Okay, so I know I said I was going to talk about the werewolves, as well as Katherine, but I miscounted, and I’m just out of time. So my quick speech on werewolves- their very existence is STUPID! I mean, first, you have to have the werewolf gene. Do you know how few people in the population have the gene? Very few. Also, you have to kill someone. What the heck are the odds that you are both a murderer and have this one in a million gene?? I can tell you, those odds are not NEARLY high enough for the number of werewolves that come up in the show to exist. So that’s all. Now Katherine. Origionally named Katerina Petrova, Katherine started out- as most vamps do, as a human. She lived in Bulgaria with her family. And that is where she met the Mikaelsons. Can we first point out that if it had not been for this cursed family, Katherine would never have made all of the terrible life decisions she did. After all, Klaus was the one who wanted her blood so he could undo his curse that prevented him from becoming a hybrid. He was the one who hunted and chased her until she was driven to suicide, turning her forever. But whatever, I guess. He got his revenge- by killing her whole family. Well, I say whole family. She did have at least one family member left- her daughter. See, Katherine had a child out of wedlock, and her parents took the child from her right after it was born. The child later was turned into a vampire, Nadia Petrova, who made it her life’s mission to find her mother and ask why she abandoned her. It was also Nadia who told Katherine about her Traveller heritage- a brand of witch that could inhabit the body of another. In this way, Nadia is directly responsible from Katherine taking over Elena. Oh, that’s right. Katherine was force fed the cure to vampirism by Elena. She then started dying of old age, and before her old body died, she hoped into Elena’s body and tricked everyone into thinking she was Elena for ages. By the way, we have to give a nod to the fact that Katherine started all the brotherly drama between the Salvatore brothers. After all, they both loved her, and fought over her, didn’t they? And who turned Caroline into a vampire? And who killed Jeremy? Yup. Katherine. And goodnight.

There is no way around this- the Gemini have problems. To be fair, they are one of the oldest and most intricate factions of witches in the world, so it makes sense that they have some baggage that goes along with them. But what do you expect? I mean, their entire coven is based around one twin killing the other to assume power over the group. Pretty messed up if you ask me. But let’s hit some of the highlights of this group, shall we. I gotta do it. I have to start with Kai. Malichai Parker. You can ask me a thousand times, my answer will always be the same- Kai is the most messed up, dangerous, and evil character in the series. When Kai’s tendencies as a Siphoner came out (meaning he only gets magic when he drains it from other things), his family treated him badly, calling him an abomination. Kai grew up to become a sociopath and a psychopath. His evil start came when he killed four of his siblings and attempted to kill the youngest twins. He was then tricked and shoved into a prison world (where you would think he would be secure). But, of course, this is the Vampire Diaries, meaning the worst case scenario is likely bound to happen. Bonnie and Damon end up accidentally letting him out, which leads to much destruction and havoc, including murdering his pregnant twin Jo (Josette Saltzman) on her wedding day. Yikes, right? Thank goodness the Gemini coven have a spell to transfer twins that are in utero into another prospective mother… Ok, so Jo. Alaric’s love and wife, a wonderful doctor and compassionate friend. She renounced her witch heritage so she could lead a normal life, but sadly was thrown right back in again after meeting Alaric and becoming Elena’s mentor in the hospital. Thank goodness she did come into their lives, though. She is single handedly responsible for saving Alaric’s life and making him human again after being a vampire. It is also worth mentioning about Olivia (Liv) Parker and twin brother Lucas (Luke) Parker. They end up being important to getting people back once they die and go to the Other Side. But the most notable thing (other than Tyler dating Liv) is the fact that Luke is killed by Kai when they attempt to merge. Yeah, I think we can all agree Luke would have been a better leader than Kai…

Okay, so for anyone who looked at my original blog post saying what I was going to be doing for a passion blog, this is no surprise. But, for those of you who didn’t- SURPRISE! I have everyone to talk about today. Let’s start with Klaus, shall we? Niklaus Mikaelson, a middle brother, is one of the biggest villains turned heroes in the entire show. I mean, we start out being terrified of him because even Katherine is on the run from him. However, eventually we learn that he is a monster only because that’s what his parents made him. He is a product of abuse and rejection. I mean, he isn’t even the real child of his “father”, he was the offspring of his mother (Ester) and a werewolf she fell for, meaning he is only a half brother to the rest of the family. Niklaus, however, has a fling with our good girl Caroline at one point, and even makes it know that he’s basically obsessed with her. He also has a fling with a werewolf named Hayley, who ends up getting pregnant with his child. Learn more about baby Hope in the spin-off series, The Originals, or in Hope’s very own show, Legacies. Next up is Elijah. Ever the loyal and honorable brother, Elijah has a strict moral compass he abides by, and he prioritizes family above all else. Working against his brother in the beginning of our interactions with him was only a fluke, seeing as he thought Niklaus destroyed their family forever. But eventually he proves very useful to the Vampire Diaries cast, especially Elena. He also has some sort of thing with Katherine… only heaven knows why! Rebekah. Oh, Rebekah. She wants so much to be human. To be normal. To be loved, and accepted, and to experience everything life has to offer. She falls for Matt Donovan, and they even go on a trip together across Europe. She also has a thing with Stefan, something that apparently started decades before. But her family obligations got the better of her, and she got swept up into her family drama time and time again. Before we stop, it is good to mention Finn, the vampire brother who hates his very existence, and Kol, the reckless one who leaves a path of blood in his wake. Also, the Mikaelson mama, Ester, a very powerful witch who actually created the spell to turn humans into vampires, and their father Mikael. He is the greatest vampire hunter that ever lived, and his mission? To end them all. Till next time!

Ok, so Alaric Saltzman. Started out as an innocent history teacher at Mystic Falls High School, right? Wrong. The second he entered the picture, it was made known that he was the most badass vampire hunter ever! I mean, that’s what happens when you get a character whose wife was LITERALLY TURNED BY ANOTHER CHARACTER ON THE SHOW! That’s right, guys, turns out that years before, Alaric had been married to Isobel. Isobel happened to have been obsessed with vampires and begged Damon to turn her. He did, which led to her leaving Alaric thinking at first that she was dead. See, he just thought a vampire killed her and swore to track down the killer. Ironically, when this comes out, it turns out to be Damon, who he is already friends with at the time. Yeah, this is a mess. But honestly are you surprised? When it comes to the Vampire Diaries, everyone seems to know everyone, have connections with everyone, and be related to everyone, no matter how distantly. Yeah, you heard me. I said related. Because guess who was Isobel’s daughter? The wonderful Elena!! Meaning, by the way, that Jeremy is not her real brother, but I guess we don’t care about that because it literally never gets discussed. Ever. Jeez, yeah, this family stuff is confusing. And don’t even get me started on loyalties. Because guess who Isobel is working for? The lovely Katherine Pierce, enemy of… well, everyone. But enough about Isobel, honestly I’m sick of talking about her, she really is a snake without feelings, so… Let’s talk about later versions of Alaric. So first off, he dies. Nope, not a spoiler, don’t worry, because, like basically everyone else on this show, he comes back- as a vampire. Yay. And then is Elena’s college professor (because having him work at the high school wouldn’t get him nearly enough screen time seeing as the leads are now in college…). Just to recap, by the way, Alaric was turned into a vampire who hunts other vampires for a while by Esther, the mother of the Original Vampires, but not important. We also have to mention the fact that his love life SUCKS. BAD. First Jenna (Elena’s aunt) dies, then Dr. Fell turns out to be crazy, then Jo is killed- but not before her and Alaric’s twin children are transferred magically into Caroline! Which means Caroline has Alaric’s babies… yeah, that will never not be weird. Okay, so next time… you know what? Surprise for next time!

Oh, Matty Blue Eyes! How we all love your innocence and dedication to your morals. But man, can you be stupid! Alright, let’s be fair, Matt has gone through, easily the most stress of most of the characters in the vampire diaries (other than Elena). Yes, the Salvatore brothers have dealt with heartbreak and loss, but Matt is simply human, and lost much of his family within a few years. His sister, Vicki, was turned and killed, his mother died (but not before hooking up with his best friend), his entire friend group is insane, and he’s normal. Jeez. At least Matt Donovan’s humanity is one thing us TVD fans can count on when it comes to the series. With Matt, I want to talk about just that- his humanity. Matt is consistently seen standing up for what he believes is right and following his own moral compass. Why, you might question (if you don’t know TVD) is Mat one of the only characters not to be dragged in as a supernatural being? Because he is one of the only characters that refuses to take vampire blood to heal his wounds. Matt is a very traditional soul in that he wants to do things the human way, the right way. Time and time again he chooses to save human life in whatever way possible. He becomes the sheriff of Mystic Falls and works tirelessly to protect the town’s residents, even when the Heretics take over. And who is always seen trying to help Jeremy and Tyler when they are in their human states? Matt. What can I say? You can count on him. Except when he goes a little bit astray. Yeah, there’s that time when Matt is taken over by a Passenger and tries to kill people, but that’s more the Travelers fault than anyone else’s. And there’s that time when he goes on a road trip with Rebekah, and we all know how that goes… Matty getting some action! Oh and that little time when he accidentally kills his fiancee… but that was a sad day for all. It’s especially sad how the supernatural keeps messing up Matt’s life. I mean, the only reason his sister is dead is because of Damon, and the reason Penny (his fiancee) dies is because he thought it was a supernatural creature lurking in those woods. Sad beyond belief. Ok ok, Alaric Saltzman, professor and teacher extraordinaire, you’re up!

I cannot even begin to tell you how much I adore Caroline. True, at first, I hated her. She was sassy, bossy, and an oblivious person, not to mention insensitive friend. But unlike for Elena and Stefan, her becoming a vampire was the best thing that could have possibly happened to her. Caroline Forbes as a human was needy and desperate, pushing everyone around and trying way to hard to be liked and adored by absolutely everyone. A control-freak extraordinaire, Caroline was the head of every committee and had a habit of treating other people the way she thought a queen should treat her subjects. Yikes. But after Katherine Pierce killed Caroline, turning her into a vampire as a power move, everything changed. At first, Caroline is a mess, and why wouldn’t she be? She wakes up in the hospital afraid and alone, craving blood. But she is somehow the only vampire ever to be an expert at restraint right away. She drains a nurse, yes, but not only does she leave her alive, she also learns how to compel her into forgetting. No one had to teach her the tricks of the trade, that’s for sure! Go Caroline. She figures out most of the ups and downs about being a vampire fairly quickly, and even confronts Damon with all the confidence we now know and love. No more was the pathetic girl who tried to be what everyone wanted her to be. Now, I know I’ve talked a lot about her transformation, but it’s because it is such an important part of who she is. When the cure to vampirism was brought into play, she is one of the vampires who says she wouldn’t take it, because she likes who she’s become. Her death actually made her become more alive, bringing out her truest qualities of loyalty and compassion. Okay, now for some juicy gossip. Caroline dates so many guys over the corse of the show, she is only second to the Salvatore brothers in terms of hookups in the main cast- but then again, they have had a century longer than her to cover their bases. Her original fling with Matt Donovan which ended in him finding out she was a vampire, her latter long relationship with Tyler Lockwood, and that weird thing with Alaric Saltzman where she had his babies because of some weird Gemini coven spell… yeah, that was a very creative way for the writers to work in Candice King (who plays Caroline) being pregnant. And that scene with Niklaus!?! Bad girl side of Caroline for the win! Finally her endgame relationship with Stefan which results in the wedding we’ve all been waiting for and one of the first purely happy moments of the show! (By the way though, everyone seems to forget that little thing she had with Damon… yeah, we all hated that, and would love to pretend it never occurred.) You know you can’t wait for our blue-eyed bus boy, Matt Donovan!

The littlest witch is here, and she’s as sassy as ever! What a journey Bonnie Bennett has been on! She started out thinking she was a simple psychic high schooler with a normal life. Then, in the blink of an eye, her Grams, Sheila Bennett, tells her that she is a witch, she finds out about her family’s long history in Mystic Falls, and is let in on the secret of vampirism. She is then thrust into the next decade of her life full of locator spells and other enchantments geared towards saving the people she loves. With Bonnie, there are plenty of relationships to discuss. Obviously her steadfast friendships with Caroline and Elena are important, as is her on again off again friendship with Damon. Then there are her romantic affairs, starting with Jeremy Gilbert, Elena’s little brother, and ending with Enzo, Damon’s vampire friend from another time. But what makes Bonnie special is her morals and steadfast ways, not to mention what characteristics make her… her. First off, it must be noted that Bonnie’s greatest strength is not her magic, but her selflessness and willingness to sacrifice herself for the ones she loves. Her greatest weakness? The other side of that same coin. Bonnie puts herself in mortal danger one too many times with the intent of saving her friends, leading to her actual death partway through the series when she chooses to bring Jeremy back to life. And although she eventually becomes the anchor to the Other Side, connecting her with the world of the living once again, she still makes the choice to put her comrades’ happiness above her own. By this extent, her loyalty can be discussed, and it can also be pointed out that it sucks how many times Bonnie has been betrayed by people she trusts because she put her faith in them (Jeremy literally cheated on her with a ghost. A dead person.). But enough about how she deserves better. Can we just say how absolutely brilliant she is and how strong? Throughout the series, she has arguably been through the most and suffered the most heartache. But she has never given up. And in her quest to save everyone, she has had to go with her gut many times. She isn’t content to just stand by and watch as her way of life is uprooted. She takes a stand against everyone she doesn’t agree with, at times including Damon, Klaus, and the heretics. Next time, our neat freak, Caroline Forbes  

Oh man, this one is a doozy. Please welcome to the stand Damon Salvatore, one of the most controversial characters on the entire show. Season one starts out with the heroine and hero being introduced, and, as any good show does, brings the first conflict and first bad guy into play. This is none other than the eldest Salvatore himself. Damon is introduced as a character to be disliked, if not hated. He comes in, killing and causing mayhem, and single handedly is able to deceive and cheat his way into the council of Mystic Falls. What a guy. Throughout the season, however, we get to know Damon. We realize that his flaws, while plentiful, are at least in part justified. After all, spending a century looking for one girl only to be tossed to the curb like garbage has got to mess with a guy’s head. Damon continues to grow and develop throughout the series, and by the end, he has transformed into a person capable of love, friendship, and sacrifice. I mean, all throughout the Vampire Diaries, Damon constantly puts himself in harms way to save those he cares about, such as Elena and, most of all, Stefan. But what I want to talk about most with Damon is his friendships. Okay, there’s no denying it, when it comes to a power couple, Damon and Alaric Saltzman are near the top of the list, the bad-guy-turned-good-guy and the Gilbert family stand-in guardian and mentor. Even though Damon turned Alaric’s first wife, Isobel- who, let’s not forget, is actually Elena’s biological mother- the two form a bond that is one of the most steadfast of the series. Granted, part of that bond is founded in their shared love of bourbon, but…. My personal favorite of Damon’s friendships is Bonnie Bennett. Originally, this little witch hated Damon’s guts, threatening to kill him many times and being one of the most vocal against his relationship with Elena. But like I said, this is just the beginning of their friendship. After they both get trapped on the mystical Other Side and sucked into a prison world with murderer Kai Parker, they become a constant in each other’s lives. Bonnie is the only true companion Damon has, and they become the closest of friends. Even when they get out, their shared experiences mean that they are the people that understand each other most in the world. Okay, next up, the little witch.

SPOILER ALERT Guys. I mean, look at this man. That hair and that jaw line? Stefan Salvatore has been with us since season 1, episode 1, and appeared in most of the episodes up until the end, where he… well, we’ll save that for the end. But seriously, this guy is an absolutely amazing character. Stefan ends up being one of the only vampires on the show that cannot drink human blood without going into a massive personal crisis, plunging him into his ways as a ripper. That’s right, he literally keeps going until the victim’s head… yeah, you get the picture. But as gruesome as this image is, it’s rooted in one of the most genuinely sweet and innocent traits Stefan has. He is extremely caring and values his compassion and humanity above so much. He has so much love in him, so causing harm and injury to others is obviously a bit of a sore spot. Speaking of love, with Stefan, you can talk almost entirely about four characters. “Four?”, you may ask? Yes. Four. Starting with Elena Gilbert, his first epic love and soulmate, Stefan spends most of the first few seasons with her, trying to make things work before she is ultimately drawn to his brother, Damon Salvatore. After that, Stefan has trouble finding true love again. After all, his heart was broken the first time by known villain, Katherine Piece, who turned him into a vampire and left him behind. His final and (in my own opinion) best choice of love was the fabulous Caroline Forbes. Her neurotic and passionate nature perfectly goes with Stefan’s compassion and loyalty. So who, might you ask, is his fourth “love”? None other than his brother, Damon. While obviously not a romantic love, the brothers share an amazingly intense bond that only grows and strengthens as the series continues. They constantly fall on each other and depend upon each other in times of need and crisis, and they always seem to be the one able to pull each other back from the edge. Stefan is also willing to do literally anything for Damon (and anyone he loves, for that matter). I mean, he literally DIES to protect Damon! Alright, that’s all I got on the hero-hair-wearer himself, tune in next time for the third piece of the epic love triangle, Damon Salvatore!

SOILER ALERT!!! Elena Gilbert- the staple of the Vampire Diaries for the first 6 seasons. What a gal. First off, it must be said that Nina Dobrev does an amazing job portraying not one, not two, but three very different characters throughout the course of the Vampire Diaries- Elena Gilbert, Katherine Pierce, and Amara. It can’t have been easy going from a girl who cares so immensely about her friends to a truly evil force to a damaged lover. So overall- kudos to her! But let’s talk about the character. Season 1 brings us an Elena Gilbert still scarred by the deaths of her parents, but desperate to move on. With friends like Bonnie Bennet and Caroline Forbes, this seems entirely possible, and a normal life could have been in sight for her. Normal problems like a druggie brother (Jeremy Gilbert), an ex that was still hooked (Matt Donovan), and a parental figure still trying to learn the ropes (Jenna Sommers) could have been her only concern- enter Stefan and Damon Salvatore. She immediately falls for Stefan and his charismatic and mysterious ways, learning eventually to love both brothers. One of the most complicated and talked about relationships in the entire show is the love triangle between bother Salvatore brothers and Miss Gilbert herself. Time and time again, human Elena chose Stefan, preferring his kind, caring ways and his need to be the best version of himself. She falls for Damon, however, more and more as time goes on, especially after she turns into a vampire. He awakens a side of her that she never knew she always needed. Eventually the two are accepted throughout the cast as they end up making each other better, despite sometimes bringing out the worst in the other. Elena’s biggest flaw throughout the series is her heart. She constantly wants what is best for everyone else, even at the cost of her own happiness, safety, and even life. Heck, she even dies to save Matt! Isn’t it great to have a character whose biggest flaw is also their biggest strength? With Elena, we see that as she consistently goes above and beyond what we thought was possible, pushing the limits of reality and finding loopholes to save her friends. Speaking of friends, Caroline and Bonnie are two characters that always seem to be there for Elena no matter what. Even after her episode when she turned off her humanity, they always find a way back, and Elena works to give them everything. She insists that they do what is right for them. Her most memorable moments include the three of them just happy to be alive and around each other, but let’s not forget how Elena is more than happy to wait a few decades to live her life so that Bonnie can be happy. Well, that rounds out our most beloved heroine, see you next time with the original boyfriend himself, Stefan Salvatore.