The Vampire Diaries Review: On His Chest is a Map of the World

Let’s be real, it has been far too long since the last decade dance in Mystic Falls, and with Caroline out this week, Bonnie’s forced to fill in during her dance committee obligations. But, she’s got some family trouble brewing at home. Meanwhile Stefan and co. are eager to help Jeremy kill Kol, but first have to make sure they can dagger Rebekah before she can interfere. But, will his new feelings for the original sister get in the way? And is Klaus ready for some quality fratricide?

Bonnie’s dad is a major buzzkill. Not only does the new mayor and long absentee father of Mystic Falls’ resident witch cancel the decade dance minutes into the episode, but he also put vervain in the town water supply and institutes a town curfew and wants Bonnie home for an inaugural family meeting. She’s attacked by Kol at the school, and more than holds her own with him before getting away.

When she gets home, he’s taken her cell phone, keeping her from receiving any calls from Jeremy, who needs her help to hold Kol and get the white oak stake. With Shane in jail, Bonnie feels like she’s free, but her father disagrees, seeing what destructive things her father can do. When Jeremy comes to the house to get her, he takes off thinking she’ll be following behind, but she’s knocked out by some magic dust from her mother.

Vampire Mrs. Bennett’s plan is to keep Bonnie drugged and get a crew of witches over to the house to cleanse her of the darkness Shane’s had her practicing. But, Bonnie’s not the pushover she once was, comes to, and takes them both down. She heads to the Gilbert house, too late to help with Kol, but now thanks to expression, is strong enough to take down Klaus, drawing on the new moon to trap him in the living room.

Rebekah might just catch a break. The big plan for Stefan, who wakes up in Rebekah’s bed, is to get the last dagger and ash she has, to keep her down while Jeremy kills her brother and completes her mark. Klaus interrupts his walk of shame, also after the dagger, but to keep his brother down, not dead. She of course, refuses to give it to either of them. Even Matt can’t find it, later searching through her things.

The brilliance of Rebekah is that she’s just a damaged girl whose always wanted a normal life. With her maybe final chance to go to a dance approaching, she’s sorting through a massive selection of 80s wardrobe options when Stefan lets her know it was cancelled. Still, he takes her to the set up gym anyway, rocking his playlist highly populated with Bon Jovi.

The two dance, while he texts with Matt, who sneaks into the school after Rebekah reveals she’s got the dagger in her boot, keeping it close by. In the hallway, while setting the trap, Rebekah reveals she’s kind of been on to him. The original sister hands Stefan the dagger, knowing that’s what he’s really wanted, and confesses that she wants to take the cure, go to prom, and one day maybe have some little Stefans, because no matter how much she pretends not to, she cares about the life chances that were stolen from her.

Jeremy’s mark is complete. When Kol comes knocking at the Gilbert house, Elena sends Matt off for the dagger, and Jeremy invites Kol in under the condition he gets to leave. So, Kol and Elena share a drink as she watches him play video games and he divulges what he knows about Silas. Why he wants to do this and what he gains, if anything, is not clear. But, we learn Kol ran with witches across the globe for a few centuries, and they all agreed Silas must be kept locked away, lest we all wish to experience the end of days.

Kol leaves and Jeremy returns sans Bonnie, but surprise, Kol’s at the door and hears his nice cocktail with Elena was all a ruse! He calls Klaus, telling him he’s going to kill them both out of spite because they planned to kill him. Klaus, who’s been babysitting Damon all day, who’s also been drinking the vervain water, is able to both resist Klaus’ compulsion and not reveal any details. Elena takes a support beam to the abdomen, and Jeremy gets tied to a table Dexter-style while Kol readies to remove his arms. But, the siblings get the upper hand and Jeremy is able to get the stake and take out Kol…just as Klaus arrives to watch his brother go up in flames.

The gang all reconvene at the Salvatore house, Stefan bringing the headstone from Rebekah. He’s refused to dagger her, wanting to find the cure so she can have the life she wants, even though she’s none too pleased about the murder of her brother. Damon and Stefan come to blows over their built up cross-sexual tension. After all, they’ve both slept with all of the same women at this point. Suddenly, Jeremy hulks out, gratuitously ripping off his shirt, as his mark completes. It hurts, but only for a moment. Now, we’re ready to find the cure.

This season has been something of a whimper thus far, but near the end of this episode, things have started to shift towards the better. We’re getting to the quest for the cure sooner rather than later, and maybe soon every week won’t revolve around avoid Klaus, fight Original compulsion, and dagger Rebekah.

Season 4, Episode 12: “A View to a Kill” (Originally aired January 31, 2013)

The Vampire Diaries airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.

Images courtesy of Bob Mahoney for The CW