Growing Pains (Vampire Diaries)

Growing Pains is the first episode of the Fourth Season and the sixty-seventh episode in the series.

Summary
thumb|300px|right|Growing Pains Promo

ELENA’S WORST NIGHTMARE — Elena awakens on the morning after the accident to find the thing she dreaded most has come true – she died with vampire blood in her system and now must go through the terrible transition to become a vampire, or face certain death. Stefan promises Elena that he and Bonnie will exhaust every possible way out of the situation, but Damon is furious with his brother for letting Elena die in the first place. Bonnie pays a terrible price for her attempt to change Elena’s fate, while Damon takes out his frustration and rage on Matt. In a rare moment of empathy, Rebekah is deeply touched by Stefan and Elena’s devotion to one another. Finally, Pastor Young and the Town Council members begin rounding up the vampires and their supporters, leading to an unexpected tragedy. In the end Elena completes the transition.

Main Cast

 * Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert
 * Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore
 * Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore
 * Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert
 * Candice Accola as Caroline Forbes
 * Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan
 * Katerina Graham as Bonnie Bennett
 * Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood/Klaus
 * Joseph Morgan as Klaus

Recurring Cast

 * Torrey DeVitto as Meredith Fell
 * Claire Holt as Rebekah
 * Susan Walters as Carol Lockwood
 * Marguerite MacIntyre as Sheriff Forbes

Special Guest Star

 * Jasmine Guy as Sheila Bennett

Guest Cast

 * Michael Reilly Burke as Pastor Young
 * Lex Shontz as Deputy Adams
 * Neko Parham as Town Council member

Trivia

 * Antagonist: Pastor Young and Sheriff's Deputies.
 * It is revealed that Meredith Fell used Damon's blood to heal Elena.
 * The Founder's Council now it is called the Town Council after of the Alaric's revelation.
 * The Founder's Council is called that way, because they were the first families who founded Mystic Falls, however, after discovering the dark truth of the families: Lockwood, Forbes, Fell, Gilbert, Salvatore, they were expelled, leaving residents with only knowledge of the supernatural.
 * Those blood bags Rebekah destroyed were the last of Klaus's supply for making his hybrids.
 * The sandwich tasted awful to Elena as a side effect of her transition.
 * Bonnie didn't lose her powers, however, every time she does dark magic, she'll see Grams in pain.

Cultural References

 * "Death Becomes Her" is a 1992 dark comedy with Meryl Streep, Goldie Hawn and Bruce Willis. It's a play in words and it can mean both "she became death" as well as "death looks good on her", (like clothing).
 * "Growing Pains" is an American television sitcom about an affluent family, residing in Huntington, Long Island, New York, with a working mother and a stay-at-home psychiatrist father raising three children together, which aired on ABC from September 24, 1985 to April 25, 1992.

Tropes

 * The quirky dialogue between Elena, Stefan with Damon snarky remarks was a very elegant Exposition that recapped the events that led to this all. Could it be that trough all his Bitter Sarcasm Damon is the Only Sane One ?
 * Well, this whole episode was a great Introdump, but there was lot of information to recap....
 * Pastor Young is introduced very much like Remember this new Guy ? He remembers Elena wanted to be a writer, knew her parents and was part of the Council, although we had never seen him before ....
 * Like many times before, Bonnie suffers from Psychic Nosebleed when she overexerts herself.
 * Very creepy when Klaus threatens to rip the living heart out of Tyler...

Behind the Scenes

 * This is the first season premiere to feature every main character since Pilot.
 * Following Matt Davis' departure from the cast in season 3, this is the first season to feature just 9 series regulars.
 * This is the first season premiere to feature Meredith Fell, and Rebekah, the third to feature Carol, the second to feature Klaus and Liz and the fourth to feature Elena, Stefan, Damon, Jeremy, Bonnie, Matt, Tyler and Caroline.
 * This is the first season premiere to not be written by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec.
 * Before the official title was revealed (July 24) it was rumored that it was named "Phases".
 * This is the first season premiere to not have a "Previously On..." voice over.


 * Ratings
 * 3.483 million (highest ratings since the first 9 episodes of season three)

Continuity

 * Meredith, Carol, Elizabeth and Rebekah were last seen in The Departed.
 * Many references are made of when Elena told Stefan she did not want to be a Vampire in The Last Day.
 * Damon saying there is no 3rd door might be a reference to the many times, when faced with two terrible choices, Elena chose a third choice.
 * Elena has a very cool Pensive Flashback to when Damon made her forget that he loves her in Rose.
 * All of the events from The Departed are all mentioned in this episode.
 * Vicki Donovan was mentioned by Jeremy and Elena. She was turned and destroyed as a vampire in Season 1's Lost Girls and Haunted, but she came back as a ghost in Season 2's As I Lay Dying. She was last seen in Smells Like Teen Spirit.
 * Jeremy and Elena both mentioning Bonnie's part in bringing him back to life and the "consequences." It became an recurring theme from Season 3.
 * On the other hand NOBODY mentioned that Bonnie already knew a spell to prevent Elena from turning into a vampire... In The Sun Also Rises Damon fed Elena his blood so that she would not die in Klaus' sacrifice, and John Gilbert gave up his life to keep Elena human.
 * Alaric Saltzman was mentioned by Klaus, Pastor Young, Caroline and Elizabeth. He was last seen in The Departed.
 * Shelia Bennett was last seen in Ghost World. This is her second appearance as a ghost.
 * Finn, Elijah and Kol were mentioned by Rebekah. Finn was killed by Matt in The Murder of One. Elijah was last seen in The Departed. And Kol was last seen in Heart of Darkness.

Quotes
Elena: "Am I dead? ... No!" Damon: "You feed or you die. There is no door number three." - to Elena

Stefan: "You know what, you weren't there the day Elena looked me in the eye and told me she absolutely never wanted this. Damon: "Then you shouldn't have let her die. Stefan: "I never meant for her to die. She asked me to help Matt first and I did." Damon: "And now the world has one more quarterback. Bravo, brother." - to Stefan. Stefan: "I made a choice that I will regret for the rest of my life. Now let me try to fix it."

Jeremy: "Your fangs coming yet?" - to Elena

Rebekah: "Tragic about Elena. Not to make the grey cloud greyer but does Matt even have automobile insurance for the car?"



Videos
The Vampire Diaries Season 4 Comic-Con 2012 Trailer HD|Season 4 Comic-Con 2012 Trailer The Vampire Diaries - Season 4 First Look|First promo The Vampire Diaries - Alive Clip|Clip Exclusive "Vampire Diaries" Peek 10 11|Clip #2 The Vampire Diaries - Season 4 - Cold Open|Cold Open The Vampire Diaries Canadian Promo 4x01 - Growing Pains|Canadian Promo The Vampire Diaries - Season 4 - ITV2 Promo|ITV2 Promo (Fisrt Two Episodes Trailer)