The Night of the Comet

The Night of the Comet is the second episode of the first season of The Vampire Diaries and the second episode of the series overall.
==Summary==
ELENA MEETS DAMON AND LEARNS ABOUT STEFAN'S PAST LOVE — As Mystic Falls prepares for a festival to celebrate the passing of a comet, Vicki is in the hospital recovering from the attack that she can barely remember. Stefan goes to the hospital and tries to use his abilities to make sure Vicki doesn't remember what really happened, his attempt is cut short when Vicki's brother Matt arrives. Jeremy continues to struggle at school and with his feelings for Vicki. At a parent-teacher conference, Mr. Tanner makes Jenna feel that she is failing as a surrogate parent, especially when it comes to Jeremy. Elena decides to go to the Salvatore house to meet Stefan, but finds his charming brother Damon instead. Damon reveals some surprising information about Stefan's past and when Stefan arrives home, Elena is confused and embarrassed when she realizes that he isn't happy to see her there. Meanwhile, Vicki's memory of the attack begins to come back to her. 
==Plot==
The episode starts with an unidentified couple who are camping in the woods in a tent waiting to see a comet pass over. The boy says that he's going get something in the car. When he doesn't return the girl comes out of the tent only to see the boy's body up on the tree. She runs to the car only to find the doors locked. She then looks around and suddenly someone jumps on her. 
Elena and Stefan wake up while the voice over of Elena and Stefan starts This morning is different. There's change. I can sense it. Feel it. I'm awake. For the first time in a long time I feel completely and undeniably wide awake. For once I don't regret the day before it begins. I welcome the day because I know, I will see her again. I will see him again. For the first time in a long time, I feel good. Elena finishes getting ready for school and is met in the hallway by Jenna who is deciding what to wear for a guardian/teacher conference. Jenna comments on Elena's uncharacteristically cheerful mood. Jeremy has left already, telling Jenna he had woodshop class, but instead has gone to look in on Vicki at the hospital, where the nurse tells him to come back later.
Elena and Stefan exchange smiles in Mr. Tanner's class as Mr. Tanner lectures about the comet that's about to pass over Mystic Falls. Caroline and Bonnie walk through the hallway discussing Bonnie's apparent witch lineage that Bonnie learned of from her grandmother. Jeremy searches the school grounds until he finds Tyler and quizzes him about Vicki's recovery while trying to pick a fight and threatening to kill him if he hurts Vicki one more time. Matt and Elena walk outside while Matt tells Elena that Vicki should be released the next day but he still hasn't heard from his mother. Matt is troubled because when asked about what attacked her in the woods, Vicki answered: "A Vampire". Stefan, sitting alone at a nearby table, was listening to Elena and Matt's conversation. He stays just long enough for Matt to point at Stefan and ask about Elena's new relationship with him; Elena doesn't want to hurt Matt, so she doesn't answer his question. Matt goes back to the hospital and when Elena turns back to look at Stefan, he's gone. Jenna meets with Mr. Tanner to talk about Jeremy's attendance record and he hints that Jeremy is probably taking drugs and questions Jenna's suitability as a guardian which makes Jenna angry.
Matt and Stefan arrive at the hospital, but Matt reaches a hysterical Vicki first. As Matt looks for help, Stefan uses compulsion on Vicki to calm her down as well as alter her memories of the attack. Stefan attempts to leave the hospital without being seen, but Matt catches a glimpse of him as he skirts down the hallway. Matt follows Stefan as he enters a blood donation room which causes Stefan's face to change. As Matt enters the room, Stefan has already jumped out of the window.
Bonnie, Caroline, and Elena sit at a table in front of the Mystic Grill and talk about Elena's visit from Stefan the prior night - Caroline is skeptical of Elena's assertion that all the pair did was talk. The chat with the other girls prompts Elena to go to Stefan's house unannounced. Jeremy arrives home to find Jenna waiting on him with an "are you doing drugs?" talk at the ready. Despite Jenna admitting to recreational use in the past, Jeremy blows her off and leaves the house.
Vicki wakes at the hospital in a much-improved mood as she chats with Matt with no apparent memory of a vampire attack, instead she believes she was bitten by an unknown animal. Jeremy walks into the hospital room and Matt excuses himself. Upset at Jeremy's arrival, Vicki tells Jeremy to back off until he reveals the fact that he's the one who saved Vicki the night of the party.
When her knock goes unanswered, Elena lets herself in to the Salvatore house and while she looks around, she finds herself face to face with a curious Damon. Elena stumbles over her words as she attempts to apologize for barging into the house. Damon introduces himself to a surprised Elena and mentions Stefan's ex-girlfriend, Katherine. Damon points out that Elena is just Stefan's rebound girl and that their relationship is doomed. Stefan arrives, clearly surprised to see Elena talking with Damon, and coolly escorts Elena from the house. Damon mocks Stefan's attitude and wonders aloud if Stefan's compulsion on Vicki will work because he's not feeding properly. Damon says he wonders if Stefan's afraid that they may be doomed to repeat the past. Elena rants to Jenna about Stefan's apparent family issues. Still in the hospital, Vicki has a nightmare where she is attacked multiple times by Damon.
The night of the comet's appearance arrives and Bonnie and Elena walk through the square passing out flyers while discussing Stefan's lack of calls or texts. Elena seems irritated until she realizes she never even gave him that information. She seems ready to end the relationship before it really begins, and Bonnie says it sounds as if she's giving up. Caroline spies a brooding Damon but when she approaches him, he disappears. Zach confronts Stefan about Damon's continued presence and the danger he's putting them all in and asks if the girl is really worth the risk. Jeremy meets Vicki in the Mystic Grill and gives her more pain pills; Tyler isn't pleased to see the pair together. Night falls and the candlelight celebration begins - Matt lights Elena's candle who passes her light on to Stefan. Stefan and Elena step away from the others and Stefan apologizes for his behavior the day before - she's bothered by Stefan's past with Katherine and his omission of Damon's presence. Vicki sees Damon sitting in the bar and recognizes him. She goes to the restroom, downs a handful of pills, and is attacked by Damon.
Jeremy goes into the Grill and asks if anyone has seen Vicki prompting an argument with Tyler who hints that Jeremy's been "dealing." As Matt leaves to look for his sister, Elena confronts Jeremy about his options - therapy, rehab, or talking with her. Matt searches the square for Vicki and sees Stefan. He warns Stefan that even though he's not with Elena anymore, he'll always be looking out for her. Hearing screams from Vicki, Stefan excuses himself and runs to the top of the building where Damon is threatening Vicki.
Damon compels Vicki to make her believe Stefan was the one to attack her taunting Stefan's choice of lifestyle again. Stefan asks if this was all about Damon trying to expose him but Damon answers that it's to remind him of his old self. Damon then compels Vicki to forget. Stefan asks what Damon is really up to, to which he responds "That's for me to know and for you to dot dot dot (...)".
Matt checks Vicki's injury as he thanks Stefan for his help finding her. Bonnie gives Stefan Elena's e-mail address and cell phone number but sees a vision when she touches his hand. Elena arrives home and finds Jenna searching Jeremy's room for drugs while she questions her suitability as a guardian for Elena and Jeremy. Elena reassures Jenna and talks herself into going back to see Stefan. A crestfallen Jeremy watches a romantic moment between Tyler and Vicki. Walking alone to her car, Caroline senses she's being followed - and she's right - Damon appears at her car.
Elena rings the bell at Stefan's and they walk outside to watch the comet overhead. She admits to being scared earlier when she talked with Stefan since she's not sure she'd survive if her world broke apart again. They discuss what they each would have written in their diaries if they'd had the chance. Stefan looks at Elena and says that this is reality right here. They share a tentative kiss followed by a more lingering one. Caroline is in bed with a guest: Damon. He looks up from kissing her stomach and changes into his vampire form before biting her.
==Cast==
===Starring===
*Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert
*Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore
*Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore
*Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert
*Sara Canning as Jenna Sommers
*Katerina Graham as Bonnie Bennett
*Candice Accola as Caroline Forbes
*Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan
*Kayla Ewell as Vicki Donovan
*Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood
===Guest Starring===
*Chris William Martin as Zach Salvatore
*Benjamin Ayres as Mr. Tanner
===Co-Starring===
*Peyton Lee as Guy
*Elizabeth Lynn Hingley as Girl
==Trivia==
* Antagonist: Damon Salvatore.
*This episode establishes that it's the third day school by Mr. Tanner telling Jenna that it's only the third day school and Jeremy has already skipped classes and gotten into trouble.
**This indicates that the episode takes place on September 10, 2009. The same date as the series premiere.
* The "previously" sequence hints at Elena and Stefan's first encounter when he saved her after her parents' car went over Wickery Bridge. After Elena tells Stefan that they have history class together, it cuts to her revealing her parents' accident and how she survived.
* Terri James is uncredited as Nurse Haynes.
==Body Count==
*Guy and Girl - Drained of blood; killed by Damon Salvatore
==Continuity==
*Kelly is mentioned.
==Locations==
*Mystic Falls, Virginia
**The Woods
**Gilbert House
**Salvatore Boarding House
**Mystic Falls Hospital
**Mystic Falls High School
**Mystic Grill
**Town Square
**Forbes House''
==Behind the Scenes==
* This episode had about 3.78 million viewers in USA, which was 1.13 million less than the previous episode.
* The Night of the Comet refers to the event of a comet over Mystic Falls that has not occurred in a century and a half.
==Cultural References==
* , a 1984 zombie apocalypse B-movie.
* , 's only novel, originally published under the pseudonym Ellis Bell.
==Quotes==
==Multimedia==
===Soundtrack===
===Pictures===
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==References==
==See also==
fr:Episode 1x02 : La nuit de la comète
it:La Notte Della Cometa
Category:The Vampire Diaries Episode Guide
Category:The Vampire Diaries Season One
Category:Episodes featuring all main characters