Of immortality, I am least aware.
In the most satisfying episode yet, the Vampire Diaries concluded on a well written high. Yes, Elena Gilbert is gone, but I have never felt more assured for a solid new season.
With the worry over how we could say goodbye to Elena and keep Delena as endgame satiated, the Vampire Diaries has opened a door to well-needed, long awaited, revival.
With Elena comatose until the death of an aged and well lived Bonnie Bennett, it is only just that the season concluded leaving its audience all too aware of both their own, and their characters’ mortality.
Whilst a few tears were admittedly, shed over Delenas’ raincheck, I bawled and ripped my own heart out, at the realization that, although mortal, Elena will never have the mortal life she dreamed of.
In a wake for herself, we instead mourned the characters, whom despite their rings, would never see Elena again; who would lead normal lives (for the most part) and inevitably lose their poignancy in the show’s premise.
An inevitable question for next season is, not how will we cope without Elena? but how will be cope without our mortals? If anything, I welcome the saturation of Vampirism in its purest form, via Lily and her coven, to perpetuate the threat to humanity a little longer.
Questions burning, perhaps in the denial that Nina Dobrev can actually exit her role as protagonist forever:
1. If Bonnie became a vampire, or a Gemini Witch-Vampire, would Elena wake up? Will the momentary death break the connection, or would being forever alive, keep Elena asleep?
2. What if they Killed Bonnie and revived her a la Originals Finale/Esther style?
3. I was sure Kat Graham is rapidly losing interest in her role as Bonnie.
4. Is this a momentary stop gap for Nina Dobrev? Much like Clare Holt’s recurrent absence from the Originals, is Nina set to return? As refreshing as a new concept is, the series should end within a couple of seasons to preserve good writing.
5. Will we see the return of Elena for at least the series conclusion?
6. Will we ever get closure for Liv and Jo’s death?
The season concluded with a time jump in which Matt patrols a post apocalyptic Mystic Falls. Likely the result of the Gemini Vampires, with Damon standing watch; presumably in protection of Elena, will we open at this point?
Or, will next season become a series of twists and turns that surprises us, introduces new enemies, and has us yelling ‘Get out of Mystic Falls already!’?.
The Critique Encyclopedia 