The Vampire Diaries - Know Thy Enemy

*** / ****

 Know Thy Enemy is the swan song for Isobel and “sort of” introduction to Klaus, through the body of Alaric (I think). Katherine believes Isobel will help her “get good” with Klaus. To sacrifice Elena and provide the moonstone, Isobel obeys the orders of Klaus after being compelled by him to do so. Because Originals can compel “regular” vampires, there was nothing Isobel could do about it. Klaus has a powerful witch assisting him in “influencing” Alaric, “importing” his presence into Alaric’s body through a type of possession. That is the ending as Katherine realizes Klaus has (in a way) caught up with her. Isobel, upon betraying her daughter (even if compelled by Klaus against her will), sacrifices herself to the sun!

So this episode is more than a bit heavy. If you include Matt begging Caroline to compel him after she tells him everything she knows, only to meet her mom, the Mystic Falls sheriff, in the car still “in his right mind” (vervain keeping the influence from taking effect) and Bonnie gaining access to the powers of dead witches in a house where their spirits still hang around (the location provided by Damon who once looked to help Katherine through the witch power) while Jeremy is concerned for her safety, soon learning that in order to kill an Original it will require her to martyr herself  (and save her friends); each main character on the show is right in the midst of a lot of drama and danger. Caroline’s mom and Matt equally troubled by her vampire status, Bonnie accepting that it will take sacrificing herself although Jeremy is totally against it, Elena waiting on Klaus to come after her, Stefan and Damon hatching a plan (through the use of Bonnie) to protect Elena, Katherine now faced with possible doom due to Klaus’ re-emergence (even if not in his own form but through the body of Alaric), Jenna leaving her family behind because they all keep secrets from her, and Alaric taken against his will so that Klaus could possess him; the cast is deeply imbedded in serious dilemmas. While Elijah remains with the dagger stuck in him, Klaus happily says hello to Katherine. The Salvatores want to deed their home to Elena, while Isobel took her daughter to the grave her parents often visit for one last conversation before committing suicide.

John Gilbert tricked by Isobel and Katherine, Elena kidnapped by her mom, Katherine being duped by Isobel, Gilbert bitten and dying during [yet another] reception at the Lockwoods involving a scholarship of sorts to be given to Elena through her family’s trust, Damon arriving at the Lockwoods to carry Gilbert off to the Salvatore manor, and Elena deciding to accept John despite his history of behavior often resulting in grief because he’s the only parent she has left; John is as much deeply immersed in all the peril as those in Elena's inner circle. Elena truly is a forgiving soul considering how she can tolerate a lot from the likes of John and Damon, whose actions often leave her disappointed and hurt.

Matt's resistance towards Caroline (as a vampire) certainly appears to be an ongoing issue that will undermine their young romance. Not helping any is Caroline's mom (a vampire hunter) allying with Matt perhaps against her.

Isobel bids adieu in quite a dramatic fashion, just burning alive before Elena, the flesh and blood she had no choice but to betray, unable to live with that.