No. overall No. in season Title Directed by Written by Original air date Prod. code U.S. viewers (millions) 23 "The Return '' J. Miller Tobin Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec September 9, 2010 (2010 - 09 - 09) 2J5251 3.28 Picking up where the first season left off, Elena arrives home to discover the fates of Uncle John and Jeremy. Jeremy has not transitioned into a vampire, because he did not take enough drugs to die and Anna 's blood overcame the overdose. Damon, Bonnie, and Elena agree that Caroline needs Damon 's blood to survive. Damon realizes that Katherine has returned and is impersonating Elena. Tyler is surprised when his uncle, Mason Lockwood, arrives in town to console him. Katherine and Damon nearly sleep together, but Katherine tells Damon, "it will always be Stefan ''. Distraught, Damon goes to see Elena, who resists his attempt to kiss her. Angry that Elena also loves Stefan, Damon snaps Jeremy 's neck. Jeremy survives because he is wearing a Gilbert ring, which protects the wearer from death from supernatural causes. Katherine goes to the hospital and smothers Caroline with a pillow. Before Caroline dies, Katherine gives her a message for the Salvatore brothers: "Game on. '' 24 "Brave New World '' John Dahl Brian Young September 16, 2010 (2010 - 09 - 16) 2J5252 3.05 Caroline has become a vampire and awakens in the hospital craving blood. Tyler catches Mason searching for a moonstone, which is a family heirloom. At the carnival, Damon compels a boy named Carter to pick a fight with Tyler to provoke one of Tyler 's bursts of anger. Mason breaks up the fight using his supernatural abilities, proving that he is a werewolf. Caroline confronts Damon about his abusive treatment, and he realizes that she is a vampire. He alerts Elena and Stefan, while a ravenous Caroline drains Carter. Stefan promises Caroline he will guide her journey as a vampire. Tyler retrieves the moonstone Mason has been seeking. Matt notices Caroline 's erratic behavior but admits that he loves her. 25 "Bad Moon Rising '' Patrick Norris Andrew Chambliss September 23, 2010 (2010 - 09 - 23) 2J5253 3.57 Elena, Damon, and Alaric head to Isobel 's old office at Duke University, where it is revealed that vampires and werewolves used to roam freely until a shaman uttered a curse to limit their powers, after which the werewolves were servants of the moon and vampires became the slaves of the sun. Stefan teaches Caroline how to control herself and hunt animals. Bonnie makes Caroline a daylight ring so that she will not be burned by the sun. In werewolf form, Mason encounters Stefan and Caroline. Tyler saves them by shouting at the werewolf; he later finds Mason in the woods and realises what has happened. Unable to control herself, Caroline feeds on Matt. She compels him to forget it, but ends their relationship to keep him safe from her. Damon tells Elena Katherine 's real name, Katerina Petrova, to aid Elena with her research. Alaric reaffirms his romantic interest in Jenna, and Caroline finds Katherine in her bedroom. 26 "Memory Lane '' Rob Hardy Caroline Dries September 30, 2010 (2010 - 09 - 30) 2J5254 3.18 Katherine tells Stefan that she will kill Elena unless he ends his relationship with her, and as a result, Elena realizes that Caroline is working for Katherine. Elena and Katherine finally meet, but Katherine ignores Elena 's questions. Damon stabs Mason with a silver knife, but Mason says it is only a myth that silver hurts werewolves. They are now enemies. Katherine remembers how in 1864, after Stefan and Damon were shot in an attempt to save her, she had kissed Stefan, declaring her love and saying they would be together again one day. Stefan and Elena stage a fake break - up to prevent Katherine from hurting anybody. 27 5 "Kill or Be Killed '' Jeff Woolnough Mike Daniels October 7, 2010 (2010 - 10 - 07) 2J5255 3.47 At the Mystic Falls picnic, Mason Lockwood tells Sheriff Liz Forbes that Stefan and Damon are vampires. Liz and her fellow police officers shoot Stefan and Damon. Caroline and Elena reach the Salvatore 's before Liz can kill them, but Caroline 's identity as a vampire is exposed to her mother. Liz rejects Caroline as her daughter, and Stefan drinks Elena 's blood to gain strength. Caroline confesses to Elena that Katherine had threatened to kill Matt if Caroline did n't spy on Elena and Stefan for her; Elena forgives Caroline. Jeremy and Tyler start to bond when Tyler learns that Jeremy knows about the curse. Tyler almost kills a girl, feeling for a second that he wants her to die. He then tells Mason that he wants nothing to do with the curse, and gives him the moonstone. It is revealed that Mason is working for Katherine, who wants the moonstone, and that they are lovers. 28 6 "Plan B '' John Behring Elizabeth Craft & Sarah Fain October 21, 2010 (2010 - 10 - 21) 2J5256 3.62 Liz accepts Caroline, and Caroline compels her mother to forget that she is a vampire. Bonnie incapacitates Mason by giving him an aneurysm. Damon then questions and tortures Mason who, believing that Katherine loves him, refuses to talk. Telling Mason that Katherine is using him, Damon eventually kills him. Bonnie has a vision of the moonstone 's location in a well. Stefan discovers that the well is full of vervain, which burns him. Caroline and Bonnie help Elena rescue Stefan and retrieve the moonstone. Katherine compels Jenna to stab herself. Fearful of what else Katherine might do, Elena breaks up with Stefan for good. Needing another werewolf, Katherine compels Matt to attack Tyler, so that Tyler will kill Matt and become a werewolf. 29 7 "Masquerade '' Charles Beeson Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec October 28, 2010 (2010 - 10 - 28) 2J5257 3.55 Stefan, Damon, Bonnie, Jeremy, Alaric, and Caroline plan to kill Katherine at the Lockwoods ' masquerade ball. Katherine is visited by Lucy, a witch who is to help her retrieve the moonstone. Under Katherine 's compulsion, Matt fights Tyler. Caroline breaks up the fight, but Sarah, who is also compelled, stabs Tyler, and he accidentally breaks her neck. Tyler 's eyes turn yellow, showing that the curse has been triggered. Stefan and Damon try to kill Katherine, but they stop when Jeremy tells them that every time they stake her, Elena is wounded. Katherine reveals that she had Lucy put a spell on Elena and herself, which linked them. Lucy, who is Bonnie 's cousin, lifts the spell and incapacitates Katherine, who collapses. Damon traps Katherine in the underground tomb. As Elena heads home she is intercepted by a masked stranger. 30 8 "Rose '' Liz Friedlander Brian Young November 4, 2010 (2010 - 11 - 04) 2J5258 3.63 A vampire named Trevor takes Elena to an abandoned house, where she meets Rose, another vampire. When Tyler witnesses Caroline 's abilities, she reveals that she is a vampire. Elena overhears Rose and Trevor arguing about a vampire named Elijah. Using a spell, Bonnie locates Elena. Elena tries to extract information from Rose, who tells her that Elijah is one of the "original '' vampires. Rose and Trevor are using Elena, the Petrova doppelgänger who is the key to breaking the curse, as a bargaining chip. Elijah arrives, and Rose offers him Elena in exchange for their pardon. Elijah agrees but kills Trevor. Elena tries to stall Elijah by saying that she knows where the moonstone is, but he compels her to tell him its location. Stefan and Damon arrive to fight with Elijah and stake him. Elena 's vervain necklace remains at the house. Later that night, Damon is in Elena 's bedroom with her vervain necklace in his hand. He tells her that he loves her but does n't deserve her, and that Stefan does. Then he compels her to forget what he said. In the abandoned house, Elijah pulls the wooden stake out of his chest. 31 9 "Katerina '' J. Miller Tobin Andrew Chambliss November 11, 2010 (2010 - 11 - 11) 2J5259 3.50 This episode 's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (November 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) The episode begins in Bulgaria in 1490 and shows Katherine giving birth to a baby girl. Her father says that she has shamed their family and takes the baby away. In the present, Elena goes to the tomb, where she offers Katherine blood in exchange for the truth - that a doppelgänger from the Petrova line can be used to break the curse. As Katherine 's descendant, Elena is the current Petrova doppelgänger. Katherine reveals that she was expelled from Bulgaria and fled to England, where Elijah and Trevor found her. They recognized her as the Petrova doppelgänger and Elijah tried to kill her, but Trevor helped her to escape. She became a vampire so that she could not be used to break the curse. Katherine came to Mystic Falls to offer Klaus what he needed to lift the curse: the current doppelgänger, a witch, a werewolf, a vampire, and the moonstone. She hoped that Klaus would spare her life in exchange for this. Bonnie meets a warlock named Luka and his father. Jeremy is jealous of Bonnie 's attraction to Luka. Damon and Rose seek information about Klaus from Rose 's vampire friend, Slater, but a healed Elijah overhears them. Damon and Rose sleep together, and Elijah compels Slater to stake himself. It is revealed that Luka and his father are working for Elijah. 32 10 "The Sacrifice '' Ralph Hemecker Caroline Dries December 2, 2010 (2010 - 12 - 02) 2J5260 3.46 Elena and Rose go to ask Slater about Klaus, but they find his staked corpse. Elena uses information from Slater 's computer to get Klaus 's attention, saying she wants to surrender. Caroline and Tyler discover Mason 's journal and the video diary that he used to document his transformations. Bonnie plans to lift the spell from the tomb and incapacitate Katherine so that Stefan can grab the moonstone, but Jeremy goes ahead with the plan alone and is captured by Katherine, who feeds on him. Stefan saves Jeremy but is trapped himself. Three vampires confront Damon, Rose, and Elena. Elijah kills the three vampires and then departs. Back home, a trapped Stefan makes Damon promise to protect Elena. Elijah informs Luka 's father that Damon and Stefan will protect Elena, which is Elijah 's goal. 33 11 "By the Light of the Moon '' Elizabeth Allen Mike Daniels December 9, 2010 (2010 - 12 - 09) 2J5261 3.16 As the full moon approaches, Caroline helps Tyler prepare for his transformation. Stefan asks Katherine to prove that there is good in her, and she advises him to ask Isobel for help in finding Klaus. Bonnie seeks Luka 's help to destroy the moonstone; they cast a spell, but Luka gives the moonstone to his father. Jules, a friend of Mason, arrives in Mystic Falls looking for him. Damon and Alaric try to trick her into having a drink mixed with wolfsbane. She reveals that she is a werewolf and tells Damon that he has been marked. Elijah makes a deal with Elena: she has to keep herself safe from Klaus (so that Elijah can use her as bait to kill Klaus) and in return, Elijah will protect her friends and family and free Stefan from the tomb. Caroline reunites with Tyler. At the Salvatore mansion, Jules, in wolf form, tries to attack Damon but instead bites Rose 's shoulder, which becomes infected. 34 12 "The Descent '' Marcos Siega Elizabeth Craft & Sarah Fain January 27, 2011 (2011 - 01 - 27) 2J5262 3.55 Stefan tries to contact Isobel and gets in touch with John Gilbert, who comes home. While Damon tries to get Jules to tell him how to cure the werewolf bite, he asks Elena to keep an eye on Rose, who becomes delirious and mistakes her for Katherine. Caroline and Matt confess their love for each other. Tyler 's reaction to Caroline 's generosity surprises her. Rose escapes from the Salvatore house and goes on a killing spree. Damon finds her and brought her back to the Salvatore 's house, he then stakes her, while giving her a peaceful death by giving her a dream about her old home. He confesses to a stranger that he misses being human. He lets her go, but bites her soon after. Jules informs Tyler that she knows that he and Mason are werewolves. She tells him that more werewolves are coming. 35 13 "Daddy Issues '' Joshua Butler Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec February 3, 2011 (2011 - 02 - 03) 2J5263 3.22 Tyler is furious that Caroline has kept Mason 's death secret from him. Jenna becomes upset over the revelation that John is Elena 's biological father. Jules meets her wolf - lover Brady and tells him she wants to leave town and take Tyler with them. Caroline asks Stefan to reason with Tyler, while Jules takes Caroline hostage. Jules tells Stefan to bring Tyler to her in exchange for Caroline. Stefan tries to make peace, but he fails, and Damon offers his "bloodier '' method. Jules then calls on her wolf friends, and although Damon and Stefan are outnumbered, they kill most of the wolves. Tyler releases Caroline from the cage, but watches as Jules has Caroline at gunpoint. As Stefan and Damon are about to get staked, Jonas, on Elijah 's behalf, incapacitates the remaining wolves. Tyler tries to apologize to Caroline, but she tells him they are no longer friends. Tyler tells Jules and Brady that Mason was probably killed because he found the moonstone. John says that he returned to protect Elena, and that the only way to kill an Original is with a dagger dipped in ash from a white oak as old as the Originals. John is shown to be still working with Katherine and trying to get her out of the tomb. 36 14 "Crying Wolf '' David Von Ancken Brian Young February 10, 2011 (2011 - 02 - 10) 2J5264 2.78 Stefan and Elena spend a weekend at the Gilbert lakehouse, unaware that they 've been followed by Tyler and Brady. Jenna worries that Alaric is n't being honest about his past. Jules and Brady explain the sun and moon curse to Tyler and lure him into helping them. Bonnie performs a hypnosis spell on Luka in order to get information. Luka reveals that Elijah plans to kill Klaus by making him vulnerable after he sacrifices Elena. He also reveals that Klaus has his sister, so he and his father are working for Elijah to help him kill Klaus. Jules and her friends torture Damon for information about the moonstone, but Elijah intervenes, kills most of the wolves, and saves Damon. Brady finds Stefan and shoots him with a wooden bullet, leaving Tyler to guard him. When Tyler learns that Elena has to die for the curse to be broken, he lets Stefan go. Stefan kills Brady to save Elena. Meanwhile, Jeremy and Bonnie confess their feelings for each other and kiss. Realising that Elena knew about Elijah 's real plan for her, Stefan tells her that she is behaving like a martyr. Tyler tells Matt that he has feelings for Caroline but knows that Caroline loves Matt. The episode ends with Jules and Tyler leaving town. 37 15 "The Dinner Party '' Marcos Siega Andrew Chambliss February 17, 2011 (2011 - 02 - 17) 2J5265 3.07 Elena reads one of Jonathan Gilbert 's journals about a night when Stefan attacked him and killed two of the Fells. Stefan admits that he had been brutal and inhuman until Lexi showed him the path of love and humanity. Damon invites Elijah to the boarding house for a dinner party, intending to kill him. Jonathan Gilbert 's journal reveals that if a vampire uses the dagger to kill an Original, both will die. After Stefan sends a warning, Alaric stabs and kills Elijah, but the body later disappears. Elena reads in the journal that if the dagger is removed, the Original will come back to life. John blackmails Alaric into returning his ring. Elijah shows up at the lake house telling Elena that the deal is off, but Elena threatens to kill herself and become a vampire so that she will no longer be useful to him. Elijah calls her out on a bluff, but Elena stabs herself. Elijah begs Elena to let him heal her, and she agrees, but then stabs him with the dagger, killing him again. Damon returns home to find Katherine there. Elijah 's compulsion on her has worn off with his death, and she says she intends to help them. 38 16 "The House Guest '' Michael Katleman Caroline Dries February 24, 2011 (2011 - 02 - 24) 2J5266 2.98 Discovering that Katherine is free, Elena is upset. Stefan and Bonnie try to persuade Jonas and Luka to work with them, but Jonas wants Elijah alive again. He performs a ritual that puts Luka in the boarding house in invisible form. Luka tries to remove the dagger from Elijah 's body, but Katherine stops him. Luka then stakes Katherine, but Damon uses a flamethrower to prevent the removal of the dagger. Luka is fatally burned, and Jonas vows to avenge him by killing Elena. Bonnie tells Elena about her relationship with Jeremy and is surprised by Elena 's positive response. Jonas appears at the Grill, looking for Elena. Bonnie tries to stop him, but he disables her; Matt intervenes, but Jonas stabs him. Caroline sees Matt dying and forces him to drink her blood to save his life. Jonas attacks Elena, but she proves to be Katherine, and she bites him. Alaric tells Jenna that he loves her. Bonnie reveals that Jonas has restored her powers and told her how to kill Klaus. Caroline tells Matt that she is a vampire, but he takes the news badly. Isobel shows up at Elena 's house and tells Jenna that she is Elena 's mother. 39 17 "Know Thy Enemy '' Wendey Stanzler Mike Daniels April 7, 2011 (2011 - 04 - 07) 2J5267 2.73 Elena and Alaric become angry with John when Isobel 's arrival devastates Jenna. Alaric is abducted by Maddox, a warlock from Klaus 's inner circle. Meanwhile, Bonnie works with Jeremy and Damon to find the spell they need to gather the power of the witches killed in the massacre. Damon takes them to the site where the witches were burned. Matt demands to know what happened to Vicki. After Caroline tells him and then compels him to forget, it is revealed that Matt 's involvement was a setup by Sheriff Forbes to find out everything about the vampires. Matt has drunk vervain, so the compulsion does not work. Isobel kidnaps Elena and then receives a phone call from Maddox, who tells her that she has finished what Klaus compelled her to do and is free to let Elena go. Isobel apologizes to Elena for being a disappointment as a mother, removes her necklace, and burns to death in the sun. Stefan and Damon realize that Bonnie is their new secret weapon since she now has tremendous power. Jeremy is upset because, if Bonnie uses too much power, she will die. Katherine, who had been set up by Isobel and taken by Maddox, wakes up to see Klaus take control of Alaric 's body. 40 18 "The Last Dance '' John Behring Michael Narducci April 14, 2011 (2011 - 04 - 14) 2J5268 2.81 Klaus (in Alaric 's body) compels Katherine to tell him how the others plan to kill him. He then finds out that Bonnie has obtained power that could threaten his life. At the school dance, Jeremy confronts Bonnie about why she wants to kill herself for Elena, and Damon overhears. Jeremy goes to Stefan for help, and Stefan tells Elena about Bonnie 's plans. Elena finally guesses who "Alaric '' really is. Bonnie fights Klaus with her powers and appears to die. As Elena grieves, Damon tells her that Klaus must believe Bonnie is dead, but her death was faked. Realizing that Bonnie intends to endanger herself to defeat Klaus, Elena pulls the dagger out of Elijah 's heart. 41 19 "Klaus '' Joshua Butler Kevin Williamson & Julie Plec April 21, 2011 (2011 - 04 - 21) 2J5269 2.70 After Elena removed the dagger, Elijah wakes, and Elena makes another deal with him. In a flashback to 1492 England, Katherine meets Elijah and Klaus for the first time. Elijah and Klaus were raised as brothers, but Klaus was the result of their mother 's affair with a man from a werewolf bloodline. Elijah 's father hunted down the man and had him and his family killed, beginning the schism between werewolves and vampires. As a vampire / werewolf hybrid, Klaus can only be killed by a witch. The sun and moon curse was fake -- the real curse is that Klaus 's werewolf side had been forced into dormancy by witches. Jenna finally finds out about the vampires from Stefan and Klaus / Alaric. Elsewhere, Katherine is being held captive by Klaus. Damon finds her and gives her a vial of vervain to protect her from further compulsion. At the end of the episode, Maddox and Greta (Luka 's sister) perform a ritual to release Klaus 's spirit from Alaric 's body and put it back into his own. 42 20 "The Last Day '' J. Miller Tobin Andrew Chambliss & Brian Young April 28, 2011 (2011 - 04 - 28) 2J5270 2.68 Elijah tells Elena that the way to break the curse involves sacrifice a vampire and a werewolf. Maddox injures Carol Lockwood to make Tyler return to town, after which he and Greta kidnap Caroline and Tyler. Damon forces Elana to drink his blood so she will "survive '' the sacrifice. Alaric returns as himself and gives the message from Klaus that the ritual will happen that night. Jenna forgives him. Damon realizes that if Klaus does n't have a werewolf, he will be unable to complete the ritual, and Elena will have another month. He rescues Caroline and Tyler from the tomb and kills Maddox. Klaus takes Elena from the boarding house to begin the ritual. Damon informs Klaus that he has rescued the vampire and werewolf he needs for the ritual, but Klaus says he has backups. At the site of the ritual, Elena realizes that Klaus has turned Jenna and is using her as the vampire. Katherine makes Damon aware of a wolf bite he got from Tyler during his transformation. 43 21 "The Sun Also Rises '' Paul M. Sommers Caroline Dries & Mike Daniels May 5, 2011 (2011 - 05 - 05) 2J5271 2.84 Matt and Caroline are in the Lockwood cellar while Tyler, in wolf form, attacks them, and they hide. Meanwhile, Greta the witch feeds Jenna her blood, completing Jenna 's transformation into a vampire. Elijah is revealed to be seeking revenge on Klaus for killing his family and burying their bodies at sea. Klaus begins the ritual and kills Jules, the werewolf. Stefan offers to switch places with Jenna, but Klaus refuses and kills her. Bonnie performs a spell that can bring someone back to life by joining two people 's souls, binding John and Elena. At the ritual grounds, Klaus drains Elena 's blood and begins to transform. However, Bonnie uses her powers to weaken him while Damon kills Greta. Before Elijah can rip out his heart, Klaus says he did n't bury the bodies at sea and if he is killed, Elijah will never find them. Elijah listens to him and flees with Klaus. When Elena comes back to life, John dies. At Jenna 's and John 's funeral, Damon reveals to Stefan that he was bitten by Tyler and asks him to not tell Elena. 44 22 "As I Lay Dying '' John Behring Turi Meyer & Al Septien & Michael Narducci May 12, 2011 (2011 - 05 - 12) 2J5272 2.86 This episode 's plot summary may be too long or excessively detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (November 2016) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Damon apologizes to Elena for feeding her his blood. At home, he tries to kill himself by taking off his ring and walking into sunlight but is stopped by Stefan and locked in a cell. Klaus has completed the transformation into a wolf and awakens to find Elijah waiting for him. He makes Klaus remember his deal: he must reunite Elijah with their family, and Klaus does so by staking Elijah. Stefan seeks Klaus for a cure for Damon. Klaus then bites Katherine and feeds her his blood, revealing the cure for a werewolf bite. In exchange for a vial of his blood, Klaus wants Stefan to become a ripper again and leave Mystic Falls with him. Stefan drinks human blood to prove himself. Klaus gives Katherine the cure for Damon and allows her to leave. Sheriff Forbes, who wants to kill Damon, accidentally frees him from his cell. She later tracks him down and shoots at him but strikes and kills Jeremy instead. Bonnie begs the witches to bring Jeremy back to life saying that she loves him, and they do, warning of "consequences. '' Elena finds a delirious Damon, brings him home, and kisses him after he confesses his love. Katherine interrupts with Klaus 's cure for the werewolf bite. Klaus tests Stefan, asking him to kill someone. Once Stefan does, Klaus says that they can leave Mystic Falls. At the Gilbert house, Jeremy finds his deceased vampire ex-girlfriends Anna and Vicki.
when does elijah appear in the vampire diaries
November 4, 2010 "Rose ''