When it comes to vampiric pop culture, The Vampire Diaries main man Damon Salvatore are as different as they come. They not only have the exact opposite approach to vampire living, but are also totally different people. Though Damon is the older than Edward, he’s a bit of an anarchist, a wild card, a bad boy but with the right priorities and of course, kind of a playboy. But Edward is the boyfriend who any girl would love to bring home to meet her parents… if he was human. He’s kind, thoughtful, family-oriented, and really selfless.
So, who’s a better vampire boyfriend? Granted Edward is totally dreamy and idealistic, but he has made some stupid mistakes. Damon, despite his flaws, has always been by Elena’s side, and often without any strings attached. Here’s a helpful tally which could determine who was a better vampire boyfriend to their respective lady loves.
Edward Is Better: Made The Biggest Sacrifices To Protect Bella
Edward’s sacrifices were of superhuman scale considering the toll it took on his own physical and mental state - he wanted to put an end to his own life by sacrificing himself to the Volturi when he thought Bella was dead.
This was quite Shakespearean and it established pretty early on in the series that in spite of being alive for decades, Edward does not see a future without Bella in it, and the intensity of his love for her was immense. Not to mention, he removed himself from Bella’s life in New Moon just so Bella could lead a normal human life, even though it caused him unbearable pain.
Damon Is Better: He Would Never Leave Elena
The biggest difference between Damon and Edward is that Damon was very much in sync with his human instincts, which is quite interesting because Damon is decades older than Edward. Damon’s first instinct to safeguard himself and the love of his life won’t be to leave her. He’s a survivalist, he’s sneaky, he’s conniving and he’s very much a predator in the real sense, which means he knows how to protect himself and his loved ones when the going gets tough without inane, lofty sacrifices.
So, Damon would never leave Elena for all eternity just so she could have a safe life, he would rather figure out some way so they could be together, which he has done multiple times.
Edward Is Better: Understands And Appreciates The Concept Of Family
For vampires, the concept of a family (or a coven) is quite sacred. They are dedicated to their families because it’s a way of surviving for them. Much like wolves, co-existing in packs is what helps vampires hide effortlessly amid the mainstream population, because they always have each other’s backs.
So, for Edward the notion of family is something he venerated, which made him somewhat traditional and gave him a purpose as Bella’s partner, especially post-New Moon when he asked Bella to marry him and thus invited her to officially be a part of the Cullen coven.
Damon: Wears His Heart On His Sleeve… Not In A Corny Way
There’s something to be said about Damon’s live out loud strategy, because from Day 1 he has made no effort to hide the fact that he was a vampire. Even when Elena was dating his brother and Damon was relentlessly pursuing her, he was very upfront about what he’s looking for.
Damon never wanted Elena to hide who she was, as a human or a vampire. He wanted her to embrace her true self, much like he did with his own life, and it only made her braver and gave her strength.
Edward: A Functional Leader
Men like Edward don’t always make for the best boyfriends because they usually have control issues. Edward was actually a very effective leader of his family, which also made him a better partner.
Edward's job is not just to build a strong family unit or show everyone the way, but to pull people up when they fall down. Edward, in spite of being in total control of his own self, was always acutely aware of Bella’s physical and mental distresses, but he learned how to avoid dictating what she could do or who she chooses to be with.
Damon: Can Prioritize Right
Damon is a total multi-tasker. To be fair, anyone would have to multitask in original vampire family and a hybrid at bay is no simple feat. And to think, for the first few seasons Elena would diss Damon at every chance she got, but Damon could balance his priorities like a boss.
Fans have pointed out that his wish to be with Elena one day was a major motivation behind his actions, and even if it was, he never abruptly left his friends or disappeared from an ungrateful town just because he was in a bad mood, which knowing him, was a total possibility.
Edward: Cares About Bella’s Family Too
Compared to Damon, Edward was quite dreamy when it came to handling his girlfriend’s parents. Damon is responsible for turning Elena’s mum into a vampire, and he also slept with her. This was before he had met Elena, but Damon being Damon, he could have easily snapped the neck of Elena’s family if her perceived them as threats.
But coming back to Edward, since he valued his own family so highly, he's naturally also vigilant about Bella’s dynamic with her dad and wanted him to approve of their relationship. This, again, has to do with Edward being an old school partner, because Charlie’s opinion was of no real consequence to him, especially since Bella had already made up her mind about being a vampire. But Edward never perceived Bella’s human family as a burden or a problem.
Damon: Can Take Major Risks
His audaciousness makes Damon such a valued brother and an equally competent partner. Unlike Edward who was an over-thinker and often took too much time debating something that has an obvious answer, Damon was always ready to face a challenge, be it from a rival vampire, a figure from his past, or even from humans.
But Damon’s devil-may-care attitude made him a pillar of for Elena, even when she was with Stefan, because Damon was the one who was bold enough to envision a vampire future for her. Plus, after her transition into a vampire, Damon was the one who helped Elena with coping with the change and stood by her at every step.
Edward: Knew When To Be Humble To Protect Bella
Unlike Damon who’s literally scared of no one, Edward knew when to bow down to Volturi to save Bella from the path of danger. When the Volturi finds out about Bella, they obviously ask the Cullens to turn her into a vampire, and Edward reluctantly agrees because he knew that he was the one who had put Bella in this mess.
But there were a few other times when Edward was not above humbly asking for help from neighboring covens and even from werewolves just so Bella could be protected. Peacekeeping is something he could effortlessly manage, unlike Damon.
Damon: A Tremendous Ally
Edward may be a terrific partner, but Damon will always be the ideal ally, romantic or otherwise. Damon has stood beside Elena as she underwent the most painful transformation into her life, and he helped her transition into drinking human blood to animal blood.
And even before Elena was a vampire or was romantically involved with Damon, he was Elena’s guardian angel and her confidante. Elena could tell Damon pretty much anything, even when she couldn’t talk to Stefan, because Stefan like Edward is too much of an idealist. But Damon was in touch with his human instincts, which made him a better friend and a boyfriend.