Episode 18 opens with Stefan doing pull-ups at the boarding house to build his strength back to lessen his craving for human blood.  Damon asks him when he will return to school and Stefan tells him that it will be soon.  Damon tells him that it has been so long since he’s hunted a human that he can’t recall the last time – thanks to the human blood banks.  Stefan tells him that he has his reasons for why he won’t consume human blood, but doesn’t go into them.  Damon enjoys watching Stefan struggle and Stefan tells him that things are under control.  Damon leaves the room, leaving a glass of human blood behind.  Tempted, Stefan eyes the glass and Damon comes back in, claiming that he forgot his drink.

Elena and Jeremy are getting ready to leave for school.  When Elena opens the front door to leave, her Uncle John Gilbert is there.  He tells them that he’s in town indefinitely for business.  Elena and Jenna exchange some wary looks.  As Jeremy leaves, John asks Jenna what his problem is.  She tells him that he lost a friend and to be sensitive and then argue about the sale of Dr. Gilbert’s office, and John reminds her that he’s the executor of the estate.

At school, Elena and Matt talk about her Uncle John’s unannounced visit and Matt tells her that he’s there for moral support.  She tells him that she prefers to suffer alone and that he’s been through enough lately.  Matt thanks her for everything that she did for Vicki’s funeral and memorial services.  They mention Caroline and all of the baking that she did for Matt and his mom and Matt tells Elena that Caroline has gone to her dad’s for a little while.

Jeremy is outside at school and Tyler sits down next to him. Tyler offers him a smoke and Jeremy declines.  They talk a little about Vicki and how the word is that she overdosed on drugs.  Jeremy says that he thought that she was doing okay and he still doesn’t understand how she ended up buried in the woods if it was an o.d.

Damon goes to a Council meeting at Founders’ Hall.  Sheriff Forbes is telling the Council members that the coroner has ruled Vicki’s death a drug overdose and that the truth will stay within the room.  Uncle John speaks to the Council, telling him that it’s his duty to report to them the blood bank thefts in neighboring Amherst County.  He also tells them about several hunters, campers, and state employees who have been reported missing within a 75 mile radius of Mystic Falls.  He tells them that their vampire problem is not solved.

At school, Alaric shows Jeremy’s extra credit paper to Elena, telling her that Jeremy didn’t think that vampires were real.  Elena comments that she hopes that’s true.  Alaric asks her how she deals with all of the lies and secrets.  She tells him that it’s not safe for them to know and she does it to protect them.  He tells Elena that he thinks that Stefan is a good guy, but he’s still a vampire.  She tells him that “Stefan’s different” and assures him that he’d never do anything to hurt her.

Jeremy and Uncle John are talking in the Gilbert’s kitchen while Jenna works on supper.  Jeremy tells him that he has no interest in the Founders’ Day kickoff party and John begins talking about tradition.  He goes on to talk about how the Gilbert family is one of the founding families and they have obligations.  He promises Jeremy to tell him all about their heritage when he is old enough to appreciate it’s significance.  Jenna makes a comment about how she’s not a Gilbert and she’s not cool enough to hear it.  Jeremy asks John why Jenna hates him.  John tells him that it’s because they used to sleep together and Jenna throws some food at John.

Elena and Stefan talk about Jeremy’s report and wonder why he might have written it.  Stefan reassures her that Damon took those memories away from him and suggests that she just ask him about it.  Elena tells him that she’s unsure of how to talk to him because she’s been keeping so many secrets from him, including her being adopted.  Stefan suggests that she open up to Jeremy.  Elena asks him how he’s doing.  He tells her that he’s doing better, but still on edge.  He reassures her and tells her that he will be okay.  Elena tells him that she’s worried and they kiss.  Things get hot and heavy and then Stefan transforms.  He retreats from the bed and they both freak out a bit.

Elena answers the door and lets Damon into the house and they go up to her room.  Damon lays down on her bed and he tells her about her Uncle John’s visit to the Founders’ Council meeting.  Elena tells Damon that she’s worried about Stefan, saying that he’s not himself.  Damon starts to go through her underwear drawer and he points out how Stefan has denied his true nature for so long.

Back at home, Stefan is pacing and pours himself a glass of whiskey.

Elena goes to Jeremy’s room and asks him if he has time to talk.  They head out to the river and talk and Elena tells him about her being adopted.  They talk about things and she tells him that she’s okay with not being related by blood to him – he’s still her brother.  She tells him that Alaric said that he’s doing great in his history class and that Alaric really liked his vampire paper.  She asks him why he chose that subject.  Jeremy jokes that maybe he’s just nuts like their “long line of Gilbert crazies.”

Stefan and Damon arrive at the Founders’ Day kickoff party at Founders’ Hall and Damon quips that it would be rude to skip it because they are one of the founding families.  Damon asks Stefan how he’s doing with his cravings.  Stefan leaves to look for Elena and gets a drink at the bar.  Mayor Lockwood and Tyler are in a room talking with Matt and his mother in private.  When they leave, Kelly makes a crack about the family of the dead kid getting a special greeting from the mayor and she heads to get a drink.   Tyler approaches Matt with a bottle and they both sneak some drinks.  Stefan and Elena meet up and Elena asks him if he’s drunk.  He confesses that he is to help deal with the cravings.  He asks her to dance and she points out that no one is dancing.  Stefan tells her that they need better music and he walks over to the DJ.  Kelly tells Elena that it’s pointless because she tried to bribe the DJ and Mrs. Lockwood has complete control over the music.  Stefan compels the DJ to play different music and Vampire Weekend’s “A-Punk” begins playing.  Stefan begins dancing with Kelly as Elena and Damon look on.

Elena and Jenna are talking when Alaric walks up.  Alaric and Jenna go to get a drink.  Matt asks Elena to dance.  Damon goes over to Sheriff Forbes, complimenting her on her appearance in a dress instead of the uniform.  Sheriff Forbes confides to Damon that she had doubts about him at first, but he has really won her over.  Damon tells her that Mystic Falls is beginning to feel like home again and she tells him that John Gilbert’s claims check out. Jeremy interrupts their conversation, asking if there’s any more information about Vicki’s death.  He points out that someone must have buried the body.  Sheriff Forbes tells him that it’s an ongoing investigation and she can’t tell him anything else.

Stefan asks Elena to dance and they dance to “Your Love”.  Drunk Stefan spins Elena and she bumps into a man.  She apologizes, saying how clumsy she is and the man tells her to get off of the dance floor.  Stefan walks up to him, telling him that’s no way to speak to a lady and compels him to apologize to Elena.

Elena and Damon are talking about Stefan’s behavior while Paramore’s “Brick By Boring Brick” plays in the background.  Damon tells her that Jeremy is asking questions about Vicki’s death and he tells her that he may need to compel him again, except Jeremy is wearing vervain.  Elena tells him not do to it – she’ll handle things.  Damon concedes and tells her, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Kelly sets an empty glass in one of the plants and Tyler sees it.  She asks where the ladies’ room is and Tyler offers to show her the way.  She takes Tyler’s glass and is thankful that it’s got vodka in it.

Damon is outside and John approaches.  They make small talk about the party and Damon asks John how long it’s been since he’s been in town.  John tells him that he hasn’t been back since his brother’s funeral.  Damon tells him that he hasn’t been back long at all.  John tells Damon that the vampire problem is real and how they may need to round them up, throw them in a church, and burn them to ash.  Damon makes a comment about that being how the story goes and John tells him there’s more.  He goes on to mention a tomb under the church where the vampires hid and waited for someone to set them free.  John then says that Damon should know all about it because he’s the one who did it.  They exchange a few verbal barbs and Damon tosses John over the balcony to the patio below.

Jeremy is sitting alone in a room at the party and Elena sits down with him.  They talk about his conversation with Sheriff Forbes.  He tells her that he thinks that someone killed Vicki and buried her body and he’s angry because he thinks that it’s being covered up.  Elena tells him to let it go because she’s gone and nothing will bring her back.  Jeremy accuses Elena of knowing more and she denies knowing anything about it.

Kelly and Tyler go outside.  Tyler confesses that he was a dick to Vicki and feels like he doesn’t deserve to miss her.  Kelly tells him that it’s nice to have him to talk to because she doesn’t have anyone to talk to.

Elena thanks Matt for the dance and Matt tells her that he needs some air.  He asks if she’s seen his mom.  They head outside and find Kelly and Tyler making out.  Matt goes ballistic and jumps Tyler, starting a fight.  Alaric breaks it up and Mayor Lockwood comes up and sends Tyler back inside.  Mayor Lockwood assures everyone that things are fine and tells them to go back the party.  Elena tends to a bloodied Matt while Stefan is inside getting another drink.  Damon approaches Stefan and tells him that he has bad news.  He tells Stefan that the Council is back in vampire mode and that he just killed Uncle John Gilbert.  Damon walks off and Stefan starts to follow him, but stops abruptly.  We hear a strong heartbeat sound.

Stefan heads outside and asks Kelly if she’s alright, noticing a bloody cut on her forehead.  In a trance-like state, he reaches up and touches the cut, smearing the blood on her forehead. She asks him what he’s doing and he snaps out of his trance.  He walks away, heading outside to be alone, noticing the blood on his fingers and then licks the blood from them.

Back inside, Damon sees John walk back in to the party – alive and well. Mayor Lockwood thanks everyone for being at the party and talks about celebrating the 150th birthday of the town.  He welcomes John back to town and invites him to ring the town bell.  John gives a speech about looking out for one another and protecting each other and tells everyone that it’s good to be home. Damon tells Alaric to look at John’s ring as he rings the bell.  Alaric notices that it looks like his.  Damon asks Alaric where his came from and he tells him that Isobel gave it to him.  Damon begins to connect the dots between John, Isobel, the doctor who delivered Elena, and Elena’s adoptive parents.

Stefan is making a hasty departure from the party when he bumps into the a-hole from the dance floor.  The guy makes a crack about how all he can do is apologize and tries to throw a punch.  Stefan grabs his hand and crushes it.  The guy hits the ground, cowers away, and asks Stefan what he is.

Jeremy goes home and into Elena’s room.  He searches until he finds her diary.  He sits down to read it and sees the entries about Vicki.

Elena searches the parking lot for Stefan and finds the a-hole lying on the ground.  He tells her that he lost his balance and fell, hurting his arm.  He tells her that he’s “clumsy” and a suspicious Elena scans the grounds for Stefan.

Matt is at home, packing his mom’s things into a suitcase when she comes home. She asks him what he’s doing.  He tells her that he’d be better off without her.  She breaks down, confessing that she failed him and Vicki.  He tells her that he wants her out of the house and out of his life by morning.

Damon, Alaric, and John leave the party and John tells them that his knowledge of the town goes beyond anything that they or the Council know.  He tells them that if they kill him everything that he knows will go to the Council, including the tale of the original Salvatore brothers and their return to Mystic Falls.  Alaric asks John how he got his ring.  John tells him that he and his brother both inheirited them.  He also tells him that if he wouldn’t have given one to Isobel if he’d known that she’d give it to another man.  Alaric has his ring and John has his brother’s.  John also tells them that he sent Isobel to Damon when she wanted to become a vampire and asks Damon if he really thought that Katherine Pierce sent her.  Damon asks how he knows Katherine.  John leaves without answering the question.

Jenna and Elena arrive home and go upstairs.  Elena first heads to Jeremy’s room to check in on him.  He tells her that he’s fine and she goes to her room.  As she undresses, she’s startled when she sees Stefan’s reflection in the mirror behind her.  He apologizes for running off and she asks if he’s okay.  He tells her that he’s not okay and that he couldn’t keep it together at the party.  He tells her about the blood on Kelly and the guy in the parking lot.  He tells her that he’s telling her all of this because he promised that he wouldn’t keep secrets from her and he doesn’t want her to know that side of him exists.   She reassures him that things will be okay and he tells her that he’s afraid that he’ll hurt her.  She tells him that she’s not afraid of that and kisses him.  They hug and he tells her with a very pained look on his face, “I love you so much.”

Damon is sitting on the couch at the boarding house, drinking a glass of blood when Stefan comes home.  He starts to tell Stefan about the “global crisis” that he learned about that evening when he notices Stefan’s appearance.  He tells Stefan that he doesn’t look good and that the need is too strong.  Damon leaves his unfinished glass of blood on the side table and walks out of the room, telling Stefan to have a good night.  Stefan looks at the glass, picks it up, lifts it, sips it, and then chugs the rest.

I really enjoyed this episode.  I like how the events were mostly confined to one central event and not jumping all over the place.

I may see now where the annoying Matt and Caroline storyline is going…Elena comforts Matt.  Matt ends up comforting Elena when Stefan breaks her heart.  Matt breaks Caroline’s heart somehow and Caroline seeks revenge.  It could be interesting after all!

The music in this episode was awesome.  I totally laughed out loud when the Vampire Weekend song came on right after Stefan compelled the DJ.  If you’re not familiar with “Your Love” (the song Stefan and Elena danced to), check out the lyrics…”I don’t wanna lose your love tonight…”  The original was done by The Outfield.

So…what do you think Jeremy will do with his newly discovered knowledge of the truth about what happened to Vicki?  I have a feeling that we won’t see that play out until Season 2.

Poor, poor Stefan…falling off the wagon again…

The big bombshell o’ the evening has to be the very distinct possibility that John Gilbert is actually Elena’s father, making her a Gilbert after all.  Although…why is she Katherine’s doppelganger?  There’s got to be an interesting storyline for Isobel and her family somewhere in the future.

What did you think about this episode?  Is there anything that you want to discuss?  Join us in the forum!