The Vampire Diaries ended its fifth season with a bang, just as the showrunners promised. However, it wasn’t necessarily the type of bang that fans were happy with, especially when it resulted in the deaths of Bonnie and Damon.
Both characters have been long-running staples on the show, but their deaths caused a massive fan furor. Many fans are still expressing their disappointment over the ending, but since this is the Vampire Diaries, those who die don’t necessarily stay dead [Jeremy, anyone?].
However, Damon’s death does make a lot of sense from a logistical viewpoint. Ian Somerhalder [who plays Damon Salvatore] is 35 years old and he’s going to continue to get older and look older, which doesn’t necessarily play in line with the fact that he’s a vampire on the show. Plus, his relationship troubles with co-star Nina Dobrev have probably made it awkward to work together on set, no matter how much they’ve tried to remain professional. Then, there’s also the fact that out of all the cast members, Ian has definitely benefited the most from the show, raising his public profile and getting cast in more prestigious film projects. He probably wanted out from the show, and the executives managed to give him a strong ending without shortchanging the fans.
Meanwhile Nina elaborating on her own character development as Elena told Entertainment Weekly: “She’s really blossomed into this strong woman since the show began, so I’m excited to see her hopefully have a departure and a closure from this world. Hopefully that means she’ll get everything she ever wanted, which was really just a family, and stability, and love, and her friends, and everyone’s safety.”
And then of course, there’s also the possibility of Damon’s return on Season 6. Ian teased the possibility of Damon’s return, telling TV Guide in a new interview that his wishlist for Damon in Season 6 is that he’s sitting in the Bahamas and drinking rum. Technically speaking, Ian is still signed on for a Season 6, and it’s already been confirmed that both Bonnie and Damon will return to the show in some form for Season 6. But I wouldn’t count on either of them being regulars, which probably means the show is also winding down towards its inevitable end. That’s what happens when you have a six-season contract and all the actors on your show blow up in fame, popularity, and demand.
Meanwhile Nina elaborating on her own character development as Elena told Entertainment Weekly: “She’s really blossomed into this strong woman since the show began, so I’m excited to see her hopefully have a departure and a closure from this world. Hopefully that means she’ll get everything she ever wanted, which was really just a family, and stability, and love, and her friends, and everyone’s safety.”
Image Credit: Nina Dobrev Who Say