The Vampire Diaries returns from hiatus with an explosive and revealing Midseason Premiere. Everyone races for a cure as Klaus continues to spar with Caroline and Tyler. But a shocking discovery could change the game for them all. Caution! Major spoilers ahead …
Led by Professor Shane, Stefan and Damon along with Elena, Jeremy, Bonnie and Rebekah are an unlikely group heading for Silas’ tomb. Silas is like the original “Original Vampire,” and he is buried with a cure for the “affliction” of immortality. While the vampires in the group wrestle with the idea of taking the cure, Shane is obviously working towards his own agenda and is possibly being manipulated by powerful supernatural forces.
As they make the dangerous journey to find Silas, Damon is kidnapped by a member of the original Five vampire hunters. Vaughn reveals he has been following Damon and his friends for a long time, and can’t understand why his hunter’s mark has suddenly completed itself. The hunter’s marks are what will lead them to Silas’ grave, but they can’t decipher it without a key.
But that key lies with the sword currently in Klaus’ possession. Taking advantage of Klaus being bound by a Bonnie-spell in Elena’s living room, Caroline and Tyler search his home and find the sword in his attic. After examining it they discover there is a cryptex on the handle written in Aramaic. Isn’t it convenient that Klaus happens to speak the ancient language? While he translates for Caroline (and proves he can even make Aramaic sound dangerously sexy), Vaughn reveals to Damon the secret of the hunter’s mark.
The reason the cure is buried with Silas is so it can be used against him. Because of that there is only one dose and Vaughn has no intention of letting Damon or any of his friends have it. Once news spreads about the cure, alliances are put to the test as former partners become enemies. As the race to be the first one to Silas grows even more intense, the chances grow slimmer that Elena and her friends can all make it out alive.
Tonight’s episode was so action-driven that very little focus was given to advancing the Elena/Damon/Stefan subplot. Stefan reveals to Elena that he would have taken the cure whether or not they were still together and I find myself growing frustrated with this “wounded puppy” version of Stefan Salvatore. Rebekah, in all her eye-rolling, hair-flipping glory, is growing tired of it too — so at least I know I’m not alone.
I can’t help but love Joseph Morgan as Klaus, which probably speaks to the men I’m attracted to. I’ll take them hot and homicidal, please – thanks. He and Caroline’s scenes tonight give me hope that the writers are angling for a way to get these two together. There’s no word yet if Candice Accola appears in the upcoming TVD spinoff The Originals, but I’m holding out hope that eventually Klaus is going to get the girl.
While it delivered the “big reveal” of the cure being a one-dose only deal, “Down the Rabbit Hole” raises more questions than it answers. There are so many factors at play in this show; each episode is a new layer on a complicated but so far successfully addictive storyline this season. Let’s keep our fingers and toes crossed they can pull this all off.
