Legacies: SPOILER Returns in Series Finale

The series finale of Legacies aired tonight on The CW, bringing to an end The Vampire Diaries universe which ran for thirteen years across three series. As fans expected, the series wrapped up current storylines and offered a sense of closure for the journeys of many of its main characters, but it also featured a few major guest appearances. While Joseph Morgan’s return as Niklaus “Klaus” Mikaelson is one that fans knew about heading into the episode thanks to the actor confirming his return earlier this month, there was another big surprise in store with the return of another iconic The Vampire Diaries character.

Warning: spoilers for the series finale of Legacies, “Just Don’t Be A Stranger, Okay?” beyond this point.

In the penultimate episode of the series, the heroes managed to defeat the god Ken (Luke Mitchell) but not without a heavy cost. Ethan (Leo Howard) died, using the last of his power to save Lizzie (Jenny Boyd). It’s his death that the Salvatore School is mourning when the series finale opens and what prompts Alaric (Matt Davis) to decide to close the school, feeling as though he’s failed his mission. The decision is a massive shock for the students and not everyone is thrilled with it. While Lizzie initially is on board with her father’s decision, other students — including Hope (Danielle Rose Russell) are not. She ends up giving Alaric the pendant that Josie had given her, spelled to help “make quiet things loud” so that he might be able to listen to any voice inside of him telling him he’s making a mistake.

Alaric ultimately does decide not to close the school, but he does step down as headmaster. Taking his place? Caroline Forbes (Candice King). She returns, having been abroad for the entirety of the series’ run, looking for a solution to the Merge. Caroline announces that she’s been gone long enough and ends up stepping into the role of interim headmaster of the school, much to her daughter Lizzie’s delight.

Caroline’s appearance in the series finale delivers to fans one of the cameos that they had been hoping for since Legacies began. King has “appeared” in the series before, notably as a voice over reading a letter Caroline wrote Lizzie in Season 3’s “Salvatore! The Musical!” but this is the first time King has appeared on screen. The appearance marks the second official time King has returned to The Vampire Diaries franchise as Caroline since the series finale of The Originals in 2018.

Of course, an appearance by Caroline wasn’t the only cameo that the Legacies finale held for fans. As was noted previously, Morgan reprised his role as Klaus, appearing in a “video message” for Hope having found peace after death and offering his beloved “littlest wolf” one more message to carry with her for years to come.

Were you surprised by King’s return as Caroline in the Legacies series finale? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section!