“The Vampire Diaries” fans rejoice because Elena Gilbert is finally coming back to Mystic Falls and who better to confirm it than Nina Dobrev herself.
The actress shared a photo on her Instagram account on January 26 revealing she’s returning for the show’s last episode. In her photo, she also confirmed the title of the series finale, “It Was Epic.”
The 28-year-old actress posted a photo of herself on the set of The CW supernatural drama series. While many fans thought that it was a throwback photo, Dobrev revealed that she was actually filming her scenes for the series finale.
Fans will remember that Dobrev left the show after its sixth season, with Elena entering into a deep slumber that will only be lifted with the death of Bonnie.
The show has plummeted in ratings since Dobrev left the show, with many fans noting that Nina’s role as Elena and her doppelgangers Katherine Pierce, Amara, and Tatia deeply affected the direction of the show.
It was long rumored that Nina would come back for the last season to reprise her role as Elena. Speculations even say that she was set to return as Katherine, who was last seen during the show’s fifth season.
Elena was also frequently mentioned during the show’s seventh season. She also recorded fresh audio for the Season 7 finale, in which Sybil mimicked Elena’s voice to lure Damon into the Armory vault.
Since leaving the show in 2015, the “Perks of Being a Wallflower” star has kept herself busy scoring roles in movies such as “xXx: Return of Xander Cage,” “Final Girls,” and “Flatliners.” She is also set to guest star in an episode of “Workaholics.”
Speaking to Variety, executive producer Julie Plec says that she’s thrilled that she can end the show the way that she’s always envisioned it to be. Co-executive producer Kevin Williamson said that the cast and crew are very much happy to have Nina back.
The CW President Mark Pedowitz was optimistic that the show will be able to reunite the original trio of Dobrev, Paul Wesley, and Ian Somerhalder, who portrays the Salvatore brothers, Stefan and Damon, respectively.
Back in August, Pedowitz said that discussions for Nina to return were already underway and said that it would be a great way for fans to see Elena again as she was an integral part of the show’s success.
Plec has earlier revealed that she has already written the finale with Elena in it, however, if things did not go her way, she also came up with a back-up plan.
Fans are still wondering how Elena will return given how Bonnie’s life and hers are ultimately linked. Speculations say that Cade will have something to do with it or Sybil since she is somehow related to the Petrovas.
The hit series will finally close after eight seasons on March 10, which leaves fans with less than seven episodes to see the Mystic Falls gang on the small screen.
The series was renewed for the last season, which will run for 16 episodes, eight episodes short of its usual order. After the series closes out, the timeslot will be occupied by its spin-off show “The Originals.”
It was confirmed that some characters in “The Vampire Diaries” will still be making appearances in “The Originals.” Matthew Davis’ Alaric Saltzman is one, with the former vampire hunter traveling to New Orleans asking the Mikaelson family to keep his twins Josie and Lizzie safe.
In the last episode, Damon and Stefan returned to Mystic Falls as the former has the bell striker. Ripper Stefan almost ruins Mystic Falls Pageant, but thanks to Caroline, he was able to control himself.
Damon was able to lock up Sybil, but Seline is determined to assemble the bell herself. The bell was revealed to kill sirens, thus revealing Seline’s plans to kill Sybil as a part of righting her past misdeeds.