"If I'm going to be with Stefan, then I have to learn to tolerate Damon."
Stefan and Damon try to track down the vampire stalking Elena.
Alaric introduces himself to Damon
Matt and Caroline take their relationship to the next step.
Tropes present in the episode:
- Action Survivor: For a normal girl Elena manages surprisingly well against Noah, and manages to hurt by stabbing him multiple times with wooden pencils. He ultimately overpowers her, but it buys enough time for Stefan and Damon to arrive.
- The Bait: Damon and Stefan have Elena serves as one to Noah at the dance party.
- The Bartender: Ben, who used to be a football star back in his school days works as one. Caroline looks down on him for it, which upsets Matt who is similarly poor.
- Big Damn Heroes: Stefan shows up to rescue Elena from Noah twice, both times as he's about to bite her.
- Black Cloak / In the Hood: Noah combines these when he's stalking Elena. He takes advantage of this by giving some other student his hoodie to mislead Stefan.
- Continuity Nod: Stefan gives back the Gilbert compass to Elena, in order to help her track down any unknown vampires.
- Cool and Unusual Punishment: For his time as a delinquent, Jeremy is tasked to serving everyone punch at the school dance.
- Decade-Themed Party: The school throws a 50s Decade Dance. Jenna explains to Alaric that the Mystic Fall school loves doing theme event dances.
- Delivery Guy Infiltration: Ben poses as a pizza delivery guy in order to be invited to the Gilbert home.
- Doppelgänger Replacement Love Interest: Noah used to be one of Katherine's lover, and he's after Elena just because she looks like her.
- Enemy Mine: Stefan agrees to help Damon open the Tomb and free Katherine, as long as it's just her and not the rest of the vampires trapped in there. They both officially team up against the other vampires in town trying to open the Tomb.
- Game Face: Anna reveals herself as a vampire when her eyes briefly revert to her vampire form, but she runs away before Jeremy notices.
- Hunting the Most Dangerous Game: Noah starts calling Elena and threatening her. When Elena asks Stefan why a vampire would do that, he says that vampires are natural predators and many of them simply enjoy the hunt.
- Hypnotic Eyes: Damon uses this on Alaric to interrogate him when he gets suspicious about him, but unknown to him Alaric was Crazy-Prepared and eas holding vervain in order to be able to lie and throw Damon off.
- I Can't Believe a Guy Like You Would Notice Me: Bonnie is surprised when the old Big Man on Campus Ben knows who she is.
- I Don't Want to Ruin Our Friendship: Matt is hesitant about having a Relationship Upgrade with Caroline because they might lose the Odd Friendship they have.
- Killed Off for Real: Stefan kills Noah by staking him through the heart.
- Must Be Invited: Noah manages to trick Elena into inviting him to her house, which is the main reason Damon and Stefan kill him.
- Protective Charm: Stefan gives Elena several vervain charms to protect her family and friends.
- Really Gets Around: Noah mocks Damon and Stefan for thinking they were the only vampires Katherine romanced. Apparently, there are many lovers.
- Relationship Upgrade: Caroline and Matt become a couple by the end of the episode.
- The Reveal: Anna and Ben are revealed to be a vampire couple that are working against the Salvatores.
- Stalker with a Crush:
- Jeremy starts to see Anna as one when she starts following everywhere, even to the school's dance.
- Noah is one to Elena, who's attracted to her since he used to be one of Katherine's lovers.
- Unequal Pairing: Matt is uncomfortable with dating Caroline since she comes from a much richer family than him.
- Villain of the Week: Noah serves as this episode's villain.
