Vampire Diaries season 6 finale
Elena (Nina Dobrev) will say goodbye to Bonnie (Kat Graham, right) in "The Vampire Diaries" Season 6 finale. CW

Things aren’t looking good for Elena Gilbert in “The Vampire Diaries” Season 6 finale. Actress Nina Dobrev will leave the show, and that means Elena has to say goodbye somehow. The CW drama is known for its violent deaths, but they've never killed off one of the leading actors before. The big question is: Will Elena die?

There are plenty of reasons that Elena could bite the dust. It’s kind of miraculous that she hasn’t died yet. Mystic Falls is dangerous and crawling with vampires and other creatures, many of whom are more evil than Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder). Even as a vampire, her life was at risk, but as a human, she is in more danger than ever before. In episode 21, Kai (Chris Wood) returned to wreak havoc on Elena’s friends and ended up knocking her out. It seems like she could be dead, especially after the CW released this promo video:

While the commercial makes the finale look sad, that doesn’t necessarily mean Elena will die. “The way in which she leaves is the mystery of the episode and I think that, as everyone can tell from the promos, her life is in jeopardy,” executive producer Julie Plec told Variety. “But I can’t speak to whether the show ends with her actually losing her life or there are other ways to say goodbye to that character. Everyone’s going to have to tune in and watch. But I will say that it’s extremely emotional and also, strangely, powerful and beautiful. It will be satisfying with the outcome.”

Many fans would only be satisfied with a happy ending. Plec earlier said that the finale would end with a glimpse into the future. “The season ends with a flash-forward,” Plec told Entertainment Weekly last month. “The show’s not cut yet, so by the time I’m done with it, it might not, but currently it does.”

Elena’s friends could find a way to get her back in good health and possibly send her off. The flash-forward could be a glimpse of Elena’s normal, boring life as a human who has left Mystic Falls. Of course, there are plenty of other possibilities as well that don't end happily.

Do you think Elena will die in “The Vampire Diaries” Season 6 finale? Or will she get her happily ever after? Take the poll:

“The Vampire Diaries” Season 6 finale airs Thursday at 8 p.m. EDT on the CW.