Truth be told, I was never the world's biggest supporter of Stefan and Elena's romantic relationship on The Vampire Diaries . Most of the time when it comes to epic love triangles, I'm 99.9 percent of the time going to end up siding with the "bad boy" of the bunch. (I was also Team Eric on True Blood. But then again, who wasn't?) However, that doesn't mean there isn't still hope for Stelena becoming Vampire Diaries' endgame. In the wake of Nina Dobrev's departure news, many fans have been speculating how exactly Elena's story could and should end. And while Delena's prospects have been at the forefront of many viewers' minds (because, duh!), it's important to not completely rule out the love story that set this whole thing in motion in the first place.
I guess what I'm really trying to say here is that Elena and Stefan still stand a chance of ending up together. It's not, in all honesty, what I'd personally like to see happen, mind you. But it'd be naive of me to think that it's totally out of the realm of possibility. Whether you're a big supporter of Stelena or not, there's no denying that these two have shared a very special bond together throughout the years — one that the writers may feel obligated to pay homage to as Elena's journey draws to its inevitable close.
When Dobrev first announced the plans for her TVD exit, the actress posted a beautiful message to fans regarding her time on the show. And while the sentiment itself was extremely sweet, I couldn't help but pay special attention to the end of her statement, which read: "Fasten your seatbelts. If you think you know what's coming, you don't." Now, of course, this could mean a variety of different things about her character's fate. (Some fans are already extremely fearful that Elena will die.) However, what if this isn't so much in reference to what happens to her, but rather who she ends up with?
I mean, let's face it. Seeing these two end up back together again would be the last thing any of us is expecting, mostly because it would single-handedly sabotage not one, but two current 'shipping pairs: Delena and Steroline. That would seem kinda silly given that both Stefan and Caroline will be sticking around next season, but their relationship isn't exactly a pillar of healthy decision-making, so I wouldn't be too surprised either way.
There's also Stefan's humanity factor to consider as well. When he was about to flip his switch at Caroline's behest, he made Elena promise to bring him back, which indicates that perhaps she is still his emotional trigger. Could this have been Julie Plec's way of secretly hinting to us that their love story isn't quite finished yet? I'm compelled to believe that it was.
Like I said, it's not the way I'd prefer to see Elena's story played out, but when it comes to a show like this, no possibility is ever out of the question, especially since it would create a distinct animosity between the Salvatore brothers again, thus propelling the plot in new and exciting directions. So hold on, Stelena 'shippers. You may just get your happy ending after all.
Images: Quantrell D. Colbert/The CW; Giphy (3)
