We’ve survived the long wait for new episodes of The Vampire Diaries, and for our trouble we also get to celebrate 100 episodes of the show we love so much. Here’s all you want to know about tonight’s episode, “500 Years of Solitude.”

Since the last episode aired (way back on December 12!), we have all been anxiously awaiting the return of our favorite Mystic Falls friends… and Katherine. The wait is finally over. Tonight, we find out whether Katherine survives the aging process that has been catching up with her since Elena stuffed the cure into her mouth in last May’s season finale.

Now, just in case you need a quick refresher on what was happening the last time we checked in on Whitmore College and Mystic Falls:

Where we left off:

Damon and Stefan were forced to once again save Elena from the bad guy, as Dr. Wes was intending to turn her into a new kind of Ripper– one that only craved vampire blood. They succeeded after each used their strengths to threaten, intimidate, bargain, and persuade Aaron, Dr. Wes’ ward, into releasing the location of the secret laboratory where he conducts his experiments.

We also saw Damon walk away from Elena after he sees that being with her is causing her to justify his actions, and he doesn’t want her to turn into the same kind of monster he is.

Nadia spent the majority of the episode trying to convince Katherine that she had a lot to live for, and to fight for her own survival. When she wasn’t sure if she had made any progress, Nadia begged Matt to once again protect the Travelers’ knife, just in case Katherine changed her mind and needed it to save herself.

The last look we got at the episode showed Katherine passing out due to what appeared to be a heart attack on the Salvatore mansion stairwell, leading us to believe that perhaps she is closer to death now than she has ever been before.

Now for all the details you want (or maybe NEED) to know about tonight’s 100th episode of The Vampire Diaries.

The official synopsis for ‘The Vampire Diaries’ season 5, episode 11, ‘500 Years of Solitude’:

THE 100th EPISODE: FLASHBACKS TO KATHERINE’S EARLY LIFE — As she faces a new crisis, Katherine remembers the traumatic night in 1490 when she gave birth to the daughter who was immediately taken from her. Stefan lets Elena, Caroline and Bonnie know that Katherine’s health has taken a turn for the worse, while Damon, Matt and Jeremy discuss some of Katherine’s most notorious moments. Nadia comes up with a frightening plan to protect her mother, and Stefan and Elena are forced to help her. Meanwhile, Caroline is mortified when she realizes she forgot to fill Elena in on the latest shocking gossip, then indulges in a little scandalous behavior of her own. Finally, Elena and Katherine share an unexpected moment of connection.

Stills:

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Sneak Peeks:

Clip one: Besides Caroline, everyone else seems skeptical about why Damon chose to break up with Elena, and we certainly don’t blame them!

Clip two: There is a lot of ‘scandalous’ sex going on, and Caroline is incredulous as to how she is the odd man out.

Clip three: Katherine and Stefan discuss how Katherine will remain Katherine to the very end, even as she lays on her death bed.

Where to watch online:

Just in case you cannot watch the episode live tonight, and are wondering where you can watch The Vampire Diaries 100th episode online, you can catch it on the CW’s website usually within 24 hours of the initial airing.

Also, Huluplus subscribers can also catch up on Hulu the morning after airing, and it should be posted a little later in the week for non-subscribers.

The easiest method is always to set your DVR, but you may also be able to catch The Vampire Diaries by checking out the OnDemand section from your local cable provider. The OnDemand option is usually available the next day.