FLASHBACKS TO A TUMULTUOUS TIME IN DAMON'S LIFE - When Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Bonnie (Kat Graham) realize that uncovering a time in Damon's past may provide clues to finding their way home, Damon is forced to relive one of the worst days of his life. After an awkward run-in with Jo (guest star Jodi Lyn O'Keefe) at the hospital, Alaric (Matt Davis) steps in to help Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen) get his life together and cope with the loss of Bonnie. Elsewhere, Stefan (Paul Wesley) attempts to show Elena (Nina Dobrev) what it's like to start over and create a new identity, while an unsuspecting Matt (Zach Roerig) finds himself in a disturbing situation when Tripp (guest star Colin Ferguson) lets him in on a dark secret. Lastly, Stefan, who is desperate to regain some normalcy in his life, is stunned when an unexpected visitor shows up. Michael Malarkey also stars.
After a big time jump, the premiere opens with Bonnie (Kat Graham) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) still gone. While their whereabouts will be revealed quickly, the question of what happened while they were there will be a season-long arc. Elena (Nina Dobrev) will be grieving over the loss of Damon by making some surprising choices and bonding with Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Alaric (Matt Davis), who does some bonding of his own with a woman he meets. Get ready for a handful of new faces, including a militia leader (Colin Ferguson) and a tough doctor at the university hospital (Jodi Lyn O'Keefe). Matt (Zach Roerig) will be thriving as he gets involved in the new magic-less community, while Tyler (Michael Trevino), now back to a human with the werewolf gene, will return to his testosterone-filled, hard-headed personality. Will he reconnect with Caroline (Candice Accola), whom executive producer Julie Plec says will take the loss of Bonnie and Damon "in a weird way the hardest"?
The Vampire Diaries features:
Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert/Katherine Pierce
Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore
Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore
Steven R. McQueen as Jeremy Gilbert
Kat Graham as Bonnie Bennett
Candice Accola as Caroline Forbes
Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan
Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood
Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman
Michael Malarkey as Enzo
The Vampire Diaries returns October 23
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