In The Vampire Diaries.

As early as season 1, which is ranked among the best seasons of The Vampire Diaries, there are hints that there is a good person within, just with a different moral com compared to other characters. He compels Jeremy to forget how Vicki died, which can be seen as either manipulative and wrong or an act of kindness. However, other actions in the season are outright villainous and complicate his redemption arc. I think it’s easy to forget that season 1 Damon is almost unrecognizable from the antihero viewers come to know throughout the following seven seasons.

Damon's Actions In The Vampire Diaries Season 1 Make Me Question His Redemption Story

His Introduction As A Villain Is Jarringly Different To The Rest Of The Series

Damon’s actions in season 1 are hardly those of a hero. Firstly, he victimized two girls when he arrived in Mystic Falls. Vicki Donovan was taken too soon from The Vampire Diaries cast because Damon turned her out of boredom, just to see what would happen. He then set his sights on his next victim, Caroline. He compelled and controlled Caroline in a very abusive dynamic and many viewers see this as unforgivable. He also attacks and kills Mr Tanner when Stefan has the nerve to suggest he has some humanity left in episode 3, saying his manically villainous line, “Anyone, any time, any place.”

Damon’s morality conflict is revisited later in the series. In season 3, in a great The Vampire Diaries, Elena asks him why he does not let people see the good. He explains, “When people see good, they expect good.” It’s important to note Damon has a different moral code. He often makes amoral decisions for his priority: protecting Elena. While season 1 complicates a redemption arc, the showrunners were still trying things out at that stage – in The Vampire Diaries, many character decisions are made as the series unfolds.

I Think We Forgave Damon Salvatore Way Too Quickly

Acknowledging His Early Depiction Gives A Fuller Picture For His Redemption

It is easy to forget Damon’s behavior in season 1 compared to his character even in season 2 – while his redemption arc is gradual throughout the rest of the show, the change from season 1 to 2 is jarring. He was originally introduced as a villain – and a brilliant one at that. He even manipulated fog and a crow to portray himself as a traditional vampire to scare Elena, which is in keeping with his sense of humor. His character seems to go dramatically from this to being starry-eyed over Elena not wanting him dead.

Damon is by no means the only character whose actions get overlooked. Joseph Morgan remarked at a recent convention in that many viewers overlook Klaus killing Tyler's mother in the fountain at Christmas for his romantic qualities. (via YouTube)

The things he did in season 1 make me appreciate his character development more. Season 1 highlights Damon doing morally reprehensible things just to act out. Stefan is also hardly a saint in season 1, bingeing on Damon’s IV bags when he loses control of his bloodlust, setting the tone for his fatal flaw in the series. Damon’s morality evolves throughout – he shifts to wanting to be good, but this is seemingly tied to Elena and Damon's relationship in The Vampire Diaries. He becomes truly better through his redemptive brotherly bond with Stefan, and his friendships with Alaric and Bonnie.

Why It's So Easy To Overlook Damon's Behavior Throughout The Vampire Diaries

Damon Being So Different To Stefan Makes Him A Joy To Watch

If Stefan’s goodness is all or nothing, Damon has a more complex morality. It’s easier to overlook his behavior because of the character’s wit and charm and Ian Somerhalder’s natural charisma. However, I also think that overlooking means not appreciating the full picture. I think forgiving him too quickly is a mistake for both characters and viewers. That being said, Damon's whole point is that he is not the same as Stefan. This is picked up during his relationship with Elena when he calls her out for wanting to turn her into another Stefan, which he will never be.

Another reason it’s easy to overlook Damon's early villainy is how much is driven by his obsession with Katherine. He openly resents her actions and much of his self-worth is tied to her. Caroline, Vicki, Lexi, and other victims should not have suffered for this – indeed, Caroline finds it hard to accept Delena because of how he treated her. On the other hand, it seems to be in service of the plot – Elena was originally supposed to be endgame with Stefan, making Delena one of many differences between The Vampire Diaries show and books. His villainy in early episodes of The Vampire Diaries offsets Stefan’s goodness.

Source: YouTube