News broke last week that Steven R. McQueen would be leaving The Vampire Diaries for good, but that may not be the truth.
“I think he’s got a standing invite for weddings, funerals and whatever else might come along,” executive producer Julie Plec said about McQueen’s character Jeremy possibly returning in the future.
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But his big story line on the show has come to an end. “We just really wanted it to feel special but official, too. And, like, we mean it this time,” executive producer Caroline Dries said of Jeremy’s exit on tonight’s episode. The producers refer to it as “grown-up closure.”
“And it feels like a victory, in a way. He made it out and he’s going to be great and he’s going to succeed in the world,” coproducer Brian Young added.
This is definitely a different sort of exit for The Vampire Diaries. Usually, a character doesn’t leave the show unless they’re crossing over to the other side with a stake through the heart. For Jeremy to be leaving on his own terms is a unique story line, one McQueen said he really enjoyed.
“And it made my last couple of scenes fun,” McQueen said.
As for why Jeremy left before Bonnie’s return, the producers had a really great justification that is sure to put fans’ minds at ease. “Our decision to say goodbye to Jeremy in the middle of the season was really born out of really wanting to feel like his character made a strong decision in spite of his circumstance,” Plec explained. “And it couldn’t really line up with Bonnie’s journey because her journey right now is never-ending. And we don’t know when she’ll be back or what will become of her. So he really needed to make decisions for himself, mostly because of Bonnie, sort of, being the final straw. There still will be, obviously, a conversation to be had or at least a reunion of sorts to deal with them once we finally get our Bonnie back.”
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There is also the possibility that we’ll see an update episode on Jeremy in the future. He might even show up on The Originals at some point. “Sure,” Plec said. “I think it’s a possibility. For sure.”
But just because Jeremy doesn’t die doesn’t mean this isn’t an emotional episode. Even Plec cried during the screening, so make sure you have tissues on hand.
Still, despite the heartache, the changes in the episode will spur some characters to action for the rest of the season, particularly for Caroline and Stefan, who finally make it happen on tonight’s episode with an electric kiss.
“That’s the thing,” Plec said about what’s next for them. “What’s the first conversation you have after your first kiss? Right now, something pretty dramatic has happened. So next episode is really all about judging what and when and how that first conversation is going to go.”
Plec also mentioned the show has some big plans for Matt, Joe and Enzo in the coming episodes.
Plec promised Bonnie will be back and the 1994 drama would be resolved “soon,” but wouldn’t elaborate.
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As for Jeremy, just because we’ve seen the last of his big story on The Vampire Diaries doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a future with that character.
In fact, the producers aren’t ruling out the chance of a spin-off. “There’s always talk,” Plec teased. But she was sure to add, “There’s not one in the works, but we always, kind of, chat about it.”
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