The Vampire Diaries started out as a show about a love triangle between two vampires and a teenage girl. However, as the show went on, other characters have stolen the spotlight after leading actress Nina Dobrev eventually left the show. Over the course of its 8 seasons, the fans have watched characters away, get revived, turned into vampires, and sometimes even werewolves... or both.
Of course, some characters changed to the point that they were a totally different person by the end of the series. On a show like The Vampire Diaries, fans are always arguing about who's the best, especially since each character is skilled in different areas of expertise. So, it's time to figure out once and for all which characters are truly superior.
Matt Donovan
Even though fans loved Matt Donovan, it's hard to deny that his character never evolved over the course of the show. In all honestly, he was probably the most loyal friend in the whole group, and he always stayed true to his personal values.
Unfortunately, in comparison to everyone else, his story never developed and he hardly did anything significant. His most interesting arc was his almost-relationship with Rebekah Mikaelson but even that slowly dissolved into absolutely nothing in the end.
Elena Gilbert
Despite being the main character for most of the show, it's undeniable that truly did nothing of value. If anything, every problem that occurred was always because of her. Instead of being the one to fix things, she ended up being the damsel in distress season after season.
Her friends and the Salvatore brothers came to her rescue so many times that it seemed as if she could never defend herself. Even after she became a vampire, she was still never able to fend for herself.
Stefan Salvatore
Fans have always been torn between Stefan and Damon Salvatore, but when it comes to their character arcs, it's evident that Stefan developed the least between the two.
In addition, the viewers have seen Stefan fall out of touch with his good side way too many times that his character felt very inconsistent. Seeing him become the ripper became very tiring after the first time.
Tyler Lockwood
Tyler may have started out as one of the biggest jerks, but his character certainly became more intriguing once he became a werewolf. Not only that but it was interesting to watch his relationship with Caroline develop.
Although Caroline and Klaus were the more popular couple, Tyler was a strong opponent for Klaus in the love triangle. Sadly, his character was mostly used to stir up drama on the show, and he was of little importance, both as an antagonist and a romantic interest.
Jeremy Gilbert
If there is one character that was never allowed to love on The Vampire Diaries, that character is certainly Jeremy Gilbert. Out of everyone on the show, Jeremy lost the most. His parents, his aunt, and nearly every girl he fell in love with as well.
He's one of those characters that fans either hated or loved. He went from being the reckless teen with a problematic friend group to a strong vampire hunter. It's too bad he was written off before he could develop even more.
Alaric Saltzman
When Alaric was first introduced to the viewers, he was a dangerous vampire hunter that would do anything for revenge on the vampire who took the life of his wife. As time went on, fans got to see him realize that vampires aren't as bad he thought, and he developed a memorable friendship with his former enemy, Damon Salvatore.
Towards the end of the series, he did have an awkward and short-lived relationship with Caroline, who formerly went to the high school where he taught at. However, his story is far from over since he also features on the spin-off, Legacies.
Damon Salvatore
Damon Salvatore may have his faults, but he is consistently a careless character that values humor more than life at times. Even though he's first introduced as an antagonist, as the show goes on, he slowly becomes a hero and viewers discover that he also has a soft side.
Damon doesn't care about many people, but when he loves someone, he would do anything for them. He was the most closed-off character, and it was nice to see him open up and form some strong relationships along the way.
Klaus Mikaelson
Even though Klaus Mikaelson's time on The Vampire Diaries was cut short, he left such a lasting impression on viewers of the show that they even made a whole spinoff about him titled The Originals.
There's no doubt that Klaus was the best villain the show has had out of its entire 8 seasons. During his time on TVD, he was the biggest threat but also had a romantic side that fans loved. Klaus was truly one of its most complex characters.
Caroline Forbes
Fans may have never suspected Caroline Forbes to become one of the strongest characters on the show. In the first season, she was a gullible, whiny, teen girl who was constantly jealous of Elena.
After she turned into a vampire, she completely changed for the better. Caroline became one of the most confident characters on the show and she never let anyone push her around anymore. She went from being one of the worst characters to one of the best.
Bonnie Bennett
Out of everyone on the show, no one handled a situation better than Bonnie Bennett. Elena always went to Bonnie for help with every situation, and Bonnie would sacrifice everything to save her friends.
Even though Bonnie was against vampires, she still saved the lives of the Salvatores and everyone else on the show multiple times, and then eventually viewed them as allies. She also evolved into one of the most powerful witches that no one dared to mess with.