THE VAMPIRE DIARIES returns to the CW at 8PM EST tonight for a brand new episode! In “Rescue Me,” Damon tells Elena some upsetting news about Jeremy’s personal life; Enzo opens up to Caroline about his past; Bonnie experiences an unsettling encounter with Luke; the mysterious leader of the Travelers appears after some terrifying events at a camp.
On last week’s episode Stefan tried to explain recent events to a very sick Elena, her first instinct was to call Damon. At the same time, Damon was trying to figure out how to make a disturbing confession to Elena. While going through Dr. Wes’ files, Caroline discovered a frightening secret, and was surprised when Enzo appeared, claiming to have the solution everyone was searching for. At Enzo’s insistence, Caroline asked Stefan to meet her at a mysterious location where they were joined by a group of Travelers, including Sloan, who revealed new information on the importance of doppelgangers. During spring break on a mostly deserted Whitmore campus, Elena ran into Luke, a student who seemed to know her, though she had no memory of meeting him. Did you watch tonight’s episode? We did and a lot more happened, check out our nifty we recap, here!
On tonight’s episode Markos will arrive in Mystic Falls. In order to keep Stefan (Paul Wesley) from being harmed by Sloan (guest star Caitlin McHugh) and the Travelers, Caroline (Candice Accola) and Enzo (guest star Michael Malarkey) will agree to make a trip to Atlanta to find a newly discovered doppleganger. Caroline will get surprised when Enzo opens up to her about his past. Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Elena (Nina Dobrev) will spend an awkward afternoon at Jeremy’s (Steven R. McQueen) parent-teacher conference, where they hear bad news about his behavior at school. Afterwards, Damon will reluctantly tell Elena upsetting news about Jeremy’s personal life.
You’re not going to want to miss any of the action so tune in at 8PM EST to the CW to catch the latest. We’ll be live recapping it for you right here too and in the meantime hit up our comments section and tell us your thoughts on the current season!
Tonight’s episode begins now – Refresh Page for Updates
Tom Avery, Stefa’s doppelganger, is doing his EMT thing in Atlanta while Sloan watches this through Stefan’s link. Stefan tells them what hospital to find him at and Sloan says now his friends can go kill him. Elena wakes to her phone buzzing and sees a reminder for Jeremy’s parent/teacher conference. Damon looks asleep and she starts to creep out of bed but then he tells her he’s up and has been for three hours. She says they are still bad for each other and are broken up. She tells him last night was a mistake as she dresses. He tells her they should keep making mistakes – big ones and tries to pull her back into bed. She tries to go and he blocks her and she tells him to get clothes on and that she has to go. She creeps by him and out the door.
At the diner, Sloan calls Caroline but Enzo takes the call. Sloan asks if they have found him yet and Enzo says she didn’t offer enough info to locate him. She tells him the doppelganger’s name and the hospital he works out. Caroline grabs the phone and tells her to stop using Stefan to link to him because she’s frying his brain. Sloan tells her she will give Stefan a back alley lobotomy to get what you need. Caroline threatens her life and Enzo tells her it’s hot.
Damon drinks at the bar and Tyler and Matt mock him. Damon asks Tyler if he’s a life coach now and Matt tells him to get some advice from Stefan. Damon says he can’t tell Stefan he broke up with Elena and then broke the bed with her. Damon tells them Stefan is off with Caroline and can’t help him anyway. A chick comes over and asks for a bottle of gin. Damon invites her to join him and she shuts him down cold. He gets a text, throws down some money and says he will be back to tell them all about his childhood trauma.
Jeremy sits down with the mystery gin girl and Damon smiles appreciatively. The guidance counselor tells the parents (and Elena) how parent-teacher conferences will work. While waiting, she calls Bonnie and tells her she and Damon broke up but then shagged. Bonnie is icked out a bit and asks if Jeremy knows she and Damon broke up. Bonnie wonders where Jer is since neither of them have seen him. Elena admits that also makes her irresponsible. Bonnie is distracted when Luke shows up. Bonnie tells Elena she should hook up with him and Elena reminds her that he’s into guys.
Elena sits with the counselor and tells her that she’s not on the list as his primary contact. Turns out Damon is and he has showed up for the school conference. He scoots Elena over and takes over the meeting.
Caroline and Enzo wait at the hospital for the doppelganger. She pops open a magazine and Enzo asks why she’s avoiding him – he reminds her that he delivered the cure and Caroline says she doesn’t trust him – she asks why he’s there. He says he needs a new murder buddy since Damon is doing better. Then he tells her he’s joking. He flirts and tells her that Damon says he’s Caroline’s type and tells her she reminds her of someone – Maggie that worked for the Augustines. He says Maggie reminded him that he was a good guy.
Someone from the hospital comes to tell them that Tom Avery disappeared four months ago and no one knows where he is… Hmm – that does NOT align with the visions in Stefan’s head!
Stefan comes to in a junkyard and is surprised they moved. He asks why and she reminds him they are Travelers. He recognizes the place and she says they’re waiting on Marcos – their leader. Stefan asks why they need the doppelganger blood. Caroline calls and tells her the info is bad. She asks for Stefan and she tells him Tom has been gone for months. She asks if he saw anything else and he tells her that he blacked out after the spell. Sloan says they need to go deeper and Caroline says he’s seeing old memories but then Sloan starts the spell again and Caroline stays on the phone and tries to help him. Enzo listens with interest.
We see a woman named Hazel approach Tom – a friend of a women he saved. She thanks him and asks him to dinner as a thanks. He agrees to meet her at 7 and she gives him her address. Caroline begs Stefan to say something to her and he comes to and gives her Hazel’s address and describes her. Stefan tells her that Tom is a good person and not to kill him but Sloan grabs the phone and tells her to get busy.
Damon and Elena fuss at each other while they wait for the teacher to come in. He reminds her that he was left in charge of Jeremy when she went off to Whitmore and says he had the conference on his calendar for months. Then he asks if she would want to know if Jeremy is sneaking around with another girl and tells her he saw him with Liv at the grill drinking gin this morning. Elena says he wouldn’t do that and that he’s not a cheater.
The teacher comes in and tells them Jeremy has missed 11 days of school, has been cheating at math and started three fights. Damon tells her cheating doesn’t sound like Jeremy. She asks what their living arrangement is and says he needs a stable home environment. Elena says they care and will do better. The teacher says she hopes so for Jeremy’s sake.
Enzo and Caroline come to the house and notice four months of mail has accumulated. They knock on the door and then the knob comes off in his hand and the door opens. They see Hazel kneeling on the floor and Caroline realizes they can’t come in because the homeowner is there. Enzo throws the doorknob and it crushes Hazel’s skull. She keels over dead. Caroline chews him out for killing their only lead. He reminds her he’s a murderous vampire and strides into the house since the owner is dead and they can now enter.
Bonnie stares at Luke in the common room then comes over. She asks if she can help him since he keeps looking at her. He tells her that he’s just studying. Hazel comes to her and says to Bonnie that she should tell Luke that she failed to hide the doppelganger with magic but they found them. Bonnie asks who she is and what she’s talking about. She tells her to say it’s Hazel and he’ll know the rest and then she passes through her to the other side. She tells Luke that Hazel had a message for him.
Liv casts a silencing spell so the hybrid can’t listen in. Tyler asks Matt what’s up with him and he explains that Bonnie is teaching Liv magic. Tyler says she’s weird hot – he asks Tyler what they’re talking about and he says he can’t hear them. Liv tells Jer he’s the only one she can trust since he’s a Hunter and the Travelers can’t brainwash him. She tells him Travelers are moving against witches and are coming to Mystic Falls. He asks why and she says it’s for Elena.
Liv tells him he needs to help her figure out what the Travelers are up to so he can protect Elena. She gets a text from Luke telling her that Hazel is dead and it’s time for Plan B. She gets up to leave and Jeremy asks where she’s going. She tells him that she’s got to go. Tyler tries to stop her from going and calls her a newbie witch. She flings him across the room with her power and tells him – FYI, not a newbie witch…
Elena tells her that Jer isn’t cheating and Damon tells her she always wants to believe the best in people even when it’s not true. She says he’s talking about her and not Jer and he tells her he wants to rip her clothes off in the hallway and have sex with her in a classroom while people who drive minivans listen in and wish they were them. He says it’s a bad idea and she agrees. The bell rings and he tells her he’ll see her in class.
Hazel lies dead on the floor and Enzo tells Caroline she was in a trance and couldn’t answer questions. He says he’s only doing what needs to be done to save Stefan. Caroline tells him she’s a good vampire and doesn’t just go around killing people. Enzo tells her he’s not judging her, he’s preparing her. He tells her hesitation can cost her life. She tells him this is not war and she will do almost anything to save Stefan. Then they both hear a heart beating and got to investigate.
In the basement, they find the doppelganger knocked out under an IV. They wonder why they kept him knocked out for four months and Caroline says that’s the same time that Silas – another doppelganger died. She tries to rouse Tom but can’t. Enzo tells her to go upstairs while he kills him but she won’t. She puts her hands around Tom’s neck and starts to choke him but he comes to and asks what’s happening and who they are. Caroline compels him and tells him she’s his friend and he should trust her. She promises he won’t feel a thing. Then she vamps over super fast and snaps Enzo’s neck. She frees Tom and tells him she’s getting him out of there.
Luke admits he’s Liv’s twin and she asks why he’s been watching her all day. Jeremy calls Bonnie and tells her that Elena is in trouble. He tells him Liv says she’s important to the Travelers. She asks why he was talking to Liv and then turns around and sees that Luke is gone.
Elena meets Damon in the classroom, locks the door and they kiss passionately. She tells him no more talking and attacks him. He’s more than happy to give in to the lust. She snaps back to attention and is actually sitting beside Damon in a classroom with a lecture from Jer’s science teacher. She tells him she needs some air and goes to wash her hands.
She’s in the shop room and sees Liv in the mirror behind her. She tells her she was looking for her and pins Elena to the wall. She comes at her with a piece of wood. She tells her sorry about it and says the coven tried to protect her but she’s too dangerous. Elena say she doesn’t know what she’s talking about and Liv says you never will. Damon is there and knocks her out and says she shouldn’t have been monologuing.
Tom and Caroline sit at the diner. He gobbles up food and tells her the last thing he remembered was going to have a date with Hazel. Caroline explains she kidnapped him and locked him up for four months away from anyone who had magic. He says she was a real witch and Caroline laughs. He asks why he’s telling her everything and she tells him she compelled him to. She says she had to make sure he’s a nice guy. He tells her she’s nice too and he wants to repay her for saving his life. He begins to choke on his food and she watches horrified.
Tom reaches for his water glass and she moves it out of the way. Then she snaps out of it – she was just visualizing his death. She tells him that he reminds her of someone who’s important to her. He tells her that guy is lucky. She compels him to go get on a train and keep running away until he finds somewhere he likes. She tells him to meet a nice girl and settle down. She moves the plate of food away that she foresaw him choking on and tells him to go easy on the carbs.
Damon brings Liv to and tells her if she utters one witchy word he’s going to snap her neck. He tortures her and Elena tells him to stop. He tells her she can’t tell him what to do since they’re broken up and tortures Liv some more and tells her to talk. Liv tells him that Elena is the last female doppelganger and if the other male doppelganger dies tonight then the Travelers will come for Elena. Damon tells Elena she has to pick between Liv and Elena. But then Jeremy comes in and tells Damon that he’s got to be kidding and says he’ll have to go through him to kill Liv. Damon isn’t happy.
Luke pulls up to the high school and Matt and Tyler are there to intervene. They tell him they are friends with Damon, Jeremy and Bonnie. Tyler grabs him by the neck to cut off any hocus pocus he might try. Damon tells Jer that Liv just tried to stake Elena and calls him an idiot. Jeremy tells him that Liv will help keep Elena safe. Elena tells him she can’t trust him since he’s been making horrible decisions. He asks her how he can focus on school with what his life has become. He says he can’t bring a note saying he’s sorry he missed class because of a doppelganger invasion but insists he knows what he’s doing.
Jeremy says Liv knows more about the Travelers than she’s letting on. Elena tells Damon to come with her and leave Liv with Jeremy. She says she trust Jer and Damon needs to trust her. Luke tells Liv she should have killed Elena and Jeremy tells her that they are going to protect Elena and he’ll help with the Travelers. Luke doesn’t like it but Liv tells her brother he has mad skills. Matt and Tyler are also part of the deal and Jer tells them to take or leave it.
Caroline walks Tom to her car as he tells her he hasn’t ever eaten that much. But then Enzo is there and says it was a fitting last supper. She yells no at Enzo, but it’s too late. He snaps Tom’s neck and throws him to the ground. Caroline asks him why he did it and Enzo says she’s not the only one who cut a deal to save a life. He says the Travelers told him they know where Maggie is and he’s willing to do anything he has to so he can save someone he loves. He tells her where the Travelers are and says she can feel free to tell Stefan she’s the one who took Tom out to save his life.
Damon pours some liquor and asks Elena what she thinks. She tells him the counselor is right. She says they aren’t bad for each other, but are bad for Jeremy. She tells him Jeremy is bad for Jeremy and if she wants his life to be better they should put him on a plane out of town. Jer comes in with a bag and Damon asks where he’s going. He says he’s going to stay with Matt and Tyler for a while. Elena says no and Damon tells him to put the bag down. Jer says he should have moved out a long time ago. He says everything is too crazy and he has to learn to deal with it. He tells her he’s not asking permission. Elena tells him she’ll call every day and be more involved with him. He walks closer to her and hugs her, holding her tight. Then he lets her go, grabs his bag and walks out. Elena is in tears.
At the junkyard, Caroline finds Stefan. She lays down beside him and tells him she’s a big fat failure, exhausted and cranky. He tells her he’s glad she’s there and asks what happened. She says she couldn’t kill the guy, not even to save him. Stefan tells her she’s feeling guilty for not being a murdered. She tells him she feels guilty because he’s a prisoner. He says he’s important to the Travelers. She tells him he’s more important now since Enzo killed Tom. She tells him she didn’t see it coming because Enzo distracted her with flirting and what’s worse is she invented that scam.
They look at the sky and she asks what they do. He tells her they go to sleep because he’s tired from being tortured all day while she was out flirting all day with another British bad day. He tells her they need to save their strength so they can get out of there together. She tells him he knew that he wouldn’t be able to kill the guy. Stefen says she could have done it, but he knew she wouldn’t. They lay close looking at each other and he says that’s what makes her her. She looks at him and smiles and moves closer to snuggle with him. They fall asleep.
Elena packs her stuff. Damon comes in. They look at each other and he tells her she’s not packing for her honeymoon. She says she’s going back to school and he says that won’t solve anything. She says it’s about them – she says they do bad things for each other when they’re together and she can’t live like that. He offers to drive her back to Whitmore and she says if he does that she’ll be thinking about him touching her and holding his hand, kissing her and then they’ll never get to where they need to go and they’ll end up back where they started. She tells him he needs to let her go. Damon walks closer and shushes her. He kisses her forehead tenderly and looks at her and tells her to travel safe. He leaves her there.
Bonnie calls Jeremy and leaves a message. She tells him she misses him and is confused. Stefan and Caroline spoon but wake to the chanting of the Travelers. She asks what the hell it is and they go to investigate. They chant Marcos’ name and drink from buckets of Stefan and Elena’s blood. Caroline is horrified. Sloan watches it all go down. Sloan takes the buckets and sets them down. She lights a torch and touches it to the clothing of one of the Travelers. They all burst into flames. Stefan tells her this it and tells Caroline to take his hand.
Bonnie hears chanting and turns to see Travelers all around her. They are passing through her to the other side one after the other. She screams in pain at the onslaught and collapses to the floor. A shadow rises away from her body and a man steps forward. He walks out the door. Must be Marcos…
