The Vampire Diaries: What Lies Beneath (5x20)

I... don't... know... but I'm pretty sure this episode is awesome. It seems like a callback to earlier days of the show, which is fantastic for all sorts of reasons. I mean, Season One of The Vampire Diaries had its extremely silly moments, I won't deny that, but there was something so fresh and horrific and new about it all the same. This episode had a bit of that feel. Let's talk about the plot.

Tyler awakens among the Travelers. He pretends to still be a Traveler long enough to transform into a werewolf and escape. He rushes to the Salvatore house and tells everyone the Traveler's plan to drain Stefan and Elena's blood. Damon, Stefan, Elena, and Caroline go out to Caroline's dad's cabin, bringing Luke with them to perform a cloaking spell. That way, the Travelers won't be able to find them.

While at the cabin, Caroline notices that Stefan and Elena are acting weird and thinks maybe they've gotten back together. Of course, the actual secret is about Enzo being dead. Enzo, as a ghost, discovers that he can interact with the mortal world, due to the barriers between the Other Side getting all messed up. Enzo freaks everyone out and takes Luke out of the equation, thus allowing the Travelers to track them. Damon is angry that Enzo is dead, but he doesn't suddenly lose it. He and Stefan go to find and rescue Luke, and Enzo tries to burn them by setting a shed on fire. Damon promises to help find a way to bring Enzo back, and says that if the Other Side truly falls, Enzo will stop existing all together. Enzo reluctantly lets Damon, Stefan, and Luke go without killing them.

Damon punches Stefan for killing Enzo, but says that the subject is now closed between them, and they can move forward. Damon kisses Elena, saying he had a terrible day and really needed it. Caroline admits that she's hurt that she wasn't kept in the loop about Enzo dying. Stefan says that he didn't want Caroline to think less of him for what he did.

Meanwhile, Jeremy and Bonnie try to have a date weekend, but are interrupted by all the emergent situations going on. Matt and Jeremy tie up Tyler and Tyler lets the Traveler come forward in him. The Traveler says that Markos and the others are likely going to try and make Tyler's body belong to the the Traveler permanently. Bonnie and Jeremy go to try and find the Traveler's actual body so that they can stop this from happening. However, the Travelers get there in time to take away the body and start the ritual which would permanently place a Traveler inside Tyler.

Problems?

My number one concern is this: why aren't we talking about what really happened with Enzo? Stefan didn't kill him. He killed himself! Are we supposed to forget that little detail? It was clear as day - he forced Stefan's hand inside of his body. Stefan didn't do it. Seriously.

Also, I just don't really care about Jeremy and Bonnie as a couple. I sort of forget why they even got together in the first place. Was there good development of that relationship? If there was, I can't remember it.

But now for the good stuff.

Caroline and Stefan's relationship is making me what them to be endgame more and more. I love it. The fact that Stefan wants Caroline to think well of him is... well, it's adorable.

Elena and Damon. I love that Damon is trying not to freak out and go crazy over Enzo's death, all to show Elena that he can hold himself together. I honestly don't see another way for this to go down: Damon and Elena have to be endgame. Right? In that case, I'm enjoying the buildup of Damon's (hopefully final and permanent) redemption arc.

Damon and Stefan! Stefan admitting that he was scared Damon would hate him! Damon not hating him! Damon said that if he had been Stefan he would have killed Enzo a lot sooner. Basically, Damon is admiring Stefan's restraint. Hey, Damon killed Lexi and Stefan forgave him for it eventually. It would be a bit hypocritical for Damon not to forgive Stefan now. Also while they were in the burning shed I loved how Damon told Stefan to leave, but Stefan was really hesitant to leave his brother in danger! Aww.

Tyler. Not normally a character I care much about, one way or the other. But he was a bad ass here. The werewolf transformation was awesome, as was his idea to let his body be tortured in order to find out where Markos was and what the Travelers were up to. I hope they find a way to save him!

I'll stop there. A very surprising and solid episode that reminded me of early days of this show. And we even got a game of "Never Have I Ever!"

8/10