The cast of The Vampire Diaries [1] wasted no time addressing the elephant in the room during their Comic-Con panel. Nina Dobrev [2]'s exit from the show is still weighing heavy on a lot of fans, but the show must go on! At least, that's the message Ian Somerhalder [3], Paul Wesley [4], and creator Julie Plec got across. Here's everything they said about how season seven will continue without Elena Gilbert, who is trapped in a vampire coma for the next 70 years. Check out their comments below, and make sure you're all caught up with season seven spoilers [5]!

• Julie Plec: "Of course it's bittersweet. We miss Nina; she's been with us for six years. But Elena said to Damon, 'Please live your life and be who you are. So for Damon, the question is, 'Who am I without this girl by my side?' The line is going to get a little crooked. We'll get to see a lot of naughty Damon trying not to be naughty."
• Ian Somerhalder: "She's just taking a little nap. It's just an evolution of the story. This is Mystic Falls without Elena Gilbert."
• Paul Wesley: "When a show has been on for [six] years, you need a shift in dynamic. I think it created a new world, and it's a fresh take on a show that's been on for several seasons."
• Kat Graham: "It was a really clever way to keep Elena's presence there and keep the door open for her to come back. But it also creates a really interesting dynamic with Damon and Bonnie that Bonnie is alive and Elena is not."
• Candice Accola: "What's beautiful is that she's not dead and you still feel the essence and the spirit."