He's dead... and he's pissed!

That's the short version of how we'll find Enzo on The Vampire Diaries Season 5 Episode 20. He may have flipped the switch on his emotions and then made sure Stefan pulled out his heart last week - but that doesn't mean Enzo is going to be quietly hanging out on The Other Side.

As showrunner Caroline Dries told us recently, Enzo will be able to wreak havoc on those not on The Other Side over the coming week.

But as actor Michael Malarkey explained over the phone yesterday, his plan of vengeance will not go smoothly. Elsewhere, will viewers see sparks again between Enzo and Caroline? And, if he's asked back for the sixth season, would the actor/musician sign on the dotted line? Let's find out...

TVFanatic: How has the ride been for you since joining the show both from the social media side and also what you’ve been able to do with Enzo?

Michael Malarkey: It’s been phenomenal actually. I was never actually on Twitter before joining Vampire Diaries. I was kind of nudged to do so. I think I’ve taken to it pretty well. I kind of post my thoughts and tweet about the show and I play music as well so I kind of put up some songs and things like that. Everyone has responded pretty positively and I’ve gotten a lot of love from fans.

And also, just on the show itself, with the cast, and the producers, and the directors, Julie, and everybody, they’ve been extremely supportive and lovely. It’s just like one big family, and I couldn’t be happier working on a show where there’s that kind of warmth.

TVF:  In last week’s episode, Enzo definitely took a big step, one in turning off his feelings and dying but then also kind of setting up this revenge against Damon. Will his plan go easily or can we expect bumps in the road?

MM: Well, you know Vampire Diaries, there’s going to be quite a few bumps in the road. Enzo’s difficulty that he’s facing is the fact that he’s on The Other Side, so therefore is unable to be seen by the majority of the characters, which is bound to be frustrating for anybody.

But you’ll see quite a lot of interesting things start to happen because things are going on with The Other Side that are tenuous, and so that will open up different things where you’ll see, well you’ll just see some different things start to happen. I have to be careful how I say that. Yeah, it’s really, really cool, and the lead up, actually, to the end of the series is going to be pretty blistering.

TVF: With The Other Side kind of falling apart, is that going to be a good thing for Enzo, or not such a good thing?

MM: It could go either way for him because The Other Side is kind of falling apart. It’s imperative for him to try and do something about that or suffer the consequences. That’s probably all I can say.

TVF: I talked to Caroline [Dries, Exec Producer] last week at a screening and she said we will find out quickly that Enzo is able to do quite a bit from the other side. So I’m guessing that’s what you’re talking about?

MM: That’s correct. In the next episode you’ll get to see exactly what that means and the only thing I can really say is that he kind of used certain forms of violence and fire to make his presence known to the crew.

TVF: Do you think his relationship with Damon can be repaired?

MM: At the moment it’s kind of on the rocks because how many times can someone screw you over before you’re like, ‘Okay, that’s it, man.’ I mean he’s had, I think, three strikes now and so it’s going to take a lot to resolve the friendship that they had before. I wouldn’t say it’s unredeemable. You never know. But at the moment it’s going to be a mountain to climb.

TVF:  Is Enzo thinking clearly at this point, I guess as clearly as you can when you’re dead?

MM: The thing is with Enzo, he was a soldier and I think there’s an element of him - and we kind of cut through to this throughout the past however many episodes - where he kind of keeps a pretty calm head under pressure, which didn’t end up happening in the last episode. But I think now that he’s switched his emotions off, you’re going to see a little bit more of that cool headed, calculated Enzo from before. Perhaps a pivotal bit of a darker side.

TVF:  I sensed a very nice little spark with Caroline the last couple of episodes, which I’m guessing might be hold since you’re not really in the same world as she is, but is there any interaction coming up with Caroline?

MM: You’ll see a small little moment in the next [episode] but I really enjoy acting opposite Candice. I thought the energies of our two characters were really so different that they were rather comedic at times and to Enzo she’s completely alien to him. He’s been locked up for 70-something years, he’s never encountered somebody quite like her, so he quite enjoys getting under her skin.

TVF:  Do we know how old Enzo is? Have they actually said how old he is?

MM: They haven’t exactly. He was around as a soldier in World War II but he was a vampire even before that. It’s not actually been revealed how old he is yet. But perhaps we’ll deal with it at some point.

TVF: I was just going to say that I’m very impressed with the way he wears a scarf at his age.

MM: [laughs] I think he was too. He probably looked in the mirror and was like, “Oh well, that’ll do. Well, his first time back into the real world, as they say, he had this kind of 80s haircut. It took him a few episodes to kind of get back into modern fashion.

TVF: I know music is a big part of your life, Michael. Can that enter into Enzo’s world at all? Can we see him jam, maybe, at the Mystic Grill in the future?

MM: That would be cool. I mean, if they ever wanted to incorporate it, I’d be more than happy. It’s a great passion of mine and I was a musician before I was an actor, then I gave it up to pursue acting. Now it’s something that I’ve had as a hobby on the side but I’m considering trying to keep going a little bit stronger, in the meantime, during my downtime.

TVF:  What’s been your biggest challenge with either the role, or the genre’s, or anything that’s just been a tougher challenge for you from an actor’s perspective?

MM: Well to be honest, this might sound weird, but playing a vampire was actually on my bucket list. So for me it’s an absolute joy to be able to sink my teeth into, excuse the really bad pun, but to sink my teeth into a role like this. If there’s ever an opportunity to kind of go crazy, and try stuff out, be a bit whacky, it’s playing a vampire on the CW.

I mean, the one challenge is the fact that they are eight-day episodes. It’s a really fast turnaround and just kind of getting your head around all of those quick changes from script to script…but once you’re kind of in there for a few episodes running, you get a hang of it.

TVF:  Mr. Somerhalder said last week that he would really like for you to stick around. What are your thoughts about sticking around maybe in to the next season?

MM: I would heavily consider it. I really enjoyed working on the show. It’s a lovely group of people. It feels like a family and I’ve establish some nice relationships with Ian and Paul and Nina, and the rest of the gang. Yeah, I couldn’t be happier with this particular team.

The Vampire Diaries Season 5 airs Thursdays at 8/7c on The CW.

Jim Halterman is the West Coast Editor of TV Fanatic and the owner of JimHalterman.com. Follow him on Twitter.