‘The Vampire Diaries’ season 4 spoilers: What’s coming up, what should happen

We are going to be waiting quite a while until “The Vampire Diaries” season 4 returns with new episodes on January 17, and as a matter of fact, it is probably going to feel like an eternity to some devoted fans. So with that in mind, we thought it best right before the Christmas holiday to come up with a bit of a primer showing not just what is set to happen on The CW show for certain, but what are some things that we would love to see unfold.

Let’s start with the facts that are out there: Elena (Nina Dobrev) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) are going to continue to spend a great deal of time together as they try to figure out what this new sort of “relationship” is, and also how to make Stefan still feel like a part of their lives … even if the three parties are rather close to each other.

Meanwhile, Professor Shane’s plan is going to eventually bring another member of The Five to Mystic Falls, but not before Jeremy already plots out how to increase his own power with the help of some unlikely allies. One other returning character will be none other than Rebekah, who in particular will be after both Klaus and Stefan over their roles in trapper yet again.

As for what we would love to see through the rest of season 4, this is a simple question with a rather complicated answer:

1. Turn someone new evil – We are not saying that someone should end up turning into Alaric here, but we do need to witness one of our characters flirting with darkness again by the time this season is over. This, after all, is what makes “The Vampire Diaries” such an unpredictable show, and at the moment some worthy candidates include Jeremy and Bonnie.

2. Give Stefan a defined role – We feel bad for Paul Wesley’s character, since he seems to just be floating around in a mess of confusion. We’d love to actually see him in a long-term story that actually has very little to do with Elena or Damon for a change.

3. Bring back Elijah – We know this is happening for at least one more episodes, but the more Daniel Gillies, the better.

4. Hint more at Katherine – Even if she does not return to Mystic Falls (which seems unlikely with Klaus around), remind viewers that she is still around and could return at some point.

5. Go beyond romance – Since it’s pretty clear now that Klaus is going to have a hard time winning Caroline over, the show may be better served for a little while to shift the focus away from romance. Why not turn towards the future instead? Even though Elena and Caroline may be undead, they have to be thinking soon about whether or not they want to spend their eternity at Mystic Falls, or if they want to move somewhere that allows them to live more of a normal life.

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Do you want to see what Joseph Morgan has to say about a possible way in which to stop Klaus? If so, all you have to do is head on over to the link here.

Photo: The CW