Julie Plec Responds to Claire Holt Leaving The Originals

Claire Holt's (Rebekah) departure from The Originals was a narrative blow to the series about the Original family and their return to New Orleans " but executive producer Julie Plec is up for the challenge. What did she tellBuzzfeed about Claire's planned departure?

Good news, guys! Julie insisted thatSeason 1, Episode 16 ("Farewell to Storyville) is not the last we've seen of Rebekah. These future appearances may come in the form of flashbacks to the Originals family's past a la Mikael's recent "return" to his children's lives inSeason 1, Episode 15 ("Le Grand Guignol"). If Rebekah returned in flashbacks, then she wouldn't be breaking the truce she made with brother Klaus not to return. (And there's always those secret meetupsHayley suggested.)

Though we're not as excited about seeing Rebekah in flashback vs. present day, the flashback-as-return vehicle does open the door for some other Mikaelsons who have more than just Klaus' vengeance keeping them from NOLA. We're talking specifically about Kol Mikaelson (Nathaniel Buzolic) and Finn Mikaelson (Caspar Zafer). Julie teased: "The opportunity exists for all the family members to return because they have a thousand years of history. Especially Kol, who said very clearly on Season 4 of The Vampire Diaries that he had history with the witches of New Orleans. There's many stories to be told there for sure."

We suppose some Mikaelson family flashbacks might be a fitting salve for the open wound that is still Rebekah's departure as a series regular. Make it happen, show.

Do you want to see Rebekah return in flashbacks? Are you still as upset about her departure as series regular as we are? Sound off in the comments below!