‘The Vampire Diaries’ Season 8 Air Date, Spoilers, News & Update: Nina Dobrev Not Returning? Final Season Expected To Have Bloody Ending?

"The Vampire Diaries" Season 8 is premiering next month and viewers are already excited, especially knowing that the series is heading to a close. Stills from the premiere episode have already been released but one thing remains uncertain - there's still no Nina Dobrev around.

Dobrev was rumored to return to the series once it reaches its final season - in this case, "The Vampire Diaries" Season 8 would be the last. However, the network and show executives have not confirmed the actress' return. Still, that didn't stop fans from speculating that the show is just keeping Dobrev's comeback as a surprise. Rumor even has it that Dobrev's Elena Gilbert will wake up from her spell-induced sleep and reunite with her love, Damon (Ian Somerhalder).

On the other hand, there are those that believe Elena Gilbert will choose to get back with Stefan (Paul Wesley) in the end, which means heartbreak for Damon-Elena or "Delena" shippers. Although it would look bad for Stefan to reunite with Elena considering he has Caroline (Candice King), fans believe it is possible as Caroline could end up with Klaus (Joseph Morgan). Who ends up with whom in "The Vampire Diaries" Season 8 remains a mystery and the answer to which is one of the most interesting stories to look forward to in the final season.

Meanwhile, it is possible that the final season wouldn't end happily for everyone. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, showrunner Julie Plec implied that a good ending to the series means it would make the audience cry and laugh at the same time, regardless if the ending was a happy one or not. What this means is that "The Vampire Diaries" Season 8 will have a big twist that should make fans, especially those who are rooting for Elena and either of the Salvatore brothers, will need to prepare for the tears to come. "The Vampire Diaries" Season 8 premieres on Oct. 21 on The CW.