had the compass. Apparently, the housing is an integral part of ACTUAL VAMPIRE COMPASSES. Didn't y'all hear it click into place when the mayor jiggered them together? Jazz hands. Jazz hands. The Mayor hands it to Scum, pronouncing it "ready." Scum raises his eyebrows. "That's it?" The Mayor says, "Yeah, that's it." So say we all.
Mossy Manse: In case you forgot you were watching a CW show, Vicki, still wearing her tank and cheeky undies, dances in the sunshine streaming in from the window. It's a twirly dance, but an angry one, just the same. Meanwhile, Damon swills booze straight from the bottle. His shirt is open. Yeah, that seems awkward standing there all by itself, but I try to report the important facts. Vicki proclaims that she's over Tyler. She always knew she was just a piece of ass to him, but she was hoping that if he got to know her better, he'd see something more. She twirls and fondles her hair. "Now Jeremy, on the other hand?" She drops to the Oriental rug. "That's all he's ever seen in me in something more And I like that." She laughs and rolls over. Damon picks up on the fact that Germ is Elena's brother. She rises and gallops over to Damon as she explains that Elena and Matthew Pudding Pop Donovan, used to date. She also brags/explains that Jeremy has been crushing on her (Vicki) forever. She stops her manic dance for a minute. "Hey, why don't you have a girlfriend? You're like... totally cool and so HOT!" Damon says, "I know." He has no desire to be in love again. It's painful, pointless and overrated. When Vicki starts to argue, Damon silences her and says, "Let's daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaance." And oh my. I am at a loss to describe this. Vicki dances alone. Damon swoops up to the floor and dances, with his shirt open. There's a lot of pelvic action here, and the abs and pecs are working overtime. How can I be panting, cringing, and laughing from the same few seconds? You be the judge. Soon, they're together again. I'm starting a new paragraph to let you catch your breath.
Vicki and Damon dance their way upstairs to Stefan's room, and proceed to trash it. Damon, who is still without his ring, remember, flirts with the sunlight streaming through the window. Sizzler, indeed. Vicki is jumping up and down on the bed and is otherwise oblivious to him as he picks up Katherine's picture and pines over it. , they're slow dancing as Vicki tells Stefan the sad story of her life. She doesn't remember her dad and hears he's not worth the disk space. Her mother spends most of her time in Virginia Beach with her boyfriend Pete -- a trucker. Damon holds her tight as he says, "Your life is so pathetic." Matt is the Golden Boy on track to receive a football scholarship and eventually marry Elena and have "a lawnmower and babies." But Vicki? "When I think of my future, I just come up blank." Damon leans back and looks at her. "You are so damaged." Tearful, Vicki says, "Yep." He brushes back her hair. "You don't have one hint of self-esteem." Vicki shakes her head. "Nope. None." They touch foreheads and Damon says he think he knows what can help her. When Vicki asks, "What's that?" he caresses her cheeks. "Death." He snaps her neck before she can react, and tosses her to the floor. Straightening his still open shirt, he sighs and steps over her corpse. Commercial!
As Vicki lies lifeless on the floor, Damon makes his way toward the window. Sunlight streams through the drapes. Damon waves his hand into the deadly beams. He's less flirtatious -- more intent than he was before. He's angry. He's bored. He's lonely. He's self-destructive. After a couple of sizzlers, Vicki stirs. When she asks what happened, Damon explains that he killed her. She's dead, "But let's not make a big deal out of it. You drank my blood. I killed you, and now you have to feed in order to complete the process." Vicki is wasted, so she grabs pants that may or may not be her own, and tells Damon he is wasted and starts to leave. He tells her she doesn't want to be on her own right now because she's about to get freaky, but Vicki just wants to go home. She can't take in what he's saying -- that she's going to start craving blood. Finally, Damon decides to turn her loose on Mystic Falls, and suggests she stops by Germ's house, first. "If you see Stefan, tell him to call me."
Woods: She's-the-Sheriff gives Scum his marching orders. He's got the ACTUAL VAMPIRE COMPASS, and some wooden bullets which will disable the vampires long enough for Scum to stake them. As a deputy hands Scum a wooden stake, the Sheriff asks Scum if he's ever staked a vampire before. He looks at her. "Have you?" We cut to...
Gilbert Gables: Germ answers the door to find Vicki, who is bitching about the sun burning her eyes. She then tells him everything is good and they kiss. When he asks her what happened, she asks him what's to eat, and before he can answer, she raids his fridge. He accuses her of being high in the middle of the day -- like he's never. Please. She tells him she needs quiet as she pulls out enough food to make the entire football team blush.
Ruins of the Original Salvatore Mansion: As Elena gets in her car, she asks Stefan if he's ever used vampyric mind control on her. He tells her that there's Vervain in the necklace he gave her and that protects her from being compelled. "I wanted to protect you from Damon's influence." A beat. "But I also wanted to protect you from me." He moves in closer as he tells her she should never take the necklace off. "Because no matter what happens after today and no matter how you feel about me, you'll know that you were free to make your own choice. She swallows hard and looks at him. He smiles and pulls back.
Gilbert Gables: Germ opens the door to reveal... Pudding Pop! He leads him to the kitchen. Vicki is wearing sunglasses and swilling a can of soda. The remains of her meal are scattered about the kitchen. Matt asks Germ what she's on. Germ doesn't know. Matt kneels down in front of her and removes her shades, asking how she's doing. She says she's not doing well and that she hurts. Then she puts her fingers in her mouth. "My gums. My jaw hurts. My gums. There's something in my gums. It hurts." She cries to be left alone, but Matt moves in closer to look at her mouth. With her lips peeled back, she shouts, "JUST TURN IT OFF!" [Vicky's going to be a vampire? She can barely contain all the teeth she has NOW. - Tippi Blevins] When Germ doesn't know what she means, she adds, "The talking! The chatter! Just turn it off!" She rises and stomps off towards the living room. Germ gets ahead of her and grabs the remote to shut off the TV, but stops when he sees Ryan "Scum" Fell reporting from in front of the very same mausoleum at which he left Vicki, yesterday. Three bodies were found dead in what is supposed to be "a drug deal gone awry." Germ says that's where they were last night, so Matt asks Vicki what happened. When she can't answer, he says he's calling the cops, but she stops him. When Jeremy asks what happened after he left, she shoves him across the room, and to the floor. Matt, sweetness and light personified, asks Jeremy if he's all right. Because he's fond of me calling him Germ, Jeremy snarls at my Pudding Pop that he's fine.
Just then, Elena and Stefan enter. It only takes him a moment to figure out what's going on. He gets Vicki to focus and tells her (and/or compels her to believe) that she's going to be just fine. Once she calms down, he orders Matt and the Germ to get her into bed and draw the blinds. Once he's alone with Elena, he tells her that Vicki is transitioning into a vampire, and points the finger at Damon. When Elena wants to know how Vicki completes the transformation, Stefan explains the whole big sucking thing. "She has to feed on human blood." Elena asks, "And what if she doesn't?" Stefan says, "She'll die." Duh. Commercial!
After the break, Stefan tells Elena that Vicki might only have a few hours. This freaks Elena, since Vicki is currently upstairs with Germ (totally forgetting about my Pudding Pop, Matt). Stefan assures her that it's okay, because right now, Vicki has no memories other than human. That will change over the few hours, and then she'll know she has to make the choice. Elena cringes. "The same choice you made?" We then cut to...
Germ's Room: Vicki apologizes for being such trouble, but Germ just holds her and comforts her. Matt, who spots their tender scene from the hall, gives them their space and returns downstairs. Leaving her orders to sleep it off, Germ kisses Vicki's forehead and rises from the bed, but she pulls him back down. They embrace. He pats her hair and she sobs on his shoulder, but her sobs soon turn to kisses, which nearly turn to bites! Vicki, however, stops herself, pushes Germ off, grabs her boots and runs outside. Matt tries to stop her, but by the time he gets to the porch, she's gone from view. He leaves in his truck, to search for her. Stefan whispers to Elena that he can track Vicki. Elena, who is more than ready to be free of blood-sucking fiends, simply says, "Go!"
Woods: Sunset turns to darkness. What seems to be a full moon is partially veiled in fog. Scum is all alone. Where he belongs. He follows the vamp compass's lead and is spooked by a bird. The closed captioning tells me it's an owl. I'm telling you it is not now, nor will it ever be Draven, but we'll get to that later. When he finally gets what must be a good reading , he calls She's-the-Sheriff, who is patrolling another section of the forest along with her deputy. Logan tells Sheriff Forbes the compass is pointing toward the old cemetery. Forbes says they'll head Scum's way and hangs up.
Gilbert Gables: Elena cleans up Vicki's mess in the kitchen as Germ suggests they check in with my Pudding Pop -- to whom he is perpetually rude. Elena knows what I mean, so she says they'll just wait. Germ says, "I don't know what's wrong with her." Elena can't tell him the truth, so she just says, "She'll be fine. It'll all be fine." The doorbell wrings. It's Damon! Elena tries to shut the door on his face, but she's unsuccessful, thanks in large part to Germ, who just stands there like a dolt. Finally, she sends him to his room (and he goes -- hee). Damon taunts Elena about being afraid of him and guesses that Stefan finally 'fessed up about being a vampire. When Elena tells him to stay away from her, he tells her he's just looking for Stefan and there's no need to be rude. He asks if he can come in, and then says, "Oh, wait. Of course I can. I've been invited." Elena seems to be remembering back to the night that she first invited him in her house, despite Stefan's objections. What we need is Bonnie -- and a Bonnie who has learned a de-invite spell from Willow, thank you very much. But Bonnie's not in this episode, darn it. Neither is Caroline, nor Tyler, nor Aunt Jenna, for that matter. Back on topic -- Damon tells her he's not going to kill her "right now" because that wouldn't serve his greater agenda. Elena is scared, but not so scared as to forget her anger. She spits that Stefan is out looking for Vicki. Damon pulls the close-talker move and then says Vicki will thank him for what he did to her. Elena looks him right in the eyes. "Did you thank Katherine?" Damon suppresses a smirk and his leer travels from her face to her chest. He grunts, "Mmm," then takes a few steps away from her. "Got the whole life story, huh?" When Elena says she got enough, Damon doubts it. "Tell my brother I'm looking for him. He leaves and then pops his head back in the door. "Tip for later. Be careful who you invite in the house."
Woods: Vicki is sitting against a tree trunk, crying, when Stefan finds her. She tells him she's starting to remember everything Damon has done and said. She also remembers Stefan's visit to the hospital, and their scene on the rooftop. Stefan apologizes and says that Damon had no right to turn her. Vicki asks what will happen if she doesn't feed. Stefan says, "You'll fade quickly, and then it'll all just be over. Tears stream down Vicki's face as she nods. "I'll be dead." Buffy says, "I'm sixteen years old. I don't want to die." When she can't stop crying, Stefan stoops beside her. Finally, Vicki says, "I don't want this." He tells her she's going to be okay and that he can help her. Yeah, Stefan. Turn her onto your vampire vegan-equivalent vittles. Vicki whispers, "Is it better?" Stefan doesn't respond, so she says, "Is it better? Will I be better?" No honey, you're still going to be an addicted, high-maintenance mess, with even more teeth. When he still doesn't know what to say she cries that she wants to go home. "Will you take me home, please?" Stefan nods, rises and takes her hand to help her out -- then a shot rings out. Stefan is hit. He falls to the ground. Scum, with his gun still pointing at Stefan, closes in on the duo. He stands over Stefan and...Commercial.
After the break, Scum throws down his gun, kneels by Stefan's chest, takes out his stake and readies himself for the big moment. As he raises it, Vicki shouts out, "NO!" That doesn't stop Scum, though. Damon does. He comes up out of nowhere and savages Scum's neck. Once the pest drops to the forest floor, Damon fishes the bullet out of his brother's chest, realizes it is wood and says, "They know." Then he grumbles that if anyone's going to kill Stefan, it's going to be him. Aww, my kids are just that sweet to one another. And then, he demands his ring. Stefan, still suffering, reaches into his pocket and pulls it out and returns it to his brother. Damon grabs it, puts it back on and as he's admiring it, Vicki swoops down on Scum and finishes off Damon's sloppy seconds. Stefan tries to stop her, but it's too late. She pulls up from her first meal, and apologizes, then runs off, horrified. Damon says, "Oops!" Once he stands, he finds the ACTUAL VAMP COMPASS and pockets it. Damon and Stefan are long gone by the time She's-the-Sheriff and the deputy find Scum, or what's left of him. She orders the deputy to find the watch. Good luck with that, buddy.
Gilbert Gables: Elena waits on the porch for Stefan to return. When he arrives, she notices the hole in his shirt and rushes toward him. "You're bleeding!" Stefan tells her it's all right, which she should already know, since his quick healing was one of the pieces of evidence that led her to conclude he's a vampire. Stefan lets Elena know that he wasn't in time to stop Vicki from feeding. He promises Elena that he'll find Vicki and show her how to live a non-murderous unlife. She wants to know what they can say to Germ and Matt. Stefan says, "We'll come up with a story." Elena says, "You mean we'll come up with a lie." The moon shines down between them, but that's all the romance that is left. When Stefan says, "I'm so sorry," Elena stares at him. "I gave you today, just like you asked. And I understand that you would never do anything to hurt me. And I promise I will keep your secret. But... I can't be with you, Stefan." Brow furrowed, he stares at her as she continues. "I'm sorry. I just can't." She turns and leaves him standing there alone, on her front porch. Once inside the house, she slides her back down the wall and dissolves into tears. Title Card!
So, what did you think? I love that Elena has the sense God gave a cat, and refuses to date a vampire, just 'cause he's handsome. I mean, eventually, I'd like to see her with Stefan (and/or Damon -- what, just sayin'...), but wow, that's just refreshing. I hope Bella is watching The Vampire Diaries for pointers. I'm really digging Vicki's story, too. She's gone from one miserable life of addiction and compulsion to another. I'm so glad she's not dead. Thank you, Damon. It's late, so I'm going to wrap this up without additional commentary, but I do owe you the results of last week's "Question of the Moment."
As of typing up this weecap, here are the results to last week's Question of the Moment, Name Damon's late, great raven (crow, whatever):
1. 25% Draven (if this wins, you'll all be mocked soundly)2. 23% Poe
3. 19% Nevermore
4. 16% Lenore
5. 15% Yorick
6. 6% Cramon (ditto)
What is up with you people and the portmanteaux/name-mashing? Look, it was mildly funny when it was "Spuffy" and "Bangel." Mildly, and only for one television season. It lost all freaking credibility with "Jate" and "Skate." It became utterly mockable with "LoVe." Don't even get me started on "Jam," and I refuse to acknowledge the "Chlois" psychopaths. Once TV journalists (and I don't mean me or my fellow TWoP inmates) started using these terms, you all should have felt embarrassed and contrite, or at least thought, "Well gee, it's no longer an in-joke. We have our hippo dignity. Moving right along..." But no, you keep on smushing names together and you can't get enough. It's like heroin, only more of a scourge on society. Do you call your parents Dom and Mad? Hear me now or hear me later. As far as these recaps are concerned, the late great crow's name is so not Draven and it never will be. It's Poe. I was secretly cheering on Yorick, because then I could have done the "Alas poor..." thing, but no, you just had to pick Draven. (Frak. Draven's pretty good. I hate you all and what you've done to me. Dammit. Er... Frak.)
There's no new episode this week, but be sure to tune in Thursday, October 29, 2009 -- same bat time, same bat channel, for episode 1-7, "Haunted." It's Halloween, and while Damon is tempting Vicki to give into her new nature, Stefan is trying to teach her self-control; Elena's trying to get Germ to steer clear of Vicki, and Caroline wants to party, because she's Caroline. In the meanwhile, come on over to the forums and talk about the show.
Cindy McLennan is reminding herself she really doesn't like 'Draven' no matter what she said earlier. Send her some shame or sanity at CynthiaMcLennan[at]gmail.com, or twit it to her.