In a hurry? Read the recaplet for a nutshell description! Finished? Click here to close.
Katherine and Damon are on their road trip which at first seems rather aimless. I mean they get so bored they even make out with each other. And afterwards, Damon gets to tell her she no longer does it for him. He's earned that moment, no? Eventually Damon makes Katherine reveal her plan. She not only has the necklace. She has Jeremy. In the trunk! It seems Pearl once told our Kiki she knew a way to defeat Klaus, but Pearl never shared the hows and whys with Katherine, only with Anna. When Bonnie accidentally spilled the beans to Katherine about Vicki and Anna communicating with Germ from the Great Beyond, our girl got ideas. Anna has no intention of helping Katherine and Damon, but once Kiki puts the hurt on Jeremy, she gives in. The one person who can kill Klaus is Michael (or possible Mikael) the Vampire Slayer Hunter. He's entombed right now, and if Damon and Kiki revive him, they'll be sorry, because he'll kill them, on account of them being vampires and all.
This week's event o' the week is Senior Prank Night. Everyone can just wander this school willy nilly at any time of day or night, and so they do, so they're easy for pickings for Klaus, Rebekah, and Stefan. Remember last week, when Katherine told Stefan that Klaus is smarter than everyone else? Well he kind of is. He knows the Original Witch hated him. She told him he had to kill the doppelganger. Now he knows that means he needs to keep Elena alive, so she can serve as wet nurse to his baby hybrids. That's right, they need doppelganger blood to complete their transition. His test case is Tyler. He feeds him some blood, and snaps his neck.
Klaus also orders Stefan -- and eventually compels Stefan (and why is he not sneaking some vervain) -- to kill some random kids, and then to feed on Elena. Stefan resists as best he can, and his best is not good enough. She winds up in the hospital, where Klaus siphons off her blood for future baby hybrids. Damon finally gets back to town and tries to stand up to Klaus, but Klaus has grown bored of tolerating Damon, 'til Damon says the magic word, "Michael" (or possibly "Mikael"), which sends Klaus on the run.
Damon gets Elena back home and promises he will never leave her again. He says he'll compel her to forget the painful events of the night if she wants, but Elena knows she needs to remember. She knows Stefan is lost to them now, except he's totally not, because he lets himself into Mossy Manse (Bonnie really has to work on finding a de-invite spell) and announces that his newest assignment is to watch over them during Klaus's absence.
In other news, Matt semi-kills himself and has Bonnie bring him back (but with CPR, not magic) in an attempt to reach Vicki. Also? When Rebekah is jealous, she makes, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned," sound like an understatement.
So, that was sort of a recaplet rather than a weecap, yeah? As always, there's way too much to cover in a quick shot like this, so I'll be back with the full weecap ASAP. In the meantime, please grade the episode up top and join us in the forum, where Damon will never leave you.
Want more? The full recap starts right below!The Mystic Falls Event O' the Week is Senior Prank Night, in which residents punk their local senior citizens. Wait... that's not right. I think I broke my brain trying to make this an actual Weecap (as opposed to last week's 20 frickin' pager, which is practically a double recap). Hi. My name is Cindy, and I have a lot to say. Let's get right to it, shall we?
Mystic Falls High School, Interior, Night: You know how schools are generally creepy? They're even creepier at night, especially in vampire, werewolf, and now ghost and Original infested towns. The camera man takes us on a silent tour. Well, it's almost silent, except for some clanking. Are Vicki and Anna dragging chains around the hereafter, now? Nope, it's just Matt, who must have broken into the school to work out in the weight room. Um? Look, this is a nit I already picked in the recaplet and may pick in more detail later on, but it's patently stupid that students can wander the high school at night without adult supervision. Anyhow, Matt is sweating like a pig, because the sadistic writers and wardrobe crew have him severely overdressed. He's not just NOT shirtless, he's wearing a hoodie too, which means we can't even see his biceps. I'm tempted to give the episode an F right now, and get on with my weekend -- well, with my kids' weekend. I have precious little life of my own. The only thing I have to say to this weekend goes thusly: the line to kiss me forms to the rear. Okay, I just convinced myself. I'll keep writing.
Anyhow, when Matt pauses during his workout, he hears a bang coming from the hall and goes to investigate, without even wiping the sweat off his face -- sweat that rivals Damon's death sweat from the Season 2 finale. Matty, take off those two shirts -- both of which are extraneous -- and wipe your face. Please? He doesn't listen. Instead he tracks the noise to a dark classroom. Don't go in there! You're going to be attacked -- attacked by a vicious evil. He doesn't listen to me about this any more than he listened to me about his shirt atrocities. He steps in the room. There is a horrible banging and snapping. Is it the horrible banging and snapping of fangs? Matt turns on the light to see what fresh hell he's in, and realizes he has fallen prey to hundreds of vicious, evil, fangy... mousetraps? Caroline yells for me. "OH C'MON?! SERIOUSLY? Do you know how long it took for us to set all this up?" All right, time to pick a nit....
So Caroline, Tyler, Elena and Bonnie are booby-trapping a classroom with mousetraps. It is Senior Prank night, after all. So now, on top of accepting that the kids of Mystic Falls enter the school whenever and no one notices or cares, I also have to believe that these particular kids were able to set up all those mousetraps IN TOTAL DARKNESS, without tripping them themselves. And don't give me that, "But they have flashlights, and one of them was even on," nonsense, because the blocking and trap placement suggests I'm supposed to believe they started at the door and worked their way further into the room. They were going to get out -- how, exactly? Oh and yes, I know we're probably supposed to think these kids broke in, but since this is an annual tradition, wouldn't the school be expecting it and make sure the kids couldn't get in? See, I love this show, I do. But they jam so much into episodes that sometimes it feels like the writers says, "Details, schmeeetails. Why think this through, when we can just bait the schmucks, instead?" To be clear, I don't mind the misdirection, here. I mind being written down to, damn it. My "damn it" might seem like overkill, but I only included it to avoid ending that sentence with a preposition -- a practice up with which I shall not put -- except for when I'm inclined to. All right, let's get back to it.
Traps snaps. Caroline yells. I nitpick. Tyler and Caroline give Matt crap for forgetting about Senior Prank Night. No one cares that my Poor Pudding Pop is melting right in front of their eyes. Elena tells him that if she's doing Prank Night, he's doing it. Bonnie, instead of using her powers for good and magically mitigating Matt's clothing atrocities, adds that Caroline is making everyone have fun tonight, whether they like it or not. That not exactly what she says, but it's strongly implied. Caroline starts lecturing the gang about making memories. When Elena finishes the spiel for her, Caroline tells her to make fun all she wants. "I don't care." Tyler, who knows on which side his bread is buttered, tells the gang they're all lame, and he's got ten more classrooms to prank. Caroline smirks and points to her new boy toy -- all pleased and proud. If Matt's brain hasn't yet turned entirely into a puddle, he must be figuring out -- right now -- that Caroline and Tyler and sleeping together.
Elena puts down her flashlight and starts to walk out of the room, so Bonnie asks where she's going. Elena lets the smile play around her lips as she looks from Bonnie to Caroline, and then finally says, "To superglue Alaric's desk shut. I'm making memories." Caroline turns on her best 10,000 watt Vampire Barbie smile and shouts, "I LOVE YOU!" Matt just shakes his head. We leave him and his sweat and follow Tyler and Elena out into the hall. Ty's giving instructions to some randoms about cellophane-ing the faculty toilet seats and helping out Dana in the gym. Elena smiles as she passes them and walks down the hall. Alone. Oh, girl, this can't end well.
And it doesn't. As soon as Elena is through the double doors and rounds the corner, she runs into Klaus, who greets her with a: "There's my girl." She turns to run the other way, but he Stealth-Salvatores around her and says, "You are supposed to be dead. What are we going to do about that?" Title Card.
Highway: Damon is driving and Katherine is riding shotgun on their road trip. She complains that she's hungry. "Let's stop for a bite. A truck stop... or a trucker." When Damon tells her to stop being cute, Katherine says, "It's not possible." Damon wants to know where they're going. Katherine still won't let him in on her plan, except to say she wants to get Damon far enough away so he won't go running back. Damon says, "Not to worry. Mystic Falls and I are on a bit of a break." As Katherine asks whether he means Mystic Falls or Elena, she gets all sex-kitteny. She scoots over 'til she's close to him, and gets rather handsy. Damon says he and Elena are having a difference of opinion about his behavior. Don't forget Alaric, Damon. I'm pretty sure he wasn't in love with you killing him, either! Kiki coos that Elena wants Damon to play the hero, but he doesn't like to pretend. When Damon says it's something like that, Keeks whispers, "Her loss," and starts making out with him! She loves herself a Salvatore man, especially one who is no longer wrapped around her finger. Damon dives into the kiss, which I'd be all for, if they weren't driving down a highway. He doesn't even keep one eye on the road. Vampires suck. Mid-smooch, Damon tosses Katherine back to her side of the car. When she asks what he's doing, Damon says, "Thought I'd give it a shot. Truth is, you just don't do it for my anymore." His pants don't actually burst into flames from this white lie, but they are smoking. (Oh go ahead, have some pun fun.)
Klaus's Truck o' the Dead: Stefan wakes with a sore neck. Rebekah explains that's because Klaus has been breaking his neck all afternoon. Stefan wants to know why they're back in the Falls. Rebekah tells Stefan to stop playing dumb. They know what he's been hiding. Stefan rises to his feet. "I'm not hiding anything. I've done everything Klaus has asked me to." Rebekah tells him they know the doppelganger is alive. Our boy can't muster his poker face, so he turns from Rebekah as he asks where Klaus is now. Rebekah says, "With any luck? Ripping that cow's bloody head off." Jealous much, Becky? Stefan Stealth-Salvatores at her and pushes her out of the truck and onto the ground. When they land he yells, "Where is she?" Rebekah says, "You really do love her, don't you?" She shoves him to his feet and Stealth-Salvatores him against the back of the truck where she gives him a good thrashing, which she finishes off by thrusting a crowbar into his gut. "Consider me jealous." See?
Mystic Falls High School: Klaus drags Elena down the hall as he reprimands her for messing up his great hybrid reproduction operation by continuing to live. Elena says, "If you're going to kill me just do it..." Her don't make me listen to your maniacal ranting is implicit. Klaus won't off her until he knows for certain he's right. "But I do have ways of making you suffer." He pushes her into the gym. Don't make her climb the ropes, Klaus. That would be low, even for you. Klaus then turns on such an American accent that the first time I hear it, I don't realize I'm hearing him. "Attention, seniors. You've officially been busted. Prank night is over. Head on home." Klaus stops Dana and Chad, who are two of the kids he compelled last season, while he was wearing Alaric's meat suit. He compels Dana to stand on one leg and compels Chad to beat her to death if she lets the other foot hit the floor. Elena: "Don't, Klaus. You don't have to hurt anybody." Klaus: "Oh come on, love. Of course I do."
Ridiculous Road Trip Down Letdown Lane: I was expecting Damon to go off with Katherine and wreak some real havoc (and maybe get a little trim). Katherine's "plan" however, seems to lack actual planning. Damon pulls into a rest area. Katherine complains about stopping, so he jokes about needing a break from the sexual tension and then tells her it's her turn to drive. When she walks over to get the keys, he tosses them far away. "We're not going anywhere until you spill your guts." Kiki gives in. She shows him Elena's necklace and tells him that Klaus wants it. "It's leverage, Damon. Always stay one step ahead of your enemy." She tells him that when she stole the necklace from Bonnie, she found out something, but she wants to know that Damon is willing to do what it takes to stop Klaus without turning back. Damon says, "I'm not turning back." Katherine says, "Good, because this isn't going to win you any points at home." She walks to the back of the car and opens the hatch to reveal an unconscious Jeremy lying in the trunk. Damon: "Jeremy? Really?"
MFHS Hallway: While Caroline is coating doorknobs with honey, Tyler is trying to get some sugar, at least until she asks him if he thinks Matt will be okay. At first, Tyler is a little put off that she's talking about her ex, but she reminds him that Matt is their friend and they both love him. Ty allows that Matt probably feels like he has no one to talk to right now, and that he's struggling. He then adds, "I think that I love how big your heart is." Caroline just wants this school year to be great and everyone to be happy even in the midst of the badness. Tyler says he's happy and starts kissing her. They're interrupted by Rebekah saying, "You two are adorable." She reveals that she knows their names and what they are. Caroline puts herself between Tyler and Rebekah and says, "And who are you?" Rebekah says, "I'm the new girl," then vamps out and rushes Caroline.
MFHS Pool: Did your high school have a pool? Mine did not have a pool. I always thought that was a rip-off. Anyhow, Matt and Bonnie are TPing the room. Bonnie is getting into the pranking and tries to encourage Matt to do the same. When Matt asks where Jeremy is, Bonnie starts to say they're having issues, but then just cuts to the chase -- admitting that Germ told her he's been "seeing" Vicki. Matt is relieved she knows, and admits he wants to see her too, because he never got to say goodbye to her. He can't believe how much their lives have changed. "Do you realize that just last summer, you and I were lifeguards at the pool and the only two problems I had in my life were that Elena was breaking up with me, and I sucked at CPR. [...] Now, Elena's dating a vampire; you're a witch; my sister's a ghost, and I'm... I'm just a guy who's wondering how life got so screwed up." Bonnie knows it's crazy and can't imagine what it must be like for him. She gets the Kind to Pudding Pop Award of the Week. These two have a little chemistry, don't they? We don't see them together often, but I'm thinking back to that car wash episode -- I think it was in Season 1, and it seems to me that's the first time I saw it. Anyhow, Matt says all the craziness of their lives kind of explains why he's not into senior prank night. Poor Pudding Pop.
Matt heads into the bathroom to grab a few more rolls of toilet paper. When he closes one of the stalls, it pops back open. He goes back to look and notices "R.I.P. Vicki Donovan" scrawled on the wall. Um... nice tribute? Matt closes the stall again and starts off. Vicki appears behind him. He pauses. She says, "I'm here Matt. I can help you." He doesn't hear her, so he walks off. And wait, what? Last time we saw Vicki, she was begging Jeremy to help her, wasn't she? How can she help anyone?
Gym: While Klaus continues to torment Dana and Chad, Elena asks where Stefan is what Klaus has done to him. Klaus: "Stefan's on a time out." Hee. I love Klaus. Just then, Bonnie and Matt walk in the gym. Elena yells for Bonnie to get out, but Klaus Stealth-Salvatores her. He tells Dana and Chad to relax and sit tight. Klaus says he assumes Bonnie is the reason Elena is still alive. Bonnie is ready to take the blame, but Klaus says there is no blame. "Your witchy interference seems to have caused some undesirable side effects, and since you caused the problem, I'm gonna have you find the fix." Rebekah drags Tyler into the gym. Klaus introduces her as his sister and says, "One warning, she can be quite mean." Rebekah says, "Don't be an arse," as she tosses Ty to her big brother. He explains his fledgling hybrids always die during transition. "It's quite horrible, actually." He then bites into his own wrist and force feeds his blood to Tyler, as he tells Bonnie she needs to find a way to save the hybrids. "And for Tyler's sake, you'd better hurry." He snaps Tyler's neck. Ty falls to the floor, dead. Bonnie, Elena and Matt recoil in horror, but Matt's horror quickly morphs to fury. Klaus smiles with pleasure at his audience's reaction. He's such a needy little ham.
Outside, Stefan wakes up and pulls the crow bar out of his gut. Inside, the kids continue to react to Tyler's death, 'til Klaus dispatches Bonnie to get her grimoires and other magical goodies. "Don't worry. I'll hold onto Elena for safekeeping." When Elena nods, Bonnie and Matt grab each other's hands and hightail it out of the gym. Rebekah closes in for a look at the competition. "So this is the latest doppelganger? The original one was much prettier." Klaus tells her that's enough and orders her to move Tyler elsewhere. Klaus tells Elena to just ignore Rebekah. "Petty little thing."
Out in the hallway, Matt wants to know what Bonnie is going to do. She says the curse is a thousand years old. Her grimoires don't go back that far and the dead witches cut her off from contact when she resurrected Jeremy. "That's it. I can't contact the dead, but Jeremy can."
Ridiculous Road Trip Down Letdown Lane: Katherine tells Damon that Pearl said there is a way to kill Klaus "not dagger-dead, dead-dead." Centuries ago, Pearl told Kiki about a vampire who knew how to kill Klaus, but she never told her the how of it all, because that was Pearl's leverage. The only person Pearl ever told was Anna. Katherine says, "Which brings us right back around to..." Jeremy wakes up on a picnic table at the rest area and says, "To me. Back around to me."
MFHS Gym: Klaus is sitting a bit away on the bleachers, while Chad and Elena are tending to Dana on the gym floor. Then Stefan walks in. Klaus: "Come to save your damsel, mate?" Stefan: "I came to ask for your forgiveness and pledge my loyalty." Klaus is so heartbroken it's making me giggle. "Well, you broke that pledge once, already." Stefan says Elena means nothing to him, and that he'll do whatever Klaus asks of him. Their love is so pure! Klaus hops down from the bleachers and walks over to Chad and Dana. "Fair enough. Let's drink on it. Kill them." Chad and Dana rise. Elena says, "Stefan, don't. He's not going to hurt me. He already said that...." She's interrupted by Klaus smacking her across the face. She flies up in the air and then crashes to the floor. Stefan vamps out and rushes Klaus, but he's no match for an Original. And just so we're sure it's an actual episode of The Vampire Diaries, Klaus throttles Stefan. "She means nothing to you? Your lies keep piling up." Stefan says Klaus has his word, he'll do whatever he wants, just let Elena go. Klaus compels Stefan to stop fighting. Stefan says, "Don't do this." Klaus: "I didn't want to. All I wanted was your allegiance. Now I'm gonna have to take it." Klaus compels Stefan further. "You'll do exactly what I say, when I say it. You will not run. You will not hide. You must simply just obey." Stefan looks at Elena with vacant eyes. She says his name but he doesn't respond. Klaus gestures to Dana and Chad. "Now kill them, Ripper." Stefan swoops in, grabs Dana, drinks her dry and drops her corpse. Elena gasps us into commercial.
Ridiculous Road Trip Down Letdown Lane: Katherine has Jeremy's cell phone. When a text comes in from Bonnie that reads, "Where are U?" Katherine says, "I think your witchy girlfriend worried that you've run away with your ghostly lover." Damon wants them to knock off the teenybopper drama and tells Jeremy to focus. Soon, Anna shows up on the table behind Jeremy and says she won't help them. Even after Jeremy explains they're looking for a way to kill Klaus, Anna's response is: "I don't care. Katherine is not a friend to you. Neither of them are." When Damon asks what Anna said, Jeremy says, "She doesn't want to help you." Katherine leans in and whispers to Damon: "My advice. If you want to make an omelet, you've got to break a few... legs." I think I've gotten some fortune cookies written by her. Damon rises and approaches Jeremy. "Jeremy, I just want you to know, it's nothing personal." He then slams Jeremy's head against the picnic table. As Jeremy yells, "Oh, what the hell?" Damon talks to Anna, even though he can't see her. "Anna, I know you can hear me. Tell us what you know -- the sooner the better for your little boyfriend here." Anna tells Jeremy, "They're looking for Mikael." Jeremy shouts out, "MIKAEL." After questions from Damon and Katherine, Anna explains that Mikael is the vampire who hunts vampires. So he's Michael the Vampire Vampire Slayer? Right then. We'll be calling him MtVVS. Anna says they don't want to wake him. He'll kill both of them. Jeremy relays that they'd be idiots to wake him. Damon: "It's time to go find the keys." Katherine: "Mmm hmm."
MFHS Corridor: Rebekah is playing with Caroline's cellphone when Caroline regains consciousness and asks where Tyler is. Rebekah takes a picture of herself, then says, "He's dead...ish." Caroline rolls over and sees Ty lying to her. Rebekah: "He's having a nap. When he wakes up, he'll be a hybrid." As Caroline tries to listen for Ty's heartbeat, Rebekah thumbs through the photos on Caroline's phone. There's a cute one of Stefan and Elena. Rebekah gives it an "Ugh... vomit," but then she zooms in on it and realizes Elena is wearing her magical necklace. She gets to her feet and heads to Caroline with the phone still in hand. "Why is that doppelganger bitch wearing my necklace?"
Gym: Stefan is finishing off Chad as Elena watches in horror and Klaus rubs it in about how nice it is to see a vampire in his true element. "The species has become such a broody lot." Stefan faces them with Chad's blood still dripping from his mouth. Elena looks at Klaus. "You did this to him." Klaus smiles. "I invited him to the party, love. He's the one dancing on the table." Becky bounds in demanding her necklace. She shows Klaus the necklace picture on the phone. He looks at Stefan and scolds him for telling even more lies. Rebekah turns to Elena. "Where. Is. It?" When Elena says she doesn't have it anymore, Rebekah says, "You're lying," and then vamps out and sinks her fangs into Elena's neck. Stefan starts to react, but before he can get to the women, Klaus tosses Elena free from Becky's grasp and tells little sister to knock it off. He then kneels down where Elena landed. "Where's the necklace, sweetheart? Be honest." Elena is holding her bleeding neck. "I'm telling the truth. Katherine stole it." Klaus smiles. "Katerina. Of course. Well, that's unfortunate. If we had the necklace it would make things a whole lot easier for your witch, but since we're doing this the hard way, let's put a clock on it. Shall we?" He sets the basketball scoreboard clock for 20 minutes and walks over to Stefan. "If Bonnie hasn't found a solution by then, I want you to feed again -- only this time -- I want you to feed on Elena. You know you want to." Showing no concern for herself, Elena begs Klaus not to do this to Stefan. As he and the Bitter Beckster trot out of the gym, Klaus tells Stefan that if Elena tries to leave, he is to fracture her spine. The clock is at 19:48 when we cut to...
Weight Room: Matt's on his cell asking Bonnie (who is in the parking lot) if she found Jeremy. No dice, even though she called him 20 times. Matt says he'll grab his keys and they'll go to Gilbert Gables to look for him. Bonnie says she'll meet Matt at his truck. Then Matt looks down at the weight room floor. His clothes and shoes have been strewn around. No, not the ones he's wearing, sadly. His other clothes. Matt searches his bag and realizes it's almost empty. He follows the trail of his belongings back to the pool. His keys are lying at the bottom of it. He strips off his hoodie. He strips off his sneakers. He fails to take off his shirt and that's when the haunting starts. Vicki appears behind him yelling, "Matt, I can help Bonnie but I need you to hear me." Matt is just shaking his head. Vicki kicks one of his sneakers into the pool. Matt jumps up and looks around. When he sees nothing, he notices his cell phone where he left it, to the pool. When he picks it up he has a text message from "Unknown," which reads: "I can help you Matty." Matt calls out for Vicki, but there's no answer.
Bonnie's still waiting in the parking lot when Matt calls her. She asks what's taking so long. Matt tells her he thinks Vicki is trying to reach out to him. "I think she can help us save Tyler." Bonnie says Jeremy is the one who can help them. Matt reminds her they can't find the Germ. "I have an idea, but I'm going to need your help. Meet me at the pool. [...] Jeremy can see ghosts because you brought him back from the dead. I need you to do that for me." When Bonnie reminds him she's no longer capable of that kind of magic, Matt says, "You don't need magic, Bonnie. You just have to be better than I was at CPR."
Outside, Bonnie starts booking it back towards the school. Inside, Matt straps weights to himself and stands on the edge of the pool, long enough for the extra blue room and dim lighting to make his beautiful blue eyes almost electric. He then jumps in the water, shirt and all! When he sinks to the bottom he drops the weight and opens his mouth. Jackass. Commercial.
Matt looks pretty damned dead by the time Bonnie makes it to the pool. She dives in, undoes the weight belt from his waist, and pulls him up above water.
Ridiculous Road Trip Down Letdown Lane: Back from finding the keys, Damon reminds Jeremy not to fall asleep, as he could have a concussion. Jeremy: "Thanks for the concern, dick." Katherine tells Jeremy he took one for the team. "Everyone back home will thank you once Klaus is dead." Damon wants his phone back. Katherine taunts him about needing to check in with Elena and make sure it's okay he pummeled the Germ. Damon says, "You know you have it." Katherine: "What can I say? I needed you present, here and now." When Damon insists, she hands it over. Damon says Bonnie has been texting about Klaus. Katherine: "No turning back, Damon." When Damon tells her to shut up, Katherine says, "Hey, look at the big picture. The best shot of taking out Klaus is by finding Mikael." Damon hands Jeremy what looks like the keys, but then Katherine takes them, while Damon walks over to the car like he's getting in, so I don't really know what that was. It looked too big to be the necklace. Anyhow, he tells Jeremy, "Stay with [Katherine], so that Anna can guide you." What? Why can't Jeremy go back to the Falls now? They don't care about my questions. Katherine hollers out after Damon, "You're going to get yourself killed. The Damon I remember wouldn't have been that stupid." Damon turns back. "I wouldn't have done it for you." Does that sting, Kiki?
MFHS Poolside: Bonnie is performing CPR on Matt and pleading with him to come back. While he's still out cold, Vicki appears to Matt. In reality, Bonnie is still pumping away at his chest. In his vision, Matt regains consciousness, sits up, and tells Vicki he can see her. Vicki says she needs Matt to listen carefully. "I need you to give Bonnie a message." Back in reality, Matt spits up water and struggles to breathe. Bonnie sits him up.
Gym: The clock is at 6:17, when Elena starts telling Stefan about how Bill Forbes can resist compulsion. Stefan mocks the idea. Elena tells him that he can control it, and when the buzzer goes off, he should just drink from her. Stefan snarls that he can't stop. "I'm a ripper. A ripper doesn't stop. I listen to the words that come out of your mouth, and all I hear is the sound of your heart, pumping blood through your body. And when that clock ticks down, I'm going to have to feed on you. And you want to know what's worse? I'm not going to be able to stop." Yeah, you're repeating yourself there, Broody Bear. Elena tells him he can fight it if he wants it bad enough. Stefan: "Why? Because I love you?" Elena's voice is assertive. "Yeah, that's right, Stefan -- because you love me. You'll fight because after everything that we've been through, you owe me that." Stefan's voice softens and he says she's right. He owes her everything. "Because through all of this, you are the one thing that has kept me from giving up -- from turning it all off. But I can't help what I am, Elena. The more blood I get, the more I want, and if I get so much as near yours, you are dead." The clock reads 4:51 when we cut to commercial.
MFHS Science Lab: Tyler is up on a lab bench when he comes back to life. Caroline informs him that Klaus is turning him into a hybrid and he's in transition. Becky says, "Don't leave out the hard part, sweets. You'll only survive if your witch is successful. If not, you're pretty much dead." She holds up Caroline's phone which is now showing a countdown clock. "I wonder how she's doing. Tick tock goes the gym clock." Two minutes left.
Corridor: Bonnie tells Matt that as soon as he's feeling better, she's gonna kill him. She still gets to keep the award I gave her earlier, because that was the stupidest ass thing I've seen anyone do on this show. What if Bonnie didn't get there in time? What if the CPR doesn't work? Sometimes, CPR can't save a person. Matt ducks his killing by explaining that his plan worked. He has a message for Bonnie via Vicki, from the witch who put the hybrid curse on Klaus. "She said that Elena shouldn't have survived Klaus's ritual. The hybrids can't transition because Elena is still alive." Bonnie says, "Tyler?" Matt nods. "He's gonna die, isn't he?" Klaus appears out of the blue and says, "I wouldn't be too sure about that. Given the choice -- doppelganger or hybrid -- I go hybrid every time."
Gym: There are 16 seconds left on the clock, now. Stefan tells Elena to run. He begs her, but Elena insists that he fight. The buzzer sounds. Elena tells Stefan she loves him and not to give up. Stefan, who had been struggling down on the floor flies at her. She screams. He latches onto some pole or pipe near the wall and holds himself back. "ELENA RUN. GO!" She takes off, but as soon as she's through the doors, Stefan is after her. Elena runs at her top speed. Stefan Stealth-Salvatores himself into one wall, and then the opposite wall, all in an effort to stop himself. Elena gets through a set of double doors, and turns to watch Stefan fighting so hard even as he is compelled to chase her. When she turns to run again, she runs straight into Klaus for the second time. Klaus chuckles. "We've got to stop meeting like this." Stefan works his way into the cafeteria. When he spies the janitor's cart, he rushes to it, takes a broom, breaks the wooden handle in two and stakes himself in the stomach.
Klaus drags Elena into the cafeteria. Klaus says, "Now this is fascinating. I've never seen this before. The only thing stronger than your craving for blood is your love for this one girl. Why don't you turn it off?" Stefan says, "No!" Klaus goes on about how his humanity and guilt are killing him. Klaus walks over, pulls out the broomsticks and says, "Turn. It. Off." Stefan pushes Klaus away and screams, "NO!" Klaus Stealth-Salvatores Stefan into the wall on the other side of the room, and we get a close up of Klaus's eye as he bellows, "TURN IT OFF!" I didn't see the compulsion special effect, but I'm taking it on faith that that's what happened here. As Stefan nearly seems to choke, we can almost see the humanity flee his being. Elena cries, "What did you do?" Klaus says, "I fixed him. But I think a test is in order, don't you." Klaus stands behind Elena. One hand is on her shoulder, as the other moves her hair back to reveal her neck. "Ripper, perhaps you'd like a drink from the doppelganger's neck." Stefan vamps out. His eyes are cold now, but he's kinda smoldering like this. Elena watches his transformation in disbelief. Finally he snarls and charges at her. As Stefan latches onto Elena's throat, she screams us into commercial.
Klaus finds Rebekah, Caroline and Tyler in the science lab. "Well, the verdict's in. The Original Witch says the doppelganger should be dead." Rebekah is glowing. "Does that mean we can kill her?" Klaus says, "No, I'm fairly certain that means the opposite. Rebekah grabs Caroline from behind as she says, "What?" Klaus: "Call it a hunch." Okay, so maybe Anna was telling the truth when she said there was a darkness that accompanied Vicki's visitations to Jeremy. Vicki is at least serving as courier pigeon for the original witch's lies. Anyhow, Klaus holds up a vial in front of Ty. "Elena's blood. Drink it." Caroline pleads with Tyler not to. Klaus says, "If he doesn't feed, he'll die anyway, love. Consider this an experiment." Tyler isn't doing too well, so he can't pay more than token resistance. Finally, he drinks. At first Tyler sputters, then throws himself to the ground. He starts to convulse and holds onto his head as he screams and throws himself down again. When he rises to his knees and growls at Klaus, Tyler's lupine eyes are set off by his vampiric game face. Klaus smiles and nods. "Now, that's a good sign."
Hospital: Elena wakes in a hospital bed. The nurse has been compelled by Klaus, so she points out that Elena has lost a lot of blood. When Elena looks down at her arm, she realizes she isn't getting a transfusion; more of her blood is being syphoned off into a bag. Nurse Compel-o explains, "It's very important for your friend, Klaus." When Elena tries to struggle, Nurse Compel-o gives her a sedative. "He told me you need plenty of rest."
MFHS Exterior: Bitter Becky is bitter. "So the doppelganger isn't the problem; her blood is the solution." She wonders how big brother puzzled that out. Klaus says, "Well, you know how much the Original Witch hated me. Do you honestly think I would do anything but the opposite of what she says? Becky: "A thousand years in the grave and she's still screwing with you." Klaus says, "It makes sense if you think about it from her perspective. It was the fail-safe, in case I ever broke the hybrid curse. "The doppelganger had to die in order for me to become a hybrid, but then if she was dead..." Rebekah finishes for him: "They you couldn't use her blood to sire yourself a new species." Klaus says, "Leaving me alone for all time." Rebekah asks if that's what his hybrid obsession is all about. "You just don't want to be alone." And it totally is, because you can see Klaus flinch when she says that. He shifts subjects, slightly. "What I want is to take my girl, my hybrid, get the hell out of this one pony town." What I want is to know who your girl is, Klaus. Elena? Stefan? Or your own sister? He tells Becky to go get the truck while he gets Elena. As soon as she's gone, Damon arrives. Klaus senses him before he sees him. Damon wants to know where Elena is. Klaus says she's making a little donation to the cause and warns Damon not to interfere. Damon says, "You'll have to kill me." Klaus says he would, but he made a pledge to Stefan and unlike Stefan, he keeps his word. "Although you know what -- thinking about it now -- he probably doesn't that much anymore." Klaus shoves Damon onto the hood of a car and throttles him. As Damon struggles he says, "Don't you want to know about your friend Mikael?" Klaus stops his fist mid-air and asks what Damon knows about Mikael. Damon: "Just that he knows you're here." Klaus says Damon is bluffing. Damon replies, "Katherine and I found him. Consider it our leverage." Klaus picks Damon up and hurls him across the row into another parked car. When Damon looks up, Klaus has disappeared.
Hospital, Interior: Damon finds Elena in her room. He unhooks her from the monitors and examines the bloody tubing that had been carrying her blood to the blood bag, which is now gone. Klaus must have Stealth-Salvatored up to the room and gotten it on his way out of Dodge. Elena stirs. "Damon?" Damon scoops her up and carries her out.
MFHS Corridor: Caroline holds Tyler's hand as they walk down the hallway. When she asks if he's okay, he says he feels phenomenal. "It's a rush. I wish I could explain it. Everything is just better." Oh dear. He scoops her up in his arms, spins her around, puts her down and kisses her. Caroline can't hide her concern, but Tyler assures her this is going to be an amazing year. She smiles to his face, but once she's hugging him and her head is on his shoulder and out of view, the worry creeps back across her face.
Weight Room: Bonnie finds Matt and asks if she could have a ride to Jeremy's. Matt tells her, "Just a second." Bonnie starts back toward the hall then changes her mind and goes to sit beside Matt. She tells him she knows he wants to help and misses Vicki, but his actions tonight were reckless and stupid. Preach it! Matt knows, but says it was worth it, since it worked. Bonnie tells him he doesn't want to be a part of this. He gets to live his life like a normal person. Matt winces, because that's not really true, is it? He says he gets it, though, and will be ready to leave in a minute. "Vicki's here, watching me, and I just need a minute to say goodbye." Bonnie nods and leaves him. As he's tying his shoe, he senses someone in the room. "Bon, seriously? I'm not going to do anything stupid. I just..." He turns to see Vicki smiling at him. She joins him on the bench and says, "Hi, Matty." Pudding Pop's eyes well up as he smiles at his sister.
Mossy Manse: Damon pours Elena a bourbon to help her forget. "You know, I can help you forget, too -- at least the memories you don't want to keep." Elena says, "No. No compulsion. I need to remember. All of it." Damon holds up her necklace. "I stole it back for you." Elena just looks at him. "He's really gone this time. I watched it happen. After everything that we went through to get -- to help him -- now he's just gone." When she doesn't take the necklace, Damon lays it down on the end table. Elena looks down at her drink and starts to cry. "Where were you, Damon?" Damon says, "I shouldn't have left. He grabs her hand and says, "I promise you. I will never leave you again." Elena nods and they share a moment, but it's ever so brief, because they're interrupted by Stefan saying, "Well, isn't this cozy?" Damon stands in front of Elena. "What are you doing here, brother?" Stefan pours himself a drink. "Last I checked, I live here. Klaus is gone, but he's asked me to..." Stefan gestures toward Elena, "...keep watch on you until he returns. From now on, you're under my protection." Elena just raises her eyebrows. Stefan raises his glass, takes a sip, and then gestures from Damon to Elena and back again. "Mmm. By all means. Carry on." Elena looks up at Damon and back to the doorway.
Charlotte, N.C.: Kiki and Jeremy approach a mausoleum with the name Pickett carved on the lintel. Jeremy explains that Anna said a witch entombed them here, in the 90s." Is that the 1990s? Katherine forces open the door. She moves to the larges sarcophagus and shoves off the top. Inside is a corpse, rotted in much the same way Rebekah looked before Klaus removed the dagger from her chest. The corpse is completely bound in chains. When Jeremy and Katherine look down at the face, his eyes fly open. Title Card.
Well, I did not expect Stefan to be moving back into the Manse. Why don't they drug him with vervain and stake him? Oh yeah, because then we wouldn't have a show about two vampire brothers in love with the same human girl. I can't wait to see what happens in this week's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." In the meantime, please grade the episode up top and join us in the forum, where Damon will never leave you.
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