Joshua Butler

While Ryan and his team prepare to storm the manor, the locals prepare to evacuate. However, Carroll has learned of their plans and sends his followers to create a distraction while he makes his escape.

Ryan set out to rescue Claire when Carroll learns where his ex-wife is being kept in protective custody. Meanwhile, Emma and Jacob are reunited, and Ryan turns to an old friend for help.

Infamous serial killer Joe Caroll has escaped from prison and Ryan Hardy, the FBI agent who had him arrested, is called in to help the police try and find him. But Ryan soon learns that Caroll has made himself a number of followers over the internet as part of a huge game he has planned for Ryan.

Nikita and Michael capture a former Division arms dealer named Cyrus who is acquiring a weapon-jamming device for Ari. Nikita devises a plan to use Cyrus as bait to track down Amanda, but Cyrus manages to escape the trap. However, Cyrus needs Nikita's help to survive after Amanda double crosses him. Meanwhile, Birkhoff continues to close in on Amanda's mole, and Alex starts to unravel.

Elena, Bonnie and Damon head to Whitmore College. Bonnie visits with Professor Shane who took over the classes her grandmother used to teach while Damon teaches Elena how to choose a victim. Stefan questions Klaus about Connor but he insists that Stefan get Rebekah to forgive him before he gives any answers. Klaus tells how in the 12th century he encountered a powerful group of vampire hunters and how Rebekah learned their secrets after she fell in love with one.

Alaric receives guidance from someone unexpected as he navigates his dangerous new path, while Damon and Meredith try to determine the best course of action. At the school's 1920s Decade Dance, Bonnie invites Jamie to the 1920s Decade Dance, and Caroline convinces Elena to ask Stefan to be join her. Caroline is pleased to see Tyler show up at the dance and try to sweep her off her feet, but Klaus does everything he can to come between them. Things take a dangerous turn at the dance, and Stefan and Damon turn to Jeremy, Matt, and Bonnie to help reverse a spell that threatens everyone.

Cassie catches her father sneaking around inside the abandoned house. Cassie tells Adam what she saw, and Adam informs her that Blackwell was looking for a device to drain the power from The Circle and that her father has clearly returned to his old ways. Faye shows up at Lee's house with the intention of inviting him to the school fundraiser, but is surprised when Eva answers the door, claiming to be Lee's girlfriend. Melissa tries to convince Diana to date a normal guy and encourages her to meet a new, handsome guy in Chance Harbor. Dawn runs into Blackwell at the school, but their encounter doesn't go as she had anticipated.

Agent Machado's history with his informant, a stripper named Shaylene Briggs, comes to light, and Siobhan is able to deceive Malcolm by pretending to be Bridget. In Paris, Tyler takes an important piece of evidence from Siobhan that she needs to execute her plan for revenge. Henry realizes that Bridget knows more about the situation than he first thought and works to keep her from interfering with his plans.

Cassie turns to Adam for help when she starts investigating her father's past, and their search leads them to an eerily familiar place. Working together also rekindles an old flame and Adam, who is happy to be spending time with Cassie again, asks her to the Fire and Ice dance. But Cassie, thinking of her friendship with Diana, gives Adam a surprising response. Trying to be a better father, Ethan volunteers to chaperone the dance, which displeases Adam . Faye asks Lee to help her cast a spell that would give her individual magic, but the spell has some troubling side effects that threaten to destroy the Circle.

Elena is uneasy and confused after Rebekah tells her why the night of the Homecoming dance is so significant. Tyler's actions during the evening leave Matt and Caroline shaken. Things turn bizarre when Klaus decides to activate his latest plan and, while trying to outsmart him, Damon forms a risky liaison which gives rise to a horrifying unforeseen development.

Klaus attempts to execute a plan that will give him even more power, but things don't go as he planned. Alaric and Damon hesitantly go along with Elena's search for Stefan, but her plan may end up putting Damon in danger. Jeremy asks for Matt's help to find out what his ghosts want from him, and Caroline needs Tyler's help.

At the Founder's Day Gala, Elena and Caroline compete in the "Miss Mystic Fall" contest. Elena is very happy to have Bonnie back but Bonnie still has some issues to work. Meanwhile, John Gilbert tries unsuccessfully to intimidate Damon, and Damon discovers that Stefan is hiding a very dangerous secret.