The Vampire Diaries: Crying Wolf (Season 2, Episode 14)

The werewolves clean up the dead bodies of their comrades. Boo hoo. I just can't seem to care. This is all their fault anyway. Nerdy werewolf puts the pieces together to figure out that the vampires are trying to break the curse. They sure know a lot - even that Mason was "banging that hot vampire chick Kathy."

The three girls together in bed are cute! Stefan's, "How was the slumber party?" sounds strangely sexual. Then they're cute together.

Damon's brainwashing Andie Starr into thinking she's in love with him. He likes to say she works for "Action News," even though that's not the name of the station. Alaric and Damon chat. Damon doesn't trust John and plans to get to know Elijah better at an upcoming tea party.

It's good to see Bonnie and Caroline back together. Bonnie says that Luka will have no choice but to tell her what Elijah's up to. Before she can explain, Matt gives Caroline a serious (but kind of sexy) look. Caroline has no idea he knows she lied to him.

The werewolves explain the moonstone curse to an incredulous Tyler. When they show him a picture of "Kathy," he states that she's Elena Gilbert. Uh oh. For some reason, these werewolf scenes are really intriguing. Before I just wanted them to die. I still do, but there's something appealing about their loyalty and mystery.

This Matt, Caroline, and Tyler relationship triangle is getting intense. Matt and Caroline have an angsty discussion. Tyler tries to talk to Caroline; she tells him to get away. In the process he steals her phone. Matt tells Tyler that it's fine if the two of them are together. Tyler denies this, and Matt gets rough with him and tells him to stop lying.

Stefan and Elena head out. "Caroline" texts her, and Elena tells her where she and Stefan are going. Tyler tells the werewolves where they're going, and Brady says, "Let's go get our doppelganger." I take it Tyler doesn't realize that the doppelganger has to be sacrificed.

As soon as Elena says that she hasn't been to the lakehouse since her parents died, Stefan freaks out and shifts into overprotective mode. She likes it here, though. Elena pulls Stefan's leg by pretending to forget that he needs to be invited in and then saying that the house belongs to John and so only he can let him in.

Damon and Elijah officially meet at what I guess is a historical tea party. "BAMF, meet BAMF."

Bonnie tries to get back into Luka's good graces. It's pretty easy. I kind of like him. He starts to feel faint after she slips him a "witch-roofie."

Maybe this Elena and Stefan scene is too sappy for some, but I think it's bittersweet. Elena remembers her family and wonders what memories she and Stefan will share. She chooses not to think of the future and just to live in the present. He says that this moment will be a memory and that he loves her.

John tries to alpha-male it up with Alaric. He tells him it's "inappropriate" to sleep over "with children in the house" (funniest line in the episode - the children have already done it with vampires, watched people die, and experienced numerous horrors). He also threatens to tell Jenna about Alaric's involvement with the supernatural and to take his magical ring back. Alaric remains cool and simply calls John "a dick."

Elijah and Damon get some alone time together and share an amazing scene. It's kind of indescribable. Elijah caresses a couch, Damon does his usual snooping and intimidating, Elijah does his usual brushing him off like a fly, stabbing him with a neck with a pencil, and warning that he will kill him if he doesn't do what he is told. Damon looks almost impressed after their encounter.

Elena watches Stefan cook and reminisces about her parents. Stefan wants to have sex in Elena's parents' bedroom - she finds this a bit strange - but he ruins the moment by noticing that the wall is hollow. He pulls off planks and opens a door to reveal a room full of vampire hunting weaponry. Don't let the visiting werewolves find that stuff!

As a passed out boy lies on the carpet, Caroline and Bonnie discuss Jeremy's crush. Caroline tries to convince her to give Jeremy a try.

Hilarity: Alaric responds to Damon's statement that he is sore by noting that Elijah is "one scary dude," but he has "nice hair." They have a cordial, drunken conversation in which Alaric tells Damon not to kill Andie. He's partly concerned because she's friends with Jenna and he doesn't want to cause Jenna any more pain.

Now I'm back to completely hating werewolves. The nerdy one comes in and injects Damon with vervain. How did Damon let this happen? I guess he was drunk. The werewolf acknowledges Damon's strength and resistance to the injection. By the way, they kill Alaric. I pray that his ring protects him from death by werewolf. Actually, that makes sense, since they mentioned the ring earlier in the episode. This show is good at slipping things in that might not be noticeable but turn out to be important.

Brady convinces Tyler to go with him to get Elena since Tyler is as good as dead if they fail. He also says Tyler will have to deal with him if he wusses out. Tyler claims to be ready, but still seems skeptical. I don't even want to look at Brady's mean face.

John criticizes Jenna for letting Elena go off with Stefan. She tells him he's on dangerous ground. He comments that Alaric's not a great guy and that she should ask him if Alaric's wife Isobel's body was ever found. Needless to say, John is a jerk.

Alaric's corpse eerily stares at Damon, but he is most likely alive thanks to the ring. Are all werewolves sadists? The nerdy werewolf tightens a wooden nail studded collar around Damon's neck. He devised this based on a "cool" movie he saw. Jules asks him where the moonstone is. Damon has to laugh at the irony of this moment. RIP Mason.

Poor Luka lies on the floor and begs Bonnie to stop. Because she doesn't, and we assume this trick is working, the audience learns a lot. 1) Klaus has kidnapped Luka's sister. 2) Klaus wants to find a way to undo the curse without the doppelganger. 3) Klaus has enslaved witches to do his bidding for centuries. 4) Elijah has promised to return their sister if they kill Klaus.

Luka says that he will be murdered if he tells Bonnie how to kill an original. To Jeremy and Caroline's discomfort, Bonnie presses on, and we learn the big secret. Klaus will be vulnerable to death AFTER Elena's sacrifice. Has Elijah technically lied? Probably not.

Brady shoots a very slow moving Stefan as he collects wood for the fire. Seriously, Stefan - you are a vampire, you could do this at light speed. He tells Tyler to keep Stefan down. Stefan is in agony. Everybody hates Brady. Tyler stupidly says that all vampires are liars and then shoots Stefan in the leg. Stefan informs Tyler that Elena has to die in order to break the curse. Tyler appears to think about the fact that his friends lied to him, too, or at least withheld information.

Brady attacks Elena, who stabs him with a butcher knife. He quickly heals and announces that he can smell her. She takes off her sweater and hides. Elena had to deal with a rabid vampire just two episodes ago; she's good at this. He deeply inhales her sweater. She slams the door in an attempt to make him think she ran outside. He doesn't fall for it, but she manages to lure him into a place where she can stab him again.

He follows her outside until Stefan kills him, I believe by ripping out his heart. (Can this show get an award for most hearts ripped out in a season? I haven't seen Supernatural; maybe they'd win.) Tyler is of course confused, teary, and overwhelmed, but thank goodness he helped Stefan. Elena gives Tyler one of her special hugs.

Supported by several random buddies, Jules menaces Damon. And guess who then appears. That's right: Elijah. It's all over, wolves. He tells them to take the moonstone. As they make for it, he rips out their hearts. Damon is appreciative and awed. The nerdy werewolf tucks his head into his shirt as though he's a turtle or an ostrich. Elijah calls him "sweetheart," tells him to take a shot, and punches him in the face. He also rips off Damon's chains and notes that this is the third time he's saved his life. They share a moment and Elijah grabs a hair from one of the werewolf's heads. I think that's what he does, at least.

Bonnie tells Damon about Elijah's plan to kill Elena. Alaric revives and lies to Jenna about his absence in the same way Caroline lied to Matt. Elena isn't surprised to hear this news. Stefan sounds completely hypocritical when he gets angry at Elena for being a martyr. He points out that he has lived more than a full life and that her life has just begun.

Bonnie states that she's known Jeremy throughout his awkward, drug, and punk phases, but that overnight he's turned into a hot guy. (Many viewers agree.) He latches onto the word "hot." They kiss and it's so cute. I said it.

In a remarkably mature move, Tyler confesses to Matt that he fell for Caroline, and he can't understand why anyone wouldn't. He says that she loves Matt, and she deserves someone like him. Tyler leaves a note for his mom, drops by Caroline's house - but hangs back, and leaves with Jules, who is crying. What does this mean? He says that he can't stay here anymore, and all he wants are no more lies.

How much has happened in the last hour? It's been both informative and emotional.

I thought this last week, and I think it again: this was one of the best episodes so far. In fact, I think I liked Crying Wolf more than the previous episode, and I did not expect to say that.