Paul Wesley just shared his preferred ending for The Vampire Diaries' series finale. It's dark, and also somewhat similar to The Originals' controversial ending one year later. But it makes me think: If TVD had for some reason gone with part of Wesley's preferred ending -- killing off both Salvatore brothers -- maybe that would've forced The Originals to go for something different. Maybe instead of killing off two Mikaelson brothers ... Klaus Mikaelson could've lived?
That's the only saving grace I can see in the idea of The Vampire Diaries going Paul Wesley's ending. 'Cause otherwise, ouch.
Paul Wesley is trying to promote Tell Me A Story Season 2, which just premiered on CBS All Access, but while on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, he was asked about The Vampire Diaries. How does he feel about the ending? Here's his response:
I feel good about it. I honestly think both brothers should've died. I feel good about it although I would've liked that we both died and that Elena -- the girl at the end of the show -- all of her memory was wiped and she went on to live a normal life and forgot that we ever existed. I think that would've been nice.
Killing off both Stefan Salvatore and Damon Salvatore and also wiping Elena Gilbert's memories? Wiping her memories would be like wiping all eight seasons of The Vampire Diaries. That would probably infuriate fans the most.
Granted, Ian Somerhalder has also talked about wanting to change The Vampire Diaries finale -- he doesn't think Damon and Elena should've ended up together. Somerhalder said he's Team Stelena (largely because Delena fans were "problematic" for his personal life) but he didn't think Stefan should live either. The Salvatore brothers did so much damage over the years. So it seems like both Somerhalder and Paul Wesley think Elena deserved better than the Salvatore vampires.
The Vampire Diaries fans weren't all happy with the finale, in part because Stefan sacrificed himself. Some fans wanted Stefan and Elena together, and others wanted Stefan and Caroline to be together. Others wanted Caroline and Klaus to be together and thought The Vampire Diaries' series finale opened the door for that on The Originals. Nope! The Originals series finale ticked off fans all over the place -- killing off Klaus so Klaroline wouldn't be endgame, and killing off Elijah without showing him find peace with Hayley in the afterlife.
I don't like the idea of killing off both Damon and Stefan Salvatore and wiping Elena's memories, especially since that would've denied us the hope of someday seeing Damon and Elena's kids on Legacies. A show called Legacies, as a spinoff of The Vampire Diaries, should include Elena's kids, no? We've heard of Stefanie Salvatore -- and Ian Somerhalder has heard of her too. Paul Wesley's Vampire Diaries ending would've denied us even the glimmer of hope to meet her someday.
What do you think of Paul Wesley's preferred ending -- killing off both brothers and wiping Elena's memories? Would that have been better than killing off two Mikaelson brothers, since The Vampire Diaries Universe probably wouldn't have killed two bros on The Originals one year later? Legacies continues Thursdays at 9 p.m. on The CW. Paul Wesley's Tell Me A Story Season 2 is now streaming on CBS All Access.
