Klaus sneaks up behind Stefan and puts him into a choke hold. At this point, I couldn't help but think, just rip his musty head off but unfortunately, that was not to be. Klaus is upset that Stefan told so many people about the cure but Stefan assures him that the secret is safe and that no one who knows about the cure will tell anyone. Klaus instructs Stefan to find more vampires for Jeremy to kill.
After his little run in in the woods, Stefan returns home in a shitty mood. Damon assumes that he is still working with Klaus but Stefan interjects to let him know that he and Elena have broken up. Damon does not bat and eye and goes back to the real issue - finding out what is up with professor Shane. Damon believes that they need to find another hunter to stop Jeremy from going Connor 2 pt 0. Damon tells Stefan that Matt connected Shane to Pastor Young and plans on confronting him but Stefan bows out. Damon then suggests that they should go and get drunk instead. Stefan replies, "lets not pretend like this isn't the best day of your life." Oh the angst.
Caroline asks Elena if she is sure that breaking up with Stefan is what she wants because Stefan is her soul mate. Elena says she still loves Stefan but her feelings for Damon have become more intense since the change. Elena asks if Stefan is okay and Caroline says that he is not doing great and that she shouldn't have let Damon wiggle his way into her newbie vampire heart. Elena admits that she is confused and needs to figure out what her feelings actually mean. Professor Shane shows up saying that he is there to interview contestants. When he walks away, Elena tells Caroline that Shane is the one who told Damon how to break the hunters curse. In exchange Caroline says, "he's also the one who has Bonnie so obsessed with practicing magic that she bailed on pageant prep." Oh heaven's how could Bonnie skip out on Miss Mystic Falls? Elena of course finds it suspicious that Shane is now a judge. You know the ability to judge Miss Mystic Falls might just bring the world to the brink of destruction. Okay, I'm being sarcastic but so far this episode has not only doubled down on the angst, it has been way to Elena centric. It further does not help that once again, Bonnie is in the plot box.
Jeremy and Matt are unpacking crates for the big pageant. Matt struggles to pick up one and Jeremy picks up two on his own. Jeremy says that as a byproduct of becoming a hunter, he has had tons of energy. This concerns Matt because of what happened to Connor and he suggests that Jeremy talk to someone. Matt points that Jeremy is going to be driven to kill vampires, and he happens to live with one. Jeremy assures Matt that he would never hurt his sister.
Stefan sneaks into the hospital and starts looking at charts. When he sees a guard in front of one door he compels the guard to go for a break. Stefan walks into the room using his compulsion and asks why the man has an armed guard. In reply, the man says that he is a convicted murderer and so Stefan asks if he any regrets. The man answers, "only that I got caught." Stefan then force feeds him his blood and snaps his neck. What the hell is this all about?
Back at the pageant, Caroline is holding court when she is approached by Klaus. Klaus asks what time he should pick her up tomorrow and Caroline answers, "How about a quarter to never." Klaus then reminds Caroline that he was promised a date in return for one his hybrids. Caroline says that she meant a date like to a movie, where they didn't have to talk and have three empty seats between them. Klaus points out that as the reigning Miss Mystic Falls that she shouldn't go alone and that because of Tyler's indiscretions, he is certainly no longer a candidate. Caroline gives in and instructs Klaus to meet her there at 2PM.
Hayley is helping a hybrid break her sire bond with Klaus. While the hybrid is going through this, Hayley reminds her that she is grateful to Klaus for sparing her the pain of having to turn every full moon. Hayley instructs her to keep turning until it doesn't hurt, so she won't have anything to be grateful for. Tyler walks in and tells Hayley that Caroline bought them another day because Caroline agreed to go with Klaus to the pageant. Hayley asks if they're going but Tyler is not interested in watching "Klaus fall all over Caroline at some lame ass pageant." Hayley suggests that they need to hide what's going on with the hybrid by continuing to pretend that she is responsible for their break up. Tyler rolls his eyes but agrees to go and instructs Hayley to wear a dress.
Elena is getting undressed when Jeremy asks if she needs a hand. He grabs her necklace and says, "I really wish you would stop acting like you were still my sister," before choking her. Unfortunately, this is all a dream and Jeremy wakes up in a cold sweat. Under his pillow, Jeremy finds a specially carved stake. The next day, Jeremy is getting dressed in the same room as Matt who asks, "how do you wake up with a knife in your hand and not remember how it got there?" Matt tells Jeremy that it's the hunters mark. Jeremy instead wonders if he is turning into Alaric because he has died so many times with the ring on his finger. Matt reads, "newly awakened hunters may not be fully aware of their actions; their subconscious pushes through until the urge becomes a basic instinct." Matt assures Jeremy that he is not having a psychotic break and demands that Jeremy tell Elana. Jeremy promises to tell Elena but refuses a ride from Matt when he gets a text from Stefan to meet him at the Lockwood mansion.
April is holding up dresses for the pageant and both Elena and Caroline instruct her to go with the more conservative blue one. Dressed in a suit, Damon stands in the doorway and says, "you've got my vote." Caroline throws something at Damon and tells him to get out. Damon asks where Shane is and Caroline attempts to close the door in his face and says that he should check the judges table. Damon then suggests that April wear the red dress but Caroline points out that she is the one who won Miss Mystic Falls last year. Damon counters by reminding her that Elena didn't win and she wore blue. Caroline replies, "no one cares what you think," but April quickly contradicts her saying, "I care." Damon then suggests red to Elena who concedes that the red is pretty. Caroline asks, "what happened to thirty seconds ago when you hated the red one? What happened to safe is good?" Elena simply says, "whichever one you want to wear April," before walking out of the room.
Elena follows Damon down the stairs to tell him that they need to talk. Damon tells her that Stefan told her about the break up and that he would says he is sorry but he's not. Elena asks what Stefan said and Damon replies that he just went on and on. What Elena really wants to know is if Stefan told Damon why they broke up and when Damon says no and that he is sure that it has something to do with Elena acting weird, Elena admits that he is the cause. Their conversation is broken by the professor.
Damon and Shane are walking on the Lockwood property and Damon says that he needs another hunter because the potential hunter he had, may well be a potential problem. Shane says that there's nothing he can do to help. Damon asks why Shane is there and what is in his lesson plan. Shane responds that Damon thinks to highly of him and attempts to join the other judges. Before Shane can leave, Damon suggests that April not receive any pity votes because he father blew up a house and then points out that Shane knew Pastor Young because the two of them wracked up a huge phone bill. Shane tells Damon if there is something he needs to know that he should ask. Damon takes the opportunity to ask how Shane got Pastor Young to blow up all of those people. Incredulous, Shane responds, "did you just accuse me of mass murder in the middle of a high school pageant?"
Jeremy meets Stefan and asks what he is doing there. Stefan tells him that he is being given the chance to make his sister human again. Stefan shows Jeremy the man he turned in the hospital and puts a weapon in his hand. Stefan says that he hates doing this but Elena is not supposed to be a vampire and they need to help her. Stefan adds that the man is a murderer and would gladly do it again. Jeremy hesitates until Stefan threatens to take the man's chains off.
Caroline is busy bossing everyone around when Klaus shows up. Caroline tells Klaus that he is perfect but is beyond annoying. Klaus notes Tyler and Hayley entering holding hands. Caroline opens the pageant and begins introducing the contestants. There is a Black contestant, but we all know that she doesn't stand a chance. In the crowd, Matt approaches Elena to find out if Jeremy told her about his nightmares. Elena promises to find Jeremy, as April comes down the stairs wearing the red dress. Because Jeremy is not there, Matt takes his place.
As the contestants dance, Elena and Damon make eye contact. Elena attempts to call Jeremy as Caroline rushes over to find out why the last minute substitution. Damon joins them and suggests that an emo teen and open bar means that Jeremy is fine. Elena says that Jeremy has been having bad dreams but Damon assures her that everything is fine and that if he isn't worried, then she shouldn't be worried. Damon walks away and Caroline suggests that Elena goes home while she starts looking around there. Elena says that maybe Damon is right but Caroline replies that Damon is never right and is sneaky, manipulative and rude. Caroline adds that Elena's feelings for Damon are really starting to cloud her judgment and that she doesn't like it and that the thought of the two of them together makes her want to barf. Klaus walks over and whispers to Caroline that she is making a scene. Elena thanks Caroline for making this very difficult time easier before walking away. Caroline asks how she became the bad guy and Klaus suggest that they get a drink so that he can share with her all about being the bad guy.
Damon gets on the phone with Stefan and asks if Stefan roped Jeremy into a "world of crazy." Stefan says that Elena still needs a cure to which Damon asks, "so you couldn't turn your back on the girl who's isn't in love with you." Stefan points out that though Damon may not believe it, Elena isn't herself anymore. Damon suggests that Stefan leave it alone and Stefan hangs up. Stefan approaches Jeremy to ask how big the mark is now but Jeremy refuses to show him and says that he no longer trusts him. Stefan tries to compel Jeremy, but it does not work and for his trouble, Jeremy stabs him in the stomach. When Stefan falls to the ground, Jeremy says, "I guess I can't be compelled anymore," before walking out.
Caroline and Klaus are talking and she is going on about how frustrated she is with Elena and that a change is supposed to bring out who you really are, not change your personality. Caroline tells Klaus to hurry up and find the cure and then asks him if he would ever take it. Klaus responds, "why would I want to cure myself of being the most powerful being on the entire planet?" Klaus turns the question around and asks Caroline, as from a distance, Tyler watches them drinking champagne. Klaus reads out her Miss Mystic application and on it are Caroline's ridiculous qualifications and the two share a laugh.
Damon is back at the pageant and he is keeping a close eye on Shane. Tyler approaches him and asks him if he is being paranoid, but Damon points out that the council has been blown to pieces and Shane is in middle of everything.
Jeremy is getting his vampire hunting gear on and then he returns to the party. April stops him to ask where he has been and Jeremy lies and says that he was stuck at work. April assumes that he was to afraid to do the dance but Jeremy assures her that he knows the dance and has seen them do it a hundred times. When Jeremy notices Shane, he asks what he is doing there. April replies that Shane is a judge and that she talked to him about her father. Jeremy says that her father was doing the right thing for this town and that they all died heroes.
Damon again approaches Shane for the name of another hunter. Shane says that there is no other name and that at any given moment there are five hunters in existence and most of them have no idea who they are or what their purpose is, which means that finding more than one in a lifetime is more than impossible, before walking away. Damon stops him before he can get further and tells him that he has five seconds to give him another name. Shane tells him that even if they complete the map, the thing that there are looking for is covered by a spell, which only a certain kind witch can perform. Damon asks what kind of witch and starts to twist Shane's hand. Damon realises that they need a Bennett witch and Shane points out that none of this matters until Bonnie is back in control of her powers and Bonnie trusts Shane to help her get there. Damon lets go of Shane who excuses himself.
It's time to crown Miss Mystic Falls and of course it's April Young. Elena spots Jeremy moving through the crowd as Caroline crowns April. Elena follows him and asks where he has been, when she notices Jeremy is holding a stake. Jeremy stands and says that Connor was right and all he can think about is killing vampires. Elena tells Jeremy that he is nothing like Connor. Jeremy professes that he doesn't want to hurt Elena but everything inside him, is telling him to drive the stake through her heart. Elena asks why he would says that and Jeremy reminds her that she is a vampire. Elena reaches for Jeremy's hand and sees that it is covered in blood and her eyes change. Elena pushes Jeremy away but when she believes that he is hurt, Elena leans over Jeremy only to get staked through the neck. Matt enters the room and tells Jeremy that he doesn't want to do this and that Elena is his sister. When Jeremy tells him to get out of there, Matt says that he is human and that he shouldn't hurt Elena. Stefan shows up and takes Jeremy off of Elena and pulls the stake out.
Hayley and Tyler are sharing a drink. It turns out that Hayley is adopted and that her parents found out the night that she did about her being a werewolf. Tyler wants to know why Hayley is chatting up Shane and Hayley says that Shane is hot and smart. Once again, Klaus and Caroline catch Tyler's attention. Klaus is telling Caroline about a hummingbird who made him think about being human. Tyler is not impressed and says that the sooner they get rid of him the better.
Elena is making her way across the Lockwood property, intent on finding Jeremy but Stefan stops and says that this is his fault and that when a hunter kills a vampire, that the urge to keep killing gets stronger. Elena asks if Jeremy has been with him and if he made Jeremy kill a vampire. Stefan replies that they need the map to get the cure. Elena responds angrily "if getting my humanity back means stripping Jeremy of his, then I don't want the cure." Stefan argues that "he is the only way to fix all of this." Elena replies, "me, you mean me. You don't have to love me like this. This is who I am now. The old Elena died when she went off that bridge. Let her go." Damon approaches but stops a few feet away from Stefan and Elena.
Back at home, Jeremy is packing a bag. Matt asks what he is doing and Jeremy replies, "I can't keep living her if I am going to kill my sister." Matt tells him that Elena knows that and that is why she moved out and asked him to move in. Matt points out that he is not a vampire, and will keep an eye on him and keep the hunter business in check.
Elena shows up bags packed at the Salvatores and says that she can't stay at home anymore when Damon opens the door. Stefan tell her to pick a room and says that he will crash somewhere else.
Tyler goes to check on the hybrid and tells her that they are one step closer to ending this. He then texts Hayley to inform her that the sire bond is broken. Hayley however is with the professor and tells him that they have another one. Shane says that they are almost ready. Hayley says that she wants to leave Tyler out of this when it all goes down and Shane says that they will talk when they have broken the last hybrid. Okay, I didn't see that coming at all. It's nice to know that Hayley is there for more than just relationship angst between Caroline and Tyler.
Damon brings Elena a drink and they toast each other for having brothers who both want to kill them. Elena says that she is not so great at this vampire thing but Damon replies that he has not seen her more alive. Elena says that the dance they did reminded her of when they danced together and that she wanted to dance with him today. Damon stand up and holds out his hand. The two begin to dance. Over at Caroline's, Stefan is drinking and says that Elena is right and that he needs to let go. Caroline encourages Stefan not give up but Stefan reminds her that Elena looked him in the eye and said that he should move on. Caroline says that Elena is lost and asks Stefan to promise to keep looking for the cure. Stefan replies that it doesn't matter, because Klaus won't let him stop looking because he needs Elena to make more hybrids. Caroline says that Klaus is going to need them because Tyler has almost all of them unnsired. Caroline sits up suddenly and says oh my God. Elena and Damon share a kiss. Caroline points out that Klaus told her that she would figure out Elena's obsession with Damon and that every time Elena's had a problem that Damon had been the magic solution. The kiss between Elena and Damon gets steamy and Elena starts ripping of Damon's clothing. Caroline surmises that because Damon's blood made Elena a vampire that she is sired to him.
I know that this show is aimed at a YA audience but the degree of angst for the sake of angst is beyond annoying. Must everyone be in a relationship drama? Of course Elena couldn't leave behind the musty Stefan for the far more interesting Damon. It had to be the woo woo. Though I have to say for the record that two men, well over the age of 100 lusting after a teenage girl with the sense of a concussed penguin is skeevy. The terrible thing about the removal of Elena's agency by the sire bond is that because they have given the character the common sense of a cabbage it makes sense. This is the woman who decided to go into an area packed with werewolves on the night of the full moon remember. It makes it so much harder to see the loss of her agency as a terrible thing.
Did anyone feel slightly skeevy watching that scene between Elena and Damon? I know that they were acting but it still felt like something we are not meant to see given that Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev are actually dating? It was certainly a far more passionate scene than either actor has had with others on the show.
Though Bonnie is in the plot box, we know that it will be a short visit because once again the White people need a Bennett witch to do something for them. Would it really be that hard to give Bonnie her own interesting storyline, without constantly having her in the service of the White folks? Throwing in that token Black contestant at the Miss Mystic Falls pageant further irritated me. They keep putting Black people in the crowd scenes, as though we won't notice that they are ridiculous attempts at faux inclusion. It was made worse by the fact that of course April won.
