Summary

• Steroline in The Vampire Diaries was seen as forced due to Elena's exit, leading to a lack of chemistry and depth in their relationship.
• Some fans believe Klaus leaving for The Originals hindered a potential more interesting romantic partnership with Caroline.
• Stefan and Caroline's slow-burn romance lacked the epic chemistry and ion that the show typically emphasizes in relationships.

The pairing of Stefan and Caroline in The Vampire Diaries cast and characters, myself included. Despite initial doubts, the cast seemed ive of the pairing at the time. However, Paul Wesley, who plays Stefan Salvatore, has recently revealed a different perspective. In comments made at a convention, he expressed his true feelings about the evolution of their relationship in the later seasons, acknowledging the logistical pressures that contributed to its development.

Wesley’s sigh at the beginning of his statement says it all to me – the pairing was unnecessary and seems like pairing off for pairing’s sake. While Steroline's romance is undeniably heartwarming, its trajectory has been debated among viewers and doesn't rival Damon and Elena as The Vampire Diaries' best relationship. Many argue that how their relationship unfolds does not fully capture the essence of either character. As a result, Steroline's romance is rushed and lacks the depth and complexity that both characters deserve.

The Vampire Diaries' Steroline Only Happened Because Of Nina Dobrev's Exit

Perhaps one of the strangest reasons for writing an actor out was putting a sleeping curse on Elena for two seasons. In the season 6 finale, Kai magically connected Elena's life to Bonnie's, forcing Elena into a deep sleep until Bonnie's death. Elena spent this time in the Salvatore tomb, then moved to a Brooklyn warehouse in season 7, and finally returned to Mystic Falls. At a recent convention in , Paul Wesley revealed when asked for his opinion on the Stefan / Caroline pairing that Elena’s exit was the reason for forcing Stefan and Caroline together:

“Oh… You want me to be honest? I thought it was a little forced. Because — I know, I’m sorry. Because Elena and Stefan broke up, or she died, I don’t know what the hell happened [...] he wanted to find a love interest. It was okay, but I really liked them as friends, you know? [...] It’s okay, but I think I prefer the original storylines from seasons 1 and 2.”

via FMFFM3 in Paris

Elena’s exit caused a lot of problems and stemmed from Nina Dobrev only ever agreeing to six seasons. I think the show would have been better quality if it only had 6 seasons. Having started the show at such a young age, it’s natural that Dobrev, who recently gave a health update after a major accident, would want to explore other projects after her contractual obligation was over – the core of a love/hate relationship with the show is that it revolves around Elena, so it would have been neater for the storyline to wrap up at the season 6 mark, too, whether all the characters were partnered or not.

Klaus Leaving The Vampire Diaries Also Contributed To Steroline

While Klaroline was a fan favorite, Klaus' departure for The Originals ultimately hindered their development. Their dynamic, characterized by Klaus' appreciation for Caroline and their shared experiences, suggested a more interesting romantic partnership. Instead, Caroline is paired with Stefan in the end, and to me it translates as him being the only viable partner left for her, rather than a relationship that always made sense. A couple of years back, Candice King defended the decision not to bring Caroline and Klaus together long-term:

“I never understood Caroline and Klaus [...] I loved the ion of the fandom for those characters, I loved working with Joseph Morgan, what a delight he is [...] but I never understood their dynamic [...] I liked that they didn’t end up together.”

via Reddit

While I can see King’s point, I think their offbeat dynamic is where the magic lies. ittedly, this pairing stemmed from fan reactions to the characters based on a non-romantic interaction and the showrunners grew it from there – however, in their case, it works really well. One of the best quotes from Klaus to Caroline in The Vampire Diaries is, “You’re beautiful, you’re strong, you’re full of light. I enjoy you.” In contrast, Klaus is a hybrid outsider, is weakened by rage, and alienates people with his vengeful darkness. Caroline brings out his better traits like Elena does for Damon.

Why Stefan & Caroline Was Such A Bad Pairing In The Vampire Diaries

Stefan and Caroline's slow-burn romance provided a refreshing contrast to the show's typical enemies-to-lovers trope, emphasizing the significance of trust in a healthy relationship. Despite facing numerous hurdles, The Vampire Diaries Stefan doesn't love Caroline, and they have a great platonic dynamic. Their romantic pairing has them look at their friendship in a different way after many years. This unexpected development followed a period of will-they-or-won't-they tension, which was likely used to gauge fan reactions and potentially influence future storylines.

A common criticism of Steroline is their perceived lack of chemistry.

Stefan consistently expresses his lack of romantic interest in Caroline, suggesting Stefan and Caroline aren't soulmates in The Vampire Diaries. His behavior reinforces this, and he openly its to Damon that he doesn't see her in that way. Considering Caroline's resemblance to his late best friend, Lexi, Stefan's feelings are unsurprising. A common criticism of Steroline is their perceived lack of chemistry. Their interactions often seem flat and uninspiring, and even Stefan's proposal feels underwhelming, asking her, “Do I really need to say it?” – surely a deflating proposal for a character as flamboyant as Caroline. Their pairing is sweet, but not “epic” as The Vampire Diaries otherwise prioritizes.