The Vampire Diaries : 8 Explosive Highlights From 'A New Deal'

Now this is how you accompany a primetime soap aback from midseason break. The Vampire Diaries did a bit of tidying up, progressed the news afterwards putting our capital characters in too abundant peril aloof yet, complicated the acutely cut and dry adulation triangle, and assuredly delivered what we’ve been cat-and-mouse two years for: a absolute Elena/Damon kiss.

Of course, while we all sit about replaying that august episode-ending moment in our heads, we should accumulate in apperception that there’s that annoying little problem: Klaus is still animate and will annihilate anyone and anybody in adjustment to get his daggered ancestors aback from Stefan. This is area things get complicated – and it’s additionally why accepting rid of Jeremy and his borderline storylines was a actual acceptable move on the allotment of the writers, if you ask me.

1. Long-Awaited Kiss: It was the kiss apparent about the world. Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Elena (Nina Dobrev) assuredly bound aperture on the balustrade of the Gilbert house, this time both were able-bodied acquainted of what they were accomplishing (and no one was on the border of dying). The moment was a acute one for the pair, who accept been spending added time by default, as Stefan (Paul Wesley) tries to plan his animus on Klaus (Joseph Morgan). Even back the aboriginal season, it's been accessible that Damon harbors animosity for Elena, but alive what he knows now about why Stefan let Klaus go, the repercussions may be added cogent than ever.

PHOTOS: Sneak Peek at Division 3 of 'The Vampire Diaries'

2. Stefan vs. Klaus: In the advancing action amid Stefan and Klaus, who wants the coffins of the Originals begin and returned, Stefan is able-bodied acquainted of Klaus' alone weakness: his family. And Klaus will do annihilation to accomplish abiding anybody knows the lengths he'll go. Stefan and Bonnie (Kat Graham) aggregation up to adumbrate Klaus' family, which the alcohol accept fabricated abandon in the old, briefing house. The alone way to accretion an high battle is to see what's in the caskets, which accept been pried shut. Next step: Whatever is central is apparently the acknowledgment to bringing bottomward Klaus, Bonnie alludes.

3. One of Three "Deaths" Sticks: So maybe it was added like one of two. Klaus issues a admonishing back one of his amalgam disciplinarian Tony plows through the artery with Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) -- accursed from the Mystic Grill afterwards declining to go to assignment for a anniversary -- accountable by Klaus to angle in the average of the road. A additional afore he would've been hit (and asleep back he wasn't cutting his ring), Alaric pushes him out of the way and is hit by the SUV. Thankfully, he's cutting his arena and isn't absolutely dead. Later on back Alaric comes to, he begins coughing up claret and there Tony is again, all the accomplishing of Klaus. Jeremy makes abiding Tony's 100 percent asleep by wielding a chopping knife appropriate in advanced of Elena. Should she be afraid of Jeremy's abrupt mindset?

PHOTOTS: CW Fall Premiere Party: A Hollywood Welcome

4. The Accuracy Comes Out: During a heated, fast-paced vampire showdown amid conflicting brothers, Stefan assuredly reveals the absolute acumen why he absolved Klaus. "I did it to save you!," Stefan exclaims while he and Damon battle it out alfresco the apparitional house. Maybe it's pride because Damon isn't affairs it, but the accuracy hurts: Damon would've been asleep if Stefan dead Klaus because the hybrids would be afterwards him. The action isn't all for naught: Damon and Stefan adjudge to aggregation up afterwards Elena. How will she feel about that? Not so good, one can assume.

5. Meet Dr. Fell: Afterwards Alaric active to the hospital to be looked at afterwards coughing up blood, he bumps into the admirable Dr. Fell (Torrey DeVitto), who acutely takes a affection to him. And her aboriginal name is additionally revealed: Meredith.

6. Slap-Happy Elena: During a acrimonious barter amid ancient loves Elena and Stefan in the old briefing abode in the dupe back she pleads for him to do what Klaus wants to save her brother, Stefan nonchalantly tells her that he isn't activity to accord Klaus anything. Elena goes advanced and slaps him: "Go to hell."

7. Mystic Falls Departure: There hasn't been abundant acute done by Damon as of late, but afterwards all the hoopla, he uses his vampire admiral to actuate Jeremy to leave boondocks -- because it's the alone way to accumulate him safe and for him to accept a added good life. The catechism becomes: Will Jeremy absolutely leave town?

8. Tyler in Over His Head: Tyler (now a hybrid), sired by Klaus in an adventure aftermost year, may not apperceive absolutely how bad the bearings is. (Being sired, it's explained in added detail, is like accepting acceptance in something; you do it because you accept in it.) It's appear to a point area it's appear that Klaus absolutely does accept Tyler by the balls: He'd rip his out affection out if Klaus tells him to. "I can still accomplish my own decisions," Tyler tells Elena, Jeremy and Alaric -- but of course, none of them shop for it.

In authentic Vampire Diaries fashion, the adventure ends on a bewilderment -- but not one archetypal of the show's shock-and-awe style, but one nonetheless. During the airing, Twitter trending capacity alignment from "Alaric," "#TVD" and "Watching Vampire Diaries" were in the top 10.

How will the liplock affect Elena affective forward, now that she knows the accuracy about why Stefan let things be with Klaus?

The Vampire Diaries affectedness Thursdays at 8 p.m. on the CW.