Spoilers

• when the show returns, it’s ALL about the Countdown to Klaus
• Elena starts receiving disturbing messages from Klaus (who wants to sacrifice her). She and those close to her expect him to attend the dance – hence the episode title ”The Last Dance.”

”Everything is tense for Elena because, of course, if Klaus is indeed coming for them and showing up, it’s because of her. The reality is starting to sink in that this nebulous figure that she’s only heard the lore about for the entire season is now proving to be a reality and she could be coming face-to-face with him at any moment,” Plec says. ”While she’s trying to put on a strong face for it, she’s scared, and Stefan’s scared for her. It’s a big night for them.”-Julie Plec

• Damon and Alaric volunteer as chaperones (ready to take Klaus out), since they suspect him to arrive at the dance.”
• Damon and Elena share a dance, ”as fangirls across America sigh.
• Katherine does not attend the dance.
• Elena isn’t wearing her vervain necklace. The reason why will be explained in April 7th’s episode, Know Thy Enemy. (VB&G note: I suspect that she starts ingesting vervain, as her necklace could be taken off easily)
• In Know Thy Enemy, Bonnie will have learned a lot about protecting Elena. This causes a lot of tension for Bonnie and Jeremy, as he becomes afraid for her life. They both go through a lot, dealing with the upcoming conflict.
• Jeremy is caught in the middle—he doesn’t want Elena to get hurt, but he also doesn’t want his girlfriend to get hurt protecting Elena.

”As tends to happen in Mystic Falls, in spite of death and chaos and danger looming around every corner, Bonnie and Elena have had to get dressed up and go to the dance. And while they look very, very sassy in their microminis, they are still very much aware of the danger that’s there.”-Julie Plec

• Caroline convinces Matt to escort her to the dance, as Jackie O and JFK (for you non-Americans, John F. Kennedy [JFK] was a president who got assassinated in Texas and Jackie O, his wife, was a major fashion icon of the time). Julie Plec won’t say if Matt dressed as JFK forebodes anything for his future, but she said “Don’t overthink it.” He is still dealing with the fact that Caroline is a vampire.
• Now that the actress who portrays Sheriff Forbes is off crutches, things heat up fast for her, especially concerning what she knows.
• There is a VW Love Bus. (VB&G note: I possibly might be more excited for this than the Delena still. Maybe they can incorporate the two together….)

”We cut together a montage of all the great images of the time,” Plec says. Why a ”1960s Decade Dance”? Truthfully, the creators just thought it made sense since the school had a 1950s sock hop last season. ”Then we decided that maybe we were being too literal, but by that point, we realized that the ’60s are actually a great decade because you still have the remains of the ’50s influence and the great Jackie O. pillbox hat and wool Chanel, in the same era that you have psychedelic and funky and the beginning of hippie fashion. Wardrobe really went all out.”-Julie Plec