Every Major Couple In Vampire Diaries Ranked

Most fans of "The Vampire Diaries" find themselves rooting for many different couples over the course of the show's eight seasons. For some, it's all about whether Elena Gilbert will choose sweet, sensitive Stefan Salvatore or his brother, bad boy Damon Salvatore. Others are fascinated by the love lives of fretful Caroline, powerful Bonnie, or troubled Jeremy. Some care most about adult characters like Jenna, Alaric, and Jo. One thing unites them all, however: They're invested in the romance that lies at the heart of "The Vampire Diaries."

Some of the series' relationships are more developed than others. Moreover, certain characters go through several relationships before they find the person they're truly supposed to be with. Betrayals, sacrifices, grand gestures, dreamy weddings, and eternal vows are thick on the ground. No matter what sort of romance you prefer, "The Vampire Diaries" is sure to have a couple you can root for — and a couple you can hate. But how do these pairings stack up against each other? We're here to find out. This is every major couple in "The Vampire Diaries," ranked.

Coming in last, we've got Vicki and Jeremy. These two aren't only the worst couple on the show, they're also one of the most toxic. Vicki and Jeremy start hanging out after Jeremy and Elena's parents die. Their time together is marked by drug use and hook-ups. Jeremy instantly falls in love with Vicki and wants to be in a serious relationship with her, but Vicki tries to keep things casual between them. This is because she's truly in love with Tyler Forbes, the son of Mystic Falls' mayor.

First off, centering a relationship around drug use, especially after undergoing a tragic life event, is not healthy. Jeremy is simply looking for an escape and someone to comfort him. Vicki knows this, but instead of being mature and explaining to him that it'll never happen, she strings him along, then abandons him whenever Tyler comes calling. Secondly, Jeremy shouldn't enter into a serious relationship while still grieving his parents. Vicki's not doing so great herself, what with her parents' abandonment and her lack of self-esteem. These two are simply bad for each other, but Vicki, being older, should be striving to protect him.

Matt and Caroline become friends when they're both struggling with a lack of family, friends, and fulfilling relationships. This roots their romantic relationship in the belief that they get each other where others don't. But this dynamic changes quickly after Caroline becomes a vampire and gains security and self-confidence. Matt notices this change and feels something suspicious is happening. She compels him to forget, and they break up because Matt thinks she's too jealous. They get back together later on, but ultimately break up a second time when Matt can't handle her vampire identity.

Matt's reluctance to date a vampire is valid — his sister was killed by vampires, after all. However, their entire relationship is mostly based on desperation born from not having anyone else. Matt really wants to be with Elena, and Caroline just wants to be loved. They think their relationship will work based on a lack of other options, which is never a great starting point for a couple. Moreover, the personality changes Matt so dislikes in Caroline are all positive. Matt seems to prefer Caroline as a meek, chill girl who is slightly annoying, rather than a more mature and evolved person. They're toxic, mismatched, and just plain bad for each other.

Jeremy and Anna's relationship is fairly harmless, but they don't last long or get much development, which puts them low on this list. They meet under the belief that Anna is trying to use Jeremy for his blood so she can get her mother back. However, she ends up falling in love with him, and feels guilty about using him — until she finds out that he's using her to get close to Vicki. They get past this hurdle, but Anna's death puts a wrench in the relationship. Anna returns as a ghost, and Jeremy actually ends up cheating on Bonnie with her, even calling her the love of his life. But this spectral relationship doesn't last: Anna eventually leaves Jeremy alone, knowing they can never be together.

Any relationship that starts out with the people involved using each other is wrong. Granted, Jeremy and Anna develop true feelings for each other, but then there's the fact that Jeremy cheats on Bonnie with Anna's ghost. Plus, he constantly sacrifices logic and flagrantly lies to protect Anna, even if it means hurting the ones he loves.

Katherine is a selfish and twisted character who constantly uses others for her own personal gain. No one suffers more at her hands than Damon. Katherine, whose life spans the entirety of the "Vampire Diaries" universe's timeline, meets Stefan and Damon in 1864 when she's living at their estate. Damon, who's serving in the army, tells Katherine he's in love with her. What he doesn't know is that Katherine is also seeing Stefan, and has deeper and more intense feelings for him than she's ever had for Damon. Damon spends his entire vampiric life trying to bring Katherine back, believing she died in the town's eradication of vampires. But once Katherine re-enters their lives, she starts manipulating Damon once more.

Katherine's behavior changes Damon's outlook on love and relationships forever. Her nasty habit of pitting Damon against his brother in order to take the onus of responsibility off herself has similarly far-reaching effects. It causes a huge rift between the two brothers, who were once best friends. Damon deserves better than manipulative Katherine.

Katherine and Damon are without a doubt a worse couple, but Katherine and Stefan aren't much better. The only reason they rank higher is because Katherine actually loves Stefan and wants to be with him. One wonders, though, if Katherine can truly love anyone. One Reddit user argues convincingly that her love for Stefan (and her daughter Nadia) is true, but complicated by her tumultuous life. While Katherine is definitely cold, this can be understood as her response to a life spent in constant flight. When she keeps her distance from Stefan, it's out of concern for him, which is a true, if complicated, expression of love. 

So, does Katherine actually love Stefan? It depends on your interpretation. Even if you find this explanation convincing, you might not think it excuses her behavior. One thing is clear, however: Stefan and Katheine's relationship isn't healthy and deserves to be low on this list.

Jeremy and Bonnie know each other through Elena, as Jeremy is Elena's little brother and Bonnie is Elena's best friend. When they start dating, things initially seem good. Bonnie needs someone to be her support system, and Jeremy needs someone to support. However, Jeremy cheating on Bonnie with the ghostly Anna causes a huge rift in their relationship. They pick back up again after Bonnie becomes the anchor to the Other Side, but they're once again interrupted when the Other Side is destroyed and Bonnie and Damon are sent to Hell. Jeremy and Bonnie are never able to get back to how things were and end up amicably parting.

When Bonnie and Jeremy are in a good place, their love is clear. But ultimately, they're just not right for each other. Jeremy spends a long time trying to convince Bonnie that a relationship between them makes sense ... only to turn around and cheat on her with his dead ex-girlfriend. Though Bonnie takes him back, this sad fact puts their relationship lower on the list.

Caroline has a lot of failed relationships with main characters. She's almost evenly matched with Tyler, who dates or is interested in nearly every side character. Together, they last longer than nearly every other relationship either one of them has. But initially, they hate each other. Tyler finds Caroline annoying and Caroline thinks Tyler is brutish. However, after Tyler triggers the werewolf curse, they bond over their supernatural identities. Caroline takes care of Tyler as he transforms into a werewolf, even though it puts her in danger. They fall in love, and their relationship lasts for two full seasons. But Klaus, who loves Caroline and is out to kill Tyler, eventually gets them to break up.

Tyler and Caroline are the point at which the relationships of "The Vampire Diaries" leave the "totally toxic" range behind. These two are the opposite of toxic, in fact: They need each other. But they're also the wrong people for each other at the right time. Their relationship happens when they need the support, but they aren't right together in the long run. This is reflected in their friendship, which continues after their breakup. Tyler realizes he would've drowned without Caroline's help, while Caroline realizes that Tyler is the first person to truly love her for who she is.

Caroline and Stefan are a pleasant surprise. They start out as friends who respect and care for each other – Stefan even helps Caroline with her transition into vampirehood. After Caroline's mom dies of cancer, Stefan realizes he's developing feelings for his friend. Once they battle the heretics, they finally consummate their relationship. They get engaged in Season 7 and married in Season 8. Sadly, their relationship ends when Stefan sacrifices his life to kill Katherine and save Mystic Falls.

Caroline and Stefan might not be everyone's favorite relationship, but it's hard not to admit that they're pretty perfect for each other. Both of them mature over the course of the show, eventually becoming the most responsible members of their group. Just as they support their loved ones, they're always there for each other, humanity or no humanity. The fact that they don't end up together is very sad, but the time audiences do get to spend enjoying Stefan and Caroline's committed relationship is worth it.

Some people might disagree with how low Stefan and Elena rank on this list. Stefan's desire to meet Elena kicks off the entire show, after all. But even though their relationship is solid, other "Vampire Diaries" romances are better examples of love and passion.

Stefan and Elena are another case of meeting the wrong person at the right time. Though Elena has her friends and Aunt Jenna, she needs someone to make her feel alive again after her parents' death. That person is Stefan. They're together for several seasons, and then engage in an on-and-off-again sort of thing. However, after Elena becomes a vampire, her small-but-ever-present feelings for Damon intensify. Elena and Stefan's entire dynamic changes. Happily, Stefan eventually realizes that even though he loves Elena, she and Damon are better suited for each other. They ultimately become great friends.

But Elena and Stefan might've ended up together if Elena's actress, Nina Dobrev, hadn't left "The Vampire Diaries." "I felt like we had to make a commitment to seeing Damon and Elena through to the end," co-creator Julie Plec told Entertainment Weekly. "If Nina had never left, I would've loved to have been able to see if Stefan and Elena could've found their way back to each other."

Coming in at number five are Alaric and Jenna, the couple that deserves more time than they get. Their relationship happens very suddenly in Season 1, and endures through most of Season 2. But Alaric's failure to communicate why he's really in Mystic Falls — to hunt vampires and find his first wife, Isobel — drives a wedge between them. After learning Isobel is still alive, Jenna breaks up with Alaric. But once she learns the truth of the whole situation, including that Isobel is Elena's biological mother, she forgives Alaric, and they resume their relationship. Sadly, their romance is cut short when Klaus uses Jenna as the vampire sacrifice in his hybrid ritual. Alaric is heartbroken.

Alaric and Jenna automatically become Elena and Jeremy's guardians after their parents die, and fulfill their responsibilities well. They're both cautious and carefree, very funny, and full of love for each other and the kids. The four of them really could have been a happy family, if it weren't for Klaus' sacrifice.

Elena and Damon are the true endgame of the Salvatore brothers' love triangle. Simply put, these two are destined for each other — but it doesn't initially seem that way. After meeting Elena, Damon compels her to believe she actually met Stefan. Damon always takes a backseat to his younger brother, because he wants Elena to be happy. However, after Elena is transformed into a vampire, her feelings for Damon become undeniable. They begin a relationship and fall deeply in love. Though they struggle throughout the show to get on the same page regarding their feelings and their dead-or-alive status, they always manage to come back to each other.

Though Damon and Elena end up together, this wasn't always the plan. As co-creator Julie Plec detailed in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, both brothers were initially going to die, and Elena was going to end up with a human like Matt Donovan. This could have been a satisfying conclusion, but it's hard to imagine a version of this story without Elena and Damon's fiery romance. Luckily, we don't have to.

Caroline and Klaus never actually date, but they're so beloved by so many fans, it seems only appropriate to put them in third place. Admittedly, Klaus struggles to make choices that don't end in people dying or the fulfillment of his own desires. Moreover, Caroline is married to Stefan. But Klaus is her true soulmate. The two start out hating each other, but after Klaus cures Caroline's werewolf bite, he becomes taken with her. He shows her the sort of empathy and kindness he refuses to extend to every other person in his life, even his own siblings.

Klaus offers to take Caroline away from Mystic Falls and show her every inch of the world. Caroline is certainly tempted, and the two even sleep together, but she continuously rejects Klaus because of his behavior toward Tyler. Sadly, by the time Caroline is open to seeing someone after she and Tyler end, Klaus is busy dealing with Hayley and the baby. This lack of official status does nothing to deter fans from supporting the couple, even though they're a questionable pair. As co-creator Julie Plec told Entertainment Weekly, "That little romantic relationship would never get through a writers' room today ... but boy was it good."

Alaric simply can't catch a break in any of his romantic relationships. After losing Isobel to vampirism and watching Jenna die, he watches Jo, his pregnant bride, get murdered during their wedding. Alaric and Jo's love story is quick and passionate, full of witty banter and time put in to earn each other's trust. But when Jo becomes pregnant with twins, she gets a target on her back: Her family of witches has a twin curse. Alaric and the rest of their friends vow to protect her.

The two have a beautiful wedding ceremony attended by all their loved ones. However, as they exchange vows, Jo's murderous brother Kai shows up and kills her. The Gemini coven is able to put the unborn twins in Caroline's body, leaving Alaric with a piece of Jo forever. But the fact is, they should have had more time. Alaric finally finds happiness with a woman who understands his past, his friends, and their supernatural secrecy — and then has all of it stripped away in a matter of seconds. It's tragic to watch it end, but the time the audience gets to spend with the pair is perfect.

The top spot goes to Bonnie and Enzo. These two are the most unexpectedly delightful couple in the whole show. Bonnie spends the entire run of "The Vampire Diaries" taking care of everyone else. She sacrifices her family, her health, and even her life to save her friends, yet no one stops to take care of her — until Enzo. Enzo is the first person to truly recognize how selfless and inspiring Bonnie is. Moreover, Bonnie is the rare person Enzo lets himself trust. He promptly falls deeply in love with her. 

These two appreciate each other for their strengths and flaws, which allows them to finally heal. There's not a single couple on the show with more maturity, grace, respect, and love than Bonnie and Enzo. They also have plenty of chemistry, which makes it clear from the moment they meet that they're meant to be together. Even though Bonnie loses Enzo in the end, she's still grateful for the confidence, love, and passion he shows her. It's enough to carry her through the rest of her life.