While there are a couple of tweaks and additions to my speculation, the rest of this is pretty much from the idiot's recaplet, so if you've already read it, class dismissed! I'll see you Friday morning. If you haven't, or you're interested in said tweaks, please read on.

"Before Sunset," moves at the breakneck pace typical of The Vampire Diaries. While I have a couple of canonical quibbles, they pale beside my delight that this seemingly immortal Original storyline will be put to rest, at least temporarily. I love the solution of desiccating Klaus because it leaves a door open for Joseph Morgan to return, but also gets rid of Klaus for at least a little while. The show needs to detox from its Original addiction. I'm not spoiled, but I keep thinking there are only two ways to defeat Vamparic. If you don't want to read my speculation, avert thine eyes.

Now that we're free of those people so spoiler-phobic that they can't even bear unspoiled speculation, let's talk. The only way to stop Vamparic is to either desiccate him too, or kill Elena. If I were king of the forest (or Julie Plec), I'd choose that second option. Feed her some vampire blood (or take her to the hospital and let Mere administer it) to heal her, then kill her. Alaric will die and Elena will be a vampire. Her willingness to be the "bad guy" seems to foreshadow this, as does Stefan's early "Going darker, huh?" comment. Besides, if/once Elena is a vampire, that opens the door to letting her have a relationship with Damon, without it wounding the Salvatores' brotherly bond as deeply as it might, were Elena human. It also somehow leaves Elena's human character less tainted, in ways I can't quite articulate. I hope you know what I mean. Anyhow, I'm just thinking aloud. No matter what happens, we'll have to wait 'til Thursday to find out.

I'll be back Friday with coverage of the Season 3 finale, "The Departed." In the meantime, please grade the episode up top and join us in the forum, where we never have a day without any vampires in it.