I feel like this season's strength is going to be boiling down everything to 2-3 fairly interesting plotlines -- no more shifters-only, no more vampire hate group, no more emo Alcide, no more Russell and wolf pack (missing Russell sucks but that's life), no more Terry and the Ifrit -- everything basically boils down to the vampire war, Warlowe and the fairy shit (I assume Andy's kids will tie into this at some point), and whatever happens with the werewolves and Sam and Emma and the crazy hippies now following them. Fewer plotlines is a big help to the show's narrative and pacing.