‘Legacies’ Final Episodes Will Include ‘Surprises’: Everything to Know About the End of ‘The Vampire Diaries’ Universe

Credit: Ben Adams/The CW

'Legacies' Final Episodes Will Include 'Surprises': Everything to Know About the End of 'The Vampire Diaries' Universe

Immortality is for vampires — not TV shows. The CW announced the cancellation of Legacies earlier this month, and the June series finale will bring The Vampire Diaries Universe to an end after nearly 13 years. "It’s the Red Wedding at WBTV/CW today," executive producer Julie Plec tweeted on May 12 after Legacies was among more than half a dozen shows canceled at The CW. A day later, Plec thanked the fans, cast and crew — and gave a little tease of what's to come. She confirmed that the writers had a heads up about a possible cancellation, so the Legacies season 4 finale was written to function as a series finale. "Mark Pedowitz & his team at The CW had the class & grace to warn the shows that they might not survive, even if The CW wanted them," Plec shared via Twitter on May 14. "Because of that, the season finales of both shows were carefully crafted to also work as series finales." Plec helped start The Vampire Diaries Universe in 2009 when she and Kevin Williamson adapted L.J. Smith's novels for TV. The show — which starred Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder as Elena, Stefan and Damon, respectively — quickly veered away from the source material and created a whole new world for the small screen that initially focused on vampires before introducing witches, werewolves and even gods. The flagship vampire drama ended in 2017 after eight seasons, and The Originals, its first spinoff, ended in 2018 after five seasons. Legacies premiered the following fall, bringing together characters and stories from The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. Hope (Danielle Rose Russell), the daughter of Original vampire Klaus (Joseph Morgan, star of The Originals) attends the Salvatore School, an educational facility for magical beings created in the series finale of The Vampire Diaries by Caroline (Candice King) and Alaric (Matt Davis). Hope has come into her own as the only living tribrid (that's a vampire-witch-werewolf hybrid) and is trying to make sure she can be a hero, despite her father's dark history. While her father had his family, Hope has her classmates to rely on. The Super Squad, led by the tribrid and Alaric, includes Lizzie (Jenny Boyd), MG (Quincy Fouse), Landon (Aria Shahghasemi), Kaleb (Chris Lee), Cleo (Orono Okojie), Ethan (Leo Howard), Finch (Courtney Bandeko) and Jed (Ben Levin). Legacies loves giving TVD fans some easter eggs, whether showing Lizzie drive Damon's old car or quick references to characters like Elena, who is now a doctor. Expect even more fun nods in the final episodes of the spinoff. "I can speak for #Legacies in saying that Brett and I and the writing team poured all kinds of love into it," Plec shared two days after the cancellation via Twitter. "And there are a couple surprises for long-time #TVDU fans that may just blow your mind. 👀👀👀💃💃💃🍾🍾🍾🍾." Here's everything we know so far about the end of Legacies:

Credit: Ben Adams/The CW

'Legacies' Final Episodes Will Include 'Surprises': Everything to Know About the End of 'The Vampire Diaries' Universe

Immortality is for vampires — not TV shows. The CW announced the cancellation of Legacies earlier this month, and the June series finale will bring The Vampire Diaries Universe to an end after nearly 13 years. "It’s the Red Wedding at WBTV/CW today," executive producer Julie Plec tweeted on May 12 after Legacies was among more than half a dozen shows canceled at The CW. A day later, Plec thanked the fans, cast and crew — and gave a little tease of what's to come. She confirmed that the writers had a heads up about a possible cancellation, so the Legacies season 4 finale was written to function as a series finale. "Mark Pedowitz & his team at The CW had the class & grace to warn the shows that they might not survive, even if The CW wanted them," Plec shared via Twitter on May 14. "Because of that, the season finales of both shows were carefully crafted to also work as series finales." Plec helped start The Vampire Diaries Universe in 2009 when she and Kevin Williamson adapted L.J. Smith's novels for TV. The show — which starred Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder as Elena, Stefan and Damon, respectively — quickly veered away from the source material and created a whole new world for the small screen that initially focused on vampires before introducing witches, werewolves and even gods. The flagship vampire drama ended in 2017 after eight seasons, and The Originals, its first spinoff, ended in 2018 after five seasons. Legacies premiered the following fall, bringing together characters and stories from The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. Hope (Danielle Rose Russell), the daughter of Original vampire Klaus (Joseph Morgan, star of The Originals) attends the Salvatore School, an educational facility for magical beings created in the series finale of The Vampire Diaries by Caroline (Candice King) and Alaric (Matt Davis). Hope has come into her own as the only living tribrid (that's a vampire-witch-werewolf hybrid) and is trying to make sure she can be a hero, despite her father's dark history. While her father had his family, Hope has her classmates to rely on. The Super Squad, led by the tribrid and Alaric, includes Lizzie (Jenny Boyd), MG (Quincy Fouse), Landon (Aria Shahghasemi), Kaleb (Chris Lee), Cleo (Orono Okojie), Ethan (Leo Howard), Finch (Courtney Bandeko) and Jed (Ben Levin). Legacies loves giving TVD fans some easter eggs, whether showing Lizzie drive Damon's old car or quick references to characters like Elena, who is now a doctor. Expect even more fun nods in the final episodes of the spinoff. "I can speak for #Legacies in saying that Brett and I and the writing team poured all kinds of love into it," Plec shared two days after the cancellation via Twitter. "And there are a couple surprises for long-time #TVDU fans that may just blow your mind. 👀👀👀💃💃💃🍾🍾🍾🍾." Here's everything we know so far about the end of Legacies:

Credit: Gregory Pace/Shutterstock

When Will the Final Episodes Air?

The show went on an unannounced hiatus amid the cancellation, but the final episodes of Legacies will start airing on The CW June 2, at 9 p.m. ET. The series finale airs Thursday, June 16.

Credit: The CW

How Many 'Legacies' Episodes Are Left?

There were three episodes left in the show's final season when the cancellation was announced. The 18th episode of season 4, titled "By the End of This, You’ll Know Who You Were Meant to Be," aired on June 2. The penultimate episode, titled "This Can Only End in Blood," aired June 9. That means the series finale is set for June 16.

Credit: CW Network/Kobal/Shutterstock (

Will There Be Any 'Vampire Diaries' Guest Stars in the Final Episodes?

Fans have wanted to see Caroline since the show started, given that her daughters were main characters. While the vampire made a voiceover appearance, reading a letter to her daughter, she still hasn't been seen on screen. 

In May 2022, Candice Accola teased a potential return during a fan convention in Liverpool, England. "There's a show that you might have heard of that I might have been a part of for an episode. Who knows? I don't know. I am not saying what show," she teased at the time. "So that is exciting to have coming up and was very, very special."

Only one other guest star have been confirmed as one of the "surprises" for TVD fans.

Credit: Chelsea Lauren/Shutterstock

Will Klaus Return?

In May 2022, Joseph Morgan addressed fans’ theories that he might make a cameo as Klaus Mikaelson in the finale. "First of all, I haven't seen any cast from the TVDU in years, not in person at least, I promise you that. All this speculation is gonna drive you crazy. Let go of these nonsense theories about hidden codes, Everyone knows Klaus Mikaelson is dead," he tweeted at the time.

Although the post appeared to be a denial, eagle-eyed followers pointed out that the first letter of each sentence spelled out the word “finale.”

“I don’t know if I’ve got permission to do this,” Morgan revealed during an Instagram Live on June 10 via TVLine. “I don’t know if I need it, to be honest with you. Regardless, we’re here here now, so I’m going to tell you a couple of things: You are going to see Klaus again in the final-ever episode of Legacies. Just for a fleeting moment. That’s it, you heard it here first.”

Credit: Courtesy of Candice Accola/Instagram

Will There Be a Klaroline Reunion?

Morgan referred to a "ship" during his Instagram Live, which has fans wondering yet again if Accola's Caroline will be back. However, the Klaus actor noted that he wasn't returning for any unresolved romance.

“This was never ever about a ‘ship for me or for Klaus," he said. "This is about family. Family is power. This is about a father and his daughter, their relationship, what he feels he owes to her. That’s what this is about. So there was a very secret, very clandestine scene recorded.”

Credit: The CW

How Much Screen Time Will 'Legacies' Give Klaus?

Don't expect a Klaus-led finale. It sounds like this will be a one-scene appearance.

“Ever since I left The Originals, it hasn’t left me, and Niklaus Mikaelson has always been there in my head and in my heart,” Morgan said in an Instagram video shot during the episode and shared on June 12. “And you guys have been incredible. You haven’t let it go. You know I’ve been asked again and again to make an appearance on Legacies and it never felt right … until now. Now it feels right. I hope you enjoy this and feel as passionate about it as I do. This one is for you guys.”

Credit: Ben Adams/The CW

What's the Series Finale About?

The finale episode is titled "Just Don't Be A Stranger, Okay?" and the CW has released a vague synopsis: "Hope (Danielle Rose Russell), Lizzie (Jenny Boyd), MG (Quincy Fouse), Kaleb (Chris Lee), Jed (Ben Levin), Cleo (Omono Okojie) and Alaric (Matthew Davis) reflect on recent events and what comes next for each of them. Hope and Lizzie each find solace from unexpected yet welcome sources."  

Aria Shaghasemi and Leo Howard will also appear in the final episode, which was written by showrunners Julie Plec and Brett Matthews. 

Credit: Mark Hill/The CW

Will the Finale Honor the Franchise?

Matthews told TVLine during a June 2022 interview that the series finale would “specifically [bring] this show to a close in as elegant a way as we could” and that while the episode is “definitely Legacies focused,” the finale will touch “on every show within the franchise.”

“Many seasons of The Vampire Diaries finished like this,” the showrunner explained. “It’s something we’ve always wanted to do with Legacies, which is a little more action-y and hijinks-y than the other shows in the franchise, but we never had the chance. This became the perfect opportunity.”

Matthews also noted that he wasn’t concerned with adding too many references to the larger TVD universe because it will “likely continue  in different forms and fashions over the coming years.”

Credit: Ben Adams/The CW

Could There Be Another Spinoff?

“There will be another one,” Plec told Entertainment Weekly in June 2022 after the Legacies series finale aired. “We're a little sad, we're going to take a beat, but yeah, there's more ideas. There's more to do.”