Season synopsis
Contains spoilers for this season and earlier seasons.
Elena and Caroline begin college at Whitmore while Jeremy conceals that Bonnie died bringing him back. As a ghost, Bonnie can still speak with him. Silas impersonates Stefan, who eventually escapes from the quarry. Qetsiyah uses Stefan to weaken Silas, but her spell leaves Stefan without his memories. Silas wants to die and reunite with Amara, whose immortal existence anchors the Other Side. Stefan kills Silas, Amara takes her own life, and Qetsiyah makes Bonnie the new Anchor, allowing her to return.
At Whitmore, Elena and Damon uncover the Augustine Society’s experiments on vampires, including Damon’s captivity decades earlier with Enzo, whom he abandoned during an escape. Katherine’s daughter Nadia finds her, and the dying Katherine takes over Elena’s body to pursue Stefan. Stefan eventually expels her with a Traveler knife, restoring Elena. The Travelers’ leader Markos pursues Elena and Stefan’s doppelgänger blood for a spell that strips magic from Mystic Falls. A Traveler possessing Tyler kills Stefan by tearing out his heart.
With the Other Side collapsing, the friends plan a resurrection spell. Damon and Elena drive into the Mystic Grill, igniting a gas leak and killing the Travelers gathered there along with themselves. Their spirits pass to the Other Side, where Bonnie helps Stefan, Elena, Enzo, Alaric and others return. Tyler comes back human, without his hybrid status or activated werewolf curse. Luke stops his sister Liv’s spell before Damon can cross. Bonnie and Damon hold hands as white light consumes the realm; their fate remains unresolved.