Nina Dobrev’s Departure From ‘The Vampire Diaries’ Breaks Fans’ Hearts

From the very beginning, Nina Dobrev has been nearly as essential to the success of CW’s The Vampire Diaries as the books upon which the series is based. Even the official posters for the six seasons prominently feature Ms. Dobrev sandwiched between her co-stars Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley. As most people know by now, however, that will all change with season 7. It has been confirmed through various sources that Nina Dobrev has chosen to leave The Vampire Diaries after this season, in spite of The Vampire Diaries being renewed for a seventh season.

Nina herself posted a heartfelt goodbye to her Vampire Diaries friends and family on her instagram.

“I’ve just spent the most beautiful weekend on Lake Lanier in Georgia with my own TVD Family, the cast and crew of The Vampire Diaries. I want to be the first to tell you that it wasn’t just a holiday celebration, it was a goodbye party…I want to share this goodbye with all of you (this weekend’s pictures were just the beginning). You, the wonderful fandom who gave more love, support and passion than anyone could have ever imagined seven years ago, when a young Degrassi girl from Canada showed up in LA to audition for ‘that Twilight TV show.’ ? I love you all. Fasten your seatbelts. If you think you know what’s coming, you don’t.”

The resulting tidal wave of responses from fans proved, if there was ever any doubt, that Nina Dobrev has always been an integral part of The Vampire Diaries. Many fans have gone so far as to urge CW to cancel the Dobrev-less season 7 of The Vampire Diaries.

Some fans blame Nina herself for making the announcement so late in the game and for allowing the confirmation of a new season to come before Ms. Dobrev’s announcement. It seems the greatest tragedy of all for fans is the implication that they might not see a satisfactory resolution to the love affair between Dobrev’s character, Elena Gilbert, and Ian Somerhalder’s character, Damon Salvatore, but Nina cautioned fans not to jump to any conclusions.

“If you think you know what’s coming, you don’t.”

Still, fans have posted to social media their devastated reactions to the news.

“Crying forever. Or at least for several months. All my thanks & love to Nina and well wishes,” DelenaRN321 posted.

“What is TVD without Nina Dobrev?????!!!!? This is too much. What madness is this,” from erikarabara.

“Sad about this..but Nina is a fantastic actress and has big things ahead,” posted Rosie Coffey.

Those are just a few of the thousands of responses to Nina Dobrev’s announcement that she is leaving The Vampire Diaries.

“Nina is excited to spread her wings, get some rest, travel the world and also take it by storm, and we support her a thousand-fold,” Producer Julie Plec said in a statement. “We will miss Nina and the four hundred characters she played, but we look forward to the insane and exciting challenge of continuing to tell stories of our Salvatore Brothers and our much-loved and gifted ensemble.”

There are still five more episodes left to season 6 of The Vampire Diaries, so fans will still have time to accept Nina Dobrev‘s departure, before that season finale. The next episode of The Vampire Diaries airs on the CW on April 16.

[Photo courtesy of The Vampire Diaries/CW]