"Dear diary, today will be different. It has to be."
For over a century, I have lived in secret; hiding in the shadows, alone in the world. Until now. I am a vampire. And this is my story.
—Stefan Salvatore
Four months have passed after the car accident that killed their parents and Elena Gilbert and her younger brother, Jeremy are still trying to move on with their lives, now living with their aunt.
As the school year begins, Elena is intrigued by a handsome and mysterious new student named Stefan Salvatore, who came from another school, and the two are immediately drawn to one another. But Elena does not realize that Stefan is actually a century year old vampire, who came to the school just to get a chance to meet her.
But when Stefan's older brother, another vampire named Damon Salvatore arrives in Mystic Falls, an old rivalry between the two is awakened that could be the ruin of Elena and the entire town.
Tropes present in the episode:
- Annoying Younger Sibling: Jeremy to Elena, who isn't happy to find out about his drug problems.
- Automobile Opening: The episode opens with a young couple driving at night through a foggy road when they hit Damon who's standing in the middle of the road.
- Blood Lust: Stefan is affected by this when he smells Elena's blood.
- Cain and Abel: Damon and Stefan.
- Crash-Into Hello: Elena crashes into Stefan when the first time they speak together.
- Creepy Crows: Damon can control one during this episode, to spy on Elena and seems associated with crows in general.
- Dumb Jock: Matt is accused of being one by his teacher, but he tells him he's comfortable with being the stereotype
- Eating the Eye Candy: Bonnie and Elena both check out Stefan the first time they see him.
- First Day of School Episode: It's the start of a new year at Mystic Falls High School, the first one for Elena since the car accident that killed her parents.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Matt and Caroline are very jealous of Stefan and Elena.
- High School: Mystic Falls High School, the school most characters attend to.
- I'm Standing Right Here: Elena's reaction when Caroline begins questioning Bonnie how Elena's feeling.
- Jerk Jock: Tyler, who is a jerk to Jeremy and even his own girlfriend Vicki.
- Made of Iron: In his first scene, Damon is run over by a car and is shown to be completely uninjured, establishing how durable vampires are.
- Must Be Invited: Applies to vampires in this world. Stefan stands awkwardly at Elena's door the first time he goes to her home. She invites him in at the end of the episode.
- My Sister Is Off-Limits: Matt is disturbed when he learns Tyler is hooking up with his sister.
- Near-Rape Experience: Vicki and Tyler are making out against a tree during a party when Tyler starts getting rough and she tells him to stop. Jeremy interrupts them before anything more happens.
- New Transfer Student: Stefan in MFHS. He has to use his powers in order to convince the staff, since he doesn't have the required paperwork.
- Not What It Looks Like: Elena has an awkward moment when Stefan catches her coming out of the men's bathroom (she was there to check on her little brother.)
- Psychic Powers: Bonnie jokes about having these for most of the episode, but they actually activate one she touches Elena's glass bottle.
- Really Gets Around: Vicki and Caroline have this reputation.
- Ring of Power: Damon and Stefan wear one in order to be able to walk under the sun.
- Stealth Hi/Bye: While Elena checks on her ankle wound for a second, Stefan disappears on her.
- Stepford Smiler: Elena tries her best to pretend she's fine since her parent's passed away.
- The Stoner: Jeremy become one as a way to deal with his grief. His friend Vicki is one too.
- Vegetarian Vampire: Stefan is one, which greatly weakens him, as shown when he fights Damon and gets easily beaten.
- Wounded Gazelle Gambit: Damon pretends to be a victim of a car accident he causes in order to catch his prey unaware.
