'TVD' Needs to Answer These Questions, Like Now

Like any good season premiere, The Vampire Diaries' Season 7 Episode 1, "Day One of Twenty-Two Thousand, Give or Take" left a lot of questions unanswered (like, approximately twenty-two thousand of them, give or take). But that's OK, not only because we have a whole season of Damon consuming large amounts of whiskey and Steroline drama to attend to, but also because I'm confident that my questions will be answered. Or, at least further propelled into bigger, more mysterious plot holes. Either way, there will be some semblance of closure on them. I mean, hopefully.

Anyway, the premiere was solid, and did not nothing if not prove that the series would be able to stand alone without it's previous main character, Elena (played by Nina Dobrev, who has since left the series). In this first episode, we're left to pick up the pieces in what's going on between present day and the three year flash-forward teased in the beginning of the episode. All the usual suspects are present — this is an ensemble cast after all — and then of course, there's the new group of bad guys, the Heretics. They're no Klaus, but there's hope that, in typical TVD fashion, they'll be an interesting "family" to follow — complete with surprising glimpses of humanity amongst their truly terrifying personas.

With all that said, here's what I'm dying to know about everything that's happened so far:

1. How Did They End Up in Brooklyn?

The season opens with an out of breathe Stefan, awaking his somewhat dead/somewhat alive (it's never really clear where the boundary is on this show) brother in a sense of panic. And, on the screen, we see this: "Brooklyn, New York, Three Years From Now." I know, this is a small question to ask, but like honestly — how did they end up in Brooklyn?! What's in Brooklyn?! When Caroline says, "I don't see a world where Mystic Falls survives a war between us and them," was that code for "K. BYE. We're off to Brooklyn," or something?!

2. Why Is Everyone Keeping A Diary?

Caroline, Bonnie, and Valerie?! Perhaps this journalistic addition is a way to include Elena without her being there... but if so, why would Valerie keep one? It seems so overly melodramatic and forced, I have to wonder if there's something larger going on here.

3. Why Is Beau Mute?

When we're introduced to the Heretics family, we quickly learn that one of them, Beau, is mute. We also learn later in the episode that he has a mysterious scar on his neck. (The same scar that Stefan has at the end of the episode... but more on that in a minute.)

4. Will Jo Come Back?

Oh Alaric, you trickster. Turns out, Alaric's been faux-drinking on his European bender with Damon, and after we see him get irascible towards a medium, we understand why (sort of). Basically, Alaric's obsessed with finding a way to communicate with Jo, and it makes me think (because, foreshadowing, obviously): will Jo come back?

5. What Is The Pink Stone?

Alaric also mentions this pink stone to the medium and then, a few minutes later, we see Lily asking Enzo about it. This stone must have some major significance, but what is it? The mystery plagues me.

6. Why Would Enzo Choose Lily's Side?

Besides the fact that Enzo hasn't had the best relationship with TVD gang, is there a reason he decided to pair up with Lily and the Heretics?

7. What Is The Wound On Stefan/Beau's Neck?

As previously mentioned, there's a strange, enigmatic scar on Beau's neck that viewers are shown towards the end, then, as the flash-forward commences for the second time, we see Stefan running away from someone with a wound that's the same shape as Beau's scar. What gives?

8. Who's The "She" That's "Back"?

At the very end of the episode, we are shown the flash-forward again and are given more info as to WTF is going on here. (Not as much as I would have liked, but still.) There's a severely wounded Stefan, a newly awakened Damon, and a blonde woman chasing them? Is she someone we know, or someone new? Only time will tell.

I recognize that all my questions are a little too anticipatory in nature, seeing as it's so still so early in the season — but I can't help and be eager for answers. In other words, is it Season 8 yet?

Images: Bob Mahoney/The CW (2); The CW (5); The CW Television Network/YouTube; john allen/YouTube