Trust 101

We’re in the home-stretch of the TVD season, with only a handful of episodes to go, with only a few more chances for them to right their wrongs. These past couple of weeks, TVD has improved its game, reminding us of the good old days with witty quips and mad (in a good way) story lines. Well, last night was no different. Although progress has been made, it still feels like they’re dragging their feet on the ground. This latest installment was an improvement, but I’m still waiting for the mayhem and gore. Where is it? Personally, I think we can sum up American Gothic in two words: Shirtless Klaus. I’m only kidding, of course. Beautiful Elijah will also do.

WARNING! This is a Spoiler Alert!

Best buds, Rebekah and Elena, have stopped for a mid-trip snack. They’ve been searching for days, still unable to locate Katherine, no closer to finding the much-desired cure. They’re restless, hungry, and really starting to get on each others nerves. Rebekah objects the latest stop, but Elena wants a little pick-me-up; and whatever Vampire Elena wants, Vampire Elena gets. She approaches a slim redhead and reveals her fangs, ready to chow down. “Katherine, what are you doing?” the redhead asks. Elena steps back, stunned. The pair interrogate the woman, confirming Katherine’s whereabouts, as well as her psychopathic effort to compel the entire town.

Sometime later, they begin to question another townie, realizing Katherine was there only minutes before. Elena looks to her left, as a hand hastily grabs her around her throat. Katherine’s in disbelief, amazed they found her at all. Rebekah saves Elena from immediate destruction, allowing the group to chat someplace quieter, allowing Rebekah and Katherine to comically bicker back and forth. Soon, Katherine is confessing her plan to trade the cure to Klaus for her freedom. No one is surprised, least of all, us, but Katherine is curious to hear Rebekah’s wish to take the cure herself. Elena waits for the part where Katherine decides to screw them over, hoping by snatching Katherine’s phone, they can discover another clue. Elena immediately finds E.M. – a scheduled meeting between the vicious vamp and an old friend. Curious about the meeting, Elena decides to go in Katherine’s place. The doppelgänger orders Katherine around, taking her beads and bangles. “Your shoes. I want your shoes.” Not that we can blame her, they were really nice shoes.

In her Katherine ensemble, Elena paces back and forth, waiting for E.M. to arrive. “Katerina?” he calls, smiling at his one-time love. He leans in, softly kissing her lips, becoming more assertive with each taste. Elena stumbles, but only for a minute. “Elijah?” After the five or so times we rewind to watch the scene again, Elijah inquiries if “Katherine” has brought him the cure. Elena laughs, placing her hand on his chest, assuring him it’s in a safe place, inadvertently giving her game away.

Near by, Damon and Stefan reunite, attempting to follow the girl’s trail. Stefan is quick to poke fun at Damon’s shortcomings, humorously wondering how the baby vamp and her cohort so easily put one over on him. Damon ignores his quips, focusing on the task ahead – and his ornate revenge fantasies. Stefan adamantly declares his demands, wanting Elena to have the cure. Ultimately, Damon agrees. “Elena without humanity is a stone cold bitch.”

Meanwhile, in Mystic Falls . . .

Klaus stands shirtless (Drool), scratching aggressively at his back. Fresh blood coats the wound, the entry site where Silas forced a piece of the white oak stake. Shirtless Klaus screams in frustration and pain. He needs help and fast. Enter, Caroline. The blonde walks angrily into the room, shocked to find the Original suffering in agony. She attempts to comfort him, holding his head between her hands. Slowly, her true motive is revealed. “Silas!” Shirtless Klaus shouts. The Caroline impostor grins. Misery will fall unless Klaus brings Silas the cure.

When the real Caroline arrives, Shirtless Klaus breaks and fumbles, panicked and tormented. She is the only one that can (and will) help him. She picks up the pliars from the floor – after some resistance, of course – and attempts to remove the stake from his back. After his unintentional insults, Caroline stops, ready to do things on her terms. She sits, relaxes, waits for Klaus to compromise – trying to win Tyler’s freedom from Klaus’ pain. Shirtless Klaus howls, reminding Caroline of the times he’s saved her life. In turn, Caroline reminds him all the times he tried to kill her friends, yet she still does everything to help him. But, he still won’t repent. Caroline’s frustration increases, voicing her displeasure, voicing her true feelings. “I should have turned my back on you ages ago!” Klaus comes to a standstill. Caroline apologizes for her harsh words, but Shirtless Klaus beams. The pain is gone. Silas, he tricked him, he made him see things – feel things – that were never there. Caroline distracted him, gave him reason to see reason.

It doesn’t take long for the brothers to find Rebekah and Katherine. “You’re losing your touch, evil one.” Stefan asks where Elena is, but the pair aren’t easily swayed. Rebekah eventually folds, after a round of “eeews” (Katherine and Elijah? Yuck) and Stefan’s promise that Rebekah won’t find the cure without Elena. Stefan exits, immediately calling Elijah to negotiate terms.

Across town, at Katherine’s bungalow, Damon and Rebekah search for the hidden cure. Katherine plays the usual games, but Damon knows better. “If I was a paranoid, distrustful, sociopath . . .” Damon looks at the large fish tank, the one without any fish, smirking his signature smirk. Looks like a winner. Damon puts his hand in the water, reaching for the toy pirate chest, screaming as the vervain water hits his skin. Katherine rushes up behind him, pushing his head in the water (Honestly, he should have seen that one coming). Rebekah guards Katherine’s exit, demanding the cure. Katherine knows what will happen if she does hand it over, figuring on one solution. Katherine throws the cure on the floor as Rebekah dives for it, managing to escape.

Rebekah looks at the cure, clutching it in her hand. Damon tries to stop her, but Rebekah’s comment about Elena’s fondness for him (as a human) halts his protests. She throws back the concoction, fainting as it hits her system. Stefan looks on, disappointed and irate. He blames Damon for the situation, forcing his liking for Vampire Elena into the conversation. Again. Rebekah awakens amidst the chaos, feeling good, alive. Slight problem, though. Katherine switched out the vile. That bitch!

Elena wonders why Elijah is so trusting, knowing Katherine has been playing him, along with everyone else. Of course, Elijah knows about her misdeeds, but that doesn’t make him forget the girl he once loved, still loves. She;s still there, somewhere. He won’t give up trying to save her. Unfortunately, for us, their conversation is cut short. Katherine breaks Elena’s neck, apologizing to Elijah for her tardiness. Elijah is not amused. She’s lied to him repeatedly. How can he trust her when she won’t ever be honest with him? He loves her, but he’s seriously questioning their relationship. Katherine’s face falls.

That night, something miraculous happens. Katherine shows us she actually does have some kind of emotion, that she actually does care about Elijah. She tells him he’s wrong about her. She loves him, she’s sick of running, and she wants to be someone whom he deserves. Katherine forces the cure into his hands. What happens next is up to him. Elijah is still somewhat skeptical, allowing Katherine to, once again, go off on her own. Rebekah approaches her older brother, yet again confessing her need to become human. Elijah frowns, hearing Klaus in his ahead. Literally. He’s on the phone. Niklaus begs Elijah to come home.

Final Scene: Elena summons Stefan and Damon to the cafe, confronting the brothers eagerness for her to become human again. Damon’s change of heart has him fighting right alongside Stefan. Elena requests – viciously demands – they accept the new Elena. It’s the only way. Otherwise, there will be consequences. They boys are not fazed. They don’t believe her threats. Stefan, as always, compares her situation to his, ever being the optimistic. They won’t give up on her. Elena remains detached. That’s a shame. Vampire Elena makes another kill, snapping the waitresses neck. She vows that will be the first of many, if the boys don’t stop trying to change her. Elena walks away, riding high on adrenaline and looking foxy in her awesome shoes.

The Vampire Diaries

Best Lines of the Night

1. Rebekah: “We’re not here for a pub crawl, Elena!”

2. Caroline: “I don’t know if this is some new way of flirting, but it sucks.”

3. Katherine: “Are you really that dumb, or are you just naturally blonde?”

4. Katherine: “There goes the neighborhood.”

5. Caroline: “Oh my, God. You do have a heart. [Klaus screams] My bad. It’s just a bloody rib.”

6. Shirtless Klaus: “Well, I’m glad you’re finding my misery so amusing.”

7. Elena: “You’re both idiots.”

8. Damon: “It’s Rebekah. I didn’t have a pony to distract her, Stefan!”

9. Elijah: “Complication speaking.” 

10. Damon: “I had a moment of weakness, Stefan. It’s my thing. Like you and I falling for the same girl. It’s our thing.”

What did you think of this week’s episode of The Vampire Diaries? What was your favorite scene? Favorite line? What did you think of Elena and Elijah’s kiss? Want more? Do you think it was too easy for them to find Katherine? Does she really love Elijah? Will Damon really change his mind about Vampire Elena? Does she care? Will Klaus give Silas the cure? Where is the mayhem Silas promised? Will Stefan ever leave? Is Elijah hiding something? Tell me in the comments!

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