"The Vampire Diaries" Season 8 has started to air on screen and many avid fans are still waiting for Nina Dobrev to return in the series. Previous reports claimed that Dobrev has already decided to leave and that she will not reprise her role in the series finale since she doesn't want to be the source of any trouble among Ian Somerhalder and his wife Nikki Reed.

While it has been said that the executive producer, Julie Plec will do everything to bring Dobrev back, latest reports suggested that the actress will have her appearance in the Season 8 not as Elena Gilbert but as Katherine Pierce.

Though the return of Nina Dobrev as Katherine Pierce will certainly make a problem for Damon Salvatore, the ancestor of Elena Gilbert may make use of the second chance to help or finally tear down Damon.

Rumors are rife that despite the return of Dobrev, the season's finale will have a terrible ending especially for Elena and Damon.

However, TV Guide reported that for the "XXX: Return of Xander Cage" actress and Ian Somerhalder to happily reunite in the Season 8, the actor should be successful in finding the cure so he can turn into human once again.

Katherine Pierce may perhaps help Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore following her stint in hell and finally get an eternal life of peace. Or Katherine Pierce may be a catalyst that allows Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder to carry a life of happiness to Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore.

Moreover, there were speculations circulating on the web that Stefan (Paul Wesley) will kill Bonnie (Kat Graham) to bring back Elena to life.

Meanwhile, Julie Plec told Digital Spy that she has prepared two endings for the series finale: one is with Dobrev and the other is without her.

But Plec still hopes that the actress will return in the Season 8.

"Really emotionally disappointing to have to bring the series to a close without seeing her again," the showrunner said, adding that "Her character was the centrepiece, the heart and soul of the series, for so long that it would feel incomplete. That being said, I could do it that way, I just would prefer not to."

In an interview, Plec also made sure that the fans will get ""to see a bunch of faces that you've loved" in "The Vampire Diaries" Season 8.

"I want to try and revisit a lot of our dearly departed loved ones... and those that are still living... before the show ends," she said.

Nina Dobrev, however is yet to give an official statement whether or not she will have a comeback on "The Vampire Diaries" Season 8 which airs on The CW network.