This review may contain spoilers

This is another middling episode, setting up circumstances for later resolution. Cassie (Britt Robertson) sees John (Joe Lando) looking for a "sway," which Adam (Thomas Dekker) and Nick had found when the kids first moved into Briar Hill.

Adam thinks a sway removes a witch's powers, but John explains that it allows "mortals" to borrow donated powers temporarily. This powered Eben, a supposedly powerless muggle who is casting enchantments. His current donor is unknown, but Ethan (Adam Harrington) provided the magic that caused the ferry disaster.

Ethan knifes John, causing a dark magic outburst from Cassie that almost ends with Ethan's violent death. John lies to Cassie that Ethan hates him for stealing Amelia and had nothing to do with the ferry deaths. He tells Cassie that she must stop using magic altogether or the darkness will consume her.

He later confronts Ethan, who was definitely been helping Eben. Ethan tells John, however, that he was doing so at Amelia's request. She's the one who hated him so much that she risked the rest of the circle to have him dead. What John did to hurt and frighten Amelia that much remains to be explained.

Two plot threads that appear to be tied up are Lee's (Grey Damon) death and Adam and Cassie finally canoodling. Heavy on the soap opera and light with respect to tight or rigorous plotting ... for how many episodes now has grandma Jane been missing?

Points Of Interest

1. Lee finally clarifies his intentions. He still wants to help Eva (Alexia Fast), but his heart now belongs to Faye (Phoebe Tonkin).

2. The way John interacts with Dawn (Natasha Henstridge) was antagonistic, which was fine, but ended violently for no apparent reason. Darkness is still affecting and destroying him?

3. John tells Ethan the "writ in the stars" love between Conats and Blakes is, in fact, a curse.

4. After much turmoil caused by their attitudes towards each others' fathers and who might have contributed more to the ferry deaths, Cassie and Adam get over these issues and consummate their love.

What Worked

Diana's (Shelley Hennig) new love interest, Grant (Tim Phillipps), was sweet; although, one wonders what someone visiting from Australia would be doing in a small town in Washington without someone specific to visit. This is a little on the too random side, but maybe he's a mystic of some sort drawn to Chance Harbor by currents in the aether.

The ambivalent Lee scorns Eva and suffers the consequences. Using mysterious undefined powers gained from the Devil's Spirit overdose, she seems to choke him to death or just drain the life out of him until he falls down and turns black. Progress. Plus Faye can stop making a fool of herself over this particular bad boy.

What Didn't Work

Yet another fund raising event takes place at the school; this one is a casino themed fundraiser for academic supplies. Don't these people have anything better to do with their time?

Ethan knifes John in the gut and it's treated like a small cut. Here's hoping he gets sepsis and shuffles off.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

"The Secret Circle" stars Britt Robertson, Thomas Dekker, Joe Lando, Adam Harrington, Phoebe Tonkin, Grey Damon, Alexia Fast, Shelley Hennig, Tim Phillipps, Jessica Parker Kennedy, Chris Zylka, Natasha Henstridge. "Lucky" was written by Katie Wech, and it was directed by Joshua Butler.

"The Secret Circle" airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on The CW.