Ever since Nina Dobrev announced that she would be leaving The Vampire Diaries after the Season 6 finale, fans have grappled with the idea of what the show will look like without its main star. How can TVD possibly exist without Elena Gilbert? It's a difficult concept to even fathom, let alone watch get executed. But no matter how many tears we shed or temper tantrums we throw, Elena's departure is a reality we're all going to be forced to face. But with their leading lady gone, what does this mean for everyone else? It seems almost impossible to predict what TVD Season 7 will have in store for our beloved Mystic Falls residents. But that certainly isn't going to stop many diehard fans such as myself from trying.
There's no doubt that saying goodbye to Elena will have a fundamental impact on each of the characters she's left behind, meaning viewers should expect massive changes coming their way as we embark on a now Elena-less journey. In fact, in many ways it may feel like a brand new show. And while that's not necessarily a bad thing, it's certainly something worth preparing ourselves for in advance. Which is why I've taken the liberty of sinking my teeth into a few predictions of what's to come.
Bromances Will Take Center Stage
Though there's some hopeful speculation that Caroline will become the show's new leading lady, I still haven't given up hope that she'll eventually make her way over to New Orleans for a nice Klaroline reunion and end up crossing over permanently. So with that in mind, I would love to see the series shift its focus to the complex relationship of the Salvatore brothers. These two share a lot of history together — some would even say more than two lifetimes' worth. So it'd be interesting to further explore the many different facets of their relationship. In other words, bring on the bromance!
Damon Will Revert To His Bad Boy Ways
In the wake of Elena's death, it's safe to assume that Damon won't be handling things all that well, which means our reformed bad boy could go back to making terrible, ill-advised decisions. Come on, admit it. You're a little excited for this, right?
Steroline Will Happen… For Real This Time
Since I can't see Caroline leaving anytime in the immediate future, I'm willing to bet that her romance with Stefan will come to the forefront once more, but under entirely different circumstances. This time it won't be because someone died or because their emotions are turned off. It will finally be the real deal and give fans a new main couple to root for.
And So Will Bamon
Look, I'm not going to lie. I've never liked the idea of these two becoming a couple. In fact, I've grown to really love the BFF-level status their friendship has morphed into. But even I can't deny that, with Elena gone, the writers seem to be setting us up for an eventual Damon and Bonnie hook up. I have no idea how long it will last or if it's even a good match 'ship. But either way, this union is bound to happen in the not-too-distant future.
New Main Characters Will Be Introduced
Now that Elena, Tyler, and Jeremy will all be out of the picture, TVD is going to need a few more characters to help fill the void these guys are sure to leave behind. I'm not saying that we necessarily need an Elena replacement (that could never happen), but it would be nice to introduce some more fresh faces into the equation, especially if it helps to create a new batch of steamy love triangles.
Alaric Will Be Single… Again
I'm not entirely sure where Jo's fate actually lies now that she's been stabbed multiple times in the stomach courtesy of Kai. But given Alaric's track record with women, there's a good chance we may see the last of her in the season finale, which means our beloved teacher will once again find himself alone and on the market. Something tells me him and Damon are going to be doing a lot more drinking together next season.
Matt Will Become A Vampire
Think about it. He's practically the only human left in Mystic Falls at this point and his story arc hasn't had a real clear focus in years. So why not? Plus, something tells me Vampire Matt would be even hotter than Human Matt. I say, bring it on!
Stefan Will Start Journaling Again
Hey, it's called The Vampire Diaries, people. Someone has to take over the writing reigns.
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