The Vampire Diaries ended in 2017, giving most of the main characters a happy ending, if not the ending they deserved. But the story of the Salvatore brothers destined to love the same woman not just once, but twice, remains a fan favorite. We can't get enough of the doomed love triangles, tragic deaths, witchy loopholes, good guys doing bad things and bad guys doing good things.
One of the most memorable things about the series is the dialogue. Whether it's Damon's endless array of inappropriate snarky comments, the heartfelt declarations of love and undying devotion or the tear-jerking goodbyes. Here are 10 quotes from The Vampire Diaries that will stick with us forever.
Updated by Madison Lennon on March 21, 2020: It seems like regardless of how many years go by without The Vampire Diaries on the air, the series persists in popularity. A big part of that reason is how relatable and heartbreaking so many moments on the series are.
There is some fantastic humor and some surprisingly profound moments throughout. It will break your heart and make you smile and do everything else that great television shows are supposed to. We decided to update this list about quotes from the show that stick with you no matter what.
"And Honestly When I'm With Her, I Completely Forget What I Am."
Both Salvatore brothers certainly had a way with words, it really is no wonder that they had so many different people pining for them over the years. Stefan and Elena were both drawn to each other at the beginning due to their poetic souls.
Stefan said the above quote while talking about Elena to Lexi and at that moment, Lexi realized that Stefan was 100% in love with Elena. For Stefan to it how safe and normal Elena made him feel was a huge deal, especially considering how much guilt Stefan constantly carried with him.
I'm Not Sorry That I Met You...
Delena fans probably know exactly what quote we were referring to when from the above statement, no matter how brief. Elena's full quote is, "I'm not sorry that I met you. I'm not sorry that knowing you has made me question everything. That in death, you're the one that made me feel most alive." It is the speech she recites to Damon when they finally decide to be together after realizing that Elena truly does love Damon and that their relationship wasn't the result of the sire bond.
It is a quote that gets used in countless fanfiction stories and edits made by the ionate fandom, particularly the last line. One of the reasons people were so drawn to Delena is because Damon fully accepted Elena as a vampire or a human, he accepted her both ways while Stefan didn't want Elena to be a vampire.
"Because When People See Good They Expect Good."
During one of Damon and Elena's many heart-to-hearts. Elena asked the Salvatore why he never let people see his "good" side. In later seasons, Damon is essentially a hero but in the early days, he rarely let anyone figure out that he had a good heart, underneath layers and layers of snark.
Damon's rebuttal to Elena was kind of heartbreaking in its own right. He revealed that he didn't like showing that side of him because it led people to have expectations of him that he wasn't sure he could always meet.
"I'll Be The Safest Psychotic B***h In Town."
Katherine Pierce is one of the best characters on The Vampire Diaries and easily one of the main fan favorites of the series. She has had numerous quips and hilarious one-liners throughout the series, one could make a list comprised of all of her most iconic quotes without a struggle. One of her best lines was in season two after Elena and the Salvatores managed to lock Katherine away inside the tomb.
After they find out Klaus is coming to town, they turn to Katherine for help and she takes advantage of her situation to throw back in their faces. They put her in the safest place since Klaus can't get to her in the tomb, and at the end of the day, all Katherine cares about is saving her own neck.
"When It's Real, You Can't Walk Away."
Lexi Branson is another fan-favorite character that died way too soon. The writers seemed to realize how big of a mistake they made killing Lexi off so fast because they brought her back as a ghost or in flashbacks multiple times throughout the series. Her and Stefan's friendship was easily one of the best relationships in the series.
She was very wise and could always tell what Stefan was really feeling at any given moment. She also offered to Elena, which is where the above quote came from. It's one of those lines that stays in your head, reminding you what true love is and how you know what you've got it.
10."It's okay. We met, and we talked, and it was epic, but ... then the sun came up and reality set in."
"Epic" becomes the go-to word to describe Elena's love for both Salvatore brothers. It's Stefan who quickly captures Elena's eye. They have more obstacles in their way to becoming a couple than either knows, particularly Elena. After spending the night together just talking on season 2's "Night of the Comet," Elena realizes both her and Stefan might not be ready for one another. "It's okay. We met, and we talked, and it was epic, but ... then the sun came up and reality set in." Lucky for Stelena fans, Elena rethinks writing off the sexy, new guy in town and willing to overlook the more mysterious aspects of his life.
9. "I was feeling epic."
Lexie keeps her eye on bestie Stefan when she's alive and when she's dead. After worrying the afterlife will be an eternity of torture, Stefan is happy to see it means hanging out with Lexie, who after finally finding peace, still knows what's going on with Stefan. Whether she sees his final heroic acts or just eavesdrops as he recounts them to Elena along with his last words for Caroline, Lexie's impressed, telling Stefan it was "beautiful." How else could Stefan respond after all that sacrifice, redemption and love? "I was feeling epic."
8. “He’s your first love. I intend to be your last, however long it takes.”
Klaus doesn't have much time for romance with all the scheming and killing and such, but there's just no escaping the chemistry he has with Caroline Forbes. It's a love-hate relationship, but when Klaus scores points when he returns to Mystic Falls to save Damon and allows Tyler to return to Mystic Falls on season 4's "Graduation."
Klaus is no chump. He's been around long enough to see Tyler and Caroline don't have staying power, and Caroline's intrigued by Klaus' affections and promises to show her things Tyler never will. "He’s your first love. I intend to be your last, however long it takes.” Too bad this ship never really sets sail.
7. “I just have to say it once. You just need to hear it. I love you, Elena."
By season 2's "Rose," it's the worst kept secret that Damon is in love with his brother's girl. Stefan wants to address the doppelganger in the room, but Damon doesn't feel as chatty about the subject until he has Elena all to himself and vervain free. "I just have to say it once. You just need to hear it. I love you, Elena. And it’s because I love you that ... I can’t be selfish with you… why you can't know this. I don’t deserve you ... but my brother does. God, I wish you don’t have to forget this. But, you do.”
Damon confesses his feelings, but still fresh in Damon's mind is Stefan's apology for forcing him to turn into a vampire. So Damon, who truly believes he isn't deserving of not just Elena's love but anyone's, resigns himself to telling her and wiping the memory away.
6. "Hello, Brother."
On The Vampire Diaries, two simple words, "Hello, Brother" are loaded with subtext. It's how Damon greets Stefan after they've been estranged for decades, and his tone clearly conveys he's not thrilled to reunite. The sentiment carries over when Stefan sees Damon for the first time during season 3 after selling his soul to Klaus to save Damon's life. As an homage to the brothers' complex relationship over the years, "Hello, Brother" the title of the first episode of the last season. Most importantly, it's the final words spoken on the series finale: when the mortal siblings find peace and each other in the afterlife.