This episode wasn’t as jaw-dropping as episodes of this show usually are. Sure, we had our weekly dish of hot guys, a few twists, some heat between Damon and Elena, and a bit of drama, but we weren’t awed. Also, one of us thinks that Ian’s acting was odd this episode. He overplayed Damon’s mischievous intensity. After three weeks of missing this show, we were expecting more for our patience.
Elena woke up in the middle of the night, because she heard Luka's father snooping around her house. When she got up to investigate, all she found was Alaric walking around in his boxers with a bowl of chubby hubby (have you ever noticed that ice cream on TV is ALWAYS Ben and Jerry's?) Lucky Elena. We would like to wake up to half-naked Alaric any day. Looks like he and Jenna are getting on well. Meanwhile, Team Salvatore was visiting Katherine in the tomb. They were after the moonstone, which Katherine unsuccessfully tried to barter for her freedom. We guess she's decided that starving in a tomb is not a fate better than running from Klaus.
The boys showed up at Elena's to tell her their plan. They were going to have Bonnie open the tomb so they could go in and get the stone. Elena was still spooked by what Katherine had told her in the last episode: that Klaus would take any resistance out on her friends and family. Elena went the Salvatore house looking for Rose, and found Rose in her lingerie, still keeping Damon company. Elena got Rose to take her to Slater’s apartment, so that she could get information from Slater. They found Slater, the “vampire almanac,” dead, staked through the heart. They also found his idiotic girlfriend, and she helped them get into his computer system. Elena found out who Slater’s contact to Klaus was, and she immediately sent him a message announcing her intention to surrender and sacrifice herself. Rose was horrified, and we weren’t sure why. It would solve all of her problems. In any case, she called Damon.
Jeremy, wanting to save Bonnie from the dangerous over-exertion of opening the tomb, stole some of the magic Katherine-paralyzing ashes Bonnie had made for Stefan and Damon’s use. He headed into the cave with his supernatural ring, disabled Katherine, got the stone. The time he took to find the stone gave Katherine the opportunity to wake up and bite him. We can forgive him for this stupid lollygagging, because he had the sense to toss the moonstone out of the tomb whilst being chewed on by the villainess. Stefan, Damon, and Bonnie headed over to the tomb, but Damon was called away by Rose, and he disappeared. Stefan and Bonnie found Jeremy held in the tomb by Katherine, being toyed with. She could kill him over-and-over because of his ring. Horrified, Bonnie tried to open the tomb. Bonnie channeled energy from Luka, a trick he taught her earlier in order to bond with her. We guess he didn’t anticipate that she was a power thief. Even with the extra juice, Bonnie failed, got a nosebleed, and passed out. Useless. Katherine opened the loud hole in her head for another bite of Jeremy, and Stefan rushed in, threw Jeremy out, and trapped himself in the tomb with a very happy Katherine.
Damon showed up at Slater's apartment, and he was not onboard with Elena’s plan. Klaus's goons appeared to take Elena, and Rose bolted. Elijah, who had tracked Elena down with help from Luka’s warlock father, also arrived. In a surprise twist (man, there are tons of those on this show), Elijah killed Klaus’ men by ripping out their hearts. Apparently, he wants Elena safe and (seemingly) isn’t working for Klaus.
Caroline and Tyler bonded when she helped him to prepare for his first full moon. They found Mason’s diary in the Lockwood cellar in which he chronicled all of his experiences with lycanthropy. Mason also left a video he made of his first transformation. Caroline and Tyler watched it together, and they found out that Tyler’s new curse will be horrifying, painful, and hours long. Tyler, understandably, flipped out. Caroline comforted him but was interrupted by Matt at the door. Matt told Caroline that he misses her, she smiled, and then Tyler stepped into the doorway. Matt looked sad. End scene. Uh oh. Obviously Matt is going to think that Caroline moved on with Tyler. It’s not like they can tell Matt the truth. But Tyler didn’t start reassuring Matt that there was nothing going on. There could be another decent love triangle forming here, in addition to the main one and the Bonnie/Luka/Jeremy one.
When Damon and Elena got home, Jeremy was there to tell them what happened to Stefan. If you didn't watch this episode, but you are following the show you might want to at least take a second to check out the last scene in addition to reading this recap, because it is going to be pivotal for our triangle. Elena rushed to the tomb, cried out for Stefan, but he wouldn’t come to the entrance to speak with her. Damon held the flailing Elena away from the entrance. When she realized that she was never going to get to Stefan with Damon in the tomb, she stormed out.
Stefan came out to speak with Damon.
Damon- "Of all the idiot plans Stefan...I'll find a way to get you out."
Stefan- "Keep Elena away from here. Promise me. No matter what happens, promise me you'll protect her."
Exit Damon
Katherine "That right there was the biggest mistake you've ever made."
We sure hope so.
There was lots of good Elena/Damon interaction, and we loved the ending, so we’ll give this one a B+.