It's Founder's Day, and everyone is preparing for floats and fireworks. Jeremy, still alienated from Elena for lying to him about everything, seek Anna's company; Anna gives him a vial of her blood and offers him the choice of becoming a vampire. Though Damon and Alaric team up to try to stop John Gilbert from utilizing the mysterious device to kill vampires, John sets his plan in motion, leading to a chaotic, destructive, and deadly end to the Founder's Day celebration. Caroline is severely injured in a car accident involving Tyler, and it is suggested that Tyler and his father, the mayor, are werewolves. John kills Anna and burns many of the tomb vampires alive; Tyler's father dies along with them. Stefan realizes that, despite everything Damon has done, he does love his brother. Elena confronts John with the knowledge that he is her father, Stefan having informed her so. Bonnie saves Stefan and Damon from John's rampage for Elena's sake but tells Stefan that if Damon kills another innocent person, she will not hesitate to take him down. Damon finally realizes that there is some good in him, and that he may actually want to become a better person. Jeremy learns of Anna's death; he drinks Anna's blood and overdoses on pain pills, hoping that his emotional pain will ease if he becomes a vampire. Damon kisses a person whom he believes to be Elena, who is then invited into Elena's house by Jenna and murders John Gilbert; before John is stabbed, he recognizes her as Katherine, pretending to be Elena. The season ends with the real Elena entering the house and going toward the kitchen, where Katherine is.