Recap / The Vampire Diaries S 01 E 09 History Repeating

Stefan learns the true reason Damon came to Mystic Falls.

Bonnie is haunted by the spirit of her ancestor Emily Bennet.

Elena tries to smooth things over between Bonnie and Caroline.

Jeremy meets and bonds with his mysterious new history teacher, Alaric.

Tropes present in the episode:

• Back from the Dead: At the end of the episode, Logan suddenly shows up "alive" at Jenna's door, asking her if she won't invite him in.
• Body Snatcher: Emily takes control of Bonnie's body after they perform the seance.
• Buried Alive: Katherine and 27 other vampires have been trapped underneath mystic falls church for over a century.
• Clingy MacGuffin: Bonnie tries to get rid of the Bennet medallion by throwing it away in a field, but it ends up finding its way back to her.
• Cool Teacher: Alaric Saltzman, the new history teacher. He's way more likable than the previous one and gives Jeremy a chance to get his grades back up despite Jeremy's stigma as a troublemaker.
• Deal with the Devil: Damon and Emily made a deal that she would protect Katherine if Damon keeps her lineage alive. It's the only reason Damon hasn't killed Bonnie for the medallion.
• Dream Walker: Emily Bennet, Bonnie's ancestor starts appearing in her dreams trying to communicate with her, but Bonnie wants nothing to do with it.
• Easily Forgiven: Stefan's is at best passive aggressive towards Damon, despite him having murdered his Best Friend Lexi last episode.
• Fanservice: Stefan's Shirtless Scene when Damon wakes him up.
• Ghostly Chill: During the Spooky Séance, the girls shiver with gold when Emily starts making her presence know.
• Healing Factor: Stefan has Bonnie drink his blood to heal her after Damon almost tears out her throat. Elena is worried she might turn into a vampire, but Stefan says she will only turn if she dies with his blood on her system.
• Hot Teacher: The new history teacher Alaric is easy on the eye, which Jenna instantly notices.
• Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Damon gets impaled in a tree branch after Emily blows him away with her powers and since he's been on a Vegetarian Vampire died it hurts him a lot.
• Internal Reveal: Bonnie learns about the Salvatore brothers being Vampires.
• Ironic Echo: When Caroline tries to read something more about Matt's greeting the morning after he slept in her bed
  Caroline: "You went out the window? Another Lame-Guy move."
  Matt: Your mom's the sheriff! And as for the "hey"s, I'm pretty sure it's what I've said to you every day since the first grade. Trying to read something into it? Lame-Girl move.
• It Meant Something to Me: Damon tells Stefan Katherine never compelled him, he was genuinely in love with her.
• It's Not You, It's My Enemies: Stefan decides to leave Mystic Falls after his and Damon arrival brought so much danger to Elena's life.
• Not Staying for Breakfast: A non-sexual example with Matt and Caroline, after they fell asleep together in her bed last episode, Matt sneaked out of the room through the window out of fear of Caroline's sheriff mother, which pisses off Caroline.
• Please, Don't Leave Me: Elena asks this of Stefan when he tells her he's leaving Mystic Falls.
• Refusal of the Call: Bonnie tries her best to ignore Emily's attempts to contact and wants nothing to do with the supernatural world.
• The Reveal: Damon finally reveals the real reason he came back to Mystic Falls to Stefan: To bring back Katherine.
• Roaring Rampage of Revenge: After Emily destroys the medallion, Damon almost tears out her throat, which is actually Bonnie's since Emily was just possessing her.
• Slumber Party: Elena has one at her place to try to get Caroline and Bonnie to make up after they fought in the last episode over the medallion.
• Spooky Séance: Bonnie, Elena and Caroline take part in one in order to communicate with Emily. It doesn't end well.
• Vegetarian Vampire: As his way to apologize for Lexi's death Damon promises Stefan he will adopt his diet as long as it's not "anything with feathers."
• Villainous Breakdown: Damon breaks down hard when Emily renegades on their deal and destroys the medallion, he's not even Ain't Too Proud to Beg.
• Wham Episode: Damon reveals that there's a tomb beneath the church where Katherine and other vampires have been sealed for the last century and a half, and he plans to free them.