Ah, memories. That was the basis for this episode of Vampire Diaries, entitled Memory Lane. Katherine takes Stefan down on this journey of 1864 and it turns out everything was not what it seemed. Namely, Katherine is even more conniving than we thought she was, and I’m still at a loss as to why I like her character more than Elena’s.

We start out with a little old dream of Stefan’s where the past is mixed with the present and Elena’s with Damon? (Insert me spazzing the freak out 50 seconds into the show) He wakes up, tells Elena he just had the weirdest dream, but wait it’s Katherine! Classic. Katherine tells Stefan about the Lockwood werewolf gene and is insistent on the fact that Stefan still loves her deep, deep down. Insert almost betrayal moment, then bam! Knife in Katherine’s back and off we go to the Salvatore cellar where Stefan half-tortures Katherine with vervain. It’s amazing how she can still look so in control even when shackled to a chair.

Katherine takes Stefan down on a trip to memory lane, which is really quite touching. Stefan was chosen to be Katherine’s escort instead of Damon (why would anyone do that) and that night, Stefan confessed his love for her. Mind you, he was not compelled. Continue on with the flashback and we find out that Katherine had actually planned her “death” that fateful day. She killed off her own vampire family to save herself, and the Lockwoods obtained that moon stone Mason’s been dying to find.

Meanwhile, Damon pulled some strings and arranged a barbecue at Aunt Jenna’s house, and guess who’s invited? That’s right, Mason Lockwood. But before Mason runs out of that gorgeous Lockwood manor, nephew Tyler has some questions to ask. I can’t blame him for freaking out since Mason’s all question-dodgy and he’s afraid he might turn come next full moon.

Everyone arrives at the barbecue and Damon and Mason soon become BFFs, or acquaintances, at least. They start getting along fairly well, and Damon’s excess wolf comments finally culminate to a coming-out scene in the kitchen, where we know they know each other’s secrets. How Mason knew Damon was a vampire is beyond me, though. Even though Mason was all, “I’m not your enemy,” Damon just has to go get a knife and stab Mason’s heart. Another enemy for Damon, check.

Mason gets home to a Tyler mulling over the moon stone, and the importance of that stone is killing me slowly inside. He finally tells Tyler that the only way to turn is by killing someone, which means Mason’s killed someone before (major gasp inserted here).

Caroline’s been busy all of today trying to keep Elena away from the Salvatore house, where Stefan and Katherine were having a heart-to-heart. She fails due to Elena’s determined will and Katherine threatens her (big surprise here). Elena and Stefan stage a mock fight that Damon also happens to overhear, which was such a downer for me. I thought it was a real fight, you see, and that Damon would be the knight in shining armor. Curse you, CW writers!

And there we have it. Another episode gone by, more questions to be asked. The biggest one being what in the name of Damon Salvatore is that moon stone? Stay tuned for the next episode of Vampire Diaries, Kill or Be Killed, to air this Thursday on the CW, 7/8c.