We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes

The Vampire Diaries

Season 4, Episode 6 (71)

Air date

November 15, 2012

Written by

Evan Bleiweiss & Julie Plec

Directed by

Wendy Stanzler

Episode Guide
(Transcript)
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We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes is the sixth episode of the fourth season of The Vampire Diaries and the seventy-second of the series.

Summary

ELENA'S NEW NIGHTMARE — Terrifying hallucinations leave Elena shaken and confused, causing her to make a dangerous mistake. After giving Stefan some very disturbing news about Elena, Klaus takes matters into his own hands. Professor Shane reveals a story of ancient witchcraft to Damon and Template:Bonnie. With help from Klaus and Stefan, Template:Jeremy begins a new chapter in his life. Finally, Elena makes a painful personal confession to Stefan, and Template:Matt gives Damon startling new information about Professor Shane.

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
Joseph Morgan as Niklaus Mikaelson

Recurring Cast

Guest Cast

Erin Beute as Miranda Sommers-Gilbert

Co-Starring

Ser'Darius Blain as Chris

Trivia

Antagonists: Connor Jordan, Katherine Pierce and Niklaus Mikaelson.
With its 7 words with 26 letters, this episode has the second longest title.
- The first is We’ll Always Have Bourbon Street - 5 words with 27 letters.
Stefan and Elena break up, though it is on mutual terms.
This is the last episode before a one week hiatus for Thanksgiving Day.
Elena and Damon return to Wickery Bridge.
Connor Jordan and Miranda Sommers-Gilbert haunt Elena from beyond the grave while Katherine also appears.
Katherine makes a cameo in the episode, making her first appearance this season. She was last seen in "Homecoming," which marks her absence as a span of 18 episodes.
Jeremy makes his first kill as a hunter, which fully activates him as a member of the Brotherhood of the Five.
Caroline agrees to go on a date with Klaus if he will allow Jeremy to kill one of his hybrids to advance his Hunter's mark and fully activate his hunter potential.
Elena finally admits she has feelings for Damon, which leads to her break-up with Stefan.
Alaric Saltzman was referenced thrice in this episode.
- First when Damon says "Thanks for not ditching the family ring after it drove Ric crazy."
- In Alaric's old classroom when Damon is drinking a bottle of Bourbon.
- The third time when Damon orders two drinks at the bar and Matt asks if he is still saving a seat for Mr. Saltzman.
Silas and Qetsiyah are mentioned for the very first time in this episode. Amara is mentioned for the first time but isn't referred to by name.
Silas' Tombstone is seen for the very first time in this episode.
This is the fourth episode of the second chapter of Season Four, The Hunter Chapter, (The Rager to O Come, All Ye Faithful.)

Body Count

Chris - decapitation, killed by Jeremy Gilbert.

Tropes

Not all the waters of the ocean can clean the blood off your hands, Elena, so you better head for the Shower of Angst! After any kind of trauma, all that one wants is to get a long shower, after all, water does have the archetypical cleansing properties, that go beyond the visible stains.
Add a bit of Fanservice, with the topless from behind to keep it safe for kids!
Of course, The Slayer is not the only Chosen One - it is a common trope that is actually older than the pyramids. In modern fiction we have Anakin Skywalker, Harry Potter, Neo from The Matrix, John Connor from the Terminator series, and one can say that Christ and King Arthur were also chosen ones. The Chosen one is often the beneficiary (or victim) of an ancient prophecy. Many times - but not always, they get special powers to fulfill their mission.
Moral Dissonance: to kill the one hybrid that is not sired to Klaus anymore, but is the one who helped you save your sister or beloved is really not nice. Makes us question who are the "good guys".
That is also an example of Protagonist Centered Morality.
The way Stefan is trying so hard so "fix" Elena, and on the way doing very questionable acts that mess things up more than they further his goal make him a Tragic Hero.
When Klaus kidnapped Elena for her own protection, he kept her in a Gilded Cage.

Continuity

This is the first appearance of Katherine this season. She was last seen in Season Three's Homecoming.
Jeremy is still wearing the Gilbert Ring, despite the fact it drove Alaric mad.
In The Killer, Stefan compelled Jeremy to forget that Connor's tattoo could lead to a cure for vampirism.
The Wickery Bridge was last seen in The Departed.
Miranda Sommers-Gilbert was last seen in The Departed via flashback. This is her first appearance as a hallucination.
This is the third episode this season in which all main characters appear.
Shelia Bennett and Abby Bennett Wilson were both mentioned by Katherine.
- Shelia died from the spell exertion in Fool Me Once. She was last seen as a ghost in Growing Pains.
- Abby was turned into a vampire in All My Children. She was last seen in Before Sunset.

Locations

Mystic Falls, Virginia
- Gilbert House
- Lockwood Mansion
- Mystic Falls High School
- Klaus's Family Mansion
- Mystic Grill
- Wickery Bridge
Other
- Atticus's Office

Cultural References

"We All Go A Little Mad Sometimes" is a direct quote from the movie Scream, which Kevin Williamson wrote. It was his first film that launched his career. It was also quoted in both versions of the movie Psycho (1960 and 1998).
Damon tells Stefan that -
- It's time to Face the Music - meaning, accept the consequences of his actions.
- Also to Pay the Piper - this is a reference to the fable "The Pied Piper of Hamelin ", who was hired by a village to get rid of all the rats, which he did. When the village refused to pay him, he played a different tune, and let all the children to death. A cautionary tale about paying your debts or bad consequences will follow.
- And to Dance with the Devil - meaning if you engage with someone known for their evil, crafty ways, he'll beat you at his game. It is said that witches danced with the devil.
Damon refers to Jeremy as "Van Helsing " (a fictional character from Bram Stoker's 1897 Gothic horror novel Dracula.)
- This is the second time Damon refers a character as a famous vampire hunter. The first time was in Smells Like Teen Spirit, when he refereed to Elena as "Buffy".
- This is also the second time Van Helsing reference was used. First one was in Children of the Damned, when Stefan referred to Alaric as Van Helsing.
If there was any doubt that the Hunters are a reference to the Slayers, it was made clear after Jeremy told about his mark to Matt who replies: "What are you? The next chosen one?" The opening sequence of Buffy the Vampire Slayer said "In every generation, there is a chosen one".
Charles Darwin is the British naturalist who wrote the book On the Origin of Species. During his voyage around the world on the HMS Beagle in 1830, Darwin made several observations of nature that led him to postulate that all species descend from a common ancestor, and proposed the theory of Evolution and the process of Natural Selection. In the book published in 1856 he presents compelling evidence for both.

Behind the Scenes

This episode had about 2.84 million viewers in the USA.

Quotes

Stefan (Jeremy awakens): "Welcome back."

Jeremy: "What happened?"

Damon: "Long story, buy the e-book."

Katherine: "How about you and I have a little chat?"

Elena: "Katherine?"

Katherine: "Did you miss me?"

Stefan (Stefan's phone rings): "It's Klaus."

Damon: "Time to face the music. Pay the piper. Dance with the devil."

Stefan: "You know, I’m glad you find this amusing. If he finds out I told you about the cure, he’ll kill both of us."

Damon: "Then quit avoiding him. I mean, it’s shady. Shady people get outed."

Stefan (picks up the phone): "I don’t want to talk about it."

Klaus: "Well, I can imagine why, what with you ruining all my plans for a hybrid-filled future."

Stefan: "Well, it wouldn't have happened if you hadn't sworn me to secrecy."

Klaus: "Well, life’s full of “ifs,” Stefan. Let’s accentuate the positives, shall we? The hunter was one of five, we’ll find another. It may take centuries, but we've got time, right?"

Stefan: "You’re using your calm voice today. Who’s getting killed?"

Klaus: "Not you, if that’s what you’re worried about. I am concerned about your beloved. Have the hallucinations started yet?"

Stefan (grows alarmed and stares worriedly at Damon): "What do you know about that?"

Klaus: "I’ll tell you. Where are you?"

Stefan: "At her house."

Klaus: "How convenient. So am I." (Knocks on door.)

Stefan: "Elena, let me help you."

Elena: "Stay away from me!"

Klaus: "Caroline, you're beautiful, but if you don't stop talking, I will kill you."

Klaus (about Tyler): "He never would have hurt you... I wouldn't have let him."

Elena (to Damon): "You saved me."

Klaus (to Caroline): "Can I at least offer you a drink?"