Streaming The Vampire Diaries is now easier as it's moved from Netflix to Peacock and HBO Max, and fans can't wait to dig into the legendary teen drama again. Both the Salvatore brothers were huge fan favorites, but fans loved Stefan for his generosity and open heart.
The younger Salvatore had a dark side, but when he was himself, he tried his best to do the right thing for his family and friends. This led to Stefan making some great decisions throughout his life as a vampire, propelled by his innate humanity and comion.
Gave Lily A Heartfelt Goodbye
In a shocking turn of events, Lily Salvatore returned to Stefan's life, but she was far from a good mother. She had constantly plotted against him and Damon, but when she staked herself in an attempt to kill Julian, Stefan was the only brother who had anything nice to say.
Damon chose foul words to say goodbye to Lily, but Stefan's conscience wouldn't allow him to do so. So, he gave peace and love to a woman who barely acted like a mother to him.
Showed Kindness To Katherine
Many characters wanted Katherine's downfall, but she was not easy to vanquish. When it seemed like she lay on her death bad after taking the cure, nobody really wanted anything to do with her except for Nadia, Elena, and Stefan.
Instead of tormenting Katherine like she had to all of them, Stefan again offered her respite — he went deep into her mind and showed her a perfect scenario where she met and spent life with her baby. It was a small gesture, but it showed Stefan's ability to forgive.
Became Friends With Lexi
The change in Stefan's character through the show was a big one, and Lexi's friendship was a turning point for him in his vampiric life. Had he not met Lexi, he would have stayed a Ripper since he would not have learned to control his impulses.
Besides finding a companion, Stefan also found redemption because of Lexi. He could reclaim his good parts and bring joy into the world because of Lexi's help and friendship.
Resisted Klaus' Compulsion
A ruthless villain, Klaus had no qualms in making Stefan and Elena attack each other. Since Elena was a human back then, Klaus chose to terrorize them by compelling Stefan to drain Elena of blood.
Stefan's resistance to the compulsion was a testament to how strong his love was for Elena because compulsion was impossible to resist. He saved Elena that day by showing an enormous amount of conviction.
Respected Elena's Choices
In The Vampire Diaries, Stefan and Elena were relationship goals because of how healthy and loving their bond was. Despite having the means to make Elena doing things his way, Stefan always respected her choices, whether that was the desire to stay human or to save Matt first.
He recognized that Elena had agency, and that she could take her own decisions, which was something that his brother hardly understood.
Saved Damon Multiple Times
The fraught brotherly bond between Damon and Stefan always had a foundation in love, which was why they always had each other's backs. Stefan risked his own life multiple times to save Damon, including becoming a Ripper for Klaus, so he wouldn't kill his brother.
Stefan literally ran into burning buildings to protect Damon, which showed that they could count on each other. Stefan also could stay in control because Damon was around.
Accepted Damon And Elena's Love
Stefan and Elena shared an epic love, but he always had Elena's best interests at heart. He accepted, with some difficulty, that she had fallen for Damon, and he helped and encouraged the couple whenever he could.
Stefan knew that there was no point in holding grudges forever, so he did the wise thing by keeping both his brother and Elena close to him because they were his family.
Let New Love Into His Life
After losing Elena, Stefan could have chosen to be bitter and never love again, but he moved on, which was for his own good. He let himself fall in love with Caroline, with whom he started afresh.
Stefan was hesitant at first, but it didn't take him much to realize that he could have a great new life with Caroline, and he decided to do just that.
Rescued Elena From The Car Crash
None of The Vampire Diaries would have happened if it hadn't been for Stefan's brave rescue efforts. When Elena and her family crashed off of Wickery Bridge, Stefan was able to pull Elena out and save her life.
This was the beginning of their love story, and the whole show. Besides this, Stefan saving people's lives was always a good deed, as he ws always trying to atone for his Ripper sins.
Gave His Life For Mystic Falls
Sacrifice came easily to Stefan, and his final one was to save Mystic Falls. It felt like his final redemption, as he let Damon live out a human life with Elena when he perished by Hellfire along with Katherine.
He saved countless lives, got rid of Katherine, and let his friends live out their days in peace. Stefan did what he was born for, which was to save people and show kindness.
