The Vampire Dairies: Bad Moon Rising (Season 2, Episode 3)

Our (non-Twilight) teen vampire saga continues. Elena (Nina Dobrev), her vampire boyfriend Stefan (Paul Wesley), and his vampire brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder) consult history teacher and wannabe vampire hunter Alaric (Matt Davis) about the supernatural Lockwood family. Alaric, whose wife Isobel researched vampires at Duke and eventually became one, notes that legends mentioning vampires sometimes included lycanthropes. Viewers have heard the word “lycanthrope” explained so many times, it is refreshing when Elena immediately says, “Werewolves?”

The answer to Damon’s question, “Where are all the werewolves?” is of course that they are running around the woods shirtless. Damon brilliantly describes the situation in terms of (old) movies. Mayor Lockwood was Lon Chaney, his son Tyler is Lon Chaney Jr., and Bela Legosi (Damon) “is screwed.” There is something wonderful about watching incredulous vampires discuss the shocking possibility that werewolves exist.

Elena’s Aunt Jenna (Sara Canning) says goodbye to her crush Alaric and comments, “Men and their baggage.” Elena bears a “you have no idea / tell me about it” face. She has decided to join Damon and Alaric on a trip to Duke in order to learn more about Katherine, her vampire doppelganger, while the boys study lycanthropes. Before hopping into the car, Elena fiercely (and hilariously) makes out with Stefan in front of Damon, who not only has attempted to kiss her multiple times but also nearly murdered her brother. Though Damon deserves this, Elena seems to be trying too hard to get his attention.

Meanwhile Caroline discovers that vampirism sucks. One can’t spend a beautiful summer day out with one’s boyfriend, or even open the door for him. Stefan, who is sticking around Mystic Falls to help newbie vampire Caroline, asks (actual) witch friend Bonnie (Kat Graham) to create a ring for Caroline that will allow her to walk in the sun. Bonnie points out that Caroline has already killed someone, but Stefan makes a compelling case for Caroline’s need for normalcy to remain stable. Then again, he’s biased.

In true Caroline form, the young vamp is not pleased with the ring’s aesthetics, but she finally shuts up and Bonnie blesses (or whatever she does) the ring and presto. Caroline is good to go. Bonnie warns that Caroline now will have an ever present urge to kill. Stefan’s awkward expression seems to confirm this.

After a road trip in which Damon tries to befriend Elena again, the trio arrives at Duke and meets Isobel’s (expectedly) sexy assistant Vanessa. The moment they turn their backs, the assistant shoots at Elena with a crossbow. Damon heroically takes the arrow for her. Admittedly, Vanessa had a good reason. She thought Elena was the wicked Katherine.

Back at Mystic Falls, Tyler (Michael Trevino) asks his mom about ruins, including a dungeon, in the forest. She says they do not speak of anything having to do with slaves. She also tells him to be careful at the swimming hole because if anything happens on their property, they will be liable. Poor Tyler can only quip, “Of course.” He and his classmates party it up at the water hole until his uncle Mason tells him to clear everyone out by dark. His excuse is unfortunately believable: "someone ends up wasted and dead at the bottom of the lake."

Caroline and Stefan are adorable together, though his explanation about his existence as a human is lame. He basically says that as a human he was a great, caring, empathetic person, and as a vampire his qualities are amplified. She later comments on his array of serious vampire looks, and it’s touché. Luckily, no one sees them and assumes Stefan is pulling a Damon by making moves on all of Matt’s women.

Back at Duke, Vanessa mentally compares Damon to Edward Cullen because she asks if, along with having super hearing, Damon can read minds, to which he replies, “You know, if you want to see me naked, you just have to ask.” Joking aside, the quad attempts to answer questions about doppelgangers (supposedly one doppelganger torments the other) and werewolves. According to myth, the dangerous werewolves and vampires were enslaved by the moon and sun. This in no way bonded them; werewolves’ preys of choice are vampires. (Damon’s reaction: “Oh.”) Vampires decided to follow human example and nearly exterminate werewolves.

Caroline visits Matt (Zach Roerig) at the party and compels a flirtatious girl to stalk someone single. He tells Caroline off. Even though Matt just claimed he loved her and she was just in a car accident, he continues to put her down. Considering his miserable home situation, his dislike of drama is understandable. He can’t accept Caroline for who she is. Still, the two wander off into the woods for some rough kissing as Stefan gets a call about the werewolves. For once, vampires have to fear a bigger bad. Also, now Stefan has to worry about Caroline, Matt, and himself.

The flirty lady followed Caroline’s advice and pursued a very pleased Tyler, who takes her into the forest to show her the dungeons. Typical Tyler ignores her discomfort and creepily answers her question, "Is everyone else coming?" with an unconvincing, "Yeah..." The moon is full, but, when she mentions her feelings for Matt, thankfully Tyler doesn’t take the date rape route this time. During their conversation, an unseen, chained up Mason leaves the cells because he knows that seeing anyone's uncle, even an attractive one, in that situation is weird.

Inevitably, Matt hurts himself and the blood is too much for Caroline. His appalled expression as she licks his wound is amusing because it’s so plausible. Also inevitable is Mason’s transformation into a vicious lupus. Stefan comes to Matt’s rescue, and she and Caroline Twilight (last reference, I swear) through the spooky woods, hoping to lead Mason away from Matt. An awkward moment between Tyler and Stefan (“What are you doing here?” “What are YOU doing here?”) is interrupted by Mason pouncing on Caroline. Tyler awesomely stands his ground and just says “no” to werewolves, causing the creature to run off.

Stefan and Caroline brainwash Tyler and Matt into forgetting about their vampireness. Caroline alarmingly says that Matt is the one person on this planet she has never wanted to hurt. Scary! The next day Caroline commits an act of self-sacrifice that puts Damon’s arrow-taking to shame. She sees the flirty girl once again hitting on Matt. Knowing she is on thin ice with him, Caroline plays up her jealousy and chews the girl out, causing Matt to break up with her – for his own safety. Sigh. Something so soap opera can be so tragic.

Before the trio leaves Duke, Vanessa encroaches on Jenna’s territory by swooping in on Alaric, who rebuffs her, and Damon gives Elena a book on Katherine, whose real name was Katerina Petrova. Upon arriving home, Alaric plants a big one on Jenna, and Damon acts like a manipulative baby to try to win Elena back. But he is also charmingly vulnerable and honest, admitting that he did not see Jeremy’s protective ring when he snapped his neck. Elena thanks him for the book and his sincerity. She also responds to his pleas that their friendship not be gone forever with a definitive, “Yes, you have lost me forever.” That’s what happens when you kill someone’s brother in front of her, even if he comes back to life. He realizes that she’s been playing him during the trip in order to find out more about Katherine. Damon tells her that she and Katherine have a lot more in common than their looks. Zing! Though that doesn’t quite make sense – manipulating a murderer isn’t on par with supervillainy.

Speaking of Katherine, she is there when Caroline wakes up the next morning, proclaiming that the two of them are going to have such fun together. Rise and shine.