‘The Vampire Diaries’ Season 8: Nina Dobrev’s Elena, Ian Somerhalder’s Damon’s Reunion Still Up In Air

The Vampire Diaries Season 8 is barreling toward the finish line, but there is still no confirmation whether Nina Dobrev will return to reprise her role as Elena Gilbert or not. Dobrev quit The Vampire Diaries after Season 6 to focus on other projects, and since then, fans have been fervently hoping to see her reunite on screen with her ex-boyfriend Ian Somerhalder, who plays Damon Salvatore.

Julie Plec, the showrunner of The Vampire Diaries, continues to be hopeful about Dobrev’s appearance in the final season, but she is not completely betting on that. Plec told Digital Spy that she is working on two endings, and which one gets filmed depends on whether Dobrev is returning or not to star in the final season of The Vampire Diaries.

“Her character was the centrepiece, the heart and soul of the series, for so long that it would feel incomplete. That being said, I could do it that way, I just would prefer not to. I do have an ending without Elena – but I hope I don’t have to use it.”

Dobrev has not yet said a blunt “no” to a potential brief appearance on The CW’s supernatural series. Plec said that the 27-year-actress wants to return, but logistics may play spoilsport. She said that she would be devastated if they become victims to logistics.

“She’s said she would [come back] and I want her to. So honestly it becomes a matter of logistics and if we become victim to logistics, then that would be devastating. I’m hoping that’s not even going to be an issue.”

In the Season 5 finale of The Vampire Diaries, Dobrev’s Elena was put to sleep in a coffin, and there she remains frozen in time until Bonnie (Kat Graham) is alive. This has kept the window wide open for Elena’s return. There are speculations that she is likely to be revived in the final moments of the final episode to reunite with Damon.

Plec has hinted that Damon may become a human to get his happy ending with Elena. She told TV Guide that it is what Damon had planned to do before a spell was put on Elena in the Season 5 finale of The Vampire Diaries, and he is still ready to do that. Elena is out of his sight, but she is never out of his mind. Plec said he hopes to live in Tribeca with Elena and raise a family together as humans.

Elena may or may not return to get her happy ending with Damon, but Plec has confirmed that she plans to bring back some of the other departed characters.

“I want to try and revisit a lot of our dearly departed loved ones… and those that are still living… before the show ends.”

Meanwhile, Dobrev has booked a guest spot on the final season of Comedy Central’s Workaholics. The details about her character have not been revealed. Next year, the actress is returning to the big screen, with two movies — XXX: Return of Xander Cage that releases on January 20 and Flatliners, which opens on September 29. She plays witty and sarcastic techie Rebecca “Becky” Clearidge in the Vin Diesel action film XXX: Return of Xander Cage.

Beauty. Brains. Badassery.
Sneak peek of @ninadobrev as Becky in #xXxTheMovie #ReturnOfXanderCage @Deejaycar pic.twitter.com/6XcjG3F5ZG

— Caitlin J. (@Caitlin901) November 1, 2016

And without Dobrev, The Vampire Diaries Season 8 premiered on October 21. Episode 4 of the 16-episode final season airs on Friday, November 11. The episode is titled “The Eternity of Mystery,” and according to the official synopsis, Damon will be seen going to Texas to find a mysterious artifact. There, he will have a violent run-in with Peter Maxwell, played by guest star Joel Gretsch, which leads to a surprising revelation.

[Featured Image by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images]