THE VAMPIRE DIARIES RECAP: THE DEVIL INSIDE

Katherine Pierce is here to stay and I don’t like it! Will that old bat ever die?  Let’s get to the shenanigans of this episode because there were plenty of them!

We started with Katherine (acting like Elena) trying to get Matt to tell her a few things about Elena that she should know like if Elena would wear the clothes she had on and when her birthday was, you know necessary information. To get Matt to talk, she took off his vervain bracelet and compelled him to answer her questions. The last question she asked Matt was why Elena had the red streak in her hair (I think we all wondered that too).

Nadia told Katherine that Mia (the Traveler) would need Katherine’s body to make Elena’s body a permanent host for Katherine, so she was going to look for her body. Before she left she chained Katherine to a hotel bed in case Elena tried to re-gain control of her body.

Nadia went to Casa de Salvatore and asked for Katherine’s body. Damon (who had already buried Katherine in a secret location) wouldn’t give it to her. She said her mother asked to be buried with her family in Bulgaria, but Damon could care less. He said she is where she belongs and it brings him joy to know that her dying wish would not be granted.

Tyler was at his house getting his drink on early in the morning (I guess it’s 5 o’clock somewhere). Matt was on his way to work and told Tyler to clean up because he was going to give Tyler a welcome home party. He told him to invite some people over and get ready for that night.

Caroline had on her yellow rubber gloves and was stress-cleaning the heck out of her dorm room (she even cleaned the fireplace). Aaron showed up looking for Elena, but since she wasn’t there, he left a message with Caroline that he got his trust fund and cut off the Augustine’s funding and he was really sorry for everything. Aaron left and headed for his room and when he opened the door, Enzo was waiting for him.

Stefan and Caroline were talking on the phone and he asked her to help him get Elena and Damon back together. She thought it was strange that he wanted them to get back together, but he told her that Elena makes Damon happy, and a happy Damon is better than a killing people Damon is. Speaking of Elena, Stefan thought she was with Caroline, and Caroline thought Elena was with Stefan. They realized Elena lied about being at school and wondered where she was.

Elena came to and wondered why she was chained to a bed and how she got there. She thought about it and knew what Katherine had done. She broke free from the chains and reached for her phone, but Nadia stopped her. Nadia said one word and Katherine was back.

Damon and Stefan were at the grill and to Damon’s surprise Caroline met them there. Stefan told her he invited her because she agreed to help Damon get Elena back. Damon was shocked by this but decided to play along. They were starting to worry because no one had heard from Elena.

Elena’s phone was buzzing all the time and it drove Katherine crazy. Nadia knew her friends were starting to get suspicious. Katherine suggested that she go to Tyler’s party and then she could try to find out from Damon where he buried her body. Nadia thought it was too risky to be around Elena’s friends but Katherine was sure he could pull it off.

Damon came home to find Enzo there waiting for him with Aaron (still alive) in a body bag. Enzo reminded Damon about his hatred towards the Whitmores and he wanted to give Damon the chance to kill Aaron. If Damon didn’t Enzo would.

Caroline called Damon and told him that Elena (Katherine) was at the party. He knew Aaron was a friend of Elena’s and he couldn’t kill him. So he snapped Enzo’s neck and compelled Aaron to get in his car and get out of town and don’t return.

Katherine was at the party and Caroline went over to her. She was bursting to tell Elena about her romp with Klaus and she wanted Elena to tell her what a bad person she was. Katherine said, “Actually, you’re one of the least awful people I know.” Then Katherine saw Tyler coming down the stairs, and she asked Caroline for details about sleeping with Klaus. She even went as far as to ask her to compare Klaus and Tyler. Caroline refused but Tyler and his hybrid hearing heard everything and that is what Katherine wanted so she could get out of there. Scandalous! Tyler looked at Caroline and she knew he overheard.

Katherine figured out from Stefan that her body was in the tomb so she ditched the party and met Nadia and Mia at the tomb. For them to make Elena Katherine’s permanent host, they needed some of Elena’s blood. Mia took a knife with Elena’s blood on it and cut into Katherine’s body. Super gross! Elena came to and realized what was going on, so she played it cool. Mia was chanting and she knocked Mia out and staked Nadia and ran away. She tried to use her phone but there was a password on it.

Caroline went to see Tyler, who appears to have developed a drinking problem. He told her to leave. He reminded her of everyone Klaus killed including his mother. Tyler tried to scare her by pulling his wolf card but Stefan pushed him away. Tyler told Stefan that Caroline “screwed” Klaus. Stefan looked at her and she was so embarrassed, she left. Stefan looked and Tyler and punched him out anyway. He said to Tyler, “Drunk or not, she doesn’t deserve that.” Nice move Stefan.

Back at the tomb, it turns out that Elena didn’t need to be there to complete the spell. Elena was running to the party and she started to see Katherine’s memories in flashbacks. She saw Damon and ran into his arms and said Thank God! As soon as they hugged the spell was finished and Elena was Katherine. Supposedly, Elena is gone for good but this is TVD, we know there has to be a way to bring her back.

Damon looked at her and told her why he wanted Elena back. He said he gave himself too much credit by thinking he could make her a bad person. He didn’t give her enough credit and he could use some of her goodness in his life. Katherine took advantage of her position and as Elena she said she didn’t want to be the only thing he has to live for. That was a lot of pressure and she didn’t want to have to worry about what he would do if they broke up. She told him that she knew he tortured Katherine. She told Damon that he was right to let her go and it was over between them.

Tyler (who was still drunk) was hanging with Matt and pointed out it was cool that he lived in a mansion, but his parents were dead, Caroline slept with Klaus (his nemesis), and he doesn’t know what he’s going to do with his life, which will last forever. He said Klaus destroyed him in New Orleans, and he didn’t think there was anything else Klaus could do to hurt him, but he found a way with Caroline. Matt tried to comfort him.

Back at the tomb, Mia wanted to get paid since she completed the spell. Katherine killed her instead (we all saw that coming). Nadia wanted to leave town, but Katherine wasn’t going anywhere. She told Nadia she would like her to stay also, but she could do what she wanted. Katherine wanted Stefan (as well as her daughter and her immortality). He was her true love and she intended on getting him back.

Caroline was at the Salvatore Mansion. She needed a friend and Stefan was there for her. Stefan reminded her that she didn’t hold it against him when he hooked up with Katherine. Then he playfully told her “Caroline, you are a horrible person…You are thoughtless, you are shallow, you are completely undependable.  Now that I think about it, I have no idea what Klaus saw in you! What was he thinking?” It was hilarious! They both laughed and it was just what she needed to feel better. Aw Stefan!

Aaron was leaving town and there was a man lying in the middle of the road. Aaron got out of the car to see if he needed any help and it was Enzo. Damon was there and Aaron told him he thought Damon was going to let him go. Aaron asked if Elena knew he was there, and Damon said he was there because of Elena. Aaron told Damon that Elena was too good for him. Damon said he was clear about one thing- Elena thinks he’s a monster, and she’s right. Then he attacked Aaron’s neck and Aaron fell to the ground bleeding. Damon smiled revealing blood covered teeth and Enzo said that’s the Damon Salvatore he remembered.

So what do you think about this episode? Has Damon gone off the deep end for good? Is Elena really gone? When will we see Bonnie and Jeremy again? Will Tyler and Caroline get back together? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.

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