Smells Like Teen Spirit

The Vampire Diaries

Season 3, Episode 6 (50)

Air date

October 20, 2011

Written by

Directed by

Episode Guide
(Transcript)
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Smells Like Teen Spirit is the sixth episode of the third season of Template:The Vampire Diaries and the fiftieth episode of the series overall.

Summary

WELCOME BACK SENIORS — On the first day of their senior year, Elena, Caroline, Bonnie and Matt are still reeling from recent events, while Tyler seems to be enjoying everything a little too much. Damon is annoyed by a new house-guest, and everyone is surprised by the arrival of a new student in Alaric's history class. Matt asks Bonnie for help when he realizes he made a serious mistake. Meanwhile, Stefan continues to carry out his latest assignment from Klaus.

Plot

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Cast

Main Cast

Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert/Katherine Pierce
Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore
Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore
Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert
Kat Graham as Bonnie Bennett
Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan
Candice Accola as Caroline Forbes
Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood
Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman
Joseph Morgan as Niklaus Mikaelson (credit only)

Recurring Cast

Guest Cast

Taylor Kinney as Mason Lockwood

Co-Starring

Onira Tares as Cheerleader
TJ Hassan as Coach Lyman

Trivia

Antagonists: Esther (unseen) and Vicki Donovan.
This is the 50th episode of The Vampire Diaries.
- Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder are the only actors to appear in all 50 episodes.
This episode is a homage to the Pilot as it parallels events that happened in that episode, such as:
- Cheerleading Practice.
- The Back-To-School Bonfire.
- Elena and Stefan running into each other as she leaves the boys bathroom.
Kevin Williamson did not write this episode with Julie because of conflicts with The Secret Circle writing and production.
Klaus doesn't appear in this episode.
Elena, Damon, Stefan, Caroline and Tyler have appeared in all the first six episodes, for the second time since Season Two.
Having made cameo appearances in The End of the Affair and The Reckoning, this is the first episode to fully feature Mikael.
Rebekah meets Damon and Alaric in this episode.
Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, Tyler, and Matt start their first day of senior year in Mystic Falls High School while it's Jeremy's first day of junior year.
Stefan mentions the Homecoming Dance to Elena, which will occur in Homecoming.
Elena gets jealous for the first time when she sees Damon with Rebekah. Stefan notices Elena's jealousy, which is the first hint that she has feelings for Damon.
- Foreshadowing: Elena would later get jealous after Damon and Rebekah sleep together in Dangerous Liaisons.

Locations

Mystic Falls, Virginia
Charlotte, North Carolina
- Pickett Mausoleum

Body Count

Two unnamed girls - Drained of blood; killed by Stefan
Man with flowers - Drained of blood; killed by Katherine
Unnamed girl - Drained of blood; by Tyler and Rebekah

Continuity

Elena mentions that she used the vervain grenade on Elijah. This was first seen in Rose, and then again in The Hybrid.
We learn that it has been one year since Elena met Stefan on the first day school of junior year, which would place the start of senior year on September 6, 2010.
Taylor Kinney was credited in the closing credits of this episode to keep Mason's return a surprise.
- A similar situation happened in the Season Two finale with Malese Jow (Anna) and will happen later in the season with Daniel Gillies (Elijah).
Mason Lockwood was last seen in Plan B. He only appeared in The Sacrifice and By the Light of the Moon on video. This is his first appearance as a ghost.
Elena, Stefan, Damon, Jeremy, Vicki, Tyler, Caroline, Matt and Bonnie are the only characters to appear in both Pilot and this episode.
- Katherine was featured in a picture in Pilot, but she didn't make a physical appearance in that episode.
- Jenna doesn't appear in this episode.
- Alaric's first appearance was after Pilot.
- Niklaus and Silas are absent in both Pilot and this episode.
Alaric returns in this episode. He was last seen in Disturbing Behavior.

Cultural References

The title is a reference to Nirvana's song of the same name.
Stefan is playing a twisted version of Twister, the viral game by Hasbro. Because of the awkward positions and close proximity, there is a level of sexual tension in this game.
Damon calls Rebekah "Barbie Klaus." A reference to the popular blond doll that is often an euphemism for dumb blond.
Vicki says she will fit right in a town with vampires, witches and werewolves. It could be a reference to the cult British TV series Being Human.
Damon says "Come on, Buffy" to Elena, which is a reference to the successful TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer which aired from 1997 until 2003.
Damon calls Elena "Warrior Princess." That is a reference to another successful TV series Xena: Warrior Princess, which originally aired from 1995–2001.
Damon says that "the way to a vampire's heart" is to reach it from beneath the ribcage. But he could as well have said through the stomach, since that is also a soft spot....
Caroline calls Tyler a Minion. That's usually reserved for a very obedient, subservient sidekick.
Rebekah has never eaten a S'more before. Maybe because they were invented in 1927, and she was daggered in 1922...
Tyler says "I consider it a challenge" - that is a reference to the meme used by Barney Stinson from the TV comedy series How I Met Your Mother.

Behind the Scenes

This episode had about 3.03 million viewers in the USA.

Quotes

Stefan: (to Alaric) "You're not gonna want to mess with me."

Elena: "This isn't a joke to me, Ric!"

Alaric: "You think I'm joking? Vampire will take whatever they want. They will hurt whoever they want. And they will do it without remorse. It's their nature."

Elena: "You don't have to use pronouns. You can say Stefan."

Alaric: "Look, I get why you're here. Stefan hurt you. You don't want it to happen again."

Elena: "But you think that I'm crazy to believe that I can protect myself from a vampire who's flipped the switch on his humanity."

Alaric: "I think you found a way to get out of bed this morning. And that makes you the strongest person that I know. I think you can do pretty much anything."

Damon: (to Elena) "No one's going to hurt you. Especially not my brother."

Caroline: (to Tyler) "Vampire 101? Don't wear your breakfast to school."

Elena: (to Stefan) "I knew you'd catch me."

Elena: (to Stefan) "You think I'm going to let a blood addict tell me how to drink?"

Damon: (to Elena) "Come on, Buffy."

Bonnie: "Why should I let the fact that my boyfriend is seeing the ghosts of his dead girlfriends hinder this experience?"

Caroline: "And why should I let the fact that my boyfriend was turned into a hybrid put a damper on an otherwise fabulous day?"

Damon: (to Katherine about Mikael) "We need him to kill Klaus so I can de-ripper-fy Stefan before he destroys my house."

Vicki: "I'll be able to come and go as I please, when I want, where I want. I won't have to rely on you."

Matt: "But you'll still be a ghost, Vicki."

Vicki: "In a town full of vampires, werewolves and witches! I'll fit right in."

Caroline: (to Tyler) "Klaus is the bad guy, Tyler. Why are you acting like some freaky, hybrid slave-minion?"