"The Vampire Diaries" is poised to move past Elena's emotional sendoff when it returns for its seventh season. But contrary to speculations about the well-loved character meeting her demise, the supernatural series left its door open for her possible return in the event that actress Nina Dobrev decides to make an appearance in the long-running show once more.  

"We knew we didn't want to kill Elena because we do want her to come back one day, maybe in the series finale. And we didn't want her to walk off into the sunset and get a job somewhere because that felt fake," executive producer Caroline Dries told TV Line. 

"We thought, 'What could she do that proves to her friends and to the viewers who she is as a person?' And of course she would make a sacrifice so her best friend could live out the rest of her life. We thought it was fitting that, at the end of the day, after all these sacrifices made on her behalf, she takes the bullet for her friend and goes out Sleeping Beauty-style," she went on to say. 

Following the loss, "The Vampire Diaries" season 7 will focus on Damon, who is torn with the fact that the love of his life is not with him anymore, and his reaction to the life-changing event. Dries said that she and her team are not looking ahead into another potential romance for the vampire as what he needs is some time for himself. 

"Now [Elena's] not there looking over his shoulder every five minutes, so he has to figure out who he is without her and what choices he's OK making. He's going to have a rough go at it, and he's going to get dark and be Bad-Damon. But he's still got Bonnie there to remind him what Elena would do," Dries revealed. 

This is the aspect Ian Somerhalder, who plays Damon in "The Vampire Diaries," is most excited about. While talking to People, the actor revealed that the show will be back to being the explosive and sexy drama it once was and that his character is set to slip back into his old ways. 

"The Vampire Diaries" season 7 will air later this year.