Editors note: Last week we missed an episode of The Vampire Diaries. This is why episode four is being published today. A review and recap of episode five will appear in a few hours to get us back on track. Thanks for your patience.
This episode begins with a flashback to 1110 A.D., with a group of men surrounded by a witch. Of course, the witch is Black because that's the only role for us on this show. Interestingly enough, the men all have hair free chests cause manscaping was just such a huge priority back then.
In the present day, Damon brings in a box with items he got from Connor's RV. He claims to be searching for a supernatural handbook. Damon is suspicious of Connor because of the timing of his arrival, having a tattoo that only Jeremy can see and the fact that Klaus mentioned that Connor is one of The Five. Stephen asks what The Five are and Damon says he's hoping that this is what is in the first chapter of the handbook. Their conversation pauses when Damon gets a cryptic call from Liz Forbes. Stefan is naturally curious but Damon says that the call was private and they are still fighting. Stefan says that he is still not pleased about Elena feeding from Damon but they are not in a fight. Damon tells Stefan that they didn't find any remains in the explosion site at the hospital. Damon says that he needs Stefan to look into this, because he is taking Elena to a college so that she can learn to "snatch, eat and erase." When Stefan begins to say something, Damon reminds Stefan that they are not fighting.
Elena justifies her decision to go on this trip to Stefan by saying that Damon had to rip her off Matt because she almost killed him. Elena believes that she can only drink from the vein and that it might be part of the doppelganger curse. Can we please just stop driving home the point that Elena is special, we git it. Stefan asks about Caroline because she is a genius at self control, but Elena quickly nixes this idea because she believes that Caroline will not understand her. Elena does assure Stefan that she wishes it could be him and then says that she and Damon are crashing Bonnie's trip to Whitmore college to see the professor who took over her grandmothers classes. Stefan asks her to be careful and not to get caught up in the blood and the feed.
Rebekah shows up at Matt's work to give him a new truck, which she has not only paid for but insured. Matt is not in the least bit receptive and instructs her to give it to Elena because she is the one that Rebekah killed. From his seat, Klaus tells Rebekah that she is trying to hard. Rebekah asks him why he is still there and Klaus says that he couldn't leave because his sister is so desperate for love and affection and is bribing the help. Rebekah just wants to cut to the chase and asks Klaus what he wants. Klaus says that he has stumbled across something he believes will be of interest to her. This is when Klaus tells Rebekah that the brotherhood of The Five still exists. Rebekah does not take the bait and declares that she does not care about The Five, or him.
On campus, which is once again largely White people, Damon, Elena and Bonnie arrive. Elena is upset because she believes that college is not in the plans anymore. Oh poor Elena she get to live forever in an eternally youthful body. Why is life so damn hard? They sit through a lecture by Professor Shane, who says that witches are the archetype of the supernatural and are responsible for everything that goes bump in the night. Elena asks Damon if she might be a ripper but Damon tells her to pick someone and they can find out. They scope out the class and Damon picks out a girl he believes is self absorbed.
Klaus has Connor trussed up and Stefan shows up to ask what information that Klaus has received so far. Stefan refuses to share information in front of Connor because he cannot be compelled. The two adjourn two a separate room and Stefan says that he should have figured out that Klaus was up to something when he cured Elena from the werewolf poison without asking for anything in return. Stefan wants to know what is going on and says that he has nothing else to do today except get answers. Klaus concedes because he believes that Stefan might be useful in getting Rebekah to cooperate. It turns out that The Five were a group of highly successful vampire hunters that the originals crossed paths with in the 12th century Italy.
We get a flashback to a hunter a revealing a vampire to the sun who quickly dies. I don't know about you but it was great to see Elijah again. Elijah says that they haven't been discreet in their feeding but Klaus says that what they really need to do is deal with Rebekah because she is clearly involved with one of the hunters. In present day, Klaus promises to share all of the information he learns, if Stefan will get Rebekah to talk to him because she is being stubborn. When Stefan asks what's in it for him, Klaus tells him Connor holds the answer to all of his prayers.
Back at the bar, April is having a seat and tells Matt that she is waiting for her friend. When Rebekah arrives, he is shocked that she has a friend. Matt says that he is keeping the truck and walks off. I guess self interest can kick in after all. When April stares at Matt walking away, Rebekah tells her that Matt is off limits because she has dibs. I am so sick and tired of the desperate, lonely Rebekah. This woman has lived for a thousand years and still has no confidence when it comes to men. The conversation between April and Rebekah is cut short, when Stefan sits down and glamours April into forgetting the conversation he is about to have with Rebekah. Stefan tells Rebekah that Klaus wants to make peace with her, but once again Rebekah is not receptive and points out that if you try to make peace with Klaus that he will just betray you. Stefan tells her to forget Klaus and to deal with him because though he is unwilling to forgive Rebekah for what she did to his precious Elena, he is willing to give her a clean slate. Rebekah asks why he would do this and Stefan replies, "because you're obviously not leaving town anytime soon, and I am just looking for a way we can all get along." When Rebekah suggests that she doesn't care what he or anyone else thinks, Stefan promises that he will talk to Matt about giving her a clean slate. At this point, I find both Rebekah and Matt to be the two most useless characters on this show and wish that they would both be dumped unceremoniously into the plot box.
Damon and Elena are stalking a young woman. Elena approaches her and asks about the reading from one of her classes. Elena grabs her arm and glamors her saying that it's not going to hurt and asks her not to scream. When Elena sees a picture of the co-ed's little sister, she send her away. Damon reminds Elena that she didn't know her and that everybody belongs to someone. Elena says that she cares because she is still her. Bonnie approaches them and says that the professor found some stuff belonging to her grandmother and hands over a flyer for a frat party.
Stefan and Rebekah arrive at Klaus' and Rebekah believes the whole thing is a sham because she cannot see Connor's tattoos. Klaus says that the tats are now invisible and that this new group is not like the last. The three sit down to dinner and Klaus condescendingly tells Rebekah to eat her vegetables. Why oh why do we have vampires eating? It's ridiculous and makes it seem like there is no downside to being a vampire, if they still engage in all of the mundane actions that humans do. It makes Elena's angst even more ridiculous. Rebekah and Klaus immediately start to bicker and I have to say that Rebekah is right about Klaus' abuse of her person. Stefan says that there are a million other places that he would rather be and asks about Rebekah's hunter.
We get another flashback to Alexander (the hunter) sitting down to a meal with the originals. The originals felt safe around him because they were all wearing their daylight rings. Alexander says that they are only five men and were bound by the dying breathe of a witch to create the destruction of vampires. Did you catch that? Once again a Black witch died so that White people could play hero. When Klaus asks how he plans to achieve this, Alexander says that they have the ultimate weapon, which no vampire can survive. In present day, Klaus says that in order to find the weapon they need to solve the puzzle which has disappeared - the tattoo. Klaus says that the hunter told him that Jeremy is the only one who could see it and has Jeremy brought into the room.
At the frat party, Damon, Bonnie and Elena show up as Jack the ripper and ladies of the night. When Bonnie spies professor Shane, she decides to go and see him and Elena and Damon stay behind to hunt. Elena picks out a young man and then pretends to spill her drink on him and walks away after apologizing. The young man quickly follows Elena into an isolated area and Elena feeds on him. Damon instructs Elena not to kill him and Elena just manages to pull back in time, her face covered in blood. Elena hugs Damon in celebration and says that she wants more.
Jeremy is seated and drawing Connor's tattoo. Connor asks why he set him up and Jeremy says that Connor was threatening people who are important to him. Connor is confused because he believes that Jeremy is a sympathiser. Connor tells Jeremy about a man who he served with in Iraq, who also had the mark. Apparently, this man told Connor that if he could see the mark, then he was a potential. Connor says that he lost track of the man and then one day, the tattoo appeared on his body. Apparently, the more vampires Connor killed, the larger the map became.
In another room, Klaus says that Rebekah was more than willing to investigate The Five. We get yet another flashback and this time it's to Alexander and Rebekah in bed. Alexander tells Rebekah that the map took him and his brother years to translate and that the knife, which he is holding is the key to deciphering it. Rebekah agrees to go away with him when they leave but when she spies a bottle on the bedside table she asks what it is. Apparently, the bottle contains a special weapon. Rebekah asks if Alexander really believes that all vampires need to be killed but he does not answer her and instead begins to kiss her. Alexander takes the knife and stabs Rebekah.
Klaus says that The Five attacked the originals and daggered them all that night. The only reason they survived is because the daggers don't work on Klaus due to his werewolf side. In a flashback, we see Rebekah waking up to find Alexander dead. Rebekah says that she had no idea what was going on but Klaus is not pacified and reminds her that their entire family was nearly wiped out. Klaus asks what Alexander promised her and Rebekah denies a promise.
In present day, Rebekah admits that the hunter promised her a cure. Stefan walks away saying that there is no cure for vampirism. Stefan asks why they didn't search for it and Klaus replies that when the hunters died that night, the marks disappeared from their bodies. Klaus says that in 900 years, there was not a whisper of another hunter until Connor showed up. When Rebekah asks what they should do now, Klaus tells her that her role is over because she would blab the secret to the first boy who calls her pretty. Rebekah says that she hasn't learned because she stays with him, even as he continues to leach any bit of happiness from her life. Rebekah accuses Klaus of wanting the cure for Elena, so that he can go back to mass producing hybrids and then she walks off. Klaus tells Stefan that she never would have given him information but Rebekah will tell him where the sword is. Klaus says, "you have a chance to save Elena from the very thing that's destroying her."
Bonnie is in the professor's office and he shows her things belonging to her grandmother and asks if she practices. Bonnie says that she has stopped because she lost control. Professor Shane points out that there are other ways of practicing magic if Bonnie is interested. When Bonnie asks if Professor Shane is a witch, he says that he is just a guy with a very open mind, who has seen a lot of things.
At the frat party, Elena is feeding on co-eds and clearly enjoying herself. Damon joins her on the dance floor and the two start dancing. The two quickly get lost in the music and the blood. Elena suddenly realises what she has done and leaves Damon.
Klaus checks out Jamie's drawing but when Jamie says that he is done, Klaus get angry because there is more to the tattoo. Jamie tells Klaus that every time Connor kills a vampire, the tattoo spreads. Klaus calls Nate and instructs him to have Jeremy taken home and to keep Connor alive at all costs. Alone in the room, Connor struggles with his restraints, which causes Nate to check on him. When Nate leans in, Connor bites his ear and rips out Nate's earring.
Elena is overwhelmed and asks Bonnie why she is acting like this. Bonnie tells her it's because she listened to Damon, who makes everything he wants sound like a good idea. Elena says that she should be there with Stefan and going through all of this with Stefan and not Damon. Damon interrupts their conversation only to be attacked by Bonnie. Damon says that Elena is a different person because she is a vampire and that vampires enjoy the hunt and the kill. Damon tells Bonnie that Elena is like him and what makes him able to feed and not kill like Stefan, is his ability to revel in it. This is the absolute truth to vampire existence and it's only Elena commitment to angst that has her in denial over this.
Stefan is back home pouring a drink when Rebekah shows up. She apologises and says that Klaus makes her so angry. Rebekah says that back then, she wanted a cure and was willing to leave behind her family for it. Stefan says that there is a part of him that wishes he and Elena could have an eternity together but Elena will eventually kill someone and then pain and guilt will come, which will cause her to pull her humanity switch. Because Elena is motivated by love, Stefan fears that if Elena turns off her humanity that they will never get her back. Stefan professes that he would do anything to save her. Of course, Rebekah envies the love between Elena and Stefan. Rebekah tells him that she and Alex had even picked out a church to be married and says that though Stefan wants her help, she cannot do anything that gives Klaus what he wants. Stefan says that if he and Elena could have children together, grow old together, die together and be buried together that he would take the cure. Rebekah is moved by Stefan's admission and says that she laid Alexander to rest in the spot where they were to be married. As soon as the words pass her lips, she realises that this is what Stefan was after all along because she buried Alexander with the sword. Klaus enters the room and apologises. Rebekah tells Klaus and Stefan that they can laugh at the girl who loved to much but she would rather have lived her life than Klaus' because no one will ever sit around a table telling stories about him. Klaus then uses a dagger to stab Rebekah though tears do come to his eyes. Klaus instructs Stefan to put Rebekah somewhere where no one will find her because he is off in search of the sword, while his hybrids keep Connor company. Klaus reminds Stefan that no one must know about the cure because if it gets out, it could mean all of their deaths.
Damon escorts Elena to her door but before he can leave, she apologises because things got heated at the party. Elena admits that when Damon tells he what a vampire should be she believes him but hates it because she does not want to be like him. Stefan opens the door and says that he was just hanging out with Jeremy and that he has no news on the hunter. Damon leaves and Elena tells Stefan that she learned how to feed without hurting someone but it was awful because she got caught up in it. Elena says that she is becoming someone she does not want to be and is unsure if she is going to survive this. Stefan tells her to hold on and embraces her - cue the angsty music.
When Nate checks on Connor and Conner decapitates him and we watch as more of the tattoo appears on his body. Connor goes to see the professor who is not impressed that he is there. Connor asks why he was sent to Mystic Falls.
This episode had a lot of angst and too many people acting because of concern over Elena. There are most certainly downsides to being a vampire but The Vampire Diaries world has so humanized them that the differences are minute. Think about it. Elena gets to be eternally young, eat food, drink and have sex and go out during the day. Awww poor, poor baby. I am sick to death of her tantrums at this point. Angst for angst sake is not a plot.
