Klaus is busy painting a giant snowflake as his donation to the winter wonderland charity event. Adrian shows up and Klaus tells him to deliver the painting, but Adrian is not at all impressed with being ordered about. Adrian grabs the painting and leaves, as Stefan quips, "Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves." Really? Who exactly thought that this was a great line considering that the writers constantly write scenes which praise the antebellum south, have referred to Bonnie's great grandmother as a handmaiden rather than a slave, and have refused to admit that the old Lockwoood property was a plantation? If they are going to invoke slavery they need to follow that up with some decent racial inclusion and at the very least end the high praise of the antebellum south that The Vampire Diaries constantly engages in. Stefan tells Klaus that Elena is sired to Damon and Klaus says that he retrieved the hunters sword from Italy. When Stefan questions whether or not Klaus actually found the sword, Klaus grabs it from his vault.
Adrienne goes to see Tyler to complain about having to continue to serve Klaus, though he is no longer bonded to him. Haylee tells them all that she has found a witch who is going to save all of their lives. Tyler heads off to the fair to see Caroline, where he tells her that Haylee found a witch to move Klaus into a different body and then they plan to bury the body in concrete. Tyler says, "this started with me and it has to end with me," as a way of justifying why he has agreed, to let Klaus take up residence in his body again.
Jeremy is splitting wood at the cabin, when Elena and Damon pull up. Bonnie walks out to Jeremy and takes the axe away from him. Bonnie and Jeremy then walk towards the cabin door, which Shane opens. Damon is surprised to see Shane and Elena admits that she invited him. When Elena and Damon arrive at the door, she tells Jeremy that this is his house now and that he has to invite her in. The moment Elena enters, Jeremy pulls out a stake and attempts to kill her.
Caroline calls Stefan to say that she is in a crises. Stefan tells Caroline that Klaus' sword decodes Jeremy's tattoo. Caroline asks if Klaus handed over the sword and says that they need to get their hands on the sword because the hybrids are taking out Klaus that night.
Caroline is looking at Klaus' painting and tells him that there is something lonely about it When he offers her champagne, she says no because there are too many adult prying eyes and that she doesn't want to end up as a cautionary tale at the next town meeting. Klaus answers, "it's a good thing that highschool is almost over." Caroline changes her mind about the drink and then moment Klaus leaves to get it for her, she texts Stefan to let him know that Klaus is officially distracted? How many times is Klaus going to fall for this? He is supposed to be an original vampire, how silly can he be to keep falling for the same distraction?
Stefan is on the phone with Damon, while he is searching Klaus' home. Of course, Stefan now cannot find the sword. Damon tells him to kill Tyler before he gets to Klaus or tell Klaus about the hybrids, so that he will kill Tyler. Stefan replies that no one is killing Tyler and asks where Elena is today. Damon says that Elena is running around trying to reprogram Jeremy and then lies about breaking the sire bond.
Jeremy is tied to a chair and candles are lit. Shane says that he is teaching Jeremy to have his subconscious recognise Elena as someone he loves. Shane instructs Elena to talk to Jeremy and so she talks about the memories they have associated with the vacation house. Elena tells Jeremy that their parents would have wanted them to stick together and fight for each other no matter what. When Shane asks Jeremy how he feels about Elena, he says, that she is not even his real sister and is the reason why everyone that he has ever cared about his died. Seriously, Elena may not have liked the sound of that but it's the absolute truth and so it's too bad they had to make his comments all about the mark. Jeremy vows to kill Elena, even if it means he dies himself.
Stefan shows up at the festival and admits to Caroline that he didn't find the sword and that they now have to convince Tyler to call off his plan. What Stefan does not realise is that Tyler heard every word. Tyler makes it clear that this is not going to happen. Tyler is not impressed that Caroline told Stefan about what happened. Stefan asks for more time, but Tyler points out that every minute that goes by, the hybrids are at risk and adds that Stefan and Klaus have already served up a hybrid for Jeremy to kill. For those who don't remember, the name of the hybrid in question was Chris and it's telling that the writers didn't use the name they gave him, considering he is yet another Black character to die needlessly on this show. In fact, Chris died specifically to turn Jeremy into a special snowflake like his sister. Tyler tells Stefan that he does not owe him anything. When Tyler turns to leave, he is confronted by Stefan, who says that he can't let him do that. Caroline calls Stefan to get his attention because they are now surrounded by hybrids. Tyler says, "I'm sorry man, but you don't have a choice."
Back at the cabin, Elena and Damon are sitting outside. Elena is upset because the plan to reprogram Jeremy didn't work and says, "I shouldn't have put this much home into reprogramming someone's mind. If it were that easy, then you and I wouldn't be in this situation." She put hope into this because she has spent years deleting Jeremy's memories in order to control him, but let's not talk about that uncomfortable little fact. Damon does not answer and so Elena goes on to talk about how the last time she was at this cabin, she was deeply in love with Stefan. Elena asks if her lack of memory is about the sire bond, or because she is happy to be there with Damon.
Tyler decides that it is time to secure Caroline and Stefan to stop them from interfering. Stefan tries to tell Tyler that he doesn't know what is going on, but Tyler says that he knows that this about the cure. It seems that when a hybrid is cured of being a vampire, that they go back to being a werewolf, which means turning on every full moon. When Caroline begins to beg, Tyler replies, "I thought you were on my side, that's all I wanted."
Inside the cabin, Jeremy is looking at pictures of happier times. Bonnie enters the room to tell Jeremy that Shane wants to try again. Damon quickly follows and suggests, "professor Shane has been dipping into the magical herbs a little too much, if he thinks using a vampire to suppress the need to kill another one is going to work on a hunter. It's like dangling a cheeseburger in front of someone on a master cleanse." Damon instructs Jeremy to find someone else to attach his warm and fuzzy feelings to and Jeremy says that he feels that way about Bonnie.
Shane goes out to see Elena and says that Damon is very intuitive and that it was a good idea to use Bonnie as Jeremy's emotional touch zone. Shane then brings up Elena's relationship with Damon and says that in all his world travels, the one spell he has not been able to figure out, is how to stop someone from loving too much. Shane reveals that his wife and son have died and he is trying to figure out a way not to miss them. Damon approaches and asks why he shouldn't kill Shane and why Shane is looking for the cure. Shane says that he can tell Damon where to find it and that though the sword will lead them there, he can as well because he has already been there.
Back at the winterfair, Carol gives April her Miss Mystic Falls duties. Yes, I am rolling my eyes. Carol and Tyler share a drink and he sits her down to tell her what is going on. All Carol can say is that Tyler will miss graduation and then admits that this is a ridiculous thing to worry about. Tyler says that he is the alpha and that the hybrids are depending on him to help them. Carol suggests that Tyler do what he has to do and that his father would be proud because Tyler is a leader of people like his dad. Tyler thanks his mother and the two embrace.
Elena is back in the cabin holding a rock and Damon asks if the rock is the same one from Shane's exhibit. Shane says that there was a witch named Silas, who loved a girl and wanted to be with her forever. Silas and his best friend made an immortality spell and then his friend got jealous and killed Silas' girl before he had a chance to make her immortal. Cursed to eternity without his true love, Silas found a way to reverse the spell but before he had a chance to take it, his former friend buried underground, leaving him and the cure to rot. "Human blood is the life force of an immortal. No more immortality no more need for human blood. If you dig up Silas you have your cure," Shane says.
Stefan and Caroline are still being held captive by Haylee, when Stefan gets a call from Damon saying that he has found the answer to the cure. Stefan gets off the phone and tells Haylee that they don't need the sword.
Back at the cabin, Shane shows Damon and Elena a completed hunters mark. Elena asks what's in it for him and Shane says that he is in this for Silas because up until that point, he has only been a myth. When Damon questions this as a motive, Shane asks, "would you rather be the guy who writes about Noah's ark, or the one who sails it down the river?" Shane promises that when Jeremy's hunters mark is complete that he will take them to Silas.
Caroline confronts Tyler after she has been released. Tyler tells her that he is not going to fight about this anymore and Caroline suggests that they push Klaus into Rebekah's body, thus killing two original vampires with one stone. Haylee says it's too late to change the plan but Tyler instructs Caroline to call Bonnie to make sure it will work. Haylee texts that they have a problem and that the plan is falling apart to Shane, who texts back, "fix it."
Bonnie is still working on Jeremy when she gets a call from Caroline, who asks if they put Klaus' essence into Rebekah's daggered body, if he will stay down. Bonnie says that it should work and asks if they need her help. When Bonnie admits that both Elena and Damon are there, Caroline is not impressed. Caroline turns and tells Haylee that Bonnie said it would work but as Caroline is leaving the room, Haylee snaps her neck.
Elena is gathering holiday decorations and tells Damon that she believes that Shane is going to get them through this. Damon says that he believes that Shane blew up 12 people at the Young farm. Shane enters the room and says Damon is back to the false accusation part of their relationship. Shane admits that he had contact with Young, because Young wanted help to deal with his depression.
Jeremy enters the room and with a stake in his hand. Bonnie instructs Elena not to run. Shane tells Jeremy to remember the detour and choose the right path. Jeremy then hands the stake to Damon and hugs Elena. Shane checks his phone and sees that he has another text from Haylee who says, "I'll fix it, you'll have your twelve."
Stefan shows up at the winter festival and approaches Klaus, who wants to know where he has been all day. Klaus points out that Stefan has been dodgy and Caroline has been lovey, which reads as a tool of distraction. Thanks goodness the writers have recognized that using the same ploy repeatedly is tried and old. Stefan admits that he broke into the safe to find the sword and Klaus says that he has been on his side the entire time and wants to know Stefan wants. Stefan admits that he found Klaus' letters and so Klaus asks if keeping the letters is really so different than writing their names on a wall. Klaus says, "loneliness, that's why you and I memorialize our dead. There's the briefest of moments before we kill where we hold their life in our hand and then we rip it. Gathering other people's letters or writing their names on the wall is a reminder that in the end we are left ultimately alone." Klaus then walks away and joins Adrienne. I have to say that once again, Joseph Morgan did the best acting of an episode. They used to give Damon meaty things like this to do but since he is now in love with Elena, all we get is angst and Ian Somerhalder's three facial expressions.
April walks into the bathroom and finds a dead Caroline. She takes her pulse and starts to scream for help. Caroline suddenly stands up and asks if April has seen Haylee and then she gets on the phone and leaves a message for Stefan's, "about that little werewolf slut," and instructs him to make sure that Rebekah's body is still there. Caroline then uses her power to erase Haylee's memory, before walking out. Yet another pause. Is there any reason for Caroline to use a word like slut to describe Haylee's betrayal? That word absolutely has no place and get that Caroline is a judgmental character but this didn't even make sense and it was sexist.
When Caroline leaves the bathroom, she runs into Matt, who says that Stefan is looking for her and that Adrienne is leading Klaus to the cellar. Caroline asks, "how come the only time April Young isn't following you around like a lost puppy is when I'm lying dead with a broken neck?" Matt is shocked that April saw her and Caroline brushes it off because she compelled her but Matt says that April is wearing Jeremy's vervain bracelet and cannot be compelled.
Tyler is at the festival and he calls his mother to say that things have changed and that he will pick her up later. When Tyler sees Haylee, he asks what she is doing there because she is supposed to be taking the witch to the cellar. Haylee then admits that there is no witch and that she made it up. "I never intended to put Klaus down, I needed him for the sacrifice," Haylee adds. In the meantime, Klaus has ripped out Adrienne's heart and is using his new sword to slay the hybrids. Haylee says that she made a deal with someone who could help her find her family and that there needed to be 12 for the sacrifice. Tyler asks what she did and Haylee answers "if you run now, you might make it out alive." Tyler runs out. Klaus pauses for a moment covered in blood and then he walks into the cellar and stalks down Kim asking where Tyler is. When Kim answers that she does not know, Klaus kills her. All of this killing is being done to Oh Holy Night of all things. I have to say that the music in the background adds a really creepy edge to this scene.
Back at the cabin, Damon watches as Elena, Bonnie and Jeremy go through the decorations box. Elena waves Damon over and when he does not move, she gets up and goes to him. Elena holds a mistletoe over Damon but he says that he cannot. Elena replies, "Damon you cannot keep telling me that this isn't real. I know how I feel and that you feel it to, so stop fighting it." Damon tells her that it is good to see her all normal with her brother and that he wants that for her. Damon admits that he was supposed to do the right thing and send her away and says that he is going to do this right now. Damon tells Elena that she is going to go home and that he is going to stay here with Jeremy, teach him how to hunt and protect him. Elena begs him, but Damon says that he is setting her free and that this is what he wants and what will make him happy.
Caroline is pacing around the Salvatore house saying that this is a disaster. Stefan says that he thought he would be happier to watch Klaus get lead away to the slaughter but for some reason he feels guilty. Caroline admits that she has spent the entire day trying to remind herself of all of the horrible things that he has done. Stefan admits that they have all done horrible things and asks what makes them any better than Klaus. Stefan says the only difference is that they have family they can trust. Caroline says that he is right and that trust is everything. She asks if he has heard from Damon and asks if he mentioned where Elena was. Stefan asks why she is asking and then realises that Damon and Elena are together. Stefan asks how together Damon and Elena are but Caroline does not answer.
At the cabin, Jeremy thanks Bonnie and then hugs her. Damon escorts Elena out to the car. Elena says, "I was ready to fight you on this but suddenly every part of my body is telling me I need to get into this car and leave you." Damon tells Elena to do it and she kisses him and he opens the car door for her.
At the Salvatore house, Stefan is throwing things around in anger. Tyler walks into the woods and sees all of the dead hybrids. What he does not know is that in the cave, April is hiding and has seen the bodies. April walks over and opens a coffin to find Rebekah lying there.
Carol is still at the festival and she calls Tyler reminding him that he was supposed to be her sober cab. Klaus approaches still covered in blood and says that he is looking for Tyler. Carol begs Klaus not to hurt Tyler because he is her son and is all she has. Klaus points out that Carol is all Tyler has and that there is a beautiful symmetry to that. Klaus suddenly grabs Carol and drowns her in the fountain.
At this point, I think they should just put Stefan and Caroline together as a couple because they are both self-centered, self righteous and seem to exist to judge people. As far as I am concerned, neither one of them is really likeable.
As far as things that don't make sense, if Shane already has a completed hunter's mark, why does Jeremy still need to complete his so that Shane can lead them to the correct location? They need to get the facts straight on this one.
I don't like the sire bond but I also don't like Damon denying Elena's feelings. He was told that a bond would not exist if the vampire didn't love her maker before she was turned. They should have found a way to break the bound without discounting Elena's emotions. The degree to which all of this has been problematic in terms of agency is stunning.
Also, how are Jeremy and Bonnie suddenly so friendly. Yes, he never stopped caring about her, but it's not cool to have Bonnie not point out or remember that he stepped out on her with two different women. It angers me that after being hurt like that, Bonnie is again so willing to set aside her pain to deal with the White folks. Up yeah, can we ever put Bonnie first?
Well, The Vampire Diaries is officially on hiatus until January. What did you think of the first half of the season?
