At heart, The Vampire Diaries is the story of two brothers who love the same woman. Stefan Salvatore tries to live as a vampire without human blood and hold on to his humanity. Damon Salvatore at first indulges in everything Stefan denies himself. Between them stands Elena Gilbert – who also looks exactly like a woman from their past: Katherine Pierce, who turned both brothers in 1864.
Around the triangle a large circle of friends grows: Elena’s best friends Bonnie, a witch, and Caroline, who becomes a vampire herself, her brother Jeremy, Matt, Tyler and history teacher Alaric Saltzman. Every season brings a new enemy, from the Originals and Silas to the Sirens of the final season.
After six seasons lead actress Nina Dobrev left the show; Elena falls into a magical sleep tied to Bonnie’s life. Seasons 7 and 8 continue without her until Elena returns in the finale.
The seasons
Each season with every episode and a short summary.
Elena meets Stefan, Damon returns to Mystic Falls, and the founding families realise the vampires are back. Since 1864 vampires have been t…
Katherine is back, and with her the legend of Klaus, the oldest vampire. Tyler triggers the werewolf curse, the moonstone and a sacrificial…
Stefan travels the country as Klaus’s companion and loses himself as the “Ripper”. The Mikaelson family awakens: Rebekah, Kol, Finn and the…
Elena has to learn to live as a vampire and is bound to Damon by a sire bond. Hunters of the “Brotherhood of the Five” appear, and everyone…
Elena and Caroline go to Whitmore College, and Katherine, made human by the cure, is slowly dying. Silas and the witch Qetsiyah, the Travel…
Damon and Bonnie are trapped in a prison world that repeats the same day in 1994 – together with the warlock Kai Parker. Elena has her memo…
The Salvatores’ mother, Lily, returns with a group of “Heretics” – witches who are also vampires. Flash-forwards jump three years ahead, wh…
The Sirens Sybil and Seline serve the hellish being Cade, and Damon falls under their spell. Katherine returns from hell. In the series fin…
The characters
Elena GilbertNina Dobrev
Stefan SalvatorePaul Wesley
Damon SalvatoreIan Somerhalder
Katherine PierceNina Dobrev
Caroline ForbesCandice King
Bonnie BennettKat Graham
Jeremy GilbertSteven R. McQueen
Matt DonovanZach Roerig
Tyler LockwoodMichael Trevino
Alaric SaltzmanMatthew Davis
Enzo St. JohnMichael MalarkeyKai ParkerKai ParkerChris Wood
Niklaus “Klaus” MikaelsonJoseph Morgan
Elijah MikaelsonDaniel Gillies
Rebekah MikaelsonClaire Holt
Hayley MarshallPhoebe TonkinPictures
Episode data and images: TVMaze (texts CC BY-SA 4.0, images belong to the series’ rights holders).