- [Kelly] She's gonna burn down Mystic Falls with hellfire

tonight.

- Well, here we are.

It is the end.

- Katherine told me to ring this bell

every five minutes 'til Mystic Falls burns.

- After 171 episodes of television, this week,

The Vampire Diaries says goodbye.

- [Bonnie] Are you okay?

- I'm not ready.

I thought I would be ready, I'm not ready.

I'm happy, I'm sad, I'm probably going through

all the same emotions that you guys are.

(clunking)

(bell ringing)

The bell is ringing, Mystic Falls is in jeopardy,

Bonnie is unconscious, maybe dead,

and everything is going to literal hell.

- There's gotta be something we're missing.

- Nope, Katherine won.

She played the long game and finally beat us.

- We, of course, as you know have the return of

the wonderful Nina Dobrev, reprising not one, but two roles.

- (sighs) I've missed this place, said no one, ever.

- Katherine is pulling strings like the puppet master

that you never wanted to know.

Kelly Donovan has basically dropped the bombshell

of the week on these guys and they realize

that they are in utter and complete jeopardy.

- Yeah, it's Sheriff Donovan,

activate the evacuation protocol.

(soft music) - It has been

an absolute privilege for us to be able to tell

these stories and for you guys to love them as much as

you do because, honestly, it is

rare that you get a show that you love

through people that you love

and have the fans that love you back

for the stories that you tell.

It's a show about loss and a show about love

and a show about family and you guys have been our family

and we wanna thank you for that

and thank you for eight years of a wild ride.

It's been a hell of a ride

and I hope you enjoy the show.

- I love you so much.

- I love you too.