The Vampire Diaries' latest episode had a hidden callback to season six that most fans missed.

After 8 stellar seasons and 171 episodes, the Vampire Diaries came to a triumphant conclusion in a series finale that sparkled. While Season 8, Episode 16, “I Was Feeling Epic” had some tragic twists and unfortunate deaths, it was easily one of the best series finales. It wrapped up the story of the Salvatores, Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, and nearly every single character on the show in a beautiful way. It was brilliantly executed. A generous sprinkling of nods and Easter eggs made it even better.

In “I Was Feeling Epic,” the entire Mystic Falls gang banded together to save their beloved town from Katherine, once and for all. Katherine, now Queen of Hell, wanted to burn the town with Hellfire, but there was no way Damon, Stefan, and Bonnie were going to let that happen. They had a duty to Mystic Falls, as well as to their friend Elena, who was still asleep. While Vicki Donovan rang the Maxwell Bell to unleash the fire on the town, Bonnie stood by with the Bennett ancestors to divert it to the tombs beneath Mystic Falls. Damon and Stefan waited with an incapacitated Katherine in the tunnels, ready to burn with her in the Hellfire to end the cycle of malevolence, once and for all. In a heartbreaking twist, Stefan sacrificed himself to the fire, leaving Damon alive and healed so he could live a human life with Elena when she was revived. Stefan's death hit fans hard and was the highlight of the series finale, which is probably why the episode's title was a nod to one of his happiest moments in season one. the Vampire Diaries.

The quote was first introduced in season 1

Lexi: But you're here… because you're crazy about him. I get it, okay? I mean, what's not to love? Listen. Trust someone who's been around a long time. When it's true, you can't walk away.

Elena: Hi Lexi. It was really nice meeting you.

Lexi: Yeah, I drank yours, sorry.

Stefan: Thank you.

Lexi: You shouldn't have listened. I felt epic or something.

Lexi was a character who appeared in the Vampire Diaries for a limited time, but her presence left an indelible mark on viewers. She first appeared on the show in Season 1, Episode 8, “162 Candles,” during a time when Elena had broken up with Stefan after finding out he was a vampire. Unfortunately, Lexi showed up at Stefan's house at that time, and when Elena saw her in the Salvatore boarding house with a towel, she assumed Stefan had moved on to a new girl. The reality was that Stefan and Lexi had met a long time ago, but only platonically. Lexi had met Stefan in 1864 when he had just been turned and was no longer in control of his bloodlust. Stefan was a certified Ripper at that point, but Lexi knew there was a better man lurking beneath the surface of the bloodthirsty murderous vampire. She trained and cured Stefan of his Ripper tendencies, which was the greatest blessing for him. Lexi gave Stefan a second chance at life and the two got along very well. They were best friends and his arrival in Mystic Falls was a welcome one for her.

Lexi had come to celebrate a significant moment: Stefan's 162nd birthday in this episode. She was eager to see how her friend was doing and when she learned about Elena, Lexi was quick to cheer them on. In fact, you could say that Lexi was the reason Elena got over her issues with Stefan's vampirism and gave him and their relationship a chance. At the Mystic Grill, Lexi had a girl-on-girl chat with Elena, making sure to clarify that she wasn't romantically involved with Stefan. Even so, she knew in her heart that Stefan was one of the best men she'd ever known. She encouraged Elena not to give up on him and that their feelings for each other were true. Stefan, who had overheard the conversation, made sure to thank Lexi when he returned and, in return, she told him that she did it because she “it was an epic feeling.“ This has become one of the show's most memorable catchphrases and is particularly associated with Stefan, who often used the word “epic” to describe the best things in his life.

The sweet moment was recreated in the series finale of The Vampire Diaries

• IMDb rating of the episode: 9.3/10

Lexi: Well, it was beautiful.

Stefan: I felt epic!

What happened to Stefan and his beautiful sacrifice was revealed very slowly in the series finale. The Vampire Diaries. When Stefan met a wandering Elena at Mystic Falls High School, at first it seemed that Damon was dead and Stefan had survived. Soon, Stefan revealed to Elena that she had not yet awakened from her slumber. She was still somewhere in limbo and Stefan's soul, after his death, had found hers for a final farewell. Elena and Stefan exchanged an emotional goodbye, in which he told her that he would always love her. Elena couldn't believe that Stefan would give up his life for Damon, but the young Salvatore was very sure of his decision. He had seen a side of his brother that he hadn't seen in a long time and wanted Elena to live a wonderful life with him, where she could prove her worth.

After hugging, Stefan walked out of the gates of Mystic Falls High School, only to be met by his best friend, Lexi. Lexi had been killed in “162 Candles”, but had found peace after the destruction of The Other Side. When Stefan died and found peace, Lexi was waiting to greet him with her beloved car, and it was one of the most beautiful moments of the series. Lexi complimented him on how beautiful his speech to Elena had been, and he repeated his sentence back to her: “I felt epic.” It was a great rerun of the scene that had occurred eight seasons earlier.

All the episode titles from season 8 were actually quotes from season 1

Not only the series finale of the Vampire Diaries but all the episodes of Season 8 of the Vampire Diaries were named quite cleverly. The episode titles were actually quotes from Season 1 of the show. They were said by all the characters such as Damon, Stefan, Caroline, Elena, Lexi, and Carol Lockwood. Everything from the beginning of the series to its conclusion connects together beautifully and the episode titles are a great way to describe it. The following table shows which episode titles are quotes from which characters and in which season one episode they were spoken.