The Vampire Diaries: Nostalgia’s A Bitch {Recap}

Well, well, well if there ever was a fitting title of an episode, this is it. Nostalgia’s a bitch for sure! Damon is suffering, but on a good note we get to see Vicky Donavan, Sheriff Forbes, Tyler & Grams again! That was a pleasant surprise. This episode was a roller coaster of emotions and we have a lot to cover. So, you know the drill; get your wine and snacks, and let’s dig in!

Poor Damon – yes I know it’s crazy to feel sorry for him after all he has done, but no one deserves the mind torture he is going through. Damon is like a vegetable, unresponsive but his eyes were open. Caroline and Bonnie went inside his mind and it was just Damon burning in fire because he thought hell is where he belonged.

Psycho Sybil told them that she could get them inside his subconscious if they got her the bell. Caroline kind of agreed and they were off into Damon’s mind where we saw Vicky as a waitress(who never heard of Damon). Bonnie and Caroline decided to follow the clues, because they needed to find Damon (who was absent from his own mind). Caroline saw her mother and it was so touching and sweet as first, until Sheriff Forbes started torturing Caroline for being a vampire. She thought Caroline was the vampire behind all of the “animal attacks” and Caroline told her Damon was responsible, but she didn’t know who Damon was either.

Bonnie went to see Grams and convinced her to do a locater spell for Damon (she also didn’t know who Damon was and didn’t want to get involved in vampire business, but once she saw it was for Bonnie’s happiness, she gave in).

Next up in blast from the past, was Tyler! Bonnie found him in Damon’s mind and he warned her to leave. He was still bitter about Damon killing him, but we found out that in Damon’s mind he died as a human. He never became a vampire and the key to getting him back was Stefan. He needed to talk to Stefan.

While Damon’s mind games were going on, Matt and his dad were dealing with the bell. Seline told them it had to a member of his family to ring the bell and they needed to ring it 12 times for it to work and psycho Sybil would be gone and Damon would be free of her mind control. There was just one little piece of the story she left out. Yes, Sybil would die, but so would everyone else in the town. Once that 12th bell rang, the ground would open up to hell fire on a straight path to Cade and it would kill everyone in Mystic falls. Stefan found out and loved the idea so he compelled Matt to either forgive Damon for killing his sister, or ring , the bell 12 times. Oh boy – go on take a swig of that wine!

Matt didn’t want to ring the bell so he tried to get his father to kill him so he would die a hero but his father wouldn’t do it. He started kicking his father’s ass, trying to get him to react but he refused. Next thing you know, Matt got a headache and then ding! He rang the bell for the first time.

Stefan was in Damon’s mind and he assumed Damon needed his forgiveness, but he was wrong. Damon wanted to forgive Stefan for making him into the vampire he is. Stefan didn’t want to hear it. Damon went on to say that he forgave him and would always love him because he was his brother. It was very touching but ripper Stefan didn’t budge. He told Damon that if he wanted to forgive him for something, forgive him for burning down Mystic Fall and everyone in it, because that is what was about to happen.

Damon woke up from his coma-state and killed Stefan temporarily. He was not going to let him destroy Mystic Falls. Caroline and Bonnie were relieved to see Damon back.

Matt continued to ring the bell and counted each time begging his Dad to kill him. When he got to the 11th rign his father apologized and grabbed him by the neck and just as he was about to kill him, Damon showed up and saved the day. Matt fell and hit his head on the bell and Damon said “Let’s just hope that one didn’t count!” Hilarious!

Damon went to see Bonnie and from memory he recited his letter to her when he left. He told her that he didn’t want to let her for the rest of her life and that she was her best friend. His words were so sweet and Bonnie cried (and so did I ). It is so nice to see Damon back. Bonnie hugged him and they are besties again. Yay!Now they just have to work on Stefan (who they locked up in the dungeon to try to get his humanity back).

Sybil and Seline were eating at a diner discussing if they could call a truce. Enter Cade himself. *immediate chills* He sat down with them and explained that the bell rang 11 times which was enough for him to be present. Then they both starting sizzling with looks of panic on their face. Then poof, they both burst into flames! That was the end! OMG!

What did you think of this episode? What in the hell is Cade up to? Will we ever see the real Stefan again? So many questions! We will find out next Friday with an all new episode of The Vampire Diaries at 8/7c on The CW.