Unless you've professionally had your tear ducts removed, chances are you're going to be crying non-stop during The Vampire Diaries Season 6 finale, which will also serve as Nina Dobrev's swan song. (I'm so not ready, you guys.) And given the recent events at Jo and Alaric's wedding, I'd say there's a good chance that the now-human Elena will end up meeting her maker by episode's end. The promos alone prove that we're in for some pretty heartbreaking goodbyes for all involved, though, I have a feeling no one will have a tougher time adjusting to this grim new development more than Damon. This reformed bad boy has gone through so much to be with the woman he loves, so now that their happy ending is about to come to a crashing halt, one can't help but wonder: how will Damon cope with Elena's death?
Throughout the years, Elena has proven that she doesn't exactly handle grief very well. When she's not burning down houses then she's having her memories wiped, opting to forget her pain entirely rather than face it head-on. But what will happen when the grieving shoe is on the other foot and Damon is left to his own devices? I doubt he'd choose to forego his memories considering that he just reprimanded Elena for doing that exact thing earlier this year. He'd want to remember what they had together, no matter how much it hurt. So what will he do instead? Damon is an unpredictable soul, but let's try and attempt to weigh out all our options for our favorite vamp's future.
He'll Go On A Drinking Binge
When in doubt, Damon's go-to pain suppressor is always alcohol. If you think you've seen Damon drunkenly depressed before, that's nothing compared to what he'll be like in the wake of Elena's demise. On the plus side, though, this could mean we have a ton of shirtless dancing to look forward to.
He'll Turn Off His Humanity
We've seen what almost everyone is like with their humanity switch flipped off, but Damon has never really been at the forefront of any of these scenarios. He's already so unpredictable when he is in touch with his feelings, so can you imagine what he'd be like if he decided to shut them off entirely? No one in the world would be safe from his wrath. Though, I have to admit, as compelling as I find this idea, I kinda hope things go in a different direction for now, given that we just did a whole humanity-less story arc for both Caroline and Stefan. So, personally, I could use a little change of pace.
He'll Become Next Season's Big Bad
I hate the thought of Damon turning on his brother and becoming a villain, but you have to admit it's not completely out of the realm of possibility, especially now that he won't have Elena around to keep him grounded. Her death could take his bad boy antics to a whole new level.
He'll Obsess Over Bringing Her Back
Denial can be a powerful weapon, especially when left in the hands of a supernatural that has nothing but time on his hands. Damon could end up refusing to accept the fact that Elena's gone and become obsessed with finding a way to bring her back. Is it a healthy way for Damon to spend his time? No, but when has that ever stopped him before?
He'll Become Human Anyway
Last week, Stefan made the argument to Damon that he shouldn't become human because there's always a chance that Elena could suddenly die and then he'd be left alone. But that never really made much sense to me. I mean, if he was human and that happened, then he'd just have to live out the rest of his life without her. But if he's immortal, then he'd have to live forever without her. Perhaps Damon will somehow still be able to drink Elena's cure-filled blood and become a human for the rest of the series, knowing that (in time) he will eventually get to join her in the after life.
It's also worth mentioning a rather curious element to the season finale's promo, which shows Elena asking Damon if he's ready for this, to which he responds: "Ready to spend the next 60 years of my life without you? Who's ever going to be ready for that?" Why 60 years? Why not eternity? Call me crazy, but it sounds as though he intends to take the cure and live out a normal human life. Either that or they're placing her in some deep, supernatural sleep that she won't be able to wake from until 60 years later, Sleeping Beauty-style. Whatever the reasoning behind it is, though, I have a feeling that remark is a pretty big hint of where this is all going.
He'll Remain Just As He Is
On the other hand, maybe we're not giving Damon enough credit here. There's always a chance he could surprise us all and deal with his grief in a completely healthy and normal manner. And, I mean, if you think about it, wouldn't that be the craziest plot twist of them all?
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