When word first spread that Nina Dobrev would be leaving The Vampire Diaries after Season 6, odds are you immediately began experiencing a rather wide gambit of emotions, ranging from flat-out denial to unstoppable rage. (I'm currently working my way through agonizing depression at the moment.) And while it's hard in and of itself to see Elena Gilbert's journey come to a close, the biggest concern among fans is the fact that this will more than likely mean the end of Delena forever. I mean, what does a Delena-less TVD even look like? It's a difficult concept to even fathom. However, let's take things even one step further and contemplate how this will inevitably impact the other half of this romantic duo. How will Elena's departure impact Damon and his TVD future?
If Delena is no longer running the show, that means a huge chunk of Damon's storyline will become unraveled, leaving our favorite bad boy vampire to do… what, exactly? In that aspect, the possibilities are pretty much unlimited, which — depending upon how you choose to look at it — can be kind of exciting and give Ian Somerhalder a chance to stretch his acting chops in an entirely new direction. So as a way to help us muddle through the prospect of a post-Elena world, here's what her pending exit could mean for Damon moving forward.
He Will Revert Back To Old Habits
What happens when you take away the one thing that keeps a dangerous vampire grounded? Absolute chaos ensues. With Elena gone, it seems more than likely that Damon will choose to handle his grief in the least healthy way possible (i.e. tons of killing, drinking, etc.). So get ready for it, folks, because there's a good chance bad boy Damon will be making a serious comeback. For better, or for worse.
He Will Turn To Bonnie For Comfort
Whether you're a supporter of this 'ship or not, I'd say Bamon's prospects are looking stronger than ever before, especially once Elena is out of the picture. After all, grief can be a powerful aphrodisiac at times — a fact that Stefan and Caroline have only just recently demonstrated to us. So if the writers are looking to dive right into a new love interest for Damon, Bonnie would be the most logical candidate.
He'll Take The Cure & Become Human
As of now it's unclear how exactly Elena's departure will play out. Does she take the cure and choose to live a normal human life away from Mystic Falls? Will she die by the hand of another? Right now it's still too early to say. However, if she doesn't end up taking the cure, that still leaves it up for grabs for someone else. So what if that someone turned out to be Damon? Perhaps he'll no longer see the appeal of being a vampire if he can't spend all of eternity with his one true love and decides to become mortal once more. As much as I love Damon and all of his devilish vampire deeds, you've got to admit that it'd be a pretty great twist.
He Will Delete His Elena Memories
I doubt this would ever happen since Damon would much rather choose to remember all of the good times they shared than forget that they ever happened at all. But hey, Elena did it to him, so it'd only be fair, right? (Seriously, though, writers. Don't do this to us. Not again.)
He Will Leave Mystic Falls For Good
Or at least that would be his intention. Even if he did choose to go, we all know he'd eventually come back to help once another major crisis struck. Plus, this would create the perfect opportunity for another TVD and Originals crossover. Surely New Orleans could help to heal Damon's soul.
He Will Handle The Loss With Poise & Grace
I mean, you never know, right? Crazier things have been known to happen on this show.
Images: Tina Rowden/The CW; Giphy (4); uncoveredbylove/Tumblr; damon-crazyandimpulsive/Tumblr
