GOODBYE, MYSTIC FALLS - It's Jeremy's (Steven R. McQueen) last day in Mystic Falls and Elena (Nina Dobrev) puts on a brave face as they reminisce about their past. Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Caroline (Candice Accola) find themselves growing closer as they prepare Caroline's family cabin for her mother to live out her final days. While packing up her office, Sheriff Forbes (guest star Marguerite MacInytre) turns to Damon (Ian Somerhalder) for help solving one of her remaining open cases involving Elena's parents. Elsewhere, when a violent confrontation with Enzo (Michael Malarkey) leaves Jeremy wondering whether he should leave or not, Matt (Zach Roerig) finds his own life on the line after Enzo lures him and Sarah Salvatore (guest star Tristan Mays) into his dangerous plan. Lastly, Caroline rushes to the hospital after learning her mother has taken a turn for the worse. Chris Grismer directed the episode written by Brian Young & Caroline Dries (#614).
After a big time jump, the premiere opens with Bonnie (Kat Graham) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) still gone. While their whereabouts will be revealed quickly, the question of what happened while they were there will be a season-long arc. Elena (Nina Dobrev) will be grieving over the loss of Damon by making some surprising choices and bonding with Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Alaric (Matt Davis), who does some bonding of his own with a woman he meets. Get ready for a handful of new faces, including a militia leader (Colin Ferguson) and a tough doctor at the university hospital (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe). Matt (Zach Roerig) will be thriving as he gets involved in the new magic-less community, while Tyler (Michael Trevino), now back to a human with the werewolf gene, will return to his testosterone-filled, hard-headed personality. Will he reconnect with Caroline (Candice Accola), whom executive producer Julie Plec says will take the loss of Bonnie and Damon "in a weird way the hardest"?
The Vampire Diaries features:
Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert/Katherine Pierce
Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore
Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore
Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert
Kat Graham as Bonnie Bennett
Candice Accola as Caroline Forbes
Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan
Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood
Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman
Michael Malarkey as Enzo
The Vampire Diaries returns February 12