To beat the villain, you have to be the better villain.

So says Stefan Salvatore in a new, extended promo for The Vampire Diaries, which doesn't just give viewers a look at tomorrow night's return episode ("The New Deal"), but also depicts footage from future installments.

How far is Stefan willing to go? Can Damon stop him? Who looks to be in need of major medical assistance? Watch now:

All week, I've been giving readers hints about the 2012 premiere in our Vampire Diaries spoilers section. Look for another one to go live later today, and check out the following video to hear about the episode from producers Julie Plec and Caroline Dries.

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