A Major Character Will Die On 'The Vampire Diaries' Series Finale — But Who Is It Going To Be?

This is going to suck. #TheVampireDiaries is leaving our screens forever Friday, March 10th, in a two-hour event, and fans have just learned that a major character is going to die. According to actor Paul Wesley (Stefan), it is a main character, and he admitted that he got a bit teary-eyed reading the finale script. That doesn't bode well for us.

Wesley went on to say that if a major character hadn't died in the finale, he would have been disappointed. (We wouldn't have been!) And executive producer Julie Plec confirmed that the death had to happen when she spoke to JustJared.com:

"It just sort of felt that when you’re dealing with life and death things – in this case, will Mystic Falls burn? Will it survive? – someone is going to have to be murdered in the fight against the bad guy. So there were a lot of discussions about who that should be. And the choice of who it was, was made entirely out of character, bringing a character full circle to its proper conclusion."

Now that we know it's happening, let's break out our survival kit — which should, at the very least, consist of tissues, chocolate, something to throw at the television that will cause minimal (if any) damage, and your cell phone so you can tweet about your pain. And until then, let's break down the most likely candidates:

Originally the bad guy of the series in Season 1, Damon has evolved into a hero, having battled the elements of hell to save those he loves. As the entire show has revolved around the Salvatore brothers, it's only natural that he, along with his brother, Stefan, could be on the chopping block.

I think he is less likely to die than Stefan, but, nevertheless, it would definitely cause the most angst if Damon were to die, thereby ripping away Elena's chance at a happily ever after...unless he dies with her.

2. Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley)

Losing Stefan would hurt. He's been put through the wringer and is on the cusp of finding happily ever after with Caroline after their wedding last week.

But, this could be where the writers decide to tear apart true love for a greater good, if there is such a thing on this show. Though I believe Stefan is more likely to die than Damon, I'm not 100 percent convinced he will be the ultimate sacrifice.

Caroline is the happy bride, and her relationship with Stefan has grown and developed to the point where we can't imagine the two of them apart. However, her death would seem plausible with Elena's return.

Do we really think both brothers will get to ride off into the sunset with their loves? It only makes sense that one of the Salvatores will lose a piece of his heart, and since Damon has suffered for two years with his loss, I believe Stefan is the one who will be suffering long after the credits roll on the finale.

Of course, Bonnie, Matt or Alaric could die, and all three of these characters may still be standing once we've seen the final episode. However, Damon, Stefan and Caroline are three of the strongest characters, in my opinion. I don't know if the producers are going with which death will hurt the most, but choosing one of these three will guarantee the waterworks for a long time.

Though tomorrow's episode will include the death of a major character, executive producer, Julie Plec, when asked what the takeaway will be from the series finale, had this to say:

"It’s heartbreak. It’s hope. It’s happiness. It’s sadness. It’s definitely a clear sense of the future for many characters. It should feel like the end of a nice, beautiful, long novel that you’re finally bringing to a close."