Part 2: An Epic Finale for the VD Series Finale! (My 8x16 Thoughts)
If you haven't heard, I got a tumblr account so many gifs I used here, I had reblogged them onto my tumblr since I have no clue how to make one!
Alright so here is a jotted recap of the episode with my initial thoughts included throughout and after the episode. I do it this way because my memory sucks when it comes to recalling things that don't revolve around my OTP for the series.
SEASON 8
Don't forget: light blue are thoughts, red is sneak peek parts
Once again, I apologize for the format if its out of alignment...again -_-
**MAJOR SPOILER ALERT**
"Vampire Diaries" - ep. 8x16 ("I Was Feeling Epic") [wiki page here]
[CW Extended Promo] [Producer's Preview] [My Tumblr page for 8x16]
Synopsis: OLD FRIENDS - With the fate of Mystic Falls at stake, Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) must fight their greatest enemy for one last battle.
The special feature before the finale had me on the brink of tears! So many trips down memory lane!
COMMERICAL
Armory
- Alaric tells the twins to change out of the dresses
- Bonnie wonders how Alaric is
- Alaric tells Bonnie that he cares for Damon and Elena but his twins need to come first
- "I care about Elena." -Alaric
- "I know you do." -Bonnie
- "And I care about Damon." -Alaric
- "He knows you do." -Bonnie
- Bonnie notices a picture
- Alaric explains the plan he was working on with Dorian (about destroying Hell for good)
- Bonnie realizes that the power of hellfire might be needed to destroy Hell
- Bonnie calls Stefan
- Bonnie has a plan but Katherine needs to be in hell when they destroy it
- Maxwell Bell rings again
- Bonnie thanks the twins for saving her earlier
- Caroline rushes in
- "I made it. As promised." -Caroline
- Alaric tells everyone they need to move quickly
- Alaric leaves with the twins for their head start
- Bonnie tells Caroline that she's going to save the world
- Alaric urges them to get moving
- Bonnie gives Caroline a hug
- "I'm going to save the world and you need to get in the car and drive away." -Bonnie
- Bonnie gives her love to Caroline
- Caroline rushes after Alaric
Tunnels
- Damon waits for Katherine to find him
- Katherine comments on Damon's predictability
- Damon knows that Bonnie has a plan
- Katherine doubts Bonnie's magical power
- "My money is on her." -Damon
- Damon reveals that the tunnels run from the Armory to the heart of Mystic Falls
- Bonnie is going to channel the power of hellfire from the Maxwell Bell to the Armory and back into Hell
- Katherine is stunned yet saves face
- Stefan interrupts with his own belief in the plan
- "You're bluffing." -Katherine
- "No he's not." -Stefan
- How is Bonnie going to direct the hellfire back into Hell?
- Damon tells Stefan to leave before it's too late
- Stefan won't leave but he wants Damon to
- Katherine makes a move to leave as the brothers argue
- Damon throws the Ashen Dagger into her back
- Katherine collapses
- Damon and Stefan argue over who needs to stay behind to make sure that Katherine is dead when Hell is destroyed
- Damon is willing to sacrifice himself
- "Tell Elena I did this for her. To pay for my past mistakes." -Damon
- "Tell her yourself." -Stefan
- Stefan believes he needs to stay behind to make it up to Bonnie and Enzo (and for his past sins)
- The brothers stare each other down
COMMERICAL
Tunnels
- Damon argues with Stefan
- "We're all responsible for our actions!" -Stefan
- Stefan tells Damon that he can still live his life with Elena
- Damon wants Stefan to live too
- "Which means a lot less without you!" -Damon
- Stefan doesn't want to sacrifice himself because of Caroline waiting for him but he has to
- "Let me do this for you." -Stefan
- "No." -Damon
- "Then let me do this for me! Please." -Stefan
- "I love you little brother." -Damon
- "I love you too." -Stefan
- Damon compels Stefan to leave the tunnels
- Stefan tries to refuse
- Tears fall from their eyes
- "I am the big brother, I'm sorry I wasn't better at it until now." -Damon
- OMG it's like Damon's compulsion to Elena in 2x08 with the teary eyes!
- Damon tells Stefan to go
- Stefan slowly walks away
Church Tower
- Maxwell Bell is rang at 9:55
- Vickie sees the Bell lights up
- Peter interrupts
- Peter sees Vickie
- "Vickie?" -Peter
- "Daddy?" -Vickie
- "Hi honey." -Peter
- Matt joins them
- Vickie refuses to stop ringing the Bell
- Peter and Matt want her to ring the Bell
- Matt brings up Bonnie having a plan
- Vickie wonders why they are there if they aren't going to stop her
- Peter wanted to see Vickie one last time
- "We don't need you to stop." -Peter
- "Then what are you doing here?" -Vickie
- "I just wanted to see my daugther one last time." -Peter
- Vickie rushes into Peter's arms and breaks down
- Matt cries beside them
- At least they got their reunion...beautiful!
Road
- Caroline wonders what is going on
- Alaric doesn't know how to tell Caroline
- Silent reaction of Caroline hearing the plan
- Caroline cries
Armory
- Bonnie gets ready
- Bonnie calls on her Grams for some help
- Bonnie starts chanting
Church Tower
- It's almost 10pm
- Peter and Matt wait on the street as they look up at the broken window
- Vickie looks down
- Vickie goes to the Maxwell Bell
Armory
- Bonnie continues to chant
- Her surroundings start to shake
Road
- Caroline tells Alaric to stop the car
- Caroline rushes to make a call to Stefan
- Caroline leaves a message
- "I understand...I love you. I will love you forever. I understand." -Caroline
Town Square / Armory
- Peter grabs a hold of Matt
- Clock strikes 10pm
- Vickie rings the bell one last time
- Fire blows Vickie back and erupts from the windows
- Matt and Peter recoil
- Hellfire is contained around the top of the tower
- Bonnie continues to chant
- Bonnie pulls the hellfire down through the tower
- Hellfire travels through the tunnels
Tunnels
- Katherine wakes up
- Damon holds up the Ashen Dagger ("Poof.")
- Hellfire passes by them
Road
- Stefan mindlessly walks until he stops and heads back
Tunnels / Armory
- Hellfire follows through the tunnel and into the Armory
- Bonnie holds a wall up between the hellfire and her
- Bonnie struggles to fight for control
- Bonnie isn't ready to die
- Enzo appears with relief
- "Now's not my time!" -Bonnie
- "Now you're finally ready to live." -Enzo
- Enzo tells Bonnie to keep on fighting
- "Keep fighting, love." -Enzo
- Bonnie doesn't think she can do it alone
- Enzo tells her that she's not alone
- "Love, you're not alone." -Enzo
- Shelia Bennett takes a hold of Bonnie's hand (smiles between them)
- Bonnie starts chanting again
- Beatrice Bennett joins on Bonnie's other side
- Past Bennetts stand behind Bonnie and chant with them
- Lucy Bennett is one of them
- Did anyone see Ayana or Emily Bennett?
- Hellfire is blown back into the tunnel and into the Maxwell Bell
- Peter and Matt witness the fire go out in the Church Tower
- Bonnie stands alone in amazement
- "I did it." -Bonnie
- Bonnie collapses
- Shit! That had my heart racing!
COMMERICAL
Mystic Falls High
- School bell rings
- Old voiceover memories
- Elena walks to the display case
- Elena walks into Stefan
- Elena is stunned
- "Hi." -Stefan
- "Hi." -Elena
- Elena wonders why she's there
- Stefan explains what Damon wanted to do
- "Damon wanted to sacrifice everything to save you, to save this town.
- I'm human now. He compelled me to leave." -Stefan
- Stefan reveals that Damon didn't compel him since he was on vervain
- Flashbacks show Stefan stopping at an ambulance and extract his own blood
- Stefan tells Elena that he gave his blood (the cure) to Damon
- "I gave him my blood. The cure." -Stefan
- Flashbacks show Damon restraining Katherine in the tunnels
- Stefan surprises Damon from behind and injects him with his blood
- Damon collapses
- Stefan tells Elena that he took Damon's place in stopping Katherine
- "I did what I had to do." -Stefan
- Stefan holds Katherine as the hellfire approaches
- Damon is losing consciousness in the side tunnel room
- Stefan hears the hellfire approaching
- Stefan stabs Katherine in the heart with the Ashen Dagger
- "Burn in Hell." -Stefan
- Stefan looks to Damon (who is struggling to stay awake)
- "Goodbye brother." -Stefan
- Hellfire consumes both Stefan and Katherine
- Hellfire returns to the Maxwell Bell
- Stefan tells Elena that he had to save Damon because that night, he saw the brother he once had
- Stefan was glad to see Elena one last time
- Elena hugs Stefan
- Stefan whispers his final words to Elena
- Stefan walks out the door
Mystic High Parking Lot
- Stefan walks outside
- Lexi waits for Stefan by his car
- Lexi comments on Stefan's sacrifice
- "I was feeling epic." -Stefan
- Stefan hugs Lexi
Boarding House
- Montage of Bonnie over old documents
- Elena's voiceover from the pilot (her diary entry)
- Elena wakes up in Damon's bed
- Bonnie waits by her side
- "I did it. I broke the spell." -Bonnie
- "How?" -Elena
- Bonnie figured out how to be a witch...it took time
- Elena hugs Bonnie
- Tears fall from Bonnie's eyes
- Elena asks about Damon
- Bonnie reveals that Damon is with Caroline
- "He's with Caroline...saying goodbye." -Bonnie
Crypt
- Damon and Caroline stand by Stefan's original grave
- "Do you think it exists?" -Damon
- "Peace?" -Caroline
- Caroline thinks they will see Stefan again
- "We'll see him again." -Caroline
- "You'll see him again. Me, I'm going the other way." -Damon
- Caroline thinks that Damon will see Stefan again someday
- "Don't be so sure." -Caroline
- Caroline cuddles into Damon's arms
- Carolne leaves Damon alone
Cemetery
- Carolines walks outside
- Bonnie and Elena are waiting for them
- Caroline is shocked
- Damon walks out after Caroline
- Damon smiles at Elena
- Damon rushes to Elena and they kiss in each other's arms
- YES!! Two years for us...3-4 years for Damon to get his reunion with Elena!
- Elena sits down with Caroline and Bonnie
- Elena delivers Stefan's final message to Caroline
- Flashback shows Stefan giving Elena his message
- "Tell Caroline that I heard her and that I'll love her forever." -Stefan
- Caroline is relieved
- "He heard my message." -Caroline
- Everyone gathers for Stefan's memorial by the Salvatore Crypt
- Caroline leaves the little snowglobe keychain
- Damon leaves his daylight ring
- I get why Damon left that behind because he didn't need it but I wanted him to keep it still
EPILOGUE *Voiceover of their next moves*
- Matt is named the Sheriff
- "Dear Diary, we survived that night. Mystic Falls is safe.
I remain the Sheriff…they even gave me a bench. I’m thinking of running for mayor." -Matt
- Vickie and Tyler watch over with smiles
- "And Vickie…well I think she found peace. Somehow it feels like she did." -Matt
- Bonnie plans to live out her life like she promised Enzo
- "I’m determined to keep my promise to Enzo. I’m gonna live this life to the fullest.
I wanna see the world, enjoy my life." -Bonnie
- Bonnie packs for her travels
- Enzo reminds Bonnie to take her passport
- Bonnie finds the blood vial necklace and takes it
-
- Alaric moves into the boarding house and reopens it
- "As for my family, Caroline and I got what Damon decided was Stefan’s last wish." -Alaric
- Salvatore Boarding School (Stefan's last request)
- Twins are thrilled
- Jo watches with a smile
- Caroline comments on the hard work put into the school
- "Opening the school was hard work. We needed lots of help.
- Fortunately we knew plenty of people with experience." -Caroline
- Dorian helps
- Jeremy is back to teach some hunting skills
-
- Caroline helps run the school (determined to make it work)
- "Caroline was determined to make it a success. She wanted to make her mom proud." -Alaric
- Liz watches over Caroline
- "Plus, soon after the school opened, she got a most impressive donor…
- but that is the beginning of another story." -Alaric
- Caroline got a letter and a huge donation from Klaus
- "Dearest Caroline, I have often imagined the paths your life might take, but your chosen
- future is more noble than I ever fathomed. Please accept this contribution to your virtuous cause.
- I do look forward to thanking you in person, somebody...however long it takes. Yours, Klaus." -Klaus' letter
Cemetery
- Elena writes in the cemetery by the Salvatore Crypt
- Elena is dressed in scrubs with really short hair
- Elena thanks her life to Stefan...meeting him changed everything for her
- "After med school, I came home to Mystic Falls. It felt right. It’s where I wanted to grow old and I did.
- And that’s my life: weird, messy, complicated, sad, wonderful, amazing, and above all epic. -
And I owe it all to Stefan. When I met him, I had lost my parents and I was dead inside, but he
- brought me back to life and I’m going to live it as best I can for as long as I can." -Elena
-
- Another crow interrupts
- Elena packs up
- Damon waits for her
- Elena smiles and joins him
- Damon and Elena walk away hand in hand
Afterlife
-
- Damon and Elena walk together later with rings
- Elena brings up Damon's worry of never seeing Stefan again
- "Even after our long and happy life together, Damon is still worried he’ll never see Stefan again,
- that he’ll never find peace. But I know he’s wrong because peace exists. It lives in everything we hold dear.
- That is the promise of peace, that one day after a long life, we find each other again." -Elena
- Elena brings up her peace...seeing Jenna, Miranda, Grayson and John again
- "We'll find each other again." -Elena
- Elena hugs everyone
- Elena's wedding ring on full display
- If only Jeremy could be a part of that family group hug!
Afterlife (Boarding House)
- Stefan waits by the fire
- A knock is heard
- Stefan answers the door
- Damon waits behind it
- Stefan smiles
- "Damon." -Stefan
- "Hello brother." -Damon
- Damon and Stefan hug again
- Fade to white
CREDITS
And I just had to include this gif sequence [retrieved from here] as it sums up the epilogue beautifully:
For more of my thoughts taken directly after watching the episode, check out my youtube video for it here
==> [My After Show Video for 8x16]
And that is the end of TVD...how do you feel about that?