THE VAMPIRE DIARIES: “The Turning Point”

Read on for my recap and review of The Vampire Diaries episode 1×10, aired November 19th, 2009:

Brace yourselves, TVD fans, we are in for a long hiatus.  Last night’s episode was the last new offering to air in 2009.  However, we have lots to talk about during the break, as the plot twists keep on coming in this increasingly mythology-driven show.  Last night’s episode was no exception, as we were treated to one surprise after another, culminating in a seemingly dire cliffhanger.  At the end of the episode, we were left with our heroine hanging upside down in a crashed car, with some sort of supernatural creature approaching.  Will she survive?  What in the world was that thing approaching her, and does it want to eat her or suck her blood?  Who else wants to get into the tomb under Fell’s Church?  Will Damon ever succeed in releasing his beloved Katherine?  What’s going on with Tyler and all that full moon foreshadowing?  Will Elena ever forgive Stefan for not telling her that his ex is her doppelgänger (that is my favorite word, so excuse me for over-using it, a lot)?  Will Matt and Caroline make a real go at it, and get some much deserved happiness?  Will Matt continue to be the most perfect teenage boy to ever be portrayed on television?  How will Bonnie deal with her newfound powers?  Will her storyline be covered with any consistency?  Or will we continue to just cut in and out of her life sporadically?  And most importantly, will the show be renamed Alaric the Vampire Slayer, pretty pretty please with a cherry on top?  OK, the last question is only half serious.  But seriously, don’t kill Alaric, show.  On to the recap:

We pick up where we left off last week: Logan Fell just arrived on Jenna’s doorstep, even though he totally died, and we totally already celebrated said death.  Next thing we know, ass-hat Mr. Tanner will be resurrected.  (Don’t go getting any ideas, show!)  Luckily, Jenna’s smart enough not to invite her ex in.  He tries to win her over with what he must think passes for charm, but our Jenna is not swayed.  Logan then tries a different approach: “I know you.  You’re always one step from a maybe—a tiny nudge to yes.”  Dude, you are an idiot.  Thankfully, Jenna agrees with me.  Brimming with sarcasm, she retorts: “You just pointed out that I have no self control. Clever strategy.”  You go, Jenna—stay strong!

Logan starts noticing the yummy people, but the old man isn’t friendly enough to him, I guess.  Plus, according to Drusilla, old men can get stuck in one’s teeth.  However, suddenly a beautiful woman jogs by, who happens to be a fan of Logan on the news. What a crazy random happenstance.  (See, Buffy is not the only Whedonverse reference I can make in a TVD recap.)  The beautiful jogger is named Daphne, which is a lovely name, but sadly she quickly becomes Logan’s dinner.  At least she didn’t have to turn into a Laurel tree.  Greek mythology references are not funny, you say?  Go read Ovid’s Metamorphoses, and get back to me.  This whole encounter was contrived, to say the least.  Boo.  Cue title card.

After the break, we return to a VO by Jeremy.  He is reading from Jonathan Gilbert’s diary: “I live in fear. It consumes me.  In the early evening when I see the sun begin to fade, the fear comes, because I know that the night brings death.”  This diary is so uplifting, that it inspires him to begin drawing again.  Wow, Damon really did a number on him.  As he looks through his sketchpad, he smiles at pictures of a wolf and other meaning-laden images.  Anvil, much?  As  Jeremy happily draws, Elena looks on.  She goes downstairs and shares the good news with Aunt Jenna, but warns:  “[…] don’t say a word—the minute we encourage him he’ll put it away.”  Aunt Jenna appreciates her insight: “Psych major? Check that.”  Elena checks her phone and Aunt Jenna takes that as a cue to ask about Stefan.  Elena tells her about Stefan moving away.  Don’t waste your breath, Elena.  That was so last episode.  Aunt Jenna wonders why, but Elena replies, “I stopped asking questions, the answers get scary.”  Rather than be concerned about how scary Stefan’s answers are, Jenna quips, “Yours leaves, mine returns.”  Elena is as happy about Logan’s return as me, so she lays down the rules: “Three strike rule, Aunt Jenna.  You’re not even allowed to watch the news.”   Aunt Jenna: “Exactly.  No more Logan Scum-Fell.”  If only it were that easy.

As this interplay was going on, I noticed that Kayla Ewell’s name is still in the credits.  Ah, the oddities of TV rules.  On that note, the teleplay was written by executive producers Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, with story by Barbie Klingman.  Even more intricacies I don’t understand.  Someday I will figure all that out.  Additionally, the episode was directed by J. Miller Tobin.

Meanwhile, at Casa Salvatore, Stefan and Damon continue to have the best chemistry on the show.  Stefan asks his brother where he’s going to go.  Damon mentions London, to visit his friends, but Stefan reminds Damon that he has no friends.  Wow Stefan, that was WAY harsh.  Poor Damon only has Stefan.  Is it wrong that I find that adorable, and now feel protective about Damon’s fragile heart?  Damon puts on a brave face: “But we’re a team, we could travel the world together! We could try out for The Amazing Race.”  I don’t watch reality TV, so that reference didn’t really amuse me as much as it seemed to for those who watch it.  I just know that it has won a lot of Emmys.  Stefan thinks that The Amazing Race reference is super funny though—don’t let his gloomy expression fool you.  Clearly, in between forehead brooding and Elena longing, Stefan makes time for TV.  Stefan:  “Funny. But seriously, where are you going?  Because we can’t stay in this town.”  Cue REASON TO STAY IN THIS TOWN, in the person of Sheriff Forbes.  How very convenient.

What is that reason, you ask?  The Sheriff shows up at Casa Salvatore to talk to her new best friend Damon the Vampire Slayer.  Damon makes a show out of wanting to talk to her out of Stefan’s hearing, but he’s got to know that his brother will just use his super hearing, right?  Whatever, vampire-super-hearing is the worst, as it is totally stalkerific (possibly not a word, but I’m going with it), and is really only justified if one is Superman, and saving the WORLD on a daily basis.  The Sheriff: “Of course, the kids are too young to be told about this.”  This cracks me up, as Paul Wesley looks about the same age as Ian Somerhalder to me.  But anyways, the Sheriff tells Damon that there has been another victim.  Damon is all like, but I killed the vampire, how could this be?!  The Sheriff thinks maybe Lexi turned someone before she died, and says that “the Council is in an uproar.”  I want to hear and see this uproar.  I also want to meet any heretofore unknown Council members.  The Sheriff resorts to flattery, albeit sincere: “You’re the only one who’s ever taken out a vampire.  We were hoping you could tell us.”  The Sheriff should totally be asking Alaric the Vampire Slayer for help instead, but luckily he doesn’t wait to be called.  Meanwhile, Stefan listens in, OF COURSE.

Cut to Caroline and Matt being beyond adorable.  They are at school in the hallway, and are talking about watching some kind of dancing reality show.  Caroline: “I sat through Family Guy, so you owed me.”  Tyler looks on in shock and possibly disappointment—the exact reason for his disappointment I will leave up to your imagination.  Elena also catches sight of this new pairing, and is a bit bitchy about it: “Did I miss something? […]  Kind of weird don’t you think?!”  Not really, Elena, as they are both gorgeous and lonely.  It was bound to happen, right?  Thankfully, Bonnie is there to reel Elena in: “She needs someone nice like him, as opposed to a homicidal vampire like Damon.”  Agreed.  Bonnie and Elena’s conversation then inevitably shifts to Stefan.  Bonnie is now a Stefan cheerleader, since he saved her life and all.  Still, she tells Elena that maybe the split and move are for the best, as she couldn’t really have much of a future with him.  Elena is in a terrible mood, and this does not improve it.  At that moment, a banner that says something about “the future” and is advertising the Career Fair, falls on Elena.  Bonnie promises that it wasn’t her, but Elena stalks off.

Meanwhile, back at Casa Salvatore, the Sheriff takes her leave.  No sooner has the door shut, when Stefan pins Damon to the wall.  He is not happy with his big brother: “What is wrong with you, you killed somebody?!”  Damon: “Get off me.  A) Don’t touch me.  B) If I had, I wouldn’t have been so obvious about it.  C) There’s another vampire in town.”  Stefan: “That’s impossible.”  Damon: “Obviously not.”  Ha!  Stefan wonders who it could be, but Damon replies: “What do we care?  We’re leaving anyway right?”  Stefan: “No, I can’t leave now and you know that.  How are we supposed to find this person?”  Damon: “Let the adults handle this.” Ha!  Once again, Damon gets in the last word.

Cut to Stefan showing up at school to see Elena.  Intense looks of longing and brooding are shared.

Meanwhile, Matt and Tyler are playing basketball, because football was so episode three.  Tyler wonders what’s going on between Matt and Caroline.  Matt shrugs it off, but Tyler thinks he’s “hitting that.”  Eeew, Tyler, you are such a cliché.  Tyler then proceeds to give a speech about the word “we,” reminiscent of Caroline’s “hey” speech from last week.  Luckily, I already knew all about the implications of “we” from Sex and the City.  According to Samantha, and Tyler, it’s not such a great thing, though it does get you sex.  Matt explains: “No, it’s not like that. […]  We hung out like twice.”  Tyler: “Like I said, WE.”  Sigh.

Cut to Stefan and Elena and their significant glances.  Stefan fills her in on the new vamp in town, and tells her to be careful.  Elena thought he was there to say goodbye, but he says not YET.  Oh, thanks so much for gracing us with your presence.  Way to make the love of your life feel better, Stefan.  Grrr.

Later that day, Jeremy is at home in his room, drawing something creepy, when Aunt Jenna comes in.  He tells her about the old journal of Jonathan Gilbert from the 1800s.  Aunt Jenna explains that Jonathan was a writer—horror and short stories.  Jeremy is surprised, as he totally thought that his ancestor was just a crazy drunk.  Way to respect your elders, Jeremy.  Also, why does Aunt Jenna know about all this?  She seemed a bit dismissive of the family history when she mentioned it to Jeremy previously—noting that his dad was into it, but not noting any similar proclivity.  Also, have we established whether she is a Gilbert, or Elena and Jeremy’s mom’s sister? In “Family Ties,” we learned that it was Jenna’s sister who died, thus Jenna is not a Gilbert.  So maybe she and her brother-in-law were just close, so she heard a lot about his ancestors?

Meanwhile, Damon is still controlling Caroline.  Time for another rant: WHY ARE PEOPLE STILL ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN?!?!  IT IS NOT OK THAT HE IS USING HER AS HIS SLAVE AND MESSING WITH HER BRAIN, AND STEFAN & ELENA NEED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, IN LIEU OF LONGING LOOKS AND FOREHEAD BROODING!  VERVAIN ANYONE?!?!  OK, I feel a little bit better now.  Sorry for the caps, but I’ve been saying this every week and I’m close to flipping out about how terrible her friends are—even Bonnie knows now, and could lobby to slip her some herbal protection.  But let us continue.  Caroline meets her controlling ex at a warehouse, where she used the magical compass to find Logan’s location.  It seems that Damon couldn’t do it himself because he interferes with the mystical signal.  Once again, he glamours her (in case you didn’t pick that up during my scary rant) and sends her on her way none the wiser.

Damon enters the warehouse, but once inside he is shot multiple times by Logan.  Logan: “I have tons of these wooden bullets, so nothing funky.”  Damon: “You don’t want to do this, trust me.”  More shooting.  I would feel worse for Damon if he didn’t just glamour Caroline again and piss me off.  As it is, I think he deserves the wooden bullets.  Logan blames him for turning him, but Damon denies it: “I killed you, I didn’t turn you.”  Logan says that he knows what Damon and Stefan are, and has been watching them, and he has questions.  Damon asks again who turned him (get used to that question).  Logan: “How should I know?  Last think I remember is I’m about to stake your brother, and then you grabbed me.  That’s it.  Next thing I know, I wake up in the ground behind a used car dealership on Highway 4.  Somebody buried me.”  Damon’s pithy response?  “It happens.”  Hehe.  Logan is not convinced: “You bit me, it had to be you!”  Damon offers Logan a brief summary of Vampire Siring Rules 101: “You have to have vampire blood in your system, when you die.  I didn’t do that.  Some other vampire found you, gave you their blood.”  Logan begins another round of the same old question: “Who?”  Damon is like, “That’s what I want to know.”  Logan: “Dude, it’s not like the welcome wagon was waiting with a bunt cake and a handbook.  It’s been a learn-as-you-go-process.”  Well, it looks like my theory was wrong on both counts: Logan did not intentionally imbibe vampire blood, nor did anyone help him through his transition.  Oh well, though, as the final twist to this story may be far better—but more on that later.

Vampire Logan proceeds to whine that he couldn’t get into his own house after being turned, as he has to be invited in and he lives alone.  Hmmm.  Interesting difference between The Vampire Diaries and Whedonverse mythologies.  I remember a specific incident from Angel, when Angel wasn’t able to enter an apartment to save the resident.  The moment the resident was killed, Angel was able to enter the apartment and deal with the bad guys.  While that is a different show, it seemed that they followed the same entering rules, until now.  I would have thought that Logan’s death would have made his home a vamp-friendly zone, but I guess that is not the case.  Continuity error?  Insane troll logic?  Or some clever explanation to come?  We shall see.  Anyways, since Vampire Logan couldn’t go home, he had to go to the Ramada and eat housekeeping (as in the housekeeper).  He tells Damon: “All I can think about is blood, and killing people.  I can’t stop killing people, I keep killing, and I like it.”  Damon: “Welcome to the club.”  Ha!  Also, Logan is super creepy.  It turns out that he’s been hiding the rest of the bodies in the warehouse—they’re piling up.  Ick.

Cut to the Career Fair at the high school.  Mayor Lockwood and Sheriff Forbes discuss the vampire situation, and there is some noticeable tension.  The Sheriff points out that everyone there is safe, as it’s a crowded public place.  Hmmm.  We shall see.  She also points out: “But for once Mayor, we know where our kids are.”  Says the mom of Caroline, who is being controlled by a vamp who happens to be her mom’s new BFF.  Pay attention to your daughter, Sheriff.

Also at the Career Fair, Tyler and Jeremy interact at the art booth.  Jeremy is surprised to see Tyler there: “Art usually implies culture, and culture implies, well, not you.”  Ooh, good one.  Jeremy is intrigued though, and notices a picture drawn by no-culture-Ty, and falls in love is impressed.

The one-on-one Career Fair moments continue with Matt and Elena.  She asks: “Still want to be an astronaut?”  He’s surprised that she remembers, but she assures him, “I can remember the tinfoil that you wore on your head.”  Matt: “I was 8.”  Pause the recap to revel in the adorableness.  Matt wanted to be an astronaut when he was 8?  So sweet!  I am imagining him in the tinfoil hat now.  OK, I’m back.  Elena asks Matt how he’s doing, so I guess she remembers that her new boyfriend killed Matt’s sister.  Matt has had it easier.  Poor thing.  He takes this opportunity to ask Elena about her and Stefan, and Elena confirms the break up.  Then she pointedly asks about Caroline.  Matt tells Elena that he and Caroline are just friends and “it’s not a big deal.”  Oh, Matt, I guess Elena is your kryptonite.  They almost have a romantic moment, but then Stefan arrives.  Matt is not thrilled.

Cut back to Logan and Damon in the warehouse.  Logan is sort of hilarious (even though I hate him with a fiery passion): “Why am I so overly emotional?  All I can think about is my ex girlfriend.  I want to be with her and bite her and stuff.”  I’m still laughing at that one.  Damon: “Well, you probably love her.  Anything you felt before will be magnified now.  You’re going to have to learn how to control that.”  This is a fascinating hint at how hard it was, and IS, for Damon.  He was in love with Katherine before he became a vampire, and then his feelings became even more magnified.  With that degree of love and devotion, I suspect that tomb is going to be opened.  But back to the conversation: Logan asks about walking around in the sun, and says that it is not in The Journals.  (Oh, The Journals, I must know more!)  There is a back and forth featuring: “How can you walk in the sun?”  “Who turned you?”  “Shut up, I asked you first?”  Blah blah blah.  Logan gets tired of this dead end conversation, so he tells Damon that he has “things to do and people to kill,” and shoots Damon AGAIN, in order to have a head start.

Back at the school, Elena is worried that Stefan is bringing bad news, but it is established that he is just stalking her as usual, so no worries.  They talk about career goals, and we learn that Stefan had wanted to be a doctor when he was living, but he couldn’t because of the blood.  Since he was turned, he has dabbled in a bunch of things.  Was chef at an Italian restaurant one of those?  I’m going to assume so.  He had to move on every few years so that people wouldn’t notice that he wasn’t getting older.  Interesting.  He should have just become an actor on a teen show on The CW.  They never age and no one thinks anything of it—perfect cover.  As for Elena, she doesn’t want to talk about her future, because Stefan won’t be in it.  Just as long as you don’t go jumping of any cliffs, Elena.  Stefan back-peddles: “It’s not that I don’t WANT to be in it …”  Elena: “Please, if you’re gonna leave, just go.”  Very understandable on Elena’s part, I think.

The intensity is interrupted by Aunt Jenna: “Hide me.  The Scum-Fell has landed.”  Hehe.  Stefan knows that Logan is totally supposed to be dead, so he’s all like “Logan Fell?”  He looks across the room to see the undead Logan wave.  Elena asks Stefan what’s going on.  Logan interrupts and asks “Jenna, are you dodging me?”  Jenna: “It’s a form of self preservation.” Ha!  Far truer than she knows.  Stefan tells Elena and Jenna to get out of there (but in a nice way).

Stefan is a bit in the dark: “What are you doing here?”  Logan brings up his brother, and asks: “How can I turn into a day walker?”  Stefan: “Damon and I are the only two that I know of.”  Really?  Again, I am very interested to know more about those rings in the TV mythology—seems quite different than in the books.  Logan: “You’re both very cagey on the how, which tells me that there is a way.  You know, in case you hadn’t noticed, I’m quite the celebrity in this town.  It would be very very easy for me to expose you.”  Stefan: “You want to know how you can walk around in the sun?”  Logan: “I do.”  Stefan: “You can’t.  Don’t ever threaten me.”  In that moment, I may possibly have swooned.  It is also possibly my favorite Stefan moment (on the show) to date.  It was all in the delivery.  Dear show, I want more moments like that please.  Sincerely, Lucia.

Cut to Aunt Jenna and Elena.  Elena wants to know how Logan behaved when he came to the house.  Aunt Jenna: “Fake flattery, stupid dimpled grin, puppy dog eyes.”  That is so not how I interpreted his behavior, but love is blind, I guess.  Elena is serious, and wants to know more.  Aunt Jenna mentions him repeatedly asking her to let him in.  Elena is a smart one, so she warns her aunt to stay far away from Logan.  Alaric interrupts and is ADORABLE.  He greets them both, and he tells Jenna that he was hoping to see her.  Swoon.  I really hope that Aunt Jenna forgot all about Logan in that moment.  It is also essential to note that he is still rocking the sexy scruffy look. [The ensuing comments have been cut for ridiculous levels of girlishness.  Now back to your regularly scheduled recap.  But isn't Alahhhric dreamy?]

Meanwhile, Damon calls Stefan on the phone to let him know what is going on: “Logan Fell is a vampire, and when I find him again I’m going to destroy him limb from limb.”  Oh, I hope so.  Stefan asks if he’s OK, and Damon responds: “No.  I was ambushed, I was shot, now I’m vengeful.”  It’s all in the delivery.  Hehe.  Elena approaches and asks Stefan if he has something to say.  Ooh, Stefan is in trouble.

Back inside the Career Fair, Caroline tells her mom that she wants to be in broadcast journalism.  While I think that sounds pretty perfect for her—I could totally imagine her on the morning news—her mom is doubtful.  She tells her fragile daughter: “You don’t even read the paper.”  Wow, Sheriff Forbes is really lacking on the mom skills.  Poor Caroline rushes off.

Then, Logan approaches the Sheriff, whom we learn is named Liz.  We may have already known that, but it’s new to me.  She’s understandably freaked, seeing as she buried him not so long ago.  She goes for her gun, but looks around and realizes she’s sort of backed into a corner.  Logan is pissed: “You’ve known me since I was 6, and you swept me under the rug like dirt.”  I think she literally covered you with dirt—it wasn’t really a metaphor about his scumminess (despite what Microsoft Word thinks, that is a real word), but whatever.  The Sheriff points out, “You knew what you were getting into.”  Somehow that doesn’t make Logan feel better.  He whines, “I was one of you.”  Sheriff is less than sympathetic: “And now you’re one of them.”  Logan leaves and she calls for back up.  Oh no, now I’m missing Veronica Mars.

Cut to Jeremy and Tyler and their budding relationship friendship.  Jeremy tries to talk about art, as something they have in common.  Tyler is his usual jerky self, and is like “Whoa, we’re supposed to be friends just because we slept with the same girl.”  (I’m paraphrasing.)  He tells Jeremy: “Go be friends with one of the many other guys that she screwed.  There’s no shortage of them.”  Things get violent, but the Mayor intercedes, and tells the boys to follow him.  Alaric sees this development, and like me is creeped out, so he sort of stands up for the boys.  I was worried his intercession would end there, and was sort of disappointed in Alaric, but I should have had faith, because it gets awesome.  But more on that later …

Meanwhile, Caroline gets a ride home from Logan.  It turns out that she knows him well because he used to babysit her.  I will leave you to ponder that—I’m not saying a word.  Caroline says that this it is fate, because she’s interested in broadcast journalism.  She wants to ask him some questions, so I’m glad that her mom did not crush her dream.  He tells her to buckle up, and then bashes her head against the window.  Oh, poor Caroline.  Let’s try to go multiple episodes in a row without Caroline getting hurt next year, OK?

Cut to Elena and Stefan, who learn from Matt that Logan took Caroline home.  Uh oh!  Stefan tells Elena to stay there (but he’s not a jerk about it—don’t worry, I’ll let you know when he’s a patronizing ass).

Meanwhile, we learn that Mayor Lockwood is on a disturbed macho power trip.  He leads the boys outside and  tells them to fight it out, making deprecating comments about them learning to be real men.  Tyler doesn’t want to, but Jeremy’s response is particularly hilarious: “I don’t think so, sir.”  So polite.  Again, Damon really did a number on him.  Although, I guess the other way to think about this is that his parent’s death really did a number on him, and Damon restored some of his original behavior.  We shall see.  The Mayor is pissed that the boys aren’t obeying his every delusional command, and he gets a bit violent with Tyler.  Enter Alaric.  He wants to know what’s going on.  Mayor Lockwood tells him to go back inside, but Alaric is not budging: “I don’t want to go back inside.  I want an answer to my question.  What’s going on out here?”  Mayor: “Who do you think you’re talking to?  Do I look like a student?”  Alaric: “No, you look like a full grown alpha male douchebag!”  I cracked up at that, though douche is not a word I would ever use, and it is rather overused on TV these days.  In fact, I read a whole article online about the increasing use of that word.  Anyways, if you watch carefully, you can totally see Jeremy trying not to laugh in the background.  It seems pretty authentic, like maybe McQueen was trying to keep it together—I look forward to the commentary on this episode (please let there be one on the dvds).  The Mayor is not pleased with this development: “You don’t talk to me like that.  I could have your job like this.”  When he says “like this,” he actually snaps his fingers.  Seriously.  Alaric is as amused as me, since he’s AWESOME: “You do that.  Then it will be you and me in this parking lot, working things out.  You cool with that?”  Swoon.  Mayor: “You just marked yourself.”  The Mayor leaves, and Alaric asks if Jeremy is alright.  I could not tell you if he is or not, as I don’t understand Jeremy’s face in that scene at all.

Meanwhile, Logan is driving with a knocked out Caroline in his car, and he calls the Sheriff to let her know about his diabolical mustache twirling scheme.  When the Sheriff asks “What do you want?” he responds, “The satisfaction of turning your daughter into a vampire.”  Uh oh—if Caroline becomes a vampire she is bound to die, as all the female vampires die on this show!  Luckily, Damon and Stefan swoop in to the rescue.  Damon calls the Sheriff, as they are now BFFs, and then he takes to paying back Logan.  He actually says, “Pay back’s a bitch, isn’t it?”  That line makes me feel a little embarrassed for Damon, as I feel that he has better material in him.  Damon picks up a tire iron and threatens to take Logan’s head off, if he doesn’t tell him who turned him.  Oh, just take his head off anyways, Damon.  Logan asks Damon why he’s siding with the humans, but Damon sets him straight: “I don’t side with anyone.  You pissed me off, I want you dead.”  Hehe.  Logan again denies knowledge about the identity of his maker, so Damon readies the tire iron.  Before he strikes the final blow, however, Logan thinks better of his silence: “Wait wait. I do know.”  Damon: “You’re lying.”  Logan: “Do you think you’re the only one who wants to get inside that tomb, underneath the old church.”  Oooh, intriguing!  Tell me more, please.  Damon: “If you are lying to me I will end you.”  Logan: “I am not lying.  There’s another way to break the spell.  We can help you.”  OK, this is my favorite little tidbit of the episode.  I must know more soon!  Unfortunately for us, the Sheriff and her deputies arrive at that moment, so Damon decides to let Logan escape in order to get that information.  See, his love for Katherine is deeper than his desire for revenge.  He is such a marshmallow.  He tells Logan: “Take me down, make it look real. Make it look real.”  Ah, Damon’s delivery just kills me (in a good way).  Logan does as he’s told and then races off.  Damon tells the Sheriff that Stefan took Caroline home, and puts on an apologetic performance of how he “just wasn’t’ strong enough.”

Meanwhile, Stefan goes to Elena and fills her in about Caroline.  Stefan says that Damon is “dealing with” Logan.  They share significant glances.  Elena comforts him.  What?  It’s not like he got hurt and enslaved.  Stefan takes this opportunity for an I-told-you-so: “You saw what happened today, right?  I mean, you understand why we can’t be together?  You see it?”  Elena: “Yeah, I’m starting to see a lot of things.”  She offers him a ride home.  Stefan says no, but then realizes he’s being dumb, and says yes.  When the gorgeous girl that you’re in love with offers you a ride home, you take it!  Also, Nina Dobrev has fabulous hair, which I really think deserves to be mentioned in this scene.

Then we cut to Tyler and Jeremy.  Jeremy tries to bond with Tyler, but it doesn’t go so well.  Tyler is all like, “What do you want?”  Jeremy: “I don’t know, I thought that was weird with your dad—what he did.  Is he like that all the time?  Is that … is that what you got to go through?  Man, I get it.  I get it.”  Translation: “No wonder you are such a jerk.”  TYLER PUNCHES JEREMY IN THE FACE.  Jeremy: “What’s your problem?”  Tyler. “Look, I don’t need your pity.”  Jeremy: “Seriously, you don’t have to be like this.  You don’t.”  Tyler: “Just go.”  Jeremy: “What is your problem, man?”  Tyler: “I don’t know.  [In a very emotional voice]  I don’t know.”  Cut to THE FULL MOON!  Hey, in case you didn’t notice it, he’s under a FULL MOON.  Make of that what you will.

Meanwhile Stefan and Elena are driving back to Casa Salvatore.  When they get there, they sit in the car and talk some more about the future.  Elena had wanted to be a writer, but then her mom died.  It was something that they shared, so it wasn’t the same anymore.  She tells Stefan: “I know you think that you put all of this bad stuff into my life, but my life already had it.  I was buried in it.”  Stefan: “This is different.”  Elena: “It doesn’t make it any less painful.”  Patronizing Red Alert: Stefan: “I know that it’s hard for you to understand, but I’m doing this for you.”  He gets out of the car and she follows.  Elena sets him straight: “No, you don’t get to make that decision for me.  If you walk away, it’s for yourself, because I know what I want.  Stefan, I love you.”  He turns around and they have a very epic kiss.  I complain a lot about their relationship, but this moment really is beautiful, and I really believe that these characters are in love in that moment.  They take things inside, but as they’re making out in the hallway, Stefan suddenly turns around because he vamped out.  It’s very sweet, and reminds me very much of the moment in “What’s Your Line, Part I,” when Buffy kisses Angel at the ice rink, even though he’s bumpy.  That episode totally featured Career Week too!  I will note, however, that Stefan barely looks different, as his eyebrows cover his veiny eyes anyway, so he really shouldn’t be so worried.  It’s all very romantic.  The two then take it all the way, and we learn that the sex scene from the promo was not a dream—it was real.  It is handled tastefully, with soft piano music closing out the scene.  However, this is teen sex on television, so there are sure to be terrible consequences.  Brace yourselves.

Meanwhile, Alaric confronts Logan in the parking lot.  Thank goodness they don’t know each other—I got scared for a minute that maybe Alaric was involved with Logan, but thankfully no.  Alaric says that he’s a friend of Jenna’s, but that he came on his own.  Logan: “Ah, I get it.  Well, buddy, I know you think this makes you brave, but actually it makes you pretty stupid.”  Alaric: “Well, Jenna’s a good person.  She deserves the best, and I’m here to make sure that she gets it.”  Swoon.  Logan: “Is that supposed to be a threat.  Couldn’t you throw a punch, maybe provoke me a little?”  Alaric: “I’m not a violent guy by design.”  Logan: “Well you’re not a very smart one either.”  Alaric: “How’s that?”  Logan: “Because you have no idea who you’re talking to.”  At that exact moment, Alaric stakes Logan through his scum-filled heart.  Best scene ever.  Oh, Alaric the Vampire Slayer, I could not love you more.

Cut to Tyler, who wants a ride home from Matt—not the kind of ride home that Elena offered Stefan, so don’t get any ideas.  Matt once again steps up to prove how classy he is: “Look, I like Caroline.  I think she’s got this thing, this way about her, and I like her.  And I’m not going to defend it or apologize for it.  So stop your little bromance bitch act.”  Ha!  Also, hear hear.  Tyler says OK.

Meanwhile, Elena and Stefan are in the blissful afterglow of new love.  At that moment, I was completely prepared for Stefan to lose his soul and become Stefanus.  But that doesn’t happen.  Instead, he gets up to get a drink, and while Elena is left on her own she looks around the room.  Uh oh, she sees the photo of Katherine, who looks just like her.  Awkward.  If only Stefan had been honest with her.  Oh, TV characters and your lack of communication.  Sigh.

Cut to Damon walking in the woods, when he gets a call from the Sheriff.  She thanks him and Damon is confused.  She explains that they found Logan’s staked body, and the victims he had been hoarding.  She is very grateful: “This town owes you so much.  So do I.”  Dun dun dun.

The unwitting Stefan returns to his room and calls for Elena, but she is nowhere to be found.  His abs are though, and they’re out in full force.  He sees that Elena left her locket, on top of the photo of Katherine.

Cut to Elena, driving in her car, and very upset.  Oh no, she’s in a car, and judging by the promos this will not end well.  She’s also wearing too much makeup but she’s so gorgeous I’ll allow it.  Suddenly, Elena sees a figure in the middle of the road, and she crashes into it.  The entire car turns over.  The mysterious human-formed figure gets back up, so it is clearly supernatural.  Elena is freaked and trapped upside down in the car as the mysterious supernatural creature approaches.  She screams as the screen goes black.  Long wait until January, huh people?  To hold you over during the hiatus, be sure to check out Vampire-Diaries.net for all the latest news about the show.

So, what did you think about the episode?  Comment below with reactions, questions, theories, etc.