Recap of The Vampire Diaries Season 3, Episode 6 - Smells Like Teen Spirit

Stefan is still frustrating Damon as he continues to stay at the house, wreaking bloody havoc with the vampire version of Twister. To make matters worse, Klaus abandoned Rebecca so she moves herself into Salvatore Manor becoming an annoyance to both brothers.
　
This is the gang's first day back at school for their Senior year. Although Caroline, Bonnie and Elena are all having their own unique blend of man trouble they are trying to make the best of it as well as at the back-to-school bonfire party that is planned for later that evening.
　
You know, there were parts of high school that really sucked sometimes, but looking back, at least I never had to deal with the guys in my life becoming vampire/werewolf hybrids, losing their humanity or seeing their dead girlfriends. So I guess I gotta be thankful for that.
　
Elena doesn't get much of a chance to act on this new leaf she's turning over before Stefan shows up at school so he can continue to be her undead guardian. His new term of endearment for her is "Human Blood Bag." Aww, how sweet, I might swoon.
　
In one of the few bits of time that Elena has where Stefan is not shadowing her, she meets with Damon, Alaric, and Caroline to talk about a plan to vervain Stefan and lock him up until Michael (the vampire, vampire hunter) is back in commission and kills Klaus.
　
After last week's brush with death Matt is still able to see Vicki and she starts trying to recruit him to help her come back from the Other Side. He finally agrees and performs a blood ritual involving candles and a picture of them together as children.
　
At the bonfire, Elena starts to put her plan into action by (mostly) faking being drunk and luring Stefan off to the bleachers. She climbs over the railing near the top and then purposely (I think, maybe it was unintentional, I haven't decided yet) falls off. Stefan comes to her rescue, catching her before she hits the ground. They share a brief OMG-Is-Stefan-coming-around-moment? before Ric comes up and knocks Stefan out with vervain.
　
After Matt brings Vicki back, she informs him that her repayment to the witch who helped her is to stop the creation of hybrids. To do this, she intends to kill Elena. She clocks Matt with a tire iron and heads off to the bonfire.
　
Alaric and Elena have Stefan loaded into an SUV. She gets in and waits for Alaric to get in on the driver's side. Before he is able, Vicki drops a lit joint into a puddle of gasoline that not-so-coincidently has been spread under the SUV and around the tires. The car bursts into flames with Elena unable to get out because a ghostly Vicki is now in the car with her, holding down the door locks. Alaric tries but is having a hard time getting the window to break so he can help Elena. Elena manages to wake up Stefan enough so he can kick the back door off the vehicle. Alaric gets her out and then she makes sure they get Stefan out as well.
　
In the meantime Bonnie has met up with Matt and they are trying to undo him bringing Vicki back. Bonnie successfully gets the spell started, but in order for it to work Matt has to release the emotional hold that he has on his sister. He is sad about it but manages to do so, and she disappears.
　
　
Later once they are home and Elena's wounds are tended to, Stefan observes that she didn't have to save him from the burning SUV. She lets him know that she hasn't given up on him yet ... and for all those that are hoping that Stefan becomes the less evil version of himself ... well, you better keep hoping. He proves he is still an ass by telling Elena that she is pathetic to still believe in him. But, (yay girl power!) Elena uses a glove like device that Alaric made to jam wooden stakes into his stomach, which effectively ends his smugness, well at least for this episode.
　
Also noteworthy this episode: Bonnie is understandably not happy that Jeremy is able to communicate with his dead ex's, although after banishing Vicki now she only has to worry about Anna. And, she probably should be worried seeing how as at the end of this episode Anna appears to Jeremy (because he keeps thinking about her) and when they touch they can feel each other. Uh-oh. Smells like trouble.
　
Tyler has been acting loyal towards Klaus. It turns out that he's been "sired" which in vampire lingo means that you form an attachment to the vamp that created you and you want to impress them. He seems to snap out of it a bit when Caroline calls him on it, but by the end of the episode, Rebecca shows up at his place with a little snack for him, which to his credit (I guess) he tries to resist, but then can't hold himself back anymore and sinks his teeth into said snack's neck.
　
For people who are Damon/Elena shippers, they had an encounter that was just below steamy. To demonstrate the best way to get to a vampire's heart Damon holds Elena's hand against his chest to show her how difficult it would be to stab through, then he spins her around and runs his hand over a spot between the bottom of her ribs and hip, explaining that this place in particular would be a much better access point. He tells her that he will not let harm come to her.
Then, even though it was part of "the plan" Elena gets jealous when Damon flirts with Rebecca to distract her at the bonfire.
　
So ... lately I have been finding myself wanting to see Damon and Elena together. I guess I like the bad boy part of Damon, but not the ruthless, bloodthirsty, savage killer part of him. With him, I'm not sure you can have one without the other. But, I have a feeling we are going to find out as the season progresses.
　
Katherine manages to wake up Michael, who informs her that he no longer feeds on living things. She doesn't get the hint quick enough and he makes her his comeback meal.
　
Oh, yes. I almost forgot to mention that Mason Lockwood has returned. We should learn more about that in the next episode.
　
A few random questions I am throwing out there to anyone who cares to comment:

How is it that Stefan has a tattoo? Is that possible? I was thinking the with him being a vampire he would heal too quickly for the tattoo to take, but maybe the tattoo itself would just heal more quickly.
　
How is it that when Matt hugged Vicki after he cut his hand he didn't get blood on her shirt?
　
Doesn't anyone at the school or bonfire think it's weird that Stefan and Elena are no longer getting along? Maybe they just assume they broke up over the summer.

I've been wondering this one for awhile: What happens if Tyler accidentally bites or scratches Caroline when they are getting it on? I've been wondering that since before he became a hybrid. Now I wonder if a hybrid bite or scratch has the same effect on a vampire that a regular werewolf's would?

Yes, these are the things I think about. Welcome to my world.