

WARNING: We're about to discuss the biggest moments from the series finale of The Vampire Diaries! If you have not watched the last episode, or do not want to know who died, take your daylight ring and get going. For everyone else, grab a box of issues and prepare to cry…



That was one truly epic ending!

The Vampire Diaries series finale just finished on our screens, and while we ooh-ed when Damon and Elena reunited, and ahh-ed over that intense Katherine showdown, we're still sobbing over the episode's most shocking twist: Stefan Salvatore, a character we've loved for eight years and who lived more than 160ish years, finally died.

To help bring you some closure, we called up The Vampire Dairies co-creator and showrunner Julie Plec to get the inside scoop on how it was decided who would die -- and if we'll ever get the answer to one lingering question!



EXCLUSIVE: 'TVD' Boss Answers Our 8 Biggest Questions Ahead of the Series Finale!



The CW

"We didn't set out to kill someone," Plec confessed to ET ahead of tonight's finale. "It just became obvious that there should be a death. There was a big debate about who that person should be and where we landed I think is the right way."

As fans saw on Friday, Stefan was the (un)lucky pick, sacrificing himself to the Hellfire with Katherine, so Elena could be revived and live out her life with Damon.

"I will say that it felt like the most full circle resolution for this character to have had," the showrunner continued. "And while it wasn’t always the plan to do it this way, once we realized this was the way we should do it, we knew we were right."

Last week, Paul Wesley dished that when he read The Vampire Diaries' final script, he cried -- and now we know the real reason why.



MORE: Nina Dobrev Returns for 'TVD' Series Finale -- Watch Damon & Elena's Intense Reunion!



"I read the script on the plane," he recalled to a small group of reporters. "It’s just a culmination of so many emotions. You’re like, 'OK, this is the last script I’m ever going to read for this show.' I got a bit teary-eyed and I’m kind of a cold-hearted bastard," he said with a laugh. "So I took a selfie with just a bit of red eyes, and I sent it to Julie and Kevin [Williamson]. I was like, 'Good work, guys.'"

Although Plec is satisfied to have created a finale that is "equal parts heartbreak and hope," she admitted that there is still "one moment" on her TVD bucket list that she regretfully was not able to accomplish.

The CW

"We had a list of things, of loose ends that we wanted to tie up, and there was one moment on that list that we weren’t able to figure out," she explained. "And that was what was in the letter that Sheriff Forbes wrote to Caroline that Caroline burned when her humanity was off. We never found the solution to that in this show, so maybe we'll see Caroline again in something new and we'll answer the question one day."

Plec added that there is "absolutely a chance" that some of our surviving Mystic Falls favorites could appear again on TVD's spinoff series, The Originals. "First we have to get The Originals into a season five -- fingers crossed -- and then if that happens, the door is wide open," she said hopefully.



WATCH: Nina Dobrev's Sweet Announcement That She'll Return to 'TVD's Series Finale



Lastly, when asked if there's a message Plec would like to leave for the fandom now that The Vampire Diaries is officially over, the showrunner shared that there is "nothing left to say."

"Each fan is going to have the emotional experience that is personal to them," Plec said. "Some will be heartbroken, some will say they enjoyed it, some might be feeling like they should be gloating that their couple won the day. But when all is said and done, I think that we all are fans. Not just the fans who watch it, but we who make it. I hope that they feel like we do, which is that we gave the show a respectful and honest and joyful conclusion."

What did you think of The Vampire Diaries series finale? Share your thoughts with @LeanneAguilera on Twitter!