Ep 6. Handle With Care

After a couple of episodes focusing on the aftermath of Bonnie's resurrection and Silas's master plan, "The Vampire Diaries" returned with episode 6 of season 5 titled "Handle With Care," which saw the arrival of a group of travelers in town bringing a new mystery along with them.

The travelers, headed by their leader, Markos (Raffi Barsoumian), arrived in Mystic Falls seemingly wanting to make a deal with the town's vampires, offering them a form of unexplained protection in exchange for a mysterious object. But as usual, things are not as they seem, and as the episode unfolds, we start to learn more about Markos and his true intentions.

Meanwhile, Damon and Elena continue to enjoy their new relationship, but their happiness is threatened when Caroline tells Elena about a conversation she overheard between Stefan and Katherine, which makes Elena question whether the feelings Damon has for her are real or just a product of the sire bond. This, combined with the arrival of the travelers, puts Damon and Elena's relationship to the test.

Stefan, who has been struggling to cope with his breakup with Elena, is also dealing with the aftermath of his encounter with Katherine, who appears to have some sort of plan involving him and the travelers. She claims that they need each other to survive, but Stefan is understandably wary of trusting her again.

As for Bonnie, she continues to struggle with the fact that she is now a ghost who can only communicate with a select few people, mainly Jeremy. Her conversations with Jeremy provide some insight into what being a ghost is like and the struggle she is facing to come to grips with her new reality.

"Handle With Care" also sees the return of Tyler to Mystic Falls, who is still struggling to control his werewolf side and deal with the guilt he feels over what happened to Nadia. Tyler's return adds to the already complicated love triangle between him, Caroline, and Klaus, who is still slumbering in New Orleans.

The episode ends with a major cliffhanger as Markos's true intentions are revealed, and it becomes clear that the travelers pose a significant threat to the town and its inhabitants.

Overall, "Handle With Care" is a solid episode of "The Vampire Diaries" that sets up a new and intriguing mystery with the arrival of the travelers. The episode also does a good job of advancing the various character arcs and storylines, particularly with regards to Damon and Elena's relationship and Stefan's ongoing struggles. The episode's cliffhanger ending is sure to leave fans anxiously awaiting the next episode.