There are many types of dark and destructive vampires in the teen drama The Vampire Diaries, and the Augustine vampires are a particularly compelling breed. While the series is about Elena Gilbert's (Nina Dobrev) love story with brothers Damon (Ian Salvatore) and Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley), the show has memorable lore that delves into the different types of vampires. There are Originals (the first vampires), Hybrids (a werewolf and original vampire), Enhanced Original Vampires (who cannot be killed), and Upgraded Original Vampires. There are also witches, Heretics (witches who use others' powers), and Tribids (who can use vampires, witches, and werewolves' powers).
Augustine vampires are first introduced in season 5, and they are different from other vampires in TVD because they have been formed in order to feed on the blood of other vamps instead of looking for human blood. Wes Maxfield (Rick Cosnett) forms these types of vampires, as he realizes that he can give vampires the Ripper virus, turn them into Augustines, and force them to drink each other's blood and eventually lead to the destruction of all vampires. They are also part of a hidden club at Whitmore College called the Augustine Society. There are several characters who become Augustine vampires, including two fan favorites.
Damon Salvatore
In season 5, season 13, "Total Eclipse of the Heart," Damon becomes an Augustine vampire when Wes gives him the Ripper virus. Since Stefan is a Ripper, this offers up the question of whether Damon is truly the evil brother and Stefan is the more caring and comionate one. Damon teams up with Enzo St. John (Michael Malarkey) to transition humans into vampires in order to have blood to feed on, which makes Damon dangerous. In season 5, episode 16, "While You Were Sleeping," a group called the travelers gives Damon a cure, which allows him to return to his regular vampire self and stops all Augustine vampires forever.
Damon becoming an Augustine is powerful, as it suggests that even he and Stefan are not truly aware of all the types of vampires in Mystic Falls, and there is no end to the potential danger. Because Stefan and Damon are both hundreds of years old and have been vampires for a long time, they have been in control of their urges and desires. Damon is afraid of what he has become, and he shows some rare vulnerability, which is compelling.
Elena Gilbert
Elena Gilbert also becomes an Augustine vampire, which is as impactful as when she becomes a regular vampire in season 4, episode 1, "Growing Pains." Because her doppelgänger Katherine Pierce (Gilbert) takes the Ripper virus in season 5, episode 15, "Gone Girl," Elena turns as well, and even Stefan murdering Katherine doesn't change this fact. Elena is cured at the same time as Damon, which comes as a relief. While she makes the decision to become a vampire, she has no choice about becoming an Augustine, and having no agency or control is something Elena hates.
While Elena and Damon's sire bond is controversial, the fact that they are tied together in this magical way and also both become Augustine vampires proves that they will always be connected. After they are saved, the chemical that leads to the Ripper virus is nowhere to be found, allowing this storyline to be wrapped up well. It's powerful that Elena is part of this group, although briefly, because it's a reminder that she has to fight to escape Katherine's evil wishes. Elena can't change the fact that they are bonded, and this scares her.
Enzo St. John
Enzo is the first vampire the Augustine society experiments on. He is tormented, with organs taken out of his body, for several decades beginning in 1943 and ending in 2011. However, while Enzo is able to break free, Stefan kills Enzo in season 8, which is heartbreaking for his love interest Bonnie Bennett (Kat Graham). Wes is fascinated by the idea that if vampires get hurt, their bodies can fix themselves, and he thinks that this could be useful for humans. But since all vampires would be erased if he achieves his goals, the other characters know that they must stop him.
Enzo's time in captivity sheds light on Wes's horrible intentions, and he wants to do something good for the world after Damon helps him become a vampire existing in Mystic Falls like the rest of them. Enzo is there for Damon and Bonnie when they are stuck in the prison world in season 6, and while his existence is cut short, he shows Bonnie that she can be loved and cared for, allowing him to compelte an important character arc.
Jesse
Jesse (Kendrick Sampson) is one of Caroline Forbes's (Candice King) TVD love interests and she isn't aware of his sinister nature at first. He works for Wes in his lab and is the first vampire who becomes dangerous and prone to eating other vampires. Elena murders Jesse when he goes on a date with Caroline and almost feeds on her neck. Elena wants to ensure that Jesse is nowhere near Caroline or Damon and makes a tough decision, one that emphasizes that transitioning from a human to a vampire has brought more destruction and violence to her life than she ever imagined.
Jesse's brief time on The Vampire Diaries is important as he motivates Wes to continue on his dark path, as Wes doesn't feel any guilt or remorse over what he is doing. While Elena dies more than once on TVD and death and chaos are regular parts of life in Mystic Falls, the existence of Augustine vampires like Jesse is fear-inducing. Since Wes wants to get rid of every type of vampire, Damon, Stefan, Elena, and their friends have a vested interest in stopping him, and Jesse allows them to learn more about Wes' thought process.
Joey
Joey (Christopher Marrone) is a janitor at Whitmore College who Wes transitions from human to vampire, and Damon ends up killing him in season 5 by drinking his blood so hard that he removes his head. This is a shocking scene as while Damon shows a soft side when falling in love with Elena or, sometimes, when spending time with his brother, he is a strong vampire who is more than capable of causing pain. While this is harsh, a season 5 TVD scene sees Damon telling Elena that the Augustine Society captured him and hurt him in a cell for half a decade, so Damon wants revenge.
Joey's short time on The Vampire Diaries explores how Wes's beliefs and plans have put all vampires at risk and how no other character is going to allow that to happen. There are many instances when Elena, the Salvatore brothers, and their friends work together to come up with a clever plan to save themselves or all of Mystic Falls from danger, and Joey is a threat to all vampires.