The Vampire Diaries RECAP 5/16/13: Season 4 Finale “Graduation”

The Vampire Diaries RECAP 5/16/13: Season 4 Finale “Graduation”

Our favorite show THE VAMPIRE DIARIES returns tonight with another new episode called, “Graduation.” On tonight’s show Elena (Nina Dobrev) makes a decision about the Salvatore brothers and faces an epic confrontation with Katherine (Nina Dobrev). Finally, Stefan (Paul Wesley) discovers a horrifying clue to the mystery surrounding Silas on tonight’s season 4 finale.  Did you watch last week’s episode?  We did, and you can get up to date before tonight’s show, here!

On last week’s show as Graduation Day approached, Caroline tried to distract Elena by focusing on simple tasks like sending out announcements, but Elena would not be swayed from her new obsession. Sheriff Forbes called Damon and Stefan to the hospital, where someone had been attacking patients. Still trying to force Katherine to help her, Bonnie refused to give up on her plan to defeat Silas. As a violent wind storm caused a power outage in Mystic Falls, ghosts suddenly appear – some with good intentions and some bent on revenge.

On tonight’s show on Graduation Day, Mystic Falls is overrun with ghosts intent on settling old scores and fulfilling their supernatural destinies. Damon’s (Ian Somerhalder) life is in danger after a ghostly encounter, while Matt (Zach Roerig) and Rebekah (Claire Holt) join forces to battle a ghost determined to find the cure.

As everyone gathers for the graduation ceremony and the ghosts converge, help comes from an unlikely hero. Caroline (Candice Accola) receives a touching and unexpected graduation present, and Bonnie’s (Kat Graham) plan leads to the closing of the veil. Elena (Nina Dobrev) makes a decision about the Salvatore brothers and faces an epic confrontation with Katherine (Nina Dobrev). Finally, Stefan (Paul Wesley) discovers a horrifying clue to the mystery surrounding Silas. Chris Grismer directed the episode written by Caroline Dries & Julie Plec.

The Vampire Diaries Season 4 finale “Graduation” airs at 8PM tonight on the CW and we will be live blogging it will all the up-to-the-minutes. So come back to this spot and spend the evening with us enjoying the show! Make sure to refresh often to get the most current update!

Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page for Updates

It’s graduation day in Mystic Falls. The chairs are lined up and Kohl is at the mic. He’s addressing the 12 hybrids and 12 witches who have been brought back when the veil was lifted. They’ve got revenge on their minds.

You Give Love a Bad Name is blaring and Lexie and Stefan are enjoying a dance and a drink. Damon comes in and Lexie attacks! Stefan tells his brother it’s his karma to deal with but Lexie lets him go because she doesn’t want to waste her little bit of time on him.

Damon tells Stefan he should get with the saving the town program and Stefan mocks him. So Damon takes a swig and asks him what he thinks went wrong with Bonnie. Caroline calls and Bonnie doesn’t bother to tell her she’s dead, only that there’s a problem getting the veil back up.

Bonnie thinks they should cancel graduation but Caroline says no. She cracks a hell freezing over job that Bonnie doesn’t find funny. Her Grams tells her to go to graduation and says she’ll make sure no one finds her body.

Alaric is hanging with Elena and Jeremy eating junk food and swigging booze. She’s so happy to be back with them. Alaric is happy to see her smiling and she tells him she’s done some terrible things. Jeremy tells her no tears because they only have until tonight. Elena tells them that she’s just glad to be feeling something. E gets a call from the grill and it’s Connor – the vamp hunter that Elena took out!

Rebekah’s ex – vamp hunter Alexander – is looking for weapons. She begs him to let her and Matt go. He tells her she can go, but Matt is standing on a bomb. He tells her he’s there to fulfill his destiny. There’s a knock at Damon’s door and he opens it only to get shot in the chest by an Irishman who says he’s got a message from Qetsiyah!

And then Connor tells Elena that if she doesn’t do what he wants, he’s going to kill off all the family members lunching in the grill in town for graduation. The shooter is an old enemy of Damon’s that he had killed back in the day. Seems that Qetsiyah sent him there to get the cure to take out Silas. Too bad Stefan kills him on the spot…

Elena promises Connor she’ll bring him the cure but Alaric comes in and threatens Connor for threatening his 18 year old ward. Connor tells him that 18 year old girl broke his neck and Alaric tells him he’s the one that taught her to snap necks! Whoops… Connor tells him to back off and shows him the C4 vest he’s wearing. Alaric tells him the grill is his bar and he’s not blowing it up. Connor palms the trigger and Alaric grabs him and takes off – they make it most of the way out before Connor triggers the blast – most of the grill is spared…

Alexander mocks Rebekah as she considers how she can save Matt. Matt tells her to ignore him and tell him about her plans. She tells him she’ll show him life as he’s never lived it. She promises to show him Italy, the Louvre, the Great Wall, the Northern Lights. She tells him they’re alive and won’t be stuck as miserable ghosts. Alexander tries to trigger the balance bomb, but Rebekah hangs on tight to him.

Katherine comes to see Bonnie about her promised immortality. She’s pissed off and wants her promised prize. She tells Bonnie she’s going to kill Elena if she doesn’t get what she wants because she’s sick of Elena living better than her. Bonnie tells her she’s going to crush her skull and K says bring it but then some grads come in.

Elena comes to talk to Damon and he offers her the cure. He tells her to take it and drink it. She tells him they’ve got to give it to the hunters. She hands it back and says she can’t. He says he wants her to and she refuses. Damon says that means the sire bond is definitely gone. Jeremy steps in and Damon asks for his help. Jer tells her that he loves her and he’ll support what she chooses. Damon tells him he’s the bane of his existence.

Lexie and Stefan are debating what will happen when the veil goes back up. She asks him what he thinks about Elena and the cure. He says he doesn’t want to weigh in. He tells her the big issue is that the sire bond is gone and her switch is back on and Elena needs to figure out who she wants. He tells her that Elena is the love of his life and he would have her in a heartbeat. Stefan says he needs to know the truth.

Just then dead Irish guy comes back to life. Damon winces and Elena tells him to take off his shirt. The wound from the bullet isn’t healing – it was laced with werewolf venom. Elena freaks and says they need Klaus but Damon says he’s 1000 miles away. Jeremy suggests the cure and Elena tells him to take it. But instead Damon tosses it to undead Irish guy and tells him they should go dig up Silas. They head out!

Damon takes Irish dude to the bottomless lake where he dumped Silas. He demands to know exactly where Silas is. Damon tells him he’s going to need some SCUBA gear.
Meanwhile Rebekah and Matt are playing seesaw trying to keep him alive. He tells her he’s got the death ring on so maybe if she detonates it so he dies by supernatural means, he might live. Rebekah kisses him and while she does, she pushes him off the bomb. He’s free! She tells him she can’t be killed and he can’t miss graduation. She steps off the bomb and it blows up Alexander, the RV and half the parking lot.
Elena is freaking and Stefan tells her that they’ve got to keep the hunters away because they’ve still got Silas’ body because they haven’t had time to bury it. He tells her that Damon’s taking the guy on a wild goose chase. She’s freaking about the poison bullet in Damon and he tells her it was just a little toxin so they have time. He tells her if he has to he’ll go beg Klaus himself to save Damon.

Jeremy brings in Elena’s robes and hat and says she has to go to graduation. She says she doesn’t want to go. He says their parents would freak if she missed it. He tells her he’ll go and hang at the back with Lexie. He insists and she caves.

At graduation, Caroline calls Klaus and says he has to come save Damon. Matt shows up and then Elena and Bonnie. They’re all together for graduation. E hugs Bonnie and thanks her for today (having her brother back). Bonnie tears up. They talk college and Elena says she never applied. Bonnie says she’s happy they’re all there. Stefan’s there in his robe too but refuses the group hug.

The ceremony starts! The first name is called and the diplomas are being handed out. Bonnie’s dad calls her name and gives her the diploma, hugs her and says he’s proud. She tells him thank you for everything and then he moves onto the next name. Matt’s got his! Then Caroline! Elena’s name is called and she gets hers too!

But then Kohl is there behind Bonnie whispering in her ear. He tells her he spent the night crawling out of a cement grave. He points to all of the 24 recently revived hybrids and witches sitting all around among the students. Kohl tells her he doesn’t want her to put the veil back up – he wants it all the way down so they can stay alive! And he’s ready to make mayhem if he doesn’t get his way…

Kohl and Bonnie head under the school to the caverns and she shows him her corpse. She tells him she’s a ghost and she wants the same things he wants. She says she doesn’t want to be beyond the veil with unfinished business. He tells her they should do it together but then realizes she’s trapped him in one of her magic invisible boxes. He asks her what she’s doing and she tells him he’ll be trapped until she brings the veil back up. He asks her why and she says we don’t always get what we want.

Damon’s with Irish guy who realizes he’s been mislead and then he shoots Damon twice more with the werewolf–tinged bullets. He takes aim and says once more and he’ll die. But then Alaric kills the dude and chunks him in the lake (BTWs – the Irish guy’s name is Vaughn…). Alaric calls Stefan and tells him Damon won’t take the cure and Vaughn could be revived any time. Alaric asks him if he wants him to force feed Damon the cure or what.

Just then, all the vampires wince and go down. One of the witches is doing the vamp ultrasound noise thing until… her head is lopped off! Klaus did a cool move with a graduation hat and decapped her – then he tells the other witches that there are plenty of those to go around… Caroline smiles – she’s happy to see him for once.

Elena comes in to find Damon getting dressed and asks if he feels better. Elena slaps him hard. Stefan smiles and says he taught her that. Guess Klaus donated some all-curing blood. Elena asks for a word with Stefan and they leave.

Lexie sits by Alaric and they chat about the other side. She tells him there must be something else since Silas was looking for it. She thinks once they serve enough time on the other side for all the bad things they’ve done, that they’ll be released.

Elena thanks Stefan for sticking by her when she was so bad – for believing that she was still there. He tells her he owed her one. Elena takes a deep breath and hands him the cure. She tells him she doesn’t want it. She says the only person worse at being a vampire than her is him. She tells him deserves a real life and he deserves the cure. She closes his hand over it.

Back at the stadium, Caroline asks Klaus how he got there so fast. He says he got her graduation invitation and was on his way anyway. He tells her he was going to get her a first class ticket to new Orleans but knew she wouldn’t take it. He tells her that her gift is Tyler’s freedom from his death threat. He says that even though Tyler is her first love, he’s going to be her last – and that he’ll wait no matter how long it takes. He kisses her cheek. Awww!!!! Gotta love Klaus…

Elena finds Damon in front of the fire. He tells her he wanted to apologize and then says he’s not sorry. She asks if he thought she’d be okay if he would rather die than be human. He tells her that he’s selfish and makes bad choices. He tells her that he would rather die than have just a few years with her before he died as a human. He tells her there’s so many reasons he’s not good enough for her. She tells him she’s not sorry that she met him and made her question herself and that in death made her feel most alive. She says her choice may be bad, but she’s in love with him. She says I love you Damon and he goes to her and kisses her passionately…

Stefan stares and Lexie comes on him – he was eavesdropping on Elena and Damon. He’s devastated. Lexie takes his hand.

Stefan brings Silas’ wrapped corpse to his car and tells Damon he’s going to bury him in the quarry. He tells Damon that Lexie will help him and he can say. Stefan tells him he’s not happy about Elena, but he’s not not happy for him. So he’s happy for Damon! Damon thanks him.

Jeremy comes to find Bonnie and she tells him she’s got to close the veil. He tells her he’s ready but wanted to be with her when it happened. He tells her he left Elena a letter and that he’s ready.
Alaric is waiting for Damon and smiles at him and says “you got the girl” and tells him not to screw it up. Damon tells him that with him looking over his shoulder, he won’t.
Stefan and Lexie are driving and talking about where Stefan should go. She tells him he should start living his life. He asks her what if Elena was “the one.” She tells him there are multiples ones especially for vampires. She tells him to let go of Elena so he can find another. He tells her he’s never been to Portland. But then Lexie’s gone and he’s so sad.

Elena’s looking for Bonnie and Jeremy, but instead she finds Kohl and he attacks. As he goes for the death blow, he disappears. Veil’s back up!! But then Katherine’s there with murder on her mind.

Bonnie and Jeremy stand together and she tells him it’s almost closed. He tells her has a million things to say to her, but none of them right. She kisses him and tells him not to say anything. The lights go out and he’s gasping for breath. He’s really alive! Bonnie saved him. She didn’t think the spell worked but it did. He’s amazed and goes to touch her and realizes he can’t feel her. She reminds him he can see ghosts and he screams “no” – horrified that she’s dead.

She tells him to tell Elena and Caroline that’s she’s spending the summer with her mom. She doesn’t want to ruin their summer knowing she’s dead – not yet. She promises him she’ll be okay and she walks off arm in arm with her Grams.

Rebekah comes to see Matt to check on him. She tells him if he doesn’t like the plans they were making, she won’t hold him to them since they were under duress. He tells her he has to keep his love life low vampire. She gives up and walks away. But he stops and tells her that what happens on the road stays on the road. He tells her he’s ready to start living and she owes him and he wants her to show him how! She’s thrilled.

K is beating the crap out of Elena and tells her she’s having a bad day. She’s mad because of everything Elena has had – graduations, proms, everything. Elena reminds her that K killed her brother and she agrees that was nasty. K goes to stake Elena and says she’s going to have everything. K jabs a wooden pole through Elena’s neck. Elena has a flashback to when she gave Stefan the cure.

He tells her that the choice to be a vampire will always be hers. As K goes for the kill, Elena pulls out the cure bottle and shoves it in Katherine’s mouth!! K collapses and Elena tells her to have a nice human life and walks away.

Stefan can’t find the body in the bag – Silas is standing there in Elena’s form. He’s shocked and can’t believe it since he was turned to stone. Silas tells him when Bonnie died, the stone spell broke. He tells him that he was the original immortal and has always had a backup spell. Silas asks him if he has any idea what it’s like to starve for 2000 years. He turns himself into Stefan’s likeness – tosses Stefan into the safe and then into the water in the quarry! Stefan is pounding on the metal box as he sinks deep, deep into the water!

Okay – cliffhanger recap –

Katherine is human!
Silas is now Stefan.
Matt and Rebekah are gone on vacay together.
Jeremy’s alive, Bonnie is dead.
WOW!