Who Fans Of The Vampire Diaries Really Want To See Caroline End Up With

"The Vampire Diaries," co-created by Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson, aired for eight seasons (2009-2017) on The CW. Based the on the books by L.J. Smith, the series about a small Virginia town inhabited by sexy supernatural creatures spawned two spin-offs, "The Originals" and "Legacies."

"The Vampire Diaries" evolved into a cult classic, and its popularity continues as new generations of viewers discover the series on Netflix. The love triangle between Nina Dobrev's Elena Gilbert, Paul Wesley's Stefan Salvatore, and his older brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder) fuels much of the drama of the show's first three seasons, creating a deep divide between viewers who remain steadfast in their support of either Stelena or Delena.

Although Elena's love for both of the brooding Salvatores is the show's most hotly-contested romantic storyline, fans have strong opinions about the love lives of several of the series' central characters, including Caroline Forbes (Candice King). Following Dobrev's departure after Season 6, "The Vampire Diaries" switched its focus to Caroline and Stefan's less angsty pairing. The twosome wed in Season 8's penultimate episode, only to have their honeymoon cut short by Stefan's death in the series finale. So how do fans feel about Steroline, and do they think the perky Type-A vampire ends up with her Mr. Right?

Many fans of "The Vampire Diaries" believe Caroline should have chosen Klaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan) over Stefan. A member of the Original family of vampires, Klaus made his first appearance in Season 2, becoming one of the show's most enduring villains, a fan favorite, and an ardent admirer of Caroline. The sexual tension between the good girl and the very bad boy had fans shipping them since Season 3, earning them the moniker Klaroline.

During a 2021 interview on "EW's Binge: The Vampire Diaries," Julie Plec said, "Candice had chemistry with everybody, and Caroline, as a result, had chemistry with everybody." Plec capitalized on King's charisma by giving her plenty of love interests, including Tyler Lockwood (Michael Trevino), Matt Donovan (Zach Roerig), and Stefan but none gained the traction among fans like Klaus. Although Morgan's character leaves Mystic Falls at the end of Season 4, his return in Season 5's "500 Years of Solitude" paves the way for a one-time sexual encounter with Caroline that left fans wanting more.

On the r/TheOriginals subreddit, u/tipsym00n stated in no uncertain terms, "Caroline and Klaus should have ended up together." Redditor u/jenh6 seconded the motion. "Ya, I agree. They had great chemistry and their character[s] suited each other well."

Although earlier seasons of "The Vampire Diaries" foreshadows what seems to be the inevitable Caroline-Stefan pairing, not all viewers think it was a match made in heaven or good storytelling. "I thought they were great as friends, but the relationship never felt natural," stated u/messofgorgeouschas on the r/TheVampireDiaries subreddit. "Them being together seemed so forced. Like they just had to give Stefan a second love before he died," wrote u/Sunni-Bunni. "They shoehorned that relationship. It was hard to watch," stated u/SpicyHashbrowns."Stefan and Caroline should've worked. They had the natural friendship progression and everything. But the chemistry wasn't there to me," stated u/D_Nicole91.

Some of the anti-Steroline attitudes could be interpreted as sour grapes among Stelena fans. If Dobrev had remained on the series, Plec had a very different ending in mind for the Ripper vampire with the hero hair and his first true love."I would've loved to have been able to see if Stefan and Elena could've found their way back to each other," Plec told Entertainment Weekly in 2018.

Plec's original idea reinforces some fans' opinions that Caroline was Stefan's backup plan." It was really obvious that if Elena fell in love with Stefan again, he would've chosen her, and Caroline didn't want to be a hypocrite and love Klaus because she judged Elena for loving Damon," stated u/stephy2006.

So why do so many fans of "The Vampire Diaries" remain enamored with the idea of Caroline and Klaus? "Klaus & Caroline have things in common and, at the same time ... They both suffered from a great lack of confidence, insecurity, the fact that they were never chosen first, daddy issues, and they both like to be in control ..." stated u/mimi0108 on another r/TheVampireDiaries thread. It doesn't hurt that Klaus' impish grin is incredibly appealing.

Klaus and Caroline's relationship takes on a different dynamic once they become parents, and King's character helps Klaus (especially in the final season of "The Originals") navigate fatherhood. Any potential for Klaus and Caroline to pursue a relationship ends with Klaus' death in the series finale of the spin-off.

Despite his sacrifice, some viewers can't forget that affection for Caroline aside, Klaus' provocative and homicidal behavior outweighs any of his positive qualities. On the same r/TheVampireDiaries subreddit where fans bemoan the lack of chemistry between Caroline and Stefan, u/ILoveBromances reminded viewers that Klaus tried to kill Caroline, "forced" her to date him "to save her friends," and murdered Tyler's mom among a laundry list of other transgressions. Even Plec agrees that Klaroline is a "toxic" match. "That little romantic relationship would never get through a writers' room today ... but boy was it good," she explained to Entertainment Weekly.