Dobrev left the show after Season 6 to pursue other opportunities. However, she’s been very vocal to reprise the beloved Elena if the storyline demands it.
During the Season 7 finale, she returned for a voiceover with Sybil posing as Elena’s voice to lure Damon into the vault.
Back in Season 6, Kai linked Elena and Bonnie’s life together that put Elena in a lifetime slumber and will only wake up once Bonnie dies.
There are now reports surfacing that Dobrev will indeed come back for the final season but as her doppelganger Katherine Pierce.
Katherine is a fan-favorite character and has been an integral part of the show. She was the main antagonist during Seasons 2 and 5 with the 100th episode dedicated solely to her.
Last time fans saw her was back in Season 5 when she was ready to pass through the Other Side to meet her demise. However, an unseen entity grabbed her into the Darkness and she was never seen again.
The final season will air on October 21 with a shortened 16-episode full order. The CW has already released the first three episode titles of the season with the season premiere titled “Hello Brother.”