When we left off with our friends on The Vampire Diaries, Mystic Falls had become a battle ground. It looked like Klaus had taken round one, but with the coffins still securely on Stefan’s side of the line, it’s anyone’s game.
This week, we find Bonnie (Kat Graham) hard at work trying to open the fourth locked coffin when she’s interrupted by a snooping hybrid. On the plus side, the vanishing coffins give her ample warning, and the Salvatore brothers show up in time to take him out of the equation. They do the quick math, and no one has any idea what the mystery coffin holds, or how it can even the playing field and maybe even bring the victory.
Meanwhile, Elena (Nina Dobrev) still left out of the loop, keeps up with the normal and decorates Caroline’s (Candice Accola) locker for her birthday. With a little help from Bonnie, who was “delayed,” they add some cheer to this bummer week they’ve been having. This gives her the chance to catch Bonnie up on the latest Gilbert happenings. She tells Bonnie that Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) is leaving town under Damon’s (Ian Somerhalder) suggestion.
Caroline arrives at school to a sulking Tyler (Michael Trevino) armed with genuine apologies, but no solution to his bond with Klaus. He leaves her with a touching Birthday gift – a charm bracelet.
Stefan decides to call Klaus’s bluff and pay him a visit. He’s had enough of the hybrid army lurking behind every corner and wants them out of town. He makes his point by taking the head off the closest hybrid and leaving Klaus to marinate in that new development.
After her run in with Tyler, Caroline skips the rest of school and misses out on the birthday cheer waiting at her locker. The gang makes a play at old school joy and shows up at her house. When she walks in they spring to action with a mini surprise situation. Caroline boo hoos the whole charade and Elena is forced to take desperate action.
The new birthday plan – a cemetary. Caroline says goodbye to her human self, stuck at 17 forever, which a cake and everything.
Klaus calls on Tyler to even the score and asks him to bite Caroline. Let’s not forget a werewolf bite will kill a vampire, and a hybrid is still part werewolf. It looks like Klaus isn’t backing down from Stefan’s challenge and is looking to prove it. Caroline may find herself celebrating her last birthday if her demise really is the first target of this angry original. In an unlikely triumph, Tyler is able to refuse, which may have made things worse. What will Klaus do now and does it mean Tyler is donzo or just out of his good graces?
Damon and Alaric (Matt Davis) head to the Lockwood residence for a council meeting which in true founder style is doubling as something worthwhile – this time a fundraiser. Alaric is worried about a sudden change in Elena’s behavior, but Damon plays the gentleman and doesn’t kiss and tell. Dr. Fell (Torrey DeVitto)shows up and reveals herself as a member of the founding families to Alaric’s delight. Everything looks calm enough until we get wind that a generous British man is in attendance.
Klaus donates a generous amount to the town for their fundraising efforts to cover up his real purpose. He’s come in peace, or so he says, and makes a deal with the Mayor. She trades protection of the town, and more importantly Tyler, in exchange for Klaus’s immunity from council actions. Relying on a phychotic killer with a grudge doesn’t seem like the smartest decision she’s made all day, but maybe it was a slow day at the Mayor’s office.
Things start to get strained as Caroline’s party, or funeral, when Bonnie confronts Elena about sending Jeremy away and taking away his freewill. I can see her point. He’s a tough kid, but it still might be the right decision. They’re bound to bring him back eventually, I can see the plot line now – Jeremy remembers all, returns to Mystic Falls and saves the day! Ok, he’s not Superman, but he’s too much eye candy to keep away for long.
Another party is having it’s own problems. Between Damon getting escorted out by Sheriff Forbes, and Alaric playing the white knight – I can’t tell who’s having more fun. Stefan obviously doesn’t want to miss out on any of it. He shows up to kill him some more hybrid lackeys, only to get shut down by big brother who has a slightly more sane plan of his own.
Tyler heads to the funeral to find his friends and share his good news. Matt (Zack Roerig)takes the opportunity to talk frank with Elena, while Tyler shares his breakthrough with Caroline. He confesses his love and things look like they’re moving in the right direction, but everything goes south in a hurry, and not in a good way.
The writers have outdone themselves with this twist o’ plot. Despite being able to object to the orders verbally, mentally Tyler is still playing follow the leader. Tyler bites Caroline without being conscious of it, and it’s pretty clear the bond is still going strong. Before Elena and Matt can find her, Stefan temporarily takes Matt out of the picture and appears to be kidnapping Elena, or taking her hostage, or ummm who knows at this point. The does he love her, doesn’t he love her plot is getting a little old. At this point, Damon needs to step in and seal the deal. She is way overdue for some good old fashioned hot lovin’.
Unfortunately, it looks like Elena has just become Stefan’s next move, and where this ride will stop, no one knows.
Damon heads for Klaus who still isn’t willing to negotiate. If Damon can’t get a read on his brother, what makes Klaus so sure he has a fair measure of Stefan’s mental state? Considering he’s already nabbed Elena, it can’t be long before we see how far he’s really willing to go.
To make his point clearer, Stefan takes a ride on the fast side with Elena’s life hanging as collateral. Klaus is inclined to agree to his demands when Stefan threatens to turn Elena into a vampire and cut off his ability to create more hybrids forever. It looks like the hybrids are headed home to pack. A startled Elena is spared, but if she wasn’t convinced he was gone before, she’s definitely closer to the point of no return after this adventure.
Elena and Stefan have a emotional battle on the bridge once she scrambles out of the car. How long will Stefan be able to hide his feelings? My guess is that he needs to be hit with the green monster to see his naughty ways and fight for the girl.
Klaus comes to the aid of Caroline in order to garner support from the Sheriff. An intense conversation between Klaus and Caroline shows him in a peculiarly likeable light. Is there some humanity left in this old monster or is this all just part of his extravagant master plan? Either way, Caroline survives her would be 18th birthday with only a bite.
Damon makes sure Elena makes it home and we get one brief tender moment. Damon delivers a beautiful line and leaves it at that. I guess we will just have to take a cold shower until next week, and cross our fingers for some more of what we want.
Jeremy officially heads out of town and Bonnie can’t stay away. She doesn’t rat out Elena and her part in his departure, but she doesn’t look happy about it. Maybe there’s a chance for a romantic comeback for this odd couple afterall?
A lively, well in a sense, Caroline wakes up to find a little present on the nightstand from none other than Klaus, a beautiful bracelet that shines. Tyler’s charms may have sentiment, but diamonds are a girl’s best friend!
The bridge scare brings Elena to a dark place. She forces herself to let go of the person she used to be. A lesson that everyone seems to be falling into tonight.
And, finally, some action – there’s an actual murder in Mystic Falls! Dr. Fell’s ex, a medical examiner, is staked in the forest. The problem? He’s not a vampire.
Does this mean Dr. Fell is as psycho as this dead doc accused her of being? Is Alaric in danger of falling for another women with an evil mission? Hopefully not. After Jenna bit the dust, he deserves a few minutes of peace before being thrown into the fire again. More importantly, how long will we have to wait before Elena’s the one to lose her resolve and put her moves on Damon? Que Sera, Sera.
Let us know what you think will happen next on The Vampire Diaries!