Michael Malarkey is a busy man. Whether he is tirelessly writing and recording music (his independent EP, Knots, will be released November 20th), portraying the mysterious Enzo on the CW’s hit show, The Vampire Diaries (TVD), or on daddy duty with son, Marlon, Malarkey finds a way to balance it all. Moreover, he does it with a smile on his face.

Malarkey took some time to talk with Geeks of Doom in an exclusive interview this week, and he opened up about his personal projects while also giving us Vampire Diaries fans some clues into what we can expect for the rest of season seven.

The Vampire Diaries
Season 7 Episode 3: “Age of Innocence”
Directed by Michael A. Allowitz
Written by Melinda Hsu Taylor and Holly Brix
Created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec
Starring Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Candice Accola King, Zach Roerig, Matthew Davis, Michael Malarkey, Annie Wersching, Elizabeth Blackmore, Todd Lasance, Tim Kang, Michael Trevino
The CW
Air Date: Thursday, October 22, 2015, 8pm

Warning: This is a recap of Vampire Diaries 7.3 “Age of Innocence,” so SPOILERS…

Stefan (Paul Wesley) in the future is so mysterious. He’s on a mission. He wants to get in touch with Caroline (Candice Accola King), but it’s cool. He calls Tyler (Michael Trevino) to ask him to contact Caroline. His scar is opening up and he doesn’t “have much time.” But, whatever. Tyler says he should be running, but he casually walks over to his beautiful car, saves his diary at the last minute because he’s so damn sentimental, and drops a lighter in the trunk. BOOM, it explodes right behind him as he walks towards the camera. But he doesn’t look back. He’s Stefan Salvatore.

The Vampire Diaries
Season 7 Episode 2: “Never Let Me Go”
Directed by Chris Grismer
Written by Brian Young
Created by Kevin Williamson
Starring Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder, Kat Graham, Candice Accola, Zach Roerig, Matthew Davis, Michael Malarkey, Annie Wersching, Elizabeth Blackmore, Scarlett Byrne, Teressa Liane, Jaiden Kaine
The CW
Air Date: Thursday, October 15, 2015, 8pm

We ended last week’s episode of The Vampire Diaries with an abandoned Mystic Falls, and a fragile-verging-upon-broken truce between our protagonists and the Lily Salvatore (Annie Wersching) led Heretics. I say “fragile” because towards the end of the premiere, besties Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Bonnie (Kat Graham) make it clear that they want a war when they kill one of Lily’s “family” members, Malcolm (Justice Leak). Oh, and Enzo’s (Michael Malarkey) bad, or at least siding with Lily (for now); Caroline (Candice Accola) and Stefan (Paul Wesley) are finally lovers; Matt (Zach Roerig) is disillusioned, and everything is actually kind of okay without Elena (Nina Dobrev).

Spoilers ahead for The Vampire Diaries Episode 7.2, “Never Let Me Go.”

The Vampire Diaries
Season 7 Episode 1: “Day One of Twenty-Two Thousand, Give or Take”
Directed by Pascal Verschooris
Written by Caroline Dries
Created by Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec
Starring Paul Wesley, Ian Somehalder, Kat Graham, Candice Accola, Zach Roerig, Matthew Davis, Michael Malarkey, Annie Wersching, Elizabeth Blackmore, Scarlett Byrne, Teressa Liane, Justice Leak, Jaiden Kaine
The CW
Air Date: Thursday, October 8, 2015, 8pm

Who else is still reeling from the season six finale of The Vampire Diaries? The tearjerker episode capping off a twisty-turny, dramatic, exciting season saw the end of Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev). After finding out early on that this was Dobrev’s last season and making my way through the episodes, I remember asking myself: Can a show go on without its main character? But, as I thought about those she left behind, I felt myself caring so deeply about what happens to them, particularly Alaric (Matthew Davis). This guy is arguably the most tragic character in the entire series, and that’s saying a lot since they have all had some pretty bad things happen to them. I found myself describing the main group of young friends — Elena, Jeremy (Steven McQueen), Matt (Zach Roerig), Tyler (Michael Trevino), Bonnie (Kat Graham), and now Caroline (Candice Accola) — as a “generation of orphans.” Thank God they have Alaric…but will he be able to fulfill his fatherly role through all of his understandable grief?

May 23rd, 2010 marked the end of one of the most talked about shows on television – ABC’s LOST. Created by JJ Abrams, Damon Lindelof, and Jeffrey Lieber, this supernateral, mystical, mythological, theological, science fictional drama relied on flashbacks and eventual flashforwards, mixed with the present, to tell watercooler television. When it ended 5 years ago today, it sparked outrageous controversy, reminiscient of the outcry at The Sopranos ending, three years before. Still today (and I think it still will be 20 years from now), there remains such a divide between those who loved and those who hated the series, especially that unexpected ending. For the most part, the majority of viewers tend to land on one side of endings – Dexter, most hated, while Sons Of Anarchy, most loved. Not so with this show.

Which side did you fall on?