WELCOME BACK, SENIORS - On the first day of their senior year, Elena, Caroline, Bonnie and Matt are still reeling from recent events, while Tyler seems to be enjoying everything a little too much. Damon is annoyed by a new houseguest, and everyone is surprised by the arrival of a new student in Alaric's history class. Matt asks Bonnie for help when he realizes he made a serious mistake. Meanwhile, Stefan continues to carry out his latest assignment from Klaus. Steven R. McQueen also stars. Rob Hardy directed the episode written by Julie Plec & Caroline Dries. Elena is frustrated by her helplessness, so she convinces Alaric to teach her about protecting herself from vampires. Mikael wakes up and bites Katherine. On the first day of school, Bonnie and Jeremy are having issues since Jeremy keeps seeing Anna. Klaus' sister, Rebekah, moves in with the Salvatores and attends school. Matt continues to see the ghost of Vicki, and she convinces him to perform a ritual that allows her to come and go from his world as she pleases. She says a witch from the other side promised her that if she killed Elena she can come back forever. The gang attends a bonfire, where Elena and Alaric try to capture Stefan. Tyler feels beholden to Klaus since Klaus essentially made him who he is. Elena saves Stefan from a fire after Vicki tries to kill Elena in Alaric's van. Vicki is eventually restored back to the other side by Bonnie while Damon goes home, where Mason Lockwood appears in front of him.
A SENIOR PRANK NIGHT TO DIE FOR - Despite all that has happened, Caroline is determined to see that Elena, Bonnie, Matt and Tyler all enjoy a traditional Senior Prank Night before the school year begins at Mystic Falls High School. However, when uninvited guests show up, it doesn't take long for the evening to take a deadly turn. Damon convinces Jeremy that he can use his new connection to the other side to help find a way to defeat Klaus. Finally, Klaus deepens his hold on Stefan and uses him for increasingly violent and dangerous purposes. John Behring directed the episode written by Michael Narducci. A senior prank night takes a deadly turn when Klaus finds out that Elena is still alive. Klaus threatens Elena by feeding Tyler his blood and kills him. He tells Bonnie that if she doesn't find a way to create hybrids, Tyler dies. He also tells Stefan to feed on Elena. Stefan tries to stop his urge, but Klaus makes him turn off his emotions and feed on her. Klaus finds out that Elena's blood is needed to create more hybrids. Meanwhile, Katherine and Damon go on a road trip to find a way to kill Klaus. Katherine remembers that Pearl told her about Mikael, the vampire hunter who was also a vampire. Matt, in an attempt to connect with Vicki, commits suicide. In a vision he sees her, and she tells him she can come back to life and has a message for Bonnie. Elena is in the hospital while a nurse, compelled by Klaus, takes her blood. Klaus is waiting to abduct Elena, but he flees when Damon tells him that Mikael is coming. Damon then saves Elena. Moments later, Stefan returns. Jeremy and Katherine find Mikael's tomb and watch as he opens his eyes.
FAMILY TIES - Still in Chicago, Klaus (Joseph Morgan) uses Gloria (guest star Charmin Lee), a witch he knew long ago, to help him track down missing information that will explain why his plan isn't working. Gloria's spells reveal intriguing glimpses of the truth, but she soon realizes she needs Stefan's (Paul Wesley) knowledge to complete the puzzle. When Stefan suddenly finds himself in danger, help comes from a surprising ally. Back in Mystic Falls, a frustrating new enemy pushes Damon (Ian Somerhalder) over the brink and he lashes out in a way that will have lasting consequences. Caroline (Candice Accola) struggles with her own emotional issues, even as she tries to help Elena (Nina Dobrev) face her feelings. Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) makes a brief but disturbing breakthrough with one of his ghostly visitors, leaving him more confused than ever. Finally, Bonnie (Kat Graham) has a strange encounter that will affect everyone. Matt Davis also stars. Wendey Stanzler directed the episode written by Brian Young. In Chicago, Klaus uses Gloria the witch to find out why his hybrids aren't turning out the way he planned and Gloria discovers that Stefan is hiding the fact that the doppelgänger is still alive. She tortures Stefan, but Katherine saves him. Back in Mystic Falls, Damon changes his attitude and kills Alaric but Alaric comes back to life. Damon then tries to kill Bill. Caroline saves her father by giving him her blood and has a confrontation with Damon. Meanwhile, Bonnie returns to Mystic Falls and Jeremy tells her about seeing his ex-girlfriends as ghosts. Stefan also tries to find out what Klaus and his sister Rebekah are running from. The answer turns out to be Mikael. Katherine steals Elena's necklace that can contact the Original Witch and teams up with Damon. Klaus brings Stefan back to Mystic Falls to find out what he is hiding.
THE ROARING TWENTIES - Klaus and Stefan arrive in Chicago, where Stefan is reunited with a vampire (guest star Claire Holt, "Pretty Little Liars") who hasn't really moved on from her interest in him decades earlier. In a flashback to Chicago in the 1920s, Stefan comes face-to-face with a shocking chapter from his wild past. After Damon gets a tip on Stefan and Klaus' whereabouts from an unexpected source, he and Elena follow their trail. Back in Mystic Falls, Tyler is concerned about Caroline and turns to Sheriff Forbes (guest star Marguerite MacIntyre) for help. Chris Grismer directed the episode written by Caroline Dries. Klaus and Stefan arrive in Chicago, where Stefan is reunited with a vampire who hasn’t moved on from her interest in him decades earlier. In a flashback to Chicago in the 1920s, Stefan comes face to face with a shocking chapter from his wild past. After Damon gets a tip on Stefan and Klaus’ whereabouts from Katherine, he and Elena follow the trail. Back in Mystic Falls, Tyler is concerned about Caroline and turns to Sheriff Forbes for help. Caroline was tortured by her father (Bill) who thought that he can help Caroline to fight her urges for blood, but she was rescued by Tyler and Sheriff Forbes. Stefan also learns that Klaus might be running from someone who is hunting him.
THE NEW ORDER - Klaus puts a plan in motion that will give him even more power, but even with the unwilling participation of werewolf Ray Sutton (guest star David Gallagher), things don't go exactly as Klaus had planned. Damon and Alaric reluctantly go along with Elena's new strategy to find Stefan, leading Damon into a dangerous fight with an unexpected enemy. Jeremy turns to Matt for help as he continues to try to understand what the ghosts from his past want from him. Unaware that Caroline is in need of his help, Tyler faces an emotional confrontation with his mother (guest star Susan Walters). Josh Butler directed the episode written by Al Septien & Turi Meyer. Elena and Alaric head to Tennessee, where they believe Klaus is trying to create hybrid slaves, and Damon joins them. Ray and his werewolf pack suffer horribly after Klaus tries to turn them into hybrids. Damon, Alaric and Elena come across Ray, whose wolf side is activated by the full moon. Damon leads him away from the others and is almost bitten, but Stefan arrives, kills Ray, and tells Damon to protect Elena. The attempt to create hybrids fails when all of the werewolves die. Tyler realizes that his mother has captured Caroline. He makes her witness his transformation into a werewolf, and Carol realizes that Caroline is not a monster. She calls her accomplice Bill and tells him not to harm Caroline, but Bill brushes her off. Caroline, who is locked up, calls Bill "Daddy" when she sees him.
IT'S MY PARTY - On the morning of Elena's 18th birthday, Caroline is busy planning a party, but Elena is focused on searching for any clues that might help her discover where Stefan is. Damon is also searching for Stefan, while trying to protect Elena and keep her from doing anything that would draw Klaus' attention. Meanwhile, Klaus and Stefan are busy trailing a werewolf named Ray Sutton (guest star David Gallagher, "Super 8"). Now working at the Mystic Grill along with Matt , Jeremy is struggling to understand why he keeps seeing the ghosts of Vicki (guest star Kayla Ewell) and Anna (guest star Malese Jow) since he was brought back to life by Bonnie's magic. Meanwhile, Alaric does his best to watch over Elena and Jeremy, while dealing with his grief over Jenna's death. Finally, Caroline and Tyler face a new and unexpected challenge. John Behring directed the episode written by Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec. Klaus and Stefan hunt for werewolves so that Klaus can turn them into vampires in order to continue the breed of hybrids. Stefan and Klaus find out that Damon has been tracking them, so Stefan returns home and gives Damon a warning to back off by killing Andie, Damon's semi-compelled girlfriend. Meanwhile, Elena's 18th birthday arrives and Caroline holds a party for her. During the party, Jeremy sees the ghosts of "me and only me". Alaric, who has settled in as Elena and Jeremy's guardian after Jenna's death, decides to move out of their house, as he considers himself a bad role model. Caroline becomes jealous of Tyler's date Sophie at Elena's birthday party and compels her to leave. When Tyler confronts her about their issues, they kiss and go to Tyler's house. In the morning, Caroline attempts to leave the house quietly but is caught by Mrs. Lockwood, who shoots Caroline with vervain darts.
