‘The Vampire Diaries’ Season 8: Elena Returns, (Spoiler!) Dies In Series Finale

In the last ever episode of "The Vampire Diaries" Season 8, one character sacrificed his life in order to save Mystic Falls from a fiery demise. Fans were also treated to the much-awaited Delena reunion.

Ever since Nina Dobrev made the decision to leave "The Vampire Diaries" Season 8 after Season 6, fans continued to hold on to the hope that it wouldn't be the last time they'd see Elena after she was cast in a spell that sent her into an eternal coma. In the storyline, it was explained that in order for Elena to return back to life, Bonnie (Kat Graham) had to die, according to Us Weekly.

Dobrev eventually returned to "The Vampire Diaries'" Season 8 series finale not just as Elena, but as her alter-ego Katherine as well. As Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan (Paul Wesley) arrived at the Salvatore mansion where Elena's comatose body was kept, they were shocked to find the coffin open and empty. A few seconds later, both Damon and Stefan find themselves shell-shocked upon seeing Elena... until she reveals that she is actually Katherine.

And, after having seduced several men in exchange for power, Katherine returned from hell with a purpose, and that was to set Mystic Falls on fire, and all of the townspeople in it, according to a recap of "The Vampire Diaries" Season 8 from Entertainment Weekly. Fortunately for them, Bonnie found a way to save the town from being completely engulfed in flames - by drawing the hellfire through the tunnels and send it straight back to hell with Katherine in it.

Knowing Katherine, however, she wouldn't return to hell out of her own will. So the Salvatore brothers spent most of the finale episode of "The Vampire Diaries" Season 8 debating about who between them should make the ultimate sacrifice. For a moment, it looked as if Damon was about to do the honors, but in the end, Stefan did the deed, but not before saying goodbye to Caroline and giving his older brother his humanity back after taking it away from him two centuries prior.

In the closing moments of "The Vampire Diaries" Season 8 series finale, Elena and Damon reunited, got happily married and lived the normal human life that the latter had always longed for. After a few years, they got to reunite with their departed loved ones in the afterlife, with Elena seeing her parents once again and the Salvatore brothers hugging it out before the end credits rolled.