The Vampire Diaries took us way back last night, shedding more light than ever before on Klaus, Rebekah and even Papa Original. It was a strong episode, reviewed in depth HERE and setting the stage for next Thursday's midseason finale.

It's titled "Homecoming," but why do I feel like the King and Queen of the dance won't exactly be the focus?

Look for Klaus to return to Mystic Falls; Tyler to behave more strangely than ever; and for Damon to enter into a dangerous partnership. Hold on tightly, VD lovers, and get your first taste at what's to come via the following promo. We can only imagine what sort of cliffhanger this show has in store before departing until 2012...

Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.