Who are supposed to make the cut?
When the iconic supernatural drama series “The Vampire Diaries” finished its eight-season run, it gave viewers a sad finale. Stefan Salvatore and Katherine Pierce, two important characters, died in the finale, but co-creator Kevin Williamson disclosed that the original idea was much more drastic. Williamson claims that everyone, with the exception of two important characters, was initially intended to die.
The furious Katherine Pierce, played by Nina Dobrev, posed a grave threat to Mystic Falls and its citizens in the series finale. Bonnie Bennett, played by Kat Graham, was driven to come up with a supernatural solution as a result of Katherine’s reappearance since she was determined to burn the town to the ground.
One of the Salvatore brothers had to pay the ultimate sacrifice to preserve Mystic Falls. Stefan, played by Paul Wesley, chose to donate his life in place of Damon, who Ian Somerhalder represented. Stefan wanted to ensure that his brother had a happy life with Elena, who Nina Dobrev also portrayed.
With that, Stefan and Katherine’s tragic deaths marked the end of the series. Elena and Damon lived long and happy lives, as did Caroline (played by Candace Accola), Matt (played by Zach Roerig), Alaric (played by Matt Davis), and Jeremy (played by Steven R. McQueen).
However, Kevin Williamson said that he and co-creator Julie Plec had initially imagined an alternative conclusion that entailed several character deaths in a TV Guide interview, saying, “Oh, everyone was supposed to die.”
In their initial plan, Bonnie and Matt would have been the only survivors, and Williamson emphasized how much they deserved happy lives. He clarified that it was essential that they avoid killing off Bonnie since her character deserved to have a prosperous and fruitful future.
In a similar vein, Williamson said that if Matt were to pass away, it should have occurred earlier in the season, given his lifespan as a person. While fans had conflicting feelings about the conclusion, with some expressing regret at Stefan’s passing, Williamson stood by the choice, citing Stefan’s grim plot as justification.
“It was really between Damon and Stefan,” he explained. “There was a conversation that Damon and Stefan both died. And then there was a conversation that it just ended with Damon killing Katherine and saving the town and saving everyone.” Williamson additionally thought Stefan’s path as the Ripper—a merciless murderer—called for his ultimate death for atonement.
Reflecting on his involvement in the series, Williamson concluded, “For me, where the story was when I came in and got involved, Stefan had just been the Ripper for a long period of time and killed Enzo. And the only way for him to come back from that, I felt, was to kill him. That’s why he had to die.”
Although fans may still disagree on the series finale and the characters’ outcomes, Williamson’s admission provides a window into the planning that went into “The Vampire Diaries” conclusion. Finality and the chance for certain characters to live the happy lives they had fought so hard to defend throughout the series were provided by the course that was ultimately chosen.