With reporting by Christina Garibaldi

Bonnie has been an emotional punching bag for too long on "The Vampire Diaries" -- but this season, that's all about change. Bonnie's got her bite back!

"I don't know if Bonnie's really taking anyone's s--t too much in the new season," Kat Graham told MTV News. "There's no survivor's guilt. Obviously, we all didn't want what happened in the season finale, as characters, to happen. We all wish that it could have been avoided. But it's a matter of, how do we move on? How do we face the challenges of what's happening now in Mystic Falls?"

The season 7 opener will find Mystic Falls in a very precarious situation, as Lily's Heretics threaten to destroy the town. While the Heretics mean bad news for Bonnie and co., Graham couldn't be more obsessed with them.

"The Heretics are these super badass, sexy women -- seriously, these women are kicking so much ass -- and they're going to shake things up," she teased.

Meanwhile, if you had any qualms about Bonnie and Damon's friendship this season, don't. Bamon are officially BFFs, and more time with Damon means more time with Damon's drinking buddies.

"There's a lot of really cool scenes. I work with Ian [Somerhalder] a lot, and Matt Davis and Michael Malarkey -- a lot of boy stuff," she said. "I'm palling around with them for a minute."

As for the season as a whole, Graham teased that "TVD" is headed back to its ~sexy and surprising~ roots. Oh, with a lot more explosions. Seriously, guys. Things are blowing the f--k up in Mystic Falls.

"It's an edgy, sexy season. And there's a lot of stunts and action," Graham said. "I've been filming some of this stuff, and I don't remember us having this much action in the previous seasons. There's a lot happening! There's sword fights and stuff being blown up and things catching on fire -- it's a lot."

WE. ARE. SO. READY.