With the season 4 finale of The Vampire Diaries universe) some fans have opted to rewatch the first series again in celebration so they can relieve relive the nostalgia and magic of Stefan, Damon and Elena's love triangle. As viewers watch their beloved series again, they start noticing things that writers could have done differently for their favorite characters on the supernatural drama.
They have descended to Reddit to express what they would change about The Vampire Diaries if they got a chance. Based on some of the discussions on the threads, it seems like there are quite a few things they would have changed in the long run (including reversing a few deaths, some major romantic decisions, and better treatment of certain characters who bore the worst of the plot at almost every junction).
Give Bonnie Fair Treatment
TVD fans would agree that Bonnie got the bad end of the stick on the show, and writers had the most unfortunate things happen to her regularly. One of these things was when her boyfriend, Enzo, was brutally murdered in a scene that no one saw coming.
As Myst1c3s put it simply, "I would’ve given Bonnie a happier ending," and this is one of the most popular desires of the fanbase. After losing her family, her own life, becoming an Anchor to The Other Side, and sacrificing much for her friends, Bonnie deserved to be happy. This would have been one way.
Let Lexi Live And Be Stefan's Love Interest
Stefan and Caroline may have ended up together, but not everyone believes in their love. In fact, fans lament that Lexi was killed off so soon after being introduced when she could have easily been a main or recurring character (and potentially a much better match for Stefan later on).
GeorgesKoizumi said "I would keep Lexi around a bit longer! Then maybe have her leave and she and Stefan being end game not him and Caroline." This would have certainly been an interesting twist to the Stelena story too given that Elena had always been 'intrigued' by their bond.
Make Deaths More Permanent
When people died on The Vampire Diaries, the odds of them returning were higher than the odds of them staying dead. To some fans, this just made the stakes much lower and the show less intriguing for them. The trauma that came with each death was also unbalanced, with characters like Bonnie and Alaric bearing the brunt of permanent death.
Colors32 "felt like the deaths in this show was kinda cheapened a bit with all the people dying and coming back to life." It would have been more riveting and increased the risk factor if they just kept them permanent since fans would have appreciated the scenes and friendships even more.
Kill Off Matt
Of every powerful character in TVD, the one man who stood the test of time was human Matt Donovan, and that made very little sense. He was most vulnerable, possessed no magic or supernatural ability, but somehow always survived which was unrealistic.
A deleted Reddit said off the bat "I would kill Matt." A weak human jock surviving against all odds, while he was surrounded by monstrous vampires, witches, werewolves, hybrids, and heretics was unlikely and he should have gone a long time back.
Depict Damon And Elena's Human Lives
Delena shippers rejoiced when Damon and Elena, completely cured and human, ended up together and also supposedly lived long and fruitful lives till they got old. Sadly, they never got to see this life and fans looked forward to a more joyous reunion between the two.
RachelGreen53 wanted more human Delena, "Like a look back at their lives before they got old." This also meant including Delena's beautiful wedding, finding out they were pregnant with Stefanie, and also getting a peek into their daily lives (and discovering what Damon did for a living).
Give The Vampires Their Powers From The Books
It's well known that the show was wildly different from the books it was based on, and fans of both wanted the vampires to be more like their book selves. Damon, Stefan and Katherine could turn into crows, black dogs, kittens, hawks, and owls, read people's auras - all of which would have made the show even more interesting.
Even Hydarra agreed, stating how "Vamps have more mind reading, weather control, and shape shifting powers." The fights would be vicious and calculated, and the outcomes of things a lot more high stakes.
Focus On Friendships Over Relationships
According to Colors32, "A lot of the character development/ relationships started going down the drain or going backwards," because the show focused solely on developing romantic relationships, instead of valuing and protecting the individual characters and their friendships as well.
Friendships got a back seat, like Damon and Alaric's bond, which turned unnecessarily sour, or Stefan and Bonnie's companionship, which was destroyed by killing Enzo off. Tyler's death elicited barely a reaction from his friends, which was also sad to watch.
Remove Damon's And Caroline's Relationship
The earlier seasons of The Vampire Diaries featured a very different Damon — he was cruel, uncaring, and crass that he compelled and abused Caroline while she was human. This doesn't sit well with viewers who want some ability for his actions.
For itsmasternats, she would "Delete the whole disgusting bit that happened with Caroline and Damon in the beginning, or see him punished for it/take ability if it does happen." This part was glossed over and Damon was made into a good guy with nary a consequence.
Let Elena Stay A Vampire
For some reason, it was imperative for Elena to stay human, but Redditors feel that she could have stayed a vamp and learnt how to be a better supernatural being. She was good at being one anyway and staying in her state meant that she could be with her partner forever while doing a lot of good things.
A deleted Redditor wished that "Once Elena turned into a vampire, she would stay a vampire," because her personality and struggles with it were a lot more colorful than her human life.
Make Stelena Endgame
This is a popular demand from almost half the fanbase, but it is a valid one. Damon had hurt her best friend, forcefully turned Bonnie's mother, snapped her brother's neck, done the same with her guardian, and done all this willingly. Stefan had also done bad things, but almost always as a Ripper (which he was compelled to do).
Illustrious-Form-135 theorized who Elena would actually choose, saying "Elena would have never chosen to be with Damon even if she was a vampire because she still cared about people." This rings true, and a human or vampire Elena would go for Stefan because he was a good person, unlike Damon.