Throughout its eight seasons, The Vampire Diaries gave fans a healthy dose of drama, romance, rage, and ion. None of that came without its heartbreak. From deaths to breakups, to families falling out, the Salvatores, Elena, and friends went through the ups and downs of life with a side helping of the paranormal.
Mere mortal problems caused some of the most devastating moments while others were a result of supernatural intervention. No character was safe from a broken heart in Mystic Falls, and consequences were not minor. Here are 10 of the saddest moments in The Vampire Diaries.
Updated on August 13th, 2020 by Gabriela Silva: The Vampire Diaries was one of the best supernatural drama shows to air on the CW. It was one of the rare times that the show was better than the books. Fans fell in love with Damon, Stefan, and Elena's battle for love, as well as the drama the supernatural brought into their quiet town.
While fans laughed and rejoiced alongside their favorite characters, they also shed some tears. Some of these heart-wrenching moments were particularly sob worthy. Let's take a look at which moments made fans weep in sadness.
Jenna's Death
Jeremy and Elena have seen an abnormal degree of loss in the show. The show originally started with the death of their parents and it only progressed from there. Their aunt Jenna became their legal guardian, but she too would face an untimely death.
In season two, Klaus turns Jenna in order to complete the spell to become a hybrid. Jenna realizes she must try to save Elena and attacks Klaus. Klaus ends up killing her. Jenna becomes the last Gilbert relative to die and never return.
Damon Compels Elena To Forget His Confession
Damon and Elena's love story is complicated, to say the least. But at the beginning of the show, Elena was still in love with Stefan. A heartfelt yet sad moment occurs in season two episode eight.
Damon appears in Elena's bedroom to return her necklace. But Damon must confess something before giving it back. Damon confesses his love for Elena but knows he can't act upon his emotions because he doesn't deserve her. Fans felt pity for Damon as he finally showed his true emotions but quickly compelled Elena to forget.
Elena's Car Crash
Fans became emotional when a parallel scene occurred with Elena. The final episode of season 3 was an emotional wreck for many. Elena confesses to wishing she met Damon first before getting into a car crash with Matt.
The crash with Elena's parents occurs in a flashback parallel to the current crash. Stefan appears again but Elena forces him to save Matt instead, just like Elena's father told Stefan to save Elena. Elena takes her final breath. It doesn't help that Jeremy soon sees Alaric, but as a ghost. Fans wept upon seeing Elena in the morgue.
Elena's Farewell
When series regular Nina Dobrev decided to part ways with the show, creators Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson wrote her a farewell so heartfelt that it resonated with the cast and audience as well as the characters. Kai's attack in season six left Elena and Bonnie linked.
While Bonnie lived, Elena would forever remain in a Sleeping Beauty state. The characters gathered to say their farewells one by one, entering her mind through magic. While the immortals would have the chance to see her again when she woke, Bonnie never would again.
Bonnie's Funeral
Since becoming a powerful witch, Bonnie Bennett has died many times. Her first stint as a ghost in the afterlife though hit the audience the hardest. It was early in the series, so fans weren't sure if she'd ever come back to the land of the living.
When Jeremy finally reveals he's been talking to Bonnie's ghost and that she is not away for the summer, Elena and Caroline decide to hold a funeral for her. They gather around a chosen spot in the forest to give their eulogies as Bonnie's ghost stands watch.
Jeremy's Overdose
After losing the vampire Anna whom he fell for right after losing Vickie, the grief was too much for the little Gilbert. The deaths of his parents and friends combined with his new knowledge of the paranormal led him to take his own life after consuming a vial of Anna's blood.
His attempted suicide with drug overdose failed though, as the vampire blood he took beforehand healed his wounds too quickly to let him die with the blood in his system. The pain of his grief remained.
Elena Turns Off Her Humanity
Elena deals with a lot of pain and grief in a short period of time. Her biggest loss is when Jeremy is killed by Silas in season four. This time his death feels more permanent and shatters Elena's heart.
Elena is unable to deal with the loss of her brother. She decides to burn his body along with their childhood home. Elena breaks down as she can't stand the pain and be in a home where all her loved ones have ed away. As a last resort, Elena turns off her humanity in order to cope.
Caroline's Dad Tortures Her
The Forbes family held a long tradition of protecting Mystic Falls from vampires. When Caroline became one, her parents' loyalties were split. Sheriff Liz Forbes called in Caroline's father Bill for backup.
In an attempt to "cure" her of her vampiric nature, Bill brutally tortured Caroline. Her pain and terror were a trauma many in the audience felt on a personal level. The idea of someone who should love her unconditionally failing to do so when she changed rang all too familiar for those in certain communities.
Damon's Realization That Katherine Doesn't Love Him
After over a century of pining and planning to release Katherine from the tomb, it turned out she never wanted to be with Damon. Though she escaped the tomb and fled, her heart always wanted to return to Stefan. It's a low blow to the older Salvatore, as Elena, Katherine's doppelganger also fell in love with his brother.
It seemed the Petrova line was destined to follow Stefan to the end of time. The shattering revelation was seen all over Damon's face at that moment, rendering hearts broken.
Damon and Alaric's Ghost at Ric's Grave
Though Damon started as the antagonist in Alaric's life, he soon became the history teacher's best friend. Alaric is another character that died a few times throughout the series, but the first long-lasting death left the biggest impression.
In a moment when the audience sees the other side, but the characters left living can't, Damon is seen sitting at Ric's grave talking to his dead best friend. He tells Ric he stayed to watch over the kids, and Alaric's unheard response is, "I miss you too, buddy."
