13 ‘Vampire Diaries’ Couples, Ranked
Vampires, werewolves, hybrids, and witches, Mystic Falls had it all. The one thing protecting the human earthlings in the rustic Virginia town from the creatures of the night? Vervain (which is a real thing), wooden stakes, and an occasional metal chain or two. Another line of defense? Getting one of them to fall in love with you. The downfall of that plan? You might not stay a mere mortal for long.
The Vampire Diaries was filled with tragedy, questionable acts, and star-crossed lovers. In the eight seasons, many characters got together. Some couples were more memorable than others, but there’s no denying that the romantic connections were the core of the show.
From the starter love triangle between Elena (Nina Dobrev) and Salvatore brothers Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder) to Caroline’s (Candice King) chemistry with literally everyone, TVD‘s legacy attests to a story that can withhold the test of time. Or at least the 15 years since its premiere.
Read below to see a ranking of TV Insider’s 13 best TVD ships! Plus, let us know in the comments below who your favorite Vampire Diaries couple is!
13. Stefan and Katherine
Whether Katherine (also Nina Dobrev) was ever able to love anyone in her vampire form is up for debate, but if she had to pick one person, it would be for sure Stefan.
Dying for his love, Katherine kept longing for the days when Stefan was head over heels for her. She pined for the time that the younger Salvatore brother adored her, reminiscing about when he saw the good in her. He even went so far as calling her “an angel” at one point.
Katherine couldn’t have been further from an angel if she tried, yet the second Petrova doppelgänger felt safe and protected by the presence of Stefan, who once upon a time saw something pure in her.
Their chemistry was always more interesting than Stefan and Elena’s, making you wonder if these “twin flames” could’ve potentially worked together in the long run.
12. Jeremy and Anna
Jeremy Gilbert (Steven R. McQueen) didn’t have a lot of luck when it came to his early relationship stints in The Vampire Diaries. Unlike older sister Elena’s vampire boy toys, his bloodsucking matches didn’t stick around for that long.
Troubled teen Vicki Donovan (Kayla Ewell) was Jeremy’s first big “love.” Sadly, her untimely demise left him sad and alone until Anna (Malese Jow) came along.
The over 500-year-old vampire quickly became infatuated with the brooding teen, even though she had a goal to accomplish — to find her mother, Pearl (Kelly Hu).
The two teamed up together and had a cute courtship. However, it didn’t last for long as Jeremy’s uncle John Gilbert (David Anders) killed her in the Season 1 finale. (But she did return briefly in Season 3!)
11. Katherine and Elijah
The purest Mikaelson brother, Elijah (Daniel Gillies), and Katherine had a history that dated back all the way to the 1400s, and it showed.
When Elijah first met Katherine, she was still going by the name of Katerina, and the original vampire fell for her charms. He wanted to save her from brother Niklaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan) before realizing that he needed to choose his family over her.
They occasionally got back together throughout the centuries, but something was never completely right.
Was it true love? Probably not. But if they had worked together more and could trust each other, the pairing would’ve been able to grow.
10. Bonnie and Jeremy
Two of Elena’s closest confidants, her best friend, Bonnie Bennett (Kat Graham), and her brother, Jeremy, had an on-again-off-again relationship.
The two definitely had some cute moments, and it was endearing to finally see Bonnie be fawned over, especially since the powerful witch was one of the best characters in the series.
Yet, Jeremy’s schoolboy crush on Bonnie’s cuteness was ruined when he cheated on her with the ghost version of his deceased lover, Anna.
The occasional sweet moment allowed the viewer to see what could’ve been. But how could we, the fans, ever forgive Jeremy for treating Bonnie with anything but the utmost care?
This is a ship that should’ve been great. Alas, the execution lacked the vision.
9. Alaric and Jenna
Imagine your guardian/aunt and history teacher getting together. Must be awkward, right?
Not if you’re Elena and Jeremy Gilbert. The two of them were way too busy with other adventures to even think about such a futile aspect. If anything, they were their biggest supporters. In Alaric Saltzman (Matthew Davis) they even gained a father figure and aunt Jenna Sommers (Sara Canning) was for sure happy with him fulfilling this role.
Jenna is one of the purest souls on the show, so it made sense that her getting together with Alaric made the fans happy. The two seemed to truly connect and if it wasn’t for Alaric’s pesky little side job of “vampire hunting,” the two would’ve never broken up.
Not that it mattered much because Jenna’s early death caused Alaric to stumble into an alcoholic summer haze before moving on without ever mentioning her much.
This ship has some of the most authentic relationship structures, therefore, making it a fan favorite.
8. Bonnie and Damon
No, Bonnie and Damon never actually got together in the series, but you’d have to be lying if you said that the chemistry wasn’t palpable.
The two buddies started off with only having one thing in common — their love for Elena. Over time, this changed, and they became the best of friends. Some even say they were a better fit than Elena and Damon.
Often said to be platonic soulmates, Bonnie and Damon truly started to rely on each other while stuck in the 1994 prison world. The genuine friendship was proof that Damon was actually a good guy, as well as fiercely loyal.
Although a relationship between these two characters came fruition in the book series, the show never made it happen.
7. Alaric and Jo
Alaric could never catch a break. His first wife left him to become a vampire, his next love died at the hands of Klaus, and his second wife was killed by her own twin brother, Kai Parker (Chris Wood).
It’s believe that his second wife was his true love. The non-practicing witch of the Gemini Coven was as pure as Kai was evil. Why else would she have the nickname Glinda?
Josette “Jo” Laughlin (Jodi Lyn O’Keefe) was the mother of Alaric’s two kids and a complete badass. She should’ve stuck around for longer.
Through her, we got to see Caroline Forbes (Candice King) pregnant and Alaric truly happy, but was her demise truly worth it?
6. Stefan and Caroline
Caroline crushed hard on Stefan in the first season but set it aside once she realized that his heart was set on Elena. As time passed, the chances of Elena and Stefan ending up together became pretty slim.
The affectionally dubbed “Steroline” was often seen as one of the truly healthy friendships within the show. They were always there to support the other if things went awry or they just needed some help. The slow build-up made sense.
It could, however, be said that Stefan never truly got over Elena. Although, that might just be because he believed in the doppelgänger curse.
Their relationship was a slow burn, and they proved to be a great match for each other.
This ship was not the most passionate of them all, but it sure was reliable!
5. Caroline and Tyler
Former childhood friends turned lovers turned supernatural creatures — Tyler Lockwood (Michael Trevino) and Caroline were there for each other through it all.
Caroline, who was turned into a vampire by Damon, and Tyler, who triggered his werewolf curse by accidentally killing Sarah, were the best support system for the other.
They were a match made in heaven.
They had enough passion, love, and understanding to make the relationship work. It wasn’t until other connections butted in that theirs started to falter.
Tyler choosing to get revenge on Klaus over staying with Caroline in Mystic Falls probably didn’t help either.
4. Elena and Stefan
One of Elena’s two epic loves, Stefan, often called Elena his soulmate.
Stefan and Elena were seen as the original and main couple of the series. No one can deny the love that was shared between them wasn’t real.
Constantly going back and forth between the two brothers, Elena saw Stefan as the more pure one but had more passion with Damon.
This broke Stefan’s heart and eventually even convinced him to leave town.
The “fake” doppelgänger prophecy also caused some confusion as, for a moment, they assumed that meant that their courtship was written in the stars.
3. Bonnie and Enzo
Bonnie, our favorite witch, had to go through her fair share of trials and tribulations. At times, it even felt like every tragedy was created to hurt her.
This was case with Bonnie’s greatest love story with Enzo (Michael Malarky).
The most healthy relationship in the show was ruined when Enzo was killed off.
The vampire and witch were supposed to be enemies, yet their unlikely love story allowed Bonnie to let go of her constant strong facade.
He assured her that she could be herself, with all of her weaknesses and her strengths.
Enzo was even the one who would take the hardships on just so that Bonnie could have a break now and again. This was something Bonnie’s friends never gave her.
2. Caroline and Klaus
The ultimate antagonist of the show —Klaus — had one soft spot, Caroline. He was the villain in everyone’s story besides the former Mystic Falls queen bee.
Infatuated by Caroline, Klaus always put her first. He went to great lengths to get her out of harm’s way. If it wasn’t for Caroline, it could’ve seemed like Klaus didn’t have a heart. But their connection allowed the viewer to see that he was a misunderstood individual with some anger issues (um, maybe some extreme ones).
The original vampire and Caroline never actually get together, except in the 100th episode, yet quite a few fanfics have made that dream a reality.
1. Elena and Damon
Who else but Elena and Damon would’ve deserved this spot?
No other couple came even near this iconic pairing.
Elena might’ve been paired up with brother Stefan Salvatore first, but Elena and Damon were meant to be from the minute they locked eyes.
The chemistry, passion, banter, and everything in between was absolutely perfect.
A combination of soulmates and twin flames, Elena and Damon always complemented each other in every way.
Damon wasn’t always the gentlest of guys, but Elena could always get at least a smidge of pureness to pop out of the at-times twisted vampire.
No other TVD love story ever compared to the iconic twosome of Elena and Damon.
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services