I thought we were talking about Damon here, and not Stefan. Your post betrays a clear disposition to favor DE, and from experience I can say that most DE / SE shippers are unwilling to discuss their preferences objectively or constructively. Consequently, the DE vs. SE is a territory I don’t wish to explore right now; each viewer perceives each couple in accordance with their understanding of what true love is or is supposed to look like. That’s why discussions about the TVD couples usually degenerate into ridiculous ship wars. I’m TEAM Salvatore (yeah, I ship the brothers’ relationship), so I have no interest in DE or SE. But since we’re on the subject, I will admit it, I LOVE Stefan and have great respect for this character (though, as I said before, I have a very dear place for Damon in my heart, but I just do not like him right now; his behavior is execrable!).

IMO they have really developed Damon’s character in a way that I don’t think would be very believable when Delena happens. Don’t get me wrong, Damon is one of my favourite characters on the show. But their progression was much better in the first season, when he didn’t outright admit his feelings for her and it was just implied. Now he’s like a lovesick puppy waiting for Elena’s every call, maybe even more so than Stefan. And yet he still manages to screw up at least once every two or so episodes and they’re actually major screw ups that really damage Elena’s character when she forgives him. For example when he snaps Jeremy’s neck. That was used more as a ‘shock’ factor which really came at the expense of the Delena ship.

However, I completely disagree with the issue of him forcing his blood on Elena. IMO that is completely Damon. I mean look at what he did to Caroline last season, if force feeding Elena blood is rape than what he did to Caroline was MUCH worse.

Season1 for me I think was much better over all.Season2 is just ok.I think there is to many plots going on and not enough character development.The writers seem to be developing the characters to fit the plots instead of having the characters drive the plot like in the first season.Katherine(Year of the Kat)what happend to her?She started with a bang,she’s ending with a fizzle.The wolf plot not even going to go there.Triangle there isn’t one.Brothers relationship not much of one(maybe that will change).Bonnie they really didn’t do much with her as far as her powers go(now she’s a super witch).Stefan has been reduced to a glorified boyfriend,his blood addicition problem was interesting(they did away with that),his relationship with Katherine(they didn’t go there).Damon’s journey was compelling,now the writers are walking a fine line with Damon,their about to cross it if they haven’t already.The Sun and Moon Curse so many episodes about this stupid curse just to find out it’s fake.Now,Damons been bitten,how are they going to pull theirselves out of this one and not kill him?Jennas now a vampire,shocking yes,do I like it,NO! There are things I do like though,Caroline becoming a vampire,the Originals(Elijah and Klaus),Ric love his character and I kinda of like Jeremy and Bonnie I think their sweet.Rant over,sorry.

In all honesty, I prefer season 1 to season 2; season 2 has been a little chaotic. Perhaps, what I dislike most about this season is the way the writers dismissed the Sun and the Moon curse as a fabricated myth. As much as I’d like to believe it was the writers’ initial plan, I’m inclined to believe they just couldn’t handle the inconsistencies of the curse (so why not do away with it?). I also think that they postponed for too long Klaus’s arrival in Mystic Falls. Most viewers just got consumed with the anticipation of this Big Bad’s arrival, and now that he’s here, I’m not that impressed; though I am patient enough, so perhaps Morgan will do justice to the character that has been at the heart of season 2.

I’m pleased to a great extent with the direction that some characters have taken, especially Caroline and Stefan. I’m not too sure about Damon, though I don’t find his development to be particularly challenging or shocking. I do prefer, however, Damon from season 1; at least, he was more fun. All he does these days, when he doesn’t abuse women, is to pout and act compulsively over his affections for Elena. Bring the fun Damon back, please! Bonnie has gotten an awfully little screen time this season; Kat hasn’t changed much from season 1 and has spent most of the time in the tomb.

There are many other things that I’m not particularly fond of, but I hope season 3 will be more exciting, even if darker. I’m not sure if AI is genuinely responsible for the ratings drop, but TVD is definitely not in danger of being cancelled anytime soon.

Please don’t end it at season 2 , please make season 3 . i could die if the vampire diaries the end . so , please make season 3 . i don’t care if the viewer of american next top model more than tvd . DON’T CHANGE TVD WITH AMERICAN NEXT TOP MODEL PLEASEE !!!! ( i’m sorry if my english were bad because i’m indonesian )

julie plec said that they always intended the sun and the moon curse to be fake.

Hello Lisa,
totally agree to what you wrote first paragraph. Snapping Jeremy’s neck was a shock factor to again show he cannot be trusted. I don’t know why it did not upset me as much as the blood thing with Elena. Maybe because of what happended to him that night (Katherine & Elena both telling him “It will always be Stefan”) or because I’d knew that Jeremy would wear that ring. Damon didn’t, as he admitted later, so killing her brother is one of the most cruelest thing to do to her. Still I was suprised as I thought he would turn him, not kill him.

What he did to Caroline was much worse, I agree to that! But then she was just another human, someone he looked down upon, being so much superior and using her for her master plan. Also probably using her already as a substitute, having a cheerleader of his own, as he put it. So he had no feelings for her. He does have feelings for Elena which to me is the major difference here regarding the likeliness for the character to do such a thing. Not in judging the things he did.

This is in response to the entire debate between Grace and Rick.

All of the characters on this show are damaged. Every single one. All of the characters in this show have made their fair share of really awful decisions. No one is more perfect or better than anyone else, they each have their own individual journey to take and lessons to learn.

In my opinion I compare both Stefan and Damon’s journey’s to that of an addict. Within that journey there are going to be many slips on the road to redemption, and no life is without mistakes. Mistakes are how we learn, and often the most tragic ones are the ones that teach us the most profound lessons. I don’t know if you have heard of the “Stages of Change” Model? They use this with explaining the process of how an addict (or anyone) manifests change in their life. There are five stages: Pre-contemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, and Maintenance and Relapse. Relapse is not just possible, it is expected.

I much prefer the term “violated” to “rape”. Rape has a very specific meaning and I am reluctant to compare it to anything other than what it is; whereas, a person can be violated or have their rights violated in a number of different ways. I can agree whole heartedly that Damon certainly violated Elena’s rights. I do think it is wrong but I do not think it is unforgivable. Please do not misinterpret this as anything to do with preferring Damon over Stefan etc. I just do not believe that anything is ever completely unforgivable. Although his impulsive decision to force blood on Elena definitely changed the relationship, and they can never go back. Forgiveness is not about forgetting it ever happened, forgiveness is about making peace with it and letting go of the anger so that you can move on. She may forgive him to make peace, but the relationship is forever scarred.

I do appreciate Rick’s point about how Stefan has also behaved selfishly. I feel like this has been ignored and not discussed because it’s now “in the past.” There is nothing healthy about how Stefan orchestrated his relationship with Elena. His behaviour has been in some ways just as demented as Damon’s, but like Rick said, Stefan has been on his own personal road to redemption for many many years. Damon’s has only just begun, and along the way he is going to make more mistakes that he will need to learn from. This is about much more than their efforts to love and protect Elena. It’s about their characters and personalities. Both brother’s still have SO MUCH to learn when it comes to love, as does Elena. Let’s not forget, she’s 17, and she said it herself last episode: she has so much more growing and learning to do. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if there comes a time when she isn’t with either of the brothers, and in fact, she may need that as a part of her own growth process.

I guess my question would be, do any of the characters on this show really know what love is? Do any of them really understand what it means to love someone? Do any of the characters have a healthy perspective on relationships? In my opinion, the answer is no. Because it is a television show, and the characters aren’t real. Without conflict, drama, and flawed characters, there would be no show for us to watch. Or I guess there would be, but it would be really really boring.

Just one last comment in regards to some of the comments about “I will stop watching this show if Delena never happens,” “If they break up Stefan and Elena, I’m finished,” etc. If the only reason you watch the show is for the relationship between the main three characters (or two of the main three) you will seriously NEVER be able to appreciate all of the other fantastic things about this show and you will ALWAYS be disappointed. “Threatening” to stop watching if you don’t get your way is not only juvenile, it is ridiculous. You might as well stop watching now. When you create and write the show, you can take it in whatever direction you want. Until then, you need to learn to relax or you will find yourself constantly frustrated and disappointed. This comment is not directed at any one person, but everyone in general. I suspect the reason the writers haven’t taken the show in one direction or the other just to satisfy the fans is because you can’t always please everyone. They are writing a creative, sexy, vampire drama that millions of people all over the world watch every week. They are not concerned with one individuals preferences or desires, they are concerned with creating a show that continues to be entertaining for a majority of viewers from week to week.

It’s not just the comments on this thread, it’s throughout the website. I guess I am just growing a little impatient with it because as much as the basic “love triangle” was what hooked me in to begin with, I continue to watch the show because I enjoy the story lines and characters.

I disagree, I don’t think it was too heavily Damon centered, there were a lot of different things going on and they tried hard to showcase the other characters and actors too. Such as Caroline and Alaric. It might not have been in every single episode, but they still did it. I also think “the year of the Kat” was a promotional thing done by the CW, not necessarily by the writers of the show. That’s why it’s so deceiving all the time.

@ Jill- Thanks for so eloquently clearing up the “rape” thing. I agree and your were spot on.

New questions (again):
1. Does anyone have any kind of clue how Klaus knew Jules was a werewolf and was back in Mystic Falls? Katherine didn’t know and couldn’t have told him because she was otherwise occupied with being locked away in the tomb and all when the whole werewolf situation was resolved. Elijah knew, right? Of course Damon, Stefan, Caroline & Elena knew, right? And possibly Jer & Bonnie? Ric knew, too but without seeing her in MF, he wouldn’t be able to point her out, right? He was already back at the Salvatore House, then Jules showed up following Tyler to MF hospital, right? So who knew Jules had followed Tyler back to MF and could point her out to Klaus?

2. If Elijah is not exactly a “friend”, then he would have been able to point out Jules, right? Not saying he did that, just pointing out he could have. Also, he now knows Katherine has vervain because he was standing next to Elena’s chair when Stefan told Ric Damon had slipped it to her, right?

3. How did Klaus know that Stefan had taken Elena out of the Salvatore house for their last day together? This was when he told Katherine to make a phone call to lure Jenna out of the house, right? So, he had to have known Elena wasn’t in the house to get Katherine to make the phone call to Jenna posing as Elena, right?

4. In a previous post, Joseph Morgan hinted that Klaus was going to be taking a “special interest” in Stefan, right? What does that mean?

1. I think at the beginning of the episode when Tyler’s mom called him to come back because she had an accident, and then Klaus says later that wolves travel in packs. I think that’s how he knew about Jules. He may have known about Tyler from Katherine.

2. I’m still not sure where Elijah stands. So I can’t really speak to this, we’ll have to wait and see.

3. He probably had someone watching, seems that these all powerful vamps have many minions to do their bidding.

4. Your guess is as good as mine. I wondered about that too.

Thanks, Jill. “Violated” is definately the better term and more what I initially ment. Please don’t forget that there are some none-native-english speaker around.

Of course, my husband’s first language is not English, so I spend much of my time explaining the meanings of certain words, as he does for me in French :)

There is no doubt in my mind that Damon loves Elena. The problem is that he does not know how to deal with all that emotions! Stefan and Damon both love her but they show that love in different ways. Damon is on his journey and he is learning how to deal with all of that: he started to feel, his next step is to learn how to show that love without hurting anybody, and most of all, how to respect others wishes despite of what those wishes are. This is a very hard thing to do even for us “regular” humans. Yes, Damon did a very selfish thing to Elena: he did it because of his own desperation: he cannot see how he can go on without her, so he was thinking of himself. True love is (at least what I think), to forgo your own desire for someone else. Damon is on journey to realize that and eventually he will.

You know in season2 one of my favorite relationships(Please no one jump on me)was Damon and Rose.At first I didn’t like them then they grew on me.I liked how she was there for him,seen through his crap and was just a friend to him.And I liked how he cared about her(even thoug he denied it).Then what happens they kill her.I should have known better,you would have thought I learned my lesson from last season with the whole Jeremy and Anna thing(they are gueststars after all).Now,I have always liked Ric and Jenna,and we see how that’s turnig out,she’s a vampire…..yeah i’m not going to go into all that because I would be here all night…..Let’s just say i’m not happy.Now the couple that surprised me is Jeremy and Bonnie,didn’t like them at first but I do now…….so that means i’m just waiting for the other show to drop,because this is The Vampire Diaries and I am cursed.

The Last Day Recap??

Just out of curiosity Grace, what do you do for a living?

omg the last day was one of my fav epis! i just rewatched the end of season 2 last night…and it soo seems to me that Damon loves Elena more than Stefan…it just clicked for me..he was trying SOOOOOOOO much harder to save Her than Stef was…….i know Stef wanted to do what Elena wanted to do but…she acted kinda reckless.. ANYWAYS!  sorry i got kinda carried away. The end of season 2 is amazing and i totally forgot how good it was… Jennas Funeral…SO SAD “skinny love” song was great for it too. I teared up a little.