There’s definitely some murder and mayhem, and if all goes well, there will be some epic tears, too. Damon and Stefan head out of town on “bloodline-related business.” But when they get the news that Elena is in the hospital—and in danger, with both the Originals and vampire hunter, Alaric after her—they must determine who returns to protect the woman they both love. As the hour comes to a close, Elena finally makes the choice fans will debate all summer. We’ll put Elena in a situation where there’s only one brother that she can see in a very important moment, and she needs to decide which one it is. We’ll know which brother she wants to be with at this point in her life.
Julie Plec on the season finale




Stills from 3.22 ‘The Departed’



Nina during underwater rehearsals for the finale, 3.22 ‘The Departed’



Stills from 3.20 ‘Do Not Go Gentle’


Julie Plec Confirms Elena Will Make Her Decision By Finale

How will the kiss change Damon and Elena’s relationship in the upcoming episodes?
What’s going on now with Elena and Damon [and] Elena and Stefan is a lot of exploration and a lot of thinking. As we’ve seen [with] Damon and Elena’s relationship in the past, they keep being drawn to each other, but obviously there’s something holding her back, rightfully so in a lot of ways because they’ve been through a lot together and not necessarily all good. As we get closer to the end of the season, really the key word is “confusion” for Elena. The brothers have to decide if they’re going to be OK with allowing her to think this through or if they’re going to reach a point where the confusion becomes frustrating for them.

So for Damon and Stefan, is there a peace treaty? Like, “Whatever she decides, we’ll be fine with it”?
The conversation of what will it be like when she does choose is something that happens in the second to last episode of the season. It’s actually a really introspective, nice and emotional moment between the brothers. It’s a scene I really like, and I think other people might like it too.

Will Elena make a definitive decision by the end of the season? 
Yes.

Can you rule out a Kelly Taylor “I choose me” ending?
[Laughs] No, I can’t rule it out. That would be giving too much away to rule out one of the three options. I guess there’s a fourth option, which is, “I choose both of you.” [Laughs] The big thing with her choice is she’s not the one in complete control of it. These two men really deeply care about her, and she deeply cares about both of them. It’s really a decision about what does love mean to me and to us and where are we supposed to be in our lives with each other. It’s pretty poignant.

I have to imagine it’s pretty hard to go back once you’ve gotten a little taste of Damon. Is she able to restrain herself? Or are there some more heated make-out sessions on the horizon?
[Laughs] Well, look, after that hot and heavy make-out session, I [have to] imagine it’d be a little distracting. Unfortunately, the chaos hits Defcon 11 in the next episode, so she’s not going to have a lot of time to think about it before things start going terribly wrong in Mystic Falls, once again.

Right now, the only person who knows about the kiss is Jeremy. Is she going to confide in anybody else? Will Stefan find out?
Yeah. Put it is this way, she’s not going to be deceitful or lie about it or keep it secret. So we’ll see what happens in the next episode.


The brothers both agree, ‘If she goes for you, I’ll leave town. And if she goes for me, you leave town. So this doesn’t get weird.’ And they both agree on it. And that’s what’s so cool is that by virtue of this decision the boys have ultimately become so insanely close. And I love that I think it’s really cool that that’s what happens.
Ian Somerhalder on the future of the triangle (x)


Stills from 3.21 ‘Before Sunset’



Damon is completely unaware that Stefan has basically said, ‘Hey figure out your feelings’. So Elena is going on her own personal journey to try and figure out how she feels, really and truly, about Damon… and it’s awesome.


Determined to protect his sister, Jeremy makes a decision that will change everything. In the harsh reality of the present situation, Elena longs for simpler times when her parents, Grayson and Miranda, and Aunt Jenna were still alive and her biggest concern was her relationship with Matt. Stefan and Damon leave Mystic Falls together on a mission, but soon split up when Elena needs one of them. Caroline and Tyler are forced to make a life-changing decision. Finally, Bonnie makes a secret deal that has heartbreaking consequences.
3.22, The Departed