Stefan eventually saves Elena before Wes can inject her with a serum designed to make her crave vampire blood instead of human blood.

The story of "Fifty Shades of Grayson" centers on the mid-season finale of The Vampire Diaries Season 5 (Episode 10), which unravels the dark legacy of , Elena's father . The title refers to the "gray area" Elena must navigate after discovering her father wasn't just a town doctor, but a member of the Augustine Society who tortured and experimented on vampires. The Plot: Ghosts of the Past

Wes reveals that the medical journals he uses to justify his "science" were handwritten by Grayson Gilbert . Elena learns her father used vampire blood to save humans, including her friend Megan, but did so through brutal torture, such as electrocuting vampires with thousands of volts. Climax and Aftermath

Damon, a former Augustine test subject himself, enlists Stefan’s help to find Elena. During the search, he faces Enzo , a "friend" he left behind to die in a fire at the Whitmore house 60 years prior. Enzo, poisoned by Wes, is forced to try and kill Damon for the antidote.

Damon’s abandonment of Enzo and Grayson’s secret life represent deep betrayals that haunt the main characters.