When I was around eight years old, my older brother went to eat some cookies after dinner. I asked him for one. But he told me the box was empty. Later that night, I walked in to the kitchen and, what was my brother doing? That's right, eating more cookies from that same box!

I was really angry that he lied to me. Point being: Man, I really felt for Rebekah following the unfolding of events, past and present, on "Ordinary People."

There's truly no worse feeling than betrayal. It can lead even the best of people to make the worst of decisions, and Klaus was never the best of people. He born a werewolf, a naturally aggressive creature who knew from as soon as he could think for himself that he was unlike anyone else. Literally. Anyone else on the planet.

Even those of us who stuttered in third grade could at least take comfort that there were others out there, somewhere, in the same predicament. Not so for Klaus. He was alone from the start and almost every choice he has made since has been to avoid that fate.

How ironic then. Multiple people now want Klaus to return. They desire his company, but only so they can end his miserable existence.

That's where things were left another terrific, flashback-based episode of The Vampire Diaries. How does this show know exactly when to throw these installments into the mix, and exactly how to twist the viewers' previously-held beliefs on their (spinning) heads? Let's go over what we learned, shall we?

Klaus is evil. Yes, we know that already. We just weren't aware of how evil until now. Sure, I understand where his darkness comes from, but the guy pulled his mother's heart out, blamed it on his step-father and lied to his siblings about it. That's just cold. There's no sympathy for the man here.

Rebekah is Elena 1.0. She loves "blindlessly and recklessly," Elena said of her new frenemy, even if it consumes here. She also lost her mother early in life. Remind you of someone else we know? Someone else with a very soft spot in her heart for Stefan Salvatore? Maybe when Klaus is dead, and Stefan isn't in Ripper mode, and ghosts aren't showing up to wreak havoc, and a hybrid army isn't on the horizon, and no witch spells are left to be cast... these two could get some frozen yogurt or something.

Elena has bad taste in dresses. I preferred the purple one.

Damon has a very high tolerance... for alcohol. But for dick-ish brothers? We'll soon find out. Can Stefan really want his freedom? Can he really want to remain such a jerk even when he's no longer compelled? It's worth noting how happy he truly does seem these days. That wasn't part of Klaus' compulsion. His only job is to protect Elena, but he seems legitimately pleased to be free from his humanity. Contrast that with the face Stefan typically made as an all-feeling vampire. You know the one. The Tuesday face.

Might he no longer want the burden of actually caring? It's sort of been a buzzkill for the guy.

Elijah rules! Okay, we didn't really learn that. Most of it have thought if for awhile. But who didn't give a little fist bump at his reappearance? He's the moral one. Rebekah is the stubborn one. Klaus is the vindictive one. Their cute Three Musketeers-esque scene was very well done, adding to the melancholy over all that has gone wrong between them since.

So, one episode remains - previewed HERE - before The Vampire Diaries takes a lengthy hiatus and returns on January 5. Mikael is awake and prepared to hunt. Katherine is probably still alive and will just show up some time in the future. Damon and Elena have slept together (literally!). Stefan is loving life as a dick. Rebekah is heart-broken. Alaric is hopefully hustling as many people as he can at Pictionary. Tyler is still an eager hybrid and, remember, loyal to Klaus.

And I can't even begin to imagine what sort of cliffhanger we'll be left with next Thursday. Meet back here then? I'll bring the goosebumps.

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