S08.E16: I Was Feeling Epic

[formerlyfreedom]

SERIES FINALE!

With the fate of Mystic Falls at stake, Stefan and Damon must fight their greatest enemy for one last battle. Series Finale.

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Extended promo (also has a different quote from Nina than the shorter promo):

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Inside the episode:

[Morrigan2575]

Well, I'm a blubbering mess. Thanks show!

[truthaboutluv]

I was about to write a comment that of course Stefan got fucked over in the end because isn't that just predictable. But what, in the end Elena, Damon and Stefan all died? And so what, this twisted love triangle continues into the afterlife? Joy... 

And I guess that not so subtle Caroline/Klaus shout out is a hint that Candace will be joining The Originals? I will say, as annoyed as I was when it was clear Stefan was going to die, it was almost poetic that he and Katherine would die together because goodness knows she was obsessed with him. 

[chrisvee]

It's been a ride but I think that was an amazingly romantic ending. And the real love story was the brothers and the girls. As it should be.

Very Lostian with the flash forward to Damian and Elena's deaths.

Edited March 11, 2017 by chrisvee

[TigerLynx]

The idiot writers managed to screw up again.  For once, Damon was going to sacrifice himself for Stefan.  Then they ruined it by once again having Stefan save Damon.

It's a good thing Bonnie was there to save everyone.

[MrsMommy]

I wasnt sure how id feel about the ending, but im satisfied, sas as hell but satisfied.

[Valny]

I'm not crying, you are!

It cracks me up seeing that Katherine had time to get her hair curled!

 Damn, this show did it to me one last time, I actually thought that was Elena in the beginning. I guess I never have learned!

RIP TVD

[Artsda]

The Stefan and Elena scene made me tear up, it was perfect and I found that scene stronger and more substantial than any scenes in so long. May be because it was the 2 that started the show. 

It was an interesting, ghostly ending. Loved seeing all the former characters appear even if they didn't say anything like Jeremy, Tyler, Vicky, Liz, and Jenna etc..

Bonnie saved everyone again and broke her Elena spell, that was great. 

Loved Stefan's car and Lexie waiting for him!

So Stefan, Elena, and Damon all die as human? Wasn't expecting that. 

Seeing Tyler and hearing Stefan say how great Damon is just made me roll my eyes. He didn't pay at all for murdering Tyler just weeks ago. 

Glad Alaric made Caroline choose her kids first. She had been written as a terrible mom always picking Stefan and everyone else over her kids. Sadly, I think Stefan had to die in order for her to even put her girls first. 

I loved seeing all the Katherine scenes. 

It's kind of funny they put husband on Stefan's tombstone when technically he was only a husband for a few hours. 

 

Quote

And I guess that not so subtle Caroline/Klaus shout out is a hint that Candace will be joining The Originals? 

No news of Candace, but

Spoiler

Alaric is supposed to make a guest appearance in the new season.

Aww farewell TVD. 

Edited March 11, 2017 by Artsda

[Morrigan2575]

It was a good finale. They brought back all the characters that died or left the show. Gave mostly happy endings to everyone and even gave both Klaroline and Steroline shippers something.

I always thought Stefan/Damon was the true love story so i liked that they gave them a happy ending too. I also loved seeing Stefan/Lexi reunited. I'm sad that Stefan died and that steroline didn't get their happy ending but, i have hope they'll see each other again, eventually.

I never cared about the love triangle or Selena but, I'm glad Elena got her happy ending.

Bonnie Bennet saved the world and got to live.

And I'm still crying ?

[Dust Bunny]

I haven't watched this show in 2 years, but I had to watch the finale.

That's one of the most satisfying series finales I've ever seen. And my face may or may not be streaked in tears.

This show was far from perfect. There were lots of stupid McGuffins and plots pulled out of thin air.

But this show shined in the relationships, especially family and friends. The finale captured that perfectly.

Nicely done.

[srpturtle80]

Wait, what am I forgetting? When/how did Elena become human? 

[madhacker]

ok so Elena became human when Bonnie woke her up right?

My only tiny complaint is that Steven came back for a tiny one line cameo and we didn't get to see the Jeremy/Elena reunion. 

[FiveByFive]

That was truly the most satisfying television series ending I have seen in a while for a show that has gone on this long.

The writing wasn't always great but somehow they nailed this one episode and that made all the difference.

Also props to all the actors, from Jasmine Guy to Arielle Kebbel that popped in for the finale. 

I was a mess.

Edited March 11, 2017 by FiveByFive

[memememe76]

I was pretty much watching the show out of habit for awhile but while I have my issues with the characters, I have great fondness for the cast. I really liked seeing everyone together. In ten years when I think about this show, I will look back with a smile. 

Not sure how they could have brought her back, but I so did love Mrs. Lockwood. Missed her.

[Aeryn13]

As a Series Finale, it was kinda underwhelming if you think back to when the show managed truly epic episodes/moments.

However, I found it sweet that the episode made Defan the one true love story of the show. Yes, Delena got a happy ending but it played so much on the sidelines, the emotional focus was on the brothers. The romantic ships of the triangle faded into the background here for the brothers.

And these people will have more peace and joy in that paradise afterlife than they had on Earth so while it may be saccharine, I think this is gonna be the happy ending for everyone where they can all meet up and be together again. I guess I`m a sucker for happy endings.

[Artsda]

21 minutes ago, srpturtle80 said:

Wait, what am I forgetting? When/how did Elena become human? 

She drank the cure before Kai put the sleeping spell. So she was human all this time with the spell on her, so when she woke up it was as a human.

[grandemocha]

This is why actors on tv shows shouldn't date their co-stars. After Ian and Nina broke up, relationships on the show were inevitably affected.

That was an utterly underwhelming yet predictable ending for the show. No major surprises, it was obvious Stefan was going to die halfway through this season. In the end, Damon got away with everything and got everything he wanted while Stefan faced consequence after consequence. Oh well, I wish the actors good luck in their next roles.

Edited March 11, 2017 by grandemocha
Added detail.

[chrisvee]

I think the show ended as well as it could.  I loved Bonnie getting her powers back and heading out to see the world while Enzo watched over her. We don't know how her story ended but I liked that her happy ending was about her own power not about a man. But I feel certain some guy was smart enough to see the awesomeness of Bonnie.  ;)

Even though the plot was nominally about reuniting Delena, it's interesting that what was really important were the family relationships like Defan and the girls and Caroline's kids. Which is good considering Steroline wasn't a chemistry powerhouse and Delena lost some oomph when ND/IS broke up.

i will remember it fondly, with everyone meeting up in heaven like Lost.

[gibasi]

Personally I would have preferred Damon to die instead of Stefan.  I know Stefan always said he was the more evil of the two but Damon was so loud about his evil doing and although he was my favorite I thought he should die.

[ketose]

When I saw Damon disappear and Elena reuniting with her dead family, I choose to believe that she went to Heaven and Damon went to Hell like he deserves. I'm not sure where Lexi and Stefan are, but at least they're together again.

[grandemocha]

Also, what is it with Julie Plec's fixation on Damon? This is now the SECOND time she or the writers have mentioned that she changed the character who died or received the cure from Damon to Katherine and from Damon dying to Stefan. Why even mention that?

Her and Caroline Dries obsession with Damon and/or Ian ruined the show. I will always remember Season 1 fondly but this show will not be a classic 15 or 20 years from now.

[surfer]

Matt survives! They gave him a bench!

Bad wig aside, Nina was always so much better as Katherine.

It was nice seeing Lexi, Jenna and Jo again, however brief. Grams too, loved the Bennett witches family reunion.

And I suppose the Salavatore school sets up a potential spinoff...

Edited March 11, 2017 by surfer

[TaylorBruh25]

Where do I start? 

Katherine's one liners were great. 

Damn it. Hang on. I'm tearing up. 

Stefan... Hang on. 

What a powerful showing for Alaric and Caroline as parents tonight, finally putting those children first, Damon got no consequences tonight, but I'll give them the fact that he was ready to die. Even did all he could to make sure it was him. So I don't mind Alaric caring for him again. 

Alright so Stefan.. Nope I can't yet. 

Bonnie saw Elena, which was a great reunion and makes up for their lackluster one later. 

I cared less about the Donovan family than I ever had. 

Bonnie saved the day in a badass way. 

Klaroline most likely lives. 

Okay.. So, Stefan. 

They got me with the twist man, they just did. I thought after Damon compelled him he was a goner because I expected the Stefan/Elena promo shot coming where he informs her Damons dead and they got my ass. They literally put some "epic" Score into the final climax of the series where Stefan embraces Hellfire. The scene where he informs Elena was so touching and so god damn chemistry filled I thought they were going to kiss. They didn't, I'm glad actually about that but damn if that scene didn't have me by the throat. Now, I was holding back tears from the halfway point on, but when "Never Say Never" played.. I said "no" out loud and lost it. Stefan saying " I was feeling Epic" and finding Lexi was amazing. 

Bonnie broke the spell (what a cop out)

camoes from Tyler to Jeremy to the Gilberts to Jo. 

I didn't think we were really leaving Enzo dead.

Damon and Elena got married (thankfully offscreen) and instead got the final scene I wanted, The Salvatore Brothers finding eachother in peace, because that's where their peace lies, in eachother. If tonight proved anything it proves the story we told was the story of these two brothers, and how 1 girl brought them back to being brothers. 

Its been a Hell of a Ride, if I had to describe the finale, or at least the last 30 mins in one word, even if it's the most 2009 word you'll ever hear, it's Epic. 

[Lady Calypso]

What I appreciate is that they truly went back to basics with the finale. No guest stars, no magical creatures, no Big Bad that we were just introduced to. Just the main characters with Katherine as the Big Bad. So, in that sense, we got a lot more emotional moments because it was with characters that we've grown to care about for eight years.

The finale was still a little underwhelming as the series finale, but it wasn't bad in any sense. It had a lot of great character moments.

It would have been so nice if Damon had been the one to sacrifice himself. Not that I'm a fan of Steroline, but Damon's sacrifice really would have brought his character to a new place that he's never been before. Starting off the villain and ending up the hero would have been nice to see. Plus, surprising twist of Delena not being endgame. The Defan moments were strong and I'm glad they remain at the core. I loved Damons line about life with Elena means a lot less without Stefan. How poignant and what a line to bring full circle.

Funny how Damon tried to compel Stefan; as a vampire-turned-human, he learned to use vervain. I do love that Stefan's afterlife includes Lexi. I also love that Elena's afterlife includes her entire family. And, of course, Damon's afterlife includes Stefan. 

Nice to see so many guest stars make appearances. It would have been nice to have more than one scene with Jeremy, though. So...Vicki and Tyler somehow reunited in the afterlife? Interesting. 

Honestly, what a nice way to end the series. It really did come full circle and mostly everyone had happy endings. 

[betweenthebanter]

I don't think it was a good or bad finale, but it had some good moments. I thought it was a pretty boring for the first half of it, but there was some redeeming and heartwarming moments during the second half.

I had been pretty sure Stefan was going to die and I was really touched and surprised during the Damon/Stefan moment where Damon compelled Stefan to get out of there, but of course that moment was too good to be true. That being said, them reuniting in death at the end was beautiful.

I loved Elena sitting in her scrubs and writing in her diary. I was disappointed in the use of Katherine, perhaps because Nina's acting as Katherine felt a little off to me.

I'm glad that Bonnie survived and decided to travel the world. The moment of all the witches helping her was great.

Ugh, of course Klaus/Caroline got foreshadowed at the end. My last hope for TVD/TO world is that nothing substantial comes from this foreshadowing. I'm just going to imagine that Caroline enjoys her life with her family and friends, and one day years from the finale, she'll fall in love with a new vampire, that we've never met before, and have a happy life with him.

I was happy seeing Jeremy working at Caroline/Alaric's school.

Edited March 12, 2017 by betweenthebanter

[TigerLynx]

I would like to have seen both Damon and Stefan die saving the town and making sure Katherine goes to hell.

It looks like the Mystic Falls repetition/frozen in time cycle might have been broken.  It's now Sheriff Donavan.  Before it was how many years of Sheriff Forbes and Mayor Lockwood?

At least, they got Katherine right.  Katherine going to hell, and immediately setting out to use the guy in charge to her advantage was so very Katherine.

[gibasi]

10 minutes ago, Lady Calypso said:

 

It would have been so nice if Damon had been the one to sacrifice himself. Not that I'm a fan of Steroline, but Damon's sacrifice really would have brought his character to a new place that he's never been before. Starting off the villain and ending up the hero would have been nice to see. Plus, surprising twist of Delena not being endgame. The Defan moments were strong and I'm glad they remain at the core. I loved Damons line about life with Elena means a lot less without Stefan. How poignant and what a line to bring full circle.

 

3

Exactly. This is what I was thinking but could not articulate!

[imaneassi]

1 hour ago, srpturtle80 said:

Wait, what am I forgetting? When/how did Elena become human? 

Elena became human in season 6 when she took the cure

[ChristinaParker198]

Hey Taylor! So glad we all got to watch the finale together! Man...I dont even know where to begin. I cried a lot. I will start with the negative:

The wigs! Man, I made my boyfriend watch this and one of our drinking things was "bad wigs" and we got drunk very quickly. Next time CW, SPEND THE MONEY ON THE WIGS. 

Katherine was great but man she was reduced to a 1 dimensional villain who kept getting stqabbed. Sorry, but KW would not have been stabbed like that. She would have been the one stabbing! I hated the Katherine stuff, I am maybe just going to pretend it didn't happen.

Klaorline. Ok, I guess. I didn't love that Stefan died,  I think a more legit ending would have been Damon dying and Elena becoming a Dr., but whatever, I did like her  love with her girls.  I have always thought this show lacked its female f riendships so I was glad to see it. 

Bonnie got a happy ending. I am so so  happy for this. She saved the day and g ets to live her life out as a powerful badass witch. Good job. 

I started bawling my fuckin eyes out when Jo appeared. I love that  the show called back to her and also Grams and all the badass Bennet witches that made this shit possible!

This show started airing literally a week after my mom passed away. I was excited about  it before that, but it became such  an amazing and entertaining escape for me when I was dealing with something so so shitty. It will always have a special place with me, and I am so glad to share it with others, it was a hell of a ride, TVD, long live  the rewatches!

[FiveByFive]

1 hour ago, truthaboutluv said:

And I guess that not so subtle Caroline/Klaus shout out is a hint that Candace will be joining The Originals? I will say, as annoyed as I was when it was clear Stefan was going to die, it was almost poetic that he and Katherine would die together because goodness knows she was obsessed with him. 

Technically nearly any of the living characters, as in anyone that was alive after Bonnie's spell contained and channeled the hellfire, can pop up on The Originals. Caroline is the most likely because of her connection to Klaus although I don't want those two together.  Bonnie is traveling the world but she's still a powerful witch from a powerful line who could lend help when necessary. We know Elena went to medical school, married Damon and then died at some point in the "distant" future but I doubt Nina would ever return to the show and I'd be happy to never see her again as Elena because at least her life as we could imagine it would have ended happily. 

However, for all of them, we don't know the details of what happened post show. I wouldn't be upset to see some of them but only if it's written well and they get to leave their appearance alive. 

[TaylorBruh25]

52 minutes ago, ChristinaParker198 said:

Hey Taylor! So glad we all got to watch the finale together! Man...I dont even know where to begin. I cried a lot. I will start with the negative:

The wigs! Man, I made my boyfriend watch this and one of our drinking things was "bad wigs" and we got drunk very quickly. Next time CW, SPEND THE MONEY ON THE WIGS. 

Katherine was great but man she was reduced to a 1 dimensional villain who kept getting stqabbed. Sorry, but KW would not have been stabbed like that. She would have been the one stabbing! I hated the Katherine stuff, I am maybe just going to pretend it didn't happen.

Klaorline. Ok, I guess. I didn't love that Stefan died,  I think a more legit ending would have been Damon dying and Elena becoming a Dr., but whatever, I did like her  love with her girls.  I have always thought this show lacked its female f riendships so I was glad to see it. 

Bonnie got a happy ending. I am so so  happy for this. She saved the day and g ets to live her life out as a powerful badass witch. Good job. 

I started bawling my fuckin eyes out when Jo appeared. I love that  the show called back to her and also Grams and all the badass Bennet witches that made this shit possible!

This show started airing literally a week after my mom passed away. I was excited about  it before that, but it became such  an amazing and entertaining escape for me when I was dealing with something so so shitty. It will always have a special place with me, and I am so glad to share it with others, it was a hell of a ride, TVD, long live  the rewatches!

Hey Christina! Man, you know what I definitley agree about Katherine's return. I really wish this was a two-hour finale. It really doesn't feel like the final episode until it's halfway over. 

This show was an escape for me too. Overtime it has felt like a part of me, at a point in life when I was lost, TVD gave me hope, gave inspiration, and I think in its own way this show has helped shape where I am today and where I'm going. I'll forever be grateful to this series for that. 

Edited March 11, 2017 by TaylorBruh25

[ElectricBoogaloo]

First I have to get my big complaint out of the way - those Elena and Katherine wigs they put on Nina were just terrible. I'm not saying the show needed to blow $10K on a nice wig but those were the best they could find?

The other two eyeroll worthy things were FUCKING KLAUS and the Salvatore campus of Hogwarts. Like, seriously?

Other than that, I have very few complaints about the finale. For me, the purpose of a finale is to tie up loose ends and give us closure and that's what I got, regardless of the stupid plot points.

My favorite thing was the last five minutes or so when we got to see so many old characters watching over the people who were still alive. I remember in the episode where all the ghosts came back temporarily (S4?), someone (I think it was Alaric) said that they watched everyone. They have different plotlines about the afterworld/afterlife/hell but I liked seeing Liz watching Caroline, Vicki and Tyler watching Matt (I chose to believe that they aren't a couple in the afterlife, but that they were both there for Matt's all important BENCH because they both love him), etc.

I loved seeing Elena reunite with her parents and Jenna. I was kind of laughing at John being there but not Isabelle. And I really loved that the show ended with Stefan and Damon. Even though the show was ostensibly built around the Stefan/Elena/Damon love triangle, the relationship between Stefan and Damon has been the core of the show for me. Even though OF COURSE Damon and Stefan would argue about who gets to sacrifice himself, it was right in line with their relationship and their love for each other.

[HunterHunted]

What in the everloving fuck is the Salvatore School for Sociopathic Supernaturals?

Ugh, I hate the idea of Caroline moving over to The Originals. I don't like the idea of any of them joining The Originals. I'm fine with occasional visits to The Armory for weapons.

I liked seeing all of the old characters.

[GaT]

What did Nina Dobrev do to her face? She definitely looks different.

I was just, whatever, nothing impressive about the end, I'm just glad it's over.

10 minutes ago, HunterHunted said:

Ugh, I hate the idea of Caroline moving over to The Originals. I don't like the idea of any of them joining The Originals. I'm fine with occasional visits to The Armory for weapons.

I don't watch the Originals (I hated the Originals when they were on this show), but is Caroline really moving over to that show? Wouldn't that mean she's walking away from the twins?

[HunterHunted]

6 minutes ago, GaT said:

I was just, whatever, nothing impressive about the end, I'm just glad it's over.

I don't watch the Originals (I hated the Originals when they were on this show), but is Caroline really moving over to that show? Wouldn't that mean she's walking away from the twins?

I think the letter from Klaus with the cheque implies that Caroline might be visiting the Originals or that they might send Hope to the Salvatore School for Supernatural Sociopaths. I don't know if Caroline would be part of the main cast, but I can see her as a recurring guest.

[steelyis]

If I had to describe the finale in one word it would be: fitting.

I'm happiest Bonnie lived and saved everybody (who else?) with Grams and the Bennett witches joining in to help. Those were the best moments of the finale to me, because they felt earned.

I was caught off guard by how teary I got when Lexi met up with Stefan, Bonnie telling Elena how she was starting figure this witch thing out, Stefan telling Elena goodbye, and every scene with Damon and Stefan. Especially that last one, by then there were tears.

Jeremy!

Hi, Tyler! Bye, Tyler!

The ending was a little confusing because I didn't realize right away Elena and Damon died at some point and we were seeing their afterlives. It was jarring, so I don't know how to feel about it. I can't decide if that ending is tragic since it looks like they died not too long after Elena woke up, or hopeful, because Damon and Elena reunited with their loved ones (but not each other?) and found peace. Or both?

Not enough Katherine, but it was good to see her have everyone twisting in the wind one last time. Not cool, Show, alluding to Katherine and Kai scheming without showing it. What's wrong with you?

As disappointing as The Vampire Diaries too often was, I think they made a decent, maybe even good, series finale. There have been a lot of shows that had shitty series finales that put me off their shows to the point I refuse to re-watch old episodes (I'm looking at you, True Blood). But I can see myself watching The Vampire Diaries again at some point since it went out on a good note.

[Katherine]

I loved it. It ended in the exact way I feared it would--the one way I didn't want it to--and yet somehow I loved it. 

I had two preferred endings: either Damon sacrificing himself for Stefan or the two brothers dying together. My number one wish (which I knew wouldn't come true) was that Delena not end up together. I hated them as a couple, and I feared them ending up together would just take away from the Defan relationship. But somehow the writers found a way to make Delena endgame while actually making Defan the true love story. As others have said, Delena felt like a side note in this finale. All along, my investment in this show has been primarily due to Defan, and with tonight's episode, the writers honoured that more than I ever expected them to.

There were three things I found mildly disappointing. The first was Katherine. She just wasn't the Katherine I remembered. I think part of the problem was that Nina's acting seemed off. It's also too bad that Nina couldn't appear in last week's episode. Trying to cram both Katherine's and Elena's reappearances into one episode meant that they both got shortchanged. My second complaint is that I would have liked a Bamon moment. I know there were other relationships to attend to, but Bamon has been an important part of the last few seasons so it would have been nice to see one last interaction. Lastly, I wish they hadn't included the Klaus letter, thereby leaving open a possible Klaroline endgame (though this didn't bother me quite as much as I would have expected).

Overall, I think this finale will help me look back on the show fondly. I don't usually become emotional about TV shows, but tonight's episode got me. There were plot holes and disappointments, sure, but what I'm going to remember most are the Defan moments, as well as Elena's reunion with her family after a lifetime without them. In the end, The Vampire Diaries was a show about family, and I'll always love it for that.

[paulvdb]

I was going to complain about how stupid Stefan had to be for not taken vervain in a town full of vampires, but then we found out that he was taking vervain and just pretending to be compelled. So I guess that means Damon was stupid for not realizing that Stefan  could be taking vervain.

[KatWay]

Not to rain on everyone's parade but I liked the spoilers better.

Having Damon sacrifice himself/his happy ending for his brother would TRULY been a great finale because it would have brought his character development full circle. I guess you could argue he wanted to, but whatever, Julie Plec couldn't not have her Delena happy ending so Stefan once more (I suppose it's consistent) gets shit on for Delena's sake.

Yeah, they all wrapped it up in lovely scenes and Defan moments but that's the narrative arc I see. Whatever.

[TwistedandBored]

It was nice ending. I am happy to see Delena lived a happy human lives until their end time. I am also happy to them reunited with their family afterwards. 

[Chas411]

1 hour ago, KatWay said:

o Stefan once more (I suppose it's consistent) gets shit on for Delena's sake.

Basically.

The finale basically reconfirmed why I stopped watching the show a few years back - the bad boys with (apparent) feelings or Damon and Klaus get the glory and girls while the likes of Stefan and Tyler even back in the day get punished and called out for everything.

Plec can romantise the ending how much she wants but there's no way this was decided for any other reason other then to keep the Delena fans satisfied. 

[D. Stormborn]

All together a satisfying ending, good to see so many faces again including Lexie and a resuscitated Porsche. Too bad the TO cast got released from their contracts, I so wanted Caroline to show up in NOLA.

So ghost Enzo will be a cockblocker for Bonnie? She needs to move on.

Katherine was disappointing, I remember her funnier and smarter.

[Chas411]

1 minute ago, D. Stormborn said:

oo bad the TO cast got released from their contracts,

Wait has The Originals ended also?

[D. Stormborn]

6 minutes ago, Chas411 said:

Wait has The Originals ended also?

It seems so, my source is normally reliable. Plus Joseph Morgan has been cast for the new x-men TV show Gifted: http://heroichollywood.com/joseph-morgan-x-men-tv-series-title/

[Aeryn13]

I know it looks like Stefan was the one character who got crapped on in that ending but with the way they did it, it cemented him as the Jack of Titanic. I mean, this entire Finale and retroactively the show has been made into Titanic. 

Sure, it was all "they lived happy, human lives bla bla" at the end but we didn`t see any of it because it wasn`t important. Just as Rose on Titanic lived a full human life, had kids and grandkids and we saw it through a photo montage but the movie was about her love story with Jack and the ending was her TRUE happiness and fulfillment in being reunited with him as her young self. Her human life was nothing but a waiting station, no matter how happy it was.

TVD pretty much did the exact same thing here. Stefan did early and went to the true paradise where he found a little bit of happiness already with a friend. And Damon (his Rose, sorry triangle, sorry even Caroline, the ending made it clear that it was Damon) joined him as his young self again at the end. This was the true happiness and fulffillment of both. That human life before was hogwash, not important.

With that set-up, if Damon had died and Stefan had joined him later after a human life, it would have been the exact same thing.

Now it becomes a question of is Titanic hopeful or tragic? For me, it`s the former which is why I can live with this ending.  

Even for other characters that is true. Bonnie will live a long, human life but her true happiness will come after it with Enzo in heaven. Heck, even Caroline will IMO be reunited with her Mom first a la Elena with her family in the end. Alaric will be with Jo again etc.

Maybe it`s a bit morbid but I truly think with this ending the show`s message was kinda "okay, life is neat and all but what comes after is where true contentment lies". So anyone dying now is ultimately on the train to Fantasticville.     

[Moxie Cat]

5 hours ago, steelyis said:

I can't decide if that ending is tragic since it looks like they died not too long after Elena woke up,

Wasn't there a shot of two aged hands? Then the shot of the walking on the street looking young? I took that to mean they lived a long life together and looked young again in the afterlife. It was just a clever way to not have to use "old age" makeup or cast older actors.

[steelyis]

2 minutes ago, Moxie Cat said:

Wasn't there a shot of two aged hands? Then the shot of the walking on the street looking young? I took that to mean they lived a long life together and looked young again in the afterlife. It was just a clever way to not have to use "old age" makeup or cast older actors.

 

I watched it again and those didn't look like elderly hands to me.

As much as I disliked--well, I was more indifferent to Elena/Damon than anything else--I hope they were happy and lived long enough to grow old together. Otherwise, I can't help imaging one of Damon's many enemies tracking him down and killing him and Elena, and that bums me out.

[Lady Calypso]

5 minutes ago, steelyis said:

I watched it again and those didn't look like elderly hands to me.

I rewatched the ending as well and in Elena's Diary Voiceover, she says that after med school, she returned to Mystic Falls because that's where she wanted to grow old, and she did. It does sound like both of them lived long and happy lives. She even says they lived long and happy lives together. So at least the show gave us confirmation that everyone does seem to live long and fulfilling lives. Ok, well except for the ones that have died, but even they have a happy afterlife.