Wow, TVD is over. I cant believe it. I’ve watched so many shows in my lifetime and I’ve never been too upset about a series ending but in this case, I’m having a lot of feels. At one point in time I was absolutely obsessed with the show and I never once thought about giving it up, even if it did bore or frustrate me at different moments. Like with all shows, I do think it lost just a bit of it’s “spark” in the later seasons but what show doesn’t? (Except breaking bad) All in all, I can say I enjoyed every season. Even season 7 which was my least favorite. I cant wait to rewatch the entire show (and I am mid season 5 currently). Season 8 was great in parts (and also boring in parts I admit) but I still had a heck of time watching it week to week, knowing it was the final season. I was COMPLETELY SCARED for how they would wrap things up and I am pleased to say that I am very happy with the ending. I know a lot of people wont be, and thats fine, you cant please everyone, but for me, I think they did a pretty good job with what they had. I had extremely low expectations about this episode because I wasn’t sure how they were going to fit everything in. I still think 2 hours would have been more satisfying and more well-rounded but it was a lot better than I thought it was going to be, which was a relief. About half way into it I wasn’t feeling as scared. It was a truly phenomenal episode IMO and one of my favorites. (and also least favorites because of certain things :bawl:.)

I’m revisiting a bunch of old threads and posting more detailed thoughts but I’ll try to sum up everything here as well to the best that I can!

FIRSTLY, the retrospective made it obvious how the show was going to end? Did anyone else feel this way? In regards to the couples, Stefan’s death… I MEAN COME ON. Julie was talking all about redemption and a story in death and they were only showing Stefan, then they literally showed the clip of Stefan saying “you’re gonna have to let me go someday” like, REALLY SHOW? I just found that so strange that they would spoil that for everyone in the special….
(ps, the actor that play’s Enzo’s true accent is so weird, it just doesn’t sound right. Random, but I had to add that in there. Also, Paul and Ian hugging at the end melted my heart. <3)



In regards to the actual episode I will break things down into categories to gather my thoughts. Im sort a mess and all over the place, forgive me!

Lets start with what I hated:
-Nina’s wig. So bad. She just looked weird the whole time and I couldn’t really get past it. I dont see why they couldn’t have used extensions instead of a wig.
-Katherine’s screen time. Don’t get me wrong, I was glad to see the “bitch” again but I felt they spent too many useless scenes on her when they could have had more Elena in the episode. Like, the DK scene in the woods felt really unnecessary to me.
-Damon/Alaric resolution. We didn’t get a last scene for them and season 8 in general just wasn’t kind to them. They used to be one of my favorite friendships so I was a bit disappointed that we didn’t get anything significant. Alaric actually seemed annoyed when Caroline wanted to help Damon (and for good reason) but it hurt. At least he seemed sad when he found out Damon could die, but it just rubbed me the wrong way.
-The kid SL in general for Caroline. It just dragged her character down and it’s my least favorite TVD storyline they’ve done.
-No Damon/Bonnie scene? They are one of the most significant friendships on the show in the later seasons, so it just felt weird having zero interaction between those two. I would have liked a hug when Bonnie was leaving in her final scene.
-Not getting to see any of the originals in the finale. I realize they have their own show but it would have been nice to see them somehow. At least we did get a small Klaus mention which I will get to later.
-Bonnie breaking the spell with Elena just like that with zero explanation. Like, what was that about? Or did I just really miss something? It just felt too easy and we got no explanation for it. She could have been working on that all season or something to make it more believable.
-The ending montage of scenes was just a bit too cheesey to me and un-TVD like imo explaining everyones happy endings? I mean I like happy endings but something felt just a bit off to me. And I feel like the writers could have been a bit more neutral in their shipping and some of the lines that were delivered.
-Tyler’s tiny cameo and also his SL in season 8. I thought maybe he would come back or something (Georgie too) but it never happened which made his death feel pointless, epescially because there was no consequences for Damon and no real sad reactions from anyone. I dont see why that death was necessary. They should have just not brought Tyler back at all and instead had him come to the school in the finale and share a smile with Caroline. That would have been way more satisfying.
-Jeremy’s major lack of screen time. We didn’t even see him interact with Elena, his freaking sister! He wasn’t even in the ending montage of Elena’s family. I think they were trying to go with a “all these people are dead” sort of thing but still, it just felt weird having no interaction there at all.
-DE not having any sort of conversation in the episode? I will get to them later but yeah, just have to rant quickly about that.
-Matt being shoved all the entire episode and not really interacting with anyone but his family just felt a bit weird to me.
-Stefan dying. PERIOD THE END. I hate that he died. I truly hate it. I am just so depressed that they actually killed him! I didn’t think they would do it. My SC heart is breaking. And while I think there’s something poetic in the protagonist dying it’s also just so heartbreaking. Stefan was torture the entire show, IMO he truly deserved to live a happy life so it just sucks he didn’t get that. Again, Ill get back to this later but gosh, it hurts. I think he and Damon both could have survived and we still could have seen their “peace” when they both died LATER in the series. Or they could have gone out together, Idk.



Stuff that I enjoyed:
-I got SO EXCITED when I saw nina on the bed! I’m so happy she came back! <3. I loved the small Bonnie and Elena scene in the dream.

-Damon killing Vicki was amazing! Throw back to season 1. The Matt and Vicki scene was great!!! I’m so happy I get to see these two siblings interacting again. Even though we don’t really care about the Donovan family, their little reunion was so fantastic and heartwarming. I also liked Matt’s ending and that we got to see the only human survive to the bitter end. It was great seeing Matt be the sheriff and move people out of the town! He got a nice little recognition and Vicky/Tyler watching him was a cute moment. Glad to see their faces.

-Speaking of, all the old faces were great. Seeing Liz and Jo, and the Gilberts and JENNA! and John and Jeremy (+vicky/tyler) did make me happy and I appreciate that the writers brought all of them back. It would have been cool to see Liv and Jo standing behind Bonnie when she did her magic but I can pretend they were there. Grams being there in that moment was really awesome.

-Getting to see Kat again was great. She was the main villain so I loved the banter with Damon and I love that Stefan was the one to take her out again. God DAMN I knew that the hug was Damon and Katherine, WHYYYYY. But I am glad the boys figured it out immediately.

-The DC scene at the end was sweet… saying they’d see Stefan again and the “husband” on the gravestone made me happy. <3

-Caroline/Elena look at the end was so amazing. Loved the moment between the three girls when Elena woke up.

-Jeremy working at the school for Caroline was awesome!

-The Klaus moment! “However long it takes” and the donation was such a cute little moment for them. I am STEROLINE through and through but I liked KC too and I always liked that Klaus said he’d be Carolines last love so I always thought they’d get a shot together. Plus, there was that little hint about other stories starting so maybe well see Candice on the originals which I’d be okay with. And it would be nice to get more Steroline/Stefan mentions from her and also to see her happy again.



Things that just crushed my heart (in good and bad ways):

-BONNEI SURVIVED. And she was a freaking BA!!! I loved that Bonnie was able to use her magic again. When she stopped the fire that was such a cool moment! Seeing Grams again was so cool too!!! And then when all the other witches appeared that was amazing. Bonnie collapsing, NO! NO NO NO :bawl: I was so scared, I really thought she was going to be the death and I was so sad because she deserves so much. She’s saved everyone so many times and after Enzo’s death deserved to be happy. I loved her ending. I loved that she was discovering herself and wanted to travel. :love:

-ELENA RETURNED. I wish we got her a bit earlier but the bonnie scene at the beginning was great. When she woke up in that forest I just got the FEELS majorly. AND THAT HALLWAY SCENE WITH STEFAN I CANNOT. I didn’t ship SE but I can apprecaite that they were the shows first couple and they have so many fans, I and so happy they got some good interaction in the episode, despite it being really heartbreaking. Elena running into Stefan in the hall, that was so cute, such a throwback to the first episode. Their scene was truly beautiful but FCKING SAD!!!! I love that he said he was happy to see her. I love that she was the last person he saw before he left, it felt fitting. And Elena seemed so sad too. UGH, it really truly hurts my heart and I cant imagine how the shippers feel.

-DELENA WERE ENDGAME. :bawl: I cant believe it actually happened because I was seriously not expecting it whatsoever. I am still so happy with their journey and their season 6 ending so these scenes were just the icing on the cake. I would have loved an actual conversation (and I am praying their deleted proposal scene is on the dvds) but I cant complain because my otp of all otps ended together and I can sleep well tonight knowing that. I loved seeing Elena’s concern for Damon in her scene with Stefan. I loved their looks to one another when they finally saw each other and the slow mo to their kiss and hug. I loved the flashfoward with them in the graveyard, such a throwback to the pilot AND THE FREAKING CROW. Elena in med school like she wanted, DE holding hands and then the further flash forward with them on the street. I love that Elena was writing in her journal again. Loved the “dear diary” and the same freaking song they used in the pilot from The Fray. LOVED that Elena said Damon did find peace. The scene on the porch with her parents and Jenna just sfdsfdsfsfs, that made me so happy.

-STEFAN AND FREAKING STEFAN/CAROLINE I CANT. Everything about them just makes my heart hurt. I hope the deleted scene of him calling her Mrs. Caroline Forbes-Salvatore makes the dvd too. I loved their last scene together even if it was horrible and heartbreaking. “We’re family now.” :love: OMG I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. The crying… man the acting from Candice and Paul was so damn strong. Stefan calling Caroline his WIFE and saying that he doesn’t want to leave her but he has too… :bawl:…. then Stefan was compelled to leave I was so happy, thinking he was actually going to survive but when Caroline called him I knew he was gonna die. That phonecall was the worst, it breaks my heart. Her finding out he was gonna die, saying she was going to love him forever. :bawl: I will never be over this ending for them. So tragic. AND I CANT EVEN TALK ABOUT THE SE SCENE WHERE HE WHISPERED IN ELENA’S EAR “TELL CAROLINE I HEARD HER AND I WILL LOVE HER FOREVER TOO.” sfdsfsdfdsfdsfsdfsdf SERIOUSLY I dont think I can watch that ever again it’s too heartbreaking. I wanna die I am so upset. Then the funeral and Caroline leaving the snow globe. I’m just so upset about this. Of course I am happy they got married. I am happy that he died not only being married to Caroline but loving her and delivering the message that he would always love her. To me, that IS endgame of sorts. And someday Caroline WILL see him again when she dies. :bawl:

-Stefan seeing Lexi when he died! His death hurts me so badly an this was the one TINY LITTLE SLIVER of happiness. The fact that SHE was finally reunited with her best friend just eased the pain of his death a little bit. Him saying he was feeling Epic and tying into the finale. :love:. I know people are devestate about his death and I am too, but there is also something poetic about it. He is the shows protagonist. He is the main character. He is the hero. It’s fitting in a way that he was the one to sacrifice himself because of course he would! Thats who he is and why it makes Sefan so great. Damon may have got the happy ending but the episode was STEFAN’S episode. It focused on him and his life and his journey and his redemption and in a sad way he really did want to die because he felt that was the only resolution to the things he had done. Yes its more than clear that Damon was the worst brother, Im not disagreeing, but it does make sense to me that stefan would be the one to die because THATS WHO HE IS, thats his heart and his character to take the fall, as much as he doesnt deserve it. I still hate that he died but certain scenes appeased things for me a little bit and on top of that, the shows done anyways.

-Finally, Stefan and Damon, the true OTP of the show in my eyes. When Stefan and Damon were arguing over who would sacrifice themselves, UGH I HATED THAT. I didn’t want either of them to dieeeee. :bawl: I truly didnt know what direction they were going to go when I was watching and was so scared for both. When Damon compelled Stefan sdfdsfdsfdsfsfsd. NOOOOOOO. I was crying. That was so sad. But I was so proud of Damon for doing it. :bawl: I felt like in that moment it would have made sense for Damon to die because of all the bad things he’s done. And saving his brother made me so happy. So even though i was devesated I thought it was fitting. But OH MY GOD THE FREAKING REVEAL ABOUT STEFAN I CAN’T NO I AM SO SAD. Taking Katherine with him, saying goodbye to Damon… :bawl: Finding out that Stefan was the one that was dying, man it hurt my heart. I didnt want to believe it was real and the scene with SE just broke me. But then the lexi scene happened and I started feeling like maybe it was the right decision? In a horrible way? Maybe it wasn’t how Ian and Paul wanted it exactly and in some capacity I agree that they BOTH should have died but as a Damon fan I am personally glad that he got to live. I think its somewhat expected for him to die as the original “villain” of the show. of course of everyone knows he truly “deserves” it more than anyone but thats also why I love that he didn’t die, because its not the easy way out for the show to take. Some people will never agree that he ever got redemption or that he ever found peace but I personally believe that he did, because of the sacrifice that his brother made for him and because of turning human. I would have ended it different if I were writing the show. SD would have sacrificed themselves TOGETHER because they’d want to die together. And neither would have ended with Elena. I think that would have been a far more neutral ending. But selfishly, as a DE fan, I am happy. Their brother relationship is what started the show and I am thrilled that the series ended with them. The last “hello brother” was just the perfect way to end the show in my eyes. That’s the part in the pilot that really struck a cord with me and knowing that eventually they saw one another again just made me so happy.

All in all I can look back on the series and say I loved it and felt it came full circle. I can appreciate the finale and be excited to watch it again.

The best part about tonight! GENIE KNOWS WHAT'S UP.

If anyone needs me, I'll be crying in the corner over Stefan forever. I just...can't right now. TOO MANY EMOTIONS. :( :cry:

I take this back. I saw some gifs on my twitter TL and actually paid attention and Ian couldn't even act out a genuine smile? :eek:

I'm going to watch season 1 again and go back to my happy place. RIP Stefan :(

I thought his reaction was a bit underwhelming too, but I'm not sure that he was deliberately doing that because of personal issues with Nina like people are speculating. I wonder if he just didn't feel like it was right to play it as too overwhelmingly happy and excited when Damon was dealing with his little brothers death, so he didn't want it to come off as "omg yay, all is great" as soon as he sees Elena again. Paul and Ian always talked like they saw the brothers relationship as the heart of the show, so maybe he felt like that was the most appropriate reaction in that moment, and that it should be more of a bittersweet moment because Stefan wasn't there :shrug:

^ I was actually referring to the scene in the afterlife when they're walking down the street.

I dont know where to begin...

My heart is broken, but happy and somewhat satisfied at the same time.

I would have been okay with ANYONE dying other than Damon, Elena, Stefan or Caroline. I really wanted these 2 couples to end up together :bawl:

I understand why Stefan died and I love the logic behind it, but it was so incredibly sad.

Loved:
All the past characters randomly making a cameo.
The scenes where the living constantly felt their loved ones nearby; chills.
Damon and Elena living happily ever after together.
The final scene... dying.


Disliked:
Bonnie randomly coming up with a way to break the spell. So dumb and forced. Couldn't they just say that Katherine drugged Elena and have it be that Elena woke up because Bonnie's heart stopped for a minute? That actually made a bit of sense. This was dumb.
Stefan's friend [forgot her name] that appeared to him when he died. I just always hated her.


Still not sure about:
It's clear that Elena and Damon grow old together and eventually die, but it was hurtful to see it. It's a happy, but sad moment... i dont know how i feel!!!
Caroline receiving a letter from Klaus. Does this mean she is moving on to the Orginals?
Ugh, is this the end of Stefan and Caroline forever? But I love her so much so i dont mind seeing her on the originals tbh. Again.. not sure.

Bonnie survived :bunny:

How did Bonnie break Kais spell after all this talkabout there being no possibility to do it? That's the question I would ask those writers instead of asking five times about the possibility of a spnofff which won't happen anyways.

Like Stefan gave Damon the cure but how did he know that Bonnie would break the spell or did he just expect her to die while trying to push away the hellfire?
Although he told Elena that she should tell Caroline he will love her forever whenever she wakes up.
So basically there was also the possibility that Bonnie wouldn't have been able to break the spell, Damon grows old and maybe wouldn't have been able to see Elena at all because he could have died before BONNIE... :rotfl: that would have been the best ending.

The Bennett line scene was the best although I missed Emily (but i read in one of the interviews Bianca was not available) and I would have prefered Lucy by Bonnies other side instead of the bennett witch from this seasons flashbacks.

Also :lmao: @ Tikis Granddad

Still can't believe Caro and Alaric opened a school for supernaturals. They are not qualified imo.
Meh at the KC fanservice, also vampires can compel themselves money everywhere.

I feared for Bonnie, many times!

Good bye to a wonderful show.

what are you on about, I didn't even notice it was a wig :lol:

I just watched the finale again so I could pay attention to it better (wow there were a lot of commercial breaks last night--every five minutes!) and see if my initial reaction still holds. Basically, I think it does. Thanks Alexa and Hurricane Eyes for really breaking it down in detail for me--I pretty much agree overall with both of you and some of the other comments on here, even though you come at it from opposite expectations. I honestly didn't have great expectations for the finale, having given up on the show in the middle of it yet slowly coming back, albeit with less starry eyes. However, as Alexa said, with what they had to work with, it was pretty satisfactory. I loved that it called back to the beginning (a beginning I really enjoyed, as reminded by the retrospective). It also served to erase the muddled middle, except where the characters ended up, and it tied the first and last seasons into a neat bow.

What happened in the middle is that the show lost its way. Stefan no longer was important or interesting; Elena only had eyes for Damon--right or wrong; Bonnie was just a plot device. The best and worst thing to happen to the show was that Nina left. Her leaving forced the show down new avenues: Bonnie became a more central character and Damon was forced to at least (try) to grow up, and the brothers became more of the focus again. Here was the potential for the show to come back to life. Instead, all they could essentially do was put it in the freezer and thaw it out in the finale. You can't have all the characters really grow and move on when one of the most important of them is in a coma (and the actress who plays her can't return for more than an episode.) Damon couldn't complete his redemption without Elena around, or so the show claimed. He definitely couldn't fall in love with anyone else. Oh but Stefan could! Stefan needs a Grand Reason for Living (and relevancy) so why not have him fall in love with Caroline? (Everyone else has.) But what are we going to do about Bonnie, who shines once the spotlight isn't on Elena? Let's remove her powers but give her a Great Love too. Never mind whether or not these plot maneuvers are greatly convincing.

In the end, the finale had some of the show's original flavors and freshness but also freezer burn.I am glad that Stefan's character was returned to his former glory--I always believed he was the hero--not perfect surely, or always as interesting as Damon--but the hero nonetheless. (I mean, come on, he has the hair!) Hence it makes sense that he died in the end. Bonnie was always the Strongest Kick Ass Female, so she saved the day again with some magic mojo. Damon finally became the big brother he was meant to be--all in one act? Well, it is assumed that he had a (human) lifetime to make amends, even though we won't get to see that. Caroline is still the Energizer bunny who keeps going no matter what. Finally, it makes sense why they kept Matt alive all these years, for he was (literally) the most human. All of these aspects were in the original recipe and I am happy about them.

Do I think the show lived up to its full potential? No, although few really do. I personally saw the show taking a different way, had Elena kept growing as a character. I could see Elena exploring vampirism with Damon, which starts out sexy but perhaps she goes ripper and both of them feel guilty. Elena becomes human but after she wakes from the sleeping curse she eventually falls back in love with Stefan, who is likewise human. While Elena is sleeping, Damon is forced to become "a better man" with Stefan and Bonnie's help, and he and Bonnie fall in love. In the finale, both Stefan and Damon sacrifice themselves to atone for their many sins, because neither can make the other leave and they are both equally "the best men." Perhaps "the girls" grow to be young women together, forgetting they ever knew vampires, until the afterlife, when they all reunite. Perhaps in between, Steroline could happen and Bonenzo too. I was just never fully convinced of either of those ships as OTPs. I know all fans do not share my view, but in trying to be objective, this makes the most sense to me.

Perhaps there is no OTP in the show, except for the brothers. Since that has been the central theme of the show all along, in the most important way, the finale succeeded even while the show failed to live up to its full potential.

It's finally over omg finally :sigh:

So glad that this show is so over..

Bonnie and Stefan deserves better than everyone on this show.. Sigh.. But whatever..

It was very obvious that you can see that it's wig.. i was like damn, that's so bad wig.. :lol:

Hi guys, I just registered myself because I wanted to share my feelings about this episode too.

In general I loved the ending for each character, although some parts were heartbreaking. I think Caroline constantly saying on the phone that she understands why Stefan did that was a way of preparing us and make us sympathize as well with his decision. I mean, if she could understand him, maybe we also could.

Things I hated:
- Damon and Elena never get to really talk at this episode. Although the moment is much more of a "feeling" moment instead of a "talking" one, I'm sure they could put up some good lines. I always enjoy seeing the things Damon says to Elena (also what Enzo says to Bonnie). I'd love to see the deleted proposal scene.
- The fact that they were evacuating the whole town and going through all that trouble because NO ONE could talk Vicky out of it. Like, really? Damon always took harsh measures in these cases. Vicky was only the spirit of a human, she had no powers, so he could just easily have trapped her somewhere, preventing all this mess. But in the end they actually used the hellfire for something so they wanted her to ring that bell, so I guess that's cool in the end...
- But what's with the "ringing every 5 minutes"? Why? Matt didn't have to wait that long the first time he tried that. Why would Katherine give the party so much time to stop her?
- Why did the dagger didn't work properly on Kat? It did on Cade, but why not on Kat if both daggers were supposedly made the same way?
- And don't get me started on Bonnie breaking the coma spell. That's just too easy. But then again, creating a whole freaking universe out of NOWHERE for Enzo was easy. Revealing after 8 seasons that she was a psychic before she realized she was a witch was easy too. Too many things seemed too easy for Bonnie, making her a rather OP character in the series, being able to stand up against the devil himself.
- And although the scenes between both Bonnie and Stefan with Elena in the beginning and middle of the episode were BEAUTIFUL, I really don't get how was that possible. I mean, she was in a coma, she was not dead, she couldn't be in the "beyond", so how could they communicate with her?

Oh well, so many holes, but as I said, I loved the emotional moments and loved that everyone got their peace, one way or another.
Such a memorable show :)
Now to watch The Originals to help cope with the bittersweet feeling of goodbye!

Maybe that was his way of makiing both of them getting what they wanted. Stefan sacrificing himself while making Damon live a life of a human trying to redeem himself in the process (which Damon was trying to do while arguing with Stefan).