‘Vampire Diaries’ Series Finale Spoilers: Everything We Know About Nina Dobrev’s Return As Elena

“The Vampire Diaries” is finally bringing back Elena. Nina Dobrev will reprise her role as the leading lady in the series finale, but The CW drama isn’t just bringing her back for a happy reunion. Elena will have to jump right back into the action when she wakes up. Get your spoilers for the finale below:

Waking Up: It seems no one expected Elena to be up so early. A sneak-peek video reveals that Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan (Paul Wesley) are shocked to see Elena. It seems Bonnie’s (Kat Graham) heart stopped beating temporarily, but she’ll come back to life. It provides a loophole that Kai’s (Chris Wood) spell apparently never accounted for. Watch the clip from “The Vampire Diaries” series finale below:

How Does Damon React? Showrunner Julie Plec reminded audiences that Damon was planning to have several more decades to work on his redemption before reuniting with Elena. “Seeing her right right now in the present is shocking and probably a little bit of a concern for him that he’s not quite there, that he's not quite ready for her yet,” Plec teased to TV Guide.

READ: How did Elena leave ‘The Vampire Diaries’ in Season 6?

Delena’s Resolution: Plec wouldn’t say how each love story ends, but she told Huffington Post that viewers will have a clear idea about what’s coming for each couple. “Whatever form it comes in, everyone will have a sense of hope for what the rest of their existence will look like,” she said.

Throwbacks: Wesley also wouldn’t giveaway too many details, but he noted that Stefan, Damon and Elena share a scene very similar to one from the first season. “I kept having these kind of flashbacks of Season 1 on specific sets,” Wesley told Huffington Post. “I don’t want to give away the sets because I don’t know what I’m allowed to say — but I just remember we were like kids and our lives were completely different…It’s just amazing how you can take people eight years later, plop them in the exact same situation, and they’re completely different human beings.”

There Will Be Tears: Unfortunately, Elena’s return isn’t all about the reunions with her loved ones. She’ll attend a funeral for one of her dear friends. Someone is going to die, but we don’t know who yet. Read our theories on who will die in Season 8, episode 16 HERE.

The Doppelganger: Dobrev isn’t just returning to play the good girl. It turns out that all the villains this year have been pawns of the ultimate big bad: Katherine. Elena’s doppelganger is the reason for all the trouble this season, and she’ll wreak havoc on Mystic Falls in the finale.

“The Vampire Diaries” series finale, titled “I Was Feeling Epic,” airs Friday at 9 p.m. EST on The CW. A retrospective special will air at 8 p.m. EST.