The Vampire Diaries 5x17 "Rescue Me"

Why does crazy sh*t always have to go down in junk yards?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but tonight for the first time in a long time, I felt like TVD has developed a clear direction for all of it's characters. For the longest time I felt like Bonnie, Jeremy, Tyler, and Matt were just hanging around doing nothing, but with the addition of Luke, Liv, and this traveler storyline, all characters who previously just hung out in the background seem to be actually getting a storyline with some relevancy. I actually don't love this traveler storyline though...it's real shady and confusing...I guess they needed Stefan and Elena's blood to bring back Markos, but who is Markos and why does "the universe" revolve around Stefan and Elena's blood. I assume we'll be getting some more answers soon, but I don't mind the weirdness of the travelers because anything is better than that cure storyline last season, and with Katherine gone (RIP), maybe we can finally get into some new stuff as opposed to recycling the old.
Let's talk about Tom. Sweet, sweet Tom. He was Stefan, but with less angst, a medical license, a love for waffles, and flat hair. Of course Caroline had a hard time killing him. He was completely innocent. And very much like Stefan (I don't think I realized the extent of her feelings for him until tonight...more on that later), so Enzo had to do it. At least it was quick and painless. Now, as far as we know, Stefan and Elena are the only living doppelgangers...which is just what the travelers wanted. Again, don't ask me why.
Now onto the horn-dogs who almost did it in a school so the moms with minivans could hear them (that was kinda hot but mostly weird), Damon and Elena's sexual tension was through the roof on the show tonight. That's how it always is though, when they know it's wrong but can't help the attraction. Anyway, at least they are both acknowledging that they have a volatile relationship. They just need to work on themselves and then maybe they can have a healthy relationship (when the show is over and Julie Plec doesn't use their sexual tension as a plot device weekly). Now to a purer love, the writers really threw Steroline in our faces this week like "here catch! You WILL accept them as a couple" and I guess I caught because when they were snuggling at the end of the episode I was giggling. Also, just the way Caroline was looking at Stefan (and Tom!), gurl has some feelings! Romantic stylez (please get this reference). I mean, it would make sense that the two best characters on the show got together. I just wonder if they actually will, or if this is just a little detour off the Elena highway (that's a bad metaphor).
Overall, an enjoyable episode, but next week it looks like all of us Stelena fans (yes I'm liking Steroline, but I will always love Stelena) are gonna have our hearts ripped out when Stefan and Elena both dream about how their life together could've been (I'm guessing it's a doppelganger thing) and it's directed by dreamboat Paul Wesley! Here's the promo: