Hello, Brother

Hello, Brother is the first and premiere episode of the eighth season of and the one hundred and fifty-sixth episode of the series overall.

Summary
THE BEGINNING OF THE END — Months after Damon and Enzo mysteriously vanished from the Armory vault, Stefan tirelessly pushes forward with their search, while Bonnie struggles holding onto hope that they will be found. Meanwhile, a dangerous encounter with an unexpected visitor leaves Caroline and Alaric fearing that someone – or something – may be targeting their family. Finally, after following some mysterious clues, Stefan realizes that whatever has a hold of his brother may have a more damaging grip over him than he could have ever imagined.

Main Cast

 * Paul Wesley as Stefan Salvatore
 * Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore
 * Kat Graham as Bonnie Bennett
 * Candice King as Caroline Forbes
 * Zach Roerig as Matt Donovan
 * Matt Davis as Alaric Saltzman
 * Michael Malarkey as Enzo St. John

Guest Cast

 * Nathalie Kelley as Sybil
 * Allison Scagliotti as Georgie
 * Kristen Gutoskie as Seline
 * Katrina Norman as Cindy
 * Dietrich Teschner as Buck
 * Aisha Duran as Virginia St. John
 * Demetrius Bridges as Dorian

Co-Starring

 * Lily Rose Mumford as Josie
 * Tierney Mumford as Lizzie
 * TBA as Artist
 * TBA as Investigator
 * TBA as Man

Trivia

 * "Hello, Brother" is Damon Salvatore's first line of dialogue from the first episode of the first season and of the series. Stefan in the first episode of the third season would greet Damon with "Hello, brother" when he first appears as a call back to the Pilot episode.
 * This is the last season premiere of the series.
 * This episode will mark the first appearance of Sybil, Georgie and Seline.
 * This is the second season premiere not to feature Elena, Jeremy and Tyler.
 * The Armory Monster's origins will be hinted at in this episode.
 * There's a lot of mystery surrounding this new big bad. What can you reveal about her? Plec: Part of the fun at the beginning of the season is that we don't know the identity of or the supernatural definition of the big bad. There is no description for what was in that vault and what clawed creature has literally sunk its talons into Enzo (Michael Malarkey) and Damon's (Ian Somerhalder) minds. So we are looking forward to unraveling that mystery in the first episode and laying the groundwork for a great backstory for this villain.
 * While under this villain's control, Damon and Enzo are aware their actions aren't what they want to be doing. What sort of inner conflict does that create for them? Plec: The first episode is about turning the cards over on what each of them are going through. We'll see just how dark each of them have gotten and how hard each of them are willing to fight to get themselves out of it.

Behind the Scenes

 * This is the first episode to be written by Kevin Williamson since season three's The Birthday.
 * Filming of the episode ended on August 5, 2016.

Cultural References

 *  is a 2011 erotic romance novel by British author E. L. James. It is the first instalment in the Fifty Shades trilogy that traces the deepening relationship between a college graduate, Anastasia Steele, and a young business magnate, Christian Grey.
 * This reference already has been mentioned in Fifty Shades of Grayson.

Quotes

 * -|Promo=
 * Damon: "This is it... This is the beginning of the end."


 * Stefan: "What was in that vault?"


 * Damon: "I've seen how this ends. Humanity can't save me from it. Once the Devil comes a calling... you're done."


 * -|The Devil Trailer/Extended=
 * The Devil Trailer
 * Bonnie: "The search for Damon and Enzo goes on and on..."


 * Stefan (to Bonnie): "You have to follow every single clue like it's the one that's gonna lead us to them"


 * Bonnie: "I'm in."


 * Damon: "This is it... This is the beginning of the end."


 * Stefan: "What has a hold of you? What was in that vault?"


 * Damon: "I've seen how this ends. Humanity can't save me from it. Once the Devil comes a calling... you're done."


 * The Devil Trailer Extended
 * Bonnie: "The search for Damon and Enzo goes on and on and we're no closer to knowing where they are or who or what took them..."


 * Stefan (to Bonnie): "You have to follow every single clue like it's the one that's gonna lead us to them"


 * Bonnie: "Whatever we need to do, I'm in."


 * Damon: "This is it... This is the beginning of the end."


 * Virginia: "It has come for them!


 * Caroline: "What is it?"


 * Enzo: "When does this end? How many more bodies until you're full?"


 * Damon: "Get an answer!?"


 * Stefan: "What has a hold of you? What was in that vault, Damon?"


 * Damon: "Humanity can't save me from it. Once the Devil comes a calling... you're done."


 * -|Sneak Peeks=
 * Sneak Peek #1
 * Bonnie: (Over the phone) "Something has control over... Even if you have"


 * Alaric: "To be honest Bonnie, I don't know what to think anymore."

-
 * Sneak Peek #2
 * Stefan: "I have to treat every single clue like its the one that's gonna lead us to them."


 * Bonnie: "Stefan, every time we do this, I let myself hope a little."


 * Stefan: "Please don't give up."


 * Bonnie: "Of course but don't ask me to have hope."

- Please see the Season Seven finale.
 * Sneak Peek #3
 * Matt: "Please take me with you."


 * Penny: "Sorry Matt, there's a better life for you out there, you just have to wake up and find it. Wake Up!"


 * Medic: "He's conscious."

-
 * Sneak Peek #4

-
 * Sneak Peek #5


 * -|Webclips=
 * Webclip #1 (Scene)
 * Stefan: "Not much but it's a lead and all those missing people all the trail we've been following and this is the first time a body has surfaced."


 * Bonnie: "Probablly, because it has nothing to do with what we are looking for."


 * Stefan: "Yeah, well I can't let myself think like that. I have to treat every single clue like its the one that's gonna lead us to them."


 * Bonnie: "Stefan, every time we do this, I let myself hope a little. Then we end up back at zero, my heart crushes in on itself a little bit more. I don't know how much of my heart has left you know?"


 * Stefan: "Bonnie, no one not Caroline, not Elena, no one know how to fight longer or harder or better than you. If you give up I wont have anything else to hold on to. Please don't give up."


 * Bonnie: "Of course, but don't ask me to have hope. Hope hurts and I don't wanna hurt anymore."

-
 * Webclip #2
 * Enzo: "Dumped the girl."


 * Damon: "Why? She could have been desert."


 * Enzo: "You know the rules, last night was pushing it. It wants real evil not these light weight losers we've been feeding it."


 * Damon: "Ah, you should get on that."


 * Enzo: "I'm trying, she's more your doing."


 * Damon: "This is a really good book."


 * Enzo: " How long is this bad guy slaughter going to last? How many more bodies will it take before this is over?"


 * Damon: "It can hear you."


 * Enzo: "It can get into our minds. It knows how I feel."


 * Damon: "There is no reason to go out of your way to aggravate it."


 * Enzo: "Do you have any control left? Me, I'm down to about, I don't know... 2%."


 * Damon: "No freewill needed. I flipped my switched, humanity off. I'm on full cruise control. I recommend it."


 * Enzo: "Oh, so do you really have nothing left inside?"


 * Damon: "Just my winning sense of humor and renewed appreciation for chick lit."


 * -|Inside the episode=


 * -|Previews=
 * Paul Wesley Preview

-
 * Ian Somerhalder Preview

Pictures

 * -|Promotional=