After reading Sabrina DeCosta’s article ranking the best Gilmore Girls characters, I wanted to do the same! For all my TVD lovers, this could get quite controversial, but after watching the show about six times, I have compiled a list of my favourite TVD characters. Here are my top ten The Vampire Diaries characters ranked because “I’m feeling epic!”
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
10. Jeremy Gilbert
At number ten, we have Elena’s little brother, Jeremy. He is the classic punk, especially in season one. Jeremy is a strong character and Elena’s only family at several points in the show. Their bond is strong, and they are all that each other has. It is not talked about a lot, but his character development was pretty impressive as well. He goes from a lonely stoner punk to a strong and independent vampire hunter working with his closest friends to save themselves.
9. Katherine Pierce/Katerina Petrova
There is a lot to say about Katherine Pierce. Her experiences have rounded her into a selfish and ruthless villain who loves to cause trouble. All of this is not without reason though, as the audience learns her backstory and her years of torture and trauma at the hands of Klaus Mikaelson. As part of the Petrova bloodline, Elena is her doppelgänger, which leaves more open opportunities for her sarcastic tricks. Katherine is a series regular, and fans can’t help but love this independent and complex character. I’ll admit, she is pretty entertaining.
8. (Malachai) Kai Parker
The second villain on this list is Kai Parker. He is a fan favourite, and rightfully so. His sarcastic and bad-guy nature is entertaining, and it is hard not to like him despite his wrath. After all, that’s what makes me love him even more. Audiences constantly want more of Kai, and I can’t say I blame them; I was pretty excited when he came back for the series finale too!
7. Sheriff Forbes/Elizabeth “Liz” Forbes
Caroline’s mom and the Sheriff of Mystic Falls finds herself as the head of the Founder’s Council in a war against the vampires. This all changes when she finds out that her own daughter, Caroline, is a vampire as well. Soon enough, Damon and Liz are working together against the council who wants to rid Mystic Falls of all vampires for good. I think we all cried like a baby during her funeral episode, and the loss of this special character had the entire fandom silenced.
6. Enzo St. John
I love Enzo because he is very similar to Damon, and at one point, they were best friends. Their fallout was completely valid and traumatizing, but I wished to see more of Enzo every time he was on screen. His death was one of the worst things that could have happened on the show, especially after he met Bonnie; the two of them had lost everything and found happiness with one another. If there was one thing that I would have changed about the show, it would have been his fate. His charming attitude leaves the audience wanting more!
5. Stefan Salvatore
Pure at heart but riddled by his demons, Stefan will do whatever it takes to protect the ones he loves, including sacrificing his own life on his wedding day. He is kind and compassionate like Elena, which motivates him to be good. He is an honourable man, especially when he sacrifices himself so his friends may be free of the villains targeting them. I loved that the show was essentially his story as it recounted his journals back to 1864 when he and Damon were killed and turned into vampires by Miss Pierce herself.
4. Elena Gilbert/Salvatore
As the star character of the show, it is hard to not root for Elena. She gets a bad rep from some viewers because she is one of the most emotional characters, who is fueled by her compassion. This is so evident that even Damon and Stefan argue over what is best for her quite regularly when she becomes a vampire. Even though Elena finds herself at the center of the vampire drama all the time, her support system is pretty strong and she has friends who will back her up. She knows her friends will take care of her when she needs them just as she will for them. She is a strong and compassionate character who balances the storylines in the show and connects all the characters. Without her, most of the characters would have never met, and when she is gone from the show, the plot takes an interesting turn. Surprise! I love Damon and Elena. I have always been rooting for them!
3. Bonnie Bennett
Do I need to say anything other than the fact that she is a powerful goddess?! Bonnie finds herself constantly learning about her family’s history and everything that comes along with magic. After losing her Grams, Bonnie is especially against all things that involve vampires, but she will always sacrifice herself to help out her friends. She goes on to become one of the world’s most powerful witches and finds love with Enzo St. John. They did deserve better, especially after all Bonnie did.
2. Caroline Forbes
I find that Caroline is super underrated, and despite all she goes through, she is always there to lend a helping hand to her friends. She is the season one it-girl, who is portrayed as controlling and insecure when it comes to her social life and the tribulations of high school. Her it-girl status remains and gets better after becoming a vampire. Caroline becomes the best version of herself: a confident, strong-willed and independent woman. I wish that Klaus and Caroline’s storyline was able to progress in TVD, but fans were not left hanging as she returned to The Originals for an appearance. This fierce character knows who she is, and she is not afraid to show it, which is why she is one of my favourites!
1. Damon Salvatore
You may have guessed it, but in first place, we have our favourite Salvatore brother, Damon. He is my all-time favourite TVD character! Damon is the older of the two Salvatore brothers, and at first, he is portrayed as the “bad-boy.” Throughout the show he lives up to this status, but I believe that of the two Salvatore brothers, he is truly the good one at heart. Damon does what needs to be done. He is unapologetically himself, and he is not afraid to revel in who he is and what he is. Not to mention Damon had one of the best character arcs of the show and is a charming character who is there to help when his friends need him.
A few other honorable mentions go to…..
Jenna Somers
As the aunt of Elena and Jeremy Gilbert, she steps up after the two teenagers lose their parents in a car accident. She’s figuring things out as she goes, just like the rest of us!
Grams/Sheila Bennett
If you don’t love Grams, I don’t know why or how. Bonnie Bennett’s grandmother played a major role in Bonnie’s character development and acted as a mentor for Bonnie even after her death. All along she knew that Bonnie had the potential to become the powerful witch that she did.
Alaric Saltzman
Although I don’t love Alaric, he is a good and solid character. He steps up to help Jeremy and Elena after Jenna dies, which is very honourable. We also can’t forget how awesome his friendship with Damon is.
Matt Donovan
Poor Matt also gets a bad rep from fans, and although he is not my favourite, he has his moments. He is a great friend to those around him. You’ve got to give it to him that at the end of the show, he is the only character who remained a human and managed to survive through everything.
Tyler Lockwood
I can’t say I am a fan of Tyler, especially for leaving my girl Caroline constantly heartbroken and acting like the typical egotistical jock for the majority of the show. He was, however, a powerful character for being the first Hybrid and for breaking his sire bond to Klaus.
Niklaus Mikaelson – From The Originals
I am a huge Klaus fan; I think he is one of the best characters in the TVD universe. I didn’t include him in my list, as I plan to rank my favourite The Originals characters. He is portrayed as the ultimate bad guy in TVD, but after watching The Originals, this is just the surface of his personality; deep down, he is only protecting himself and his family.
Lexi Branson
Although Lexi is a minor character, she one of my favourites of the series, which is why I couldn’t leave her out. She is a loyal and strong woman who also happens to be Stefan’s best friend. She deserved a bigger storyline, to say the least.
Rose-Marie
Also a minor character with a big heart who happens to be a favourite of mine is Rose. After some minor hiccups, she sides with the Salvatores to protect Elena and becomes their friend. Sadly, she dies of a werewolf bite in season two. Even in the afterlife, she helps her friends, all while expressing her compassion for them. She also sees how Damon and Elena are good for one another, so I can’t help but love a fellow Delena shipper!
To conclude, that is the complete list of my favourite The Vampire Diaries characters! I love this show so much and I have re-watched it several times. Every time I fall more in love with the characters and can notice how much they have progressed through the seasons, which is truly entertaining. Maybe you agree with me on my top ten or maybe you don’t, but I think we can all agree that this was one of the best shows on The CW Network.
Also, make sure to check out Sabrina’s article where she ranks the best Gilmore Girls characters!
Sources:
Vampire Diaries – Best Characters Ranked