It’s arduous to say when The Vampire Diaries began going downhill. Some level to Nina Dobrev’s exit in season six as the place to begin, others say season 4 when Elena, the primary protagonist, turns right into a vampire. My reply is totally totally different, nonetheless. The Vampire Diaries ended its reign on teen tv when it wasted one among its greatest plot factors: Damon and Bonnie’s enemies to lovers romance.
Bonnie and Damon completely hate one another within the first few seasons, principally as a result of Bonnie has a robust ethical compass and refuses to simply accept and tolerate a murderous vampire (re: Damon). The 2 have only a few scenes collectively till the season 5 finale and the beginning of season six when they’re trapped in a jail world collectively. There, we begin to see their relationship blossom into one thing akin to friendship. Clearly, it’s not excellent as a result of Damon is nonetheless a assassin, however issues begin to look upward as we watch the 2 bond over pancakes, loneliness, and bourbon.
From season six to season eight, we see extra romantic subtlety within the characters, heightened by Ian Somerhalder and Kat Graham’s superb chemistry. Since Dobrev left in season six, naturally, followers (hello, whats up!) thought Bamon could be the brand new romantic centerpiece. However, the 2 by no means acquired collectively, though Somerhalder advocated for it throughout filming. The the explanation why are lengthy and sophisticated, however TVD’s showrunner, Julie Plec, amongst others, had invested an excessive amount of into Delena to throw it to the wayside.
I’d argue otherwise. Sure, seasons one by 4 developed Delena, however Bamon was all the time endgame—simply look again on the earlier seasons, and also you’ll see their romantic potential from day one. The 2 are made for one another, and I’ll show it to you proper now.
Bonnie made Damon wish to be higher
It’s an understatement to say Damon and Elena have a poisonous relationship. The 2 had been engaged in a cyclical sample the place they combat after which make up after which combat and make up. One of many difficult components of their relationship is Damon’s incapacity to cease murdering or assaulting folks and the way Elena will get mad at his actions however all the time lets him off the hook. I imply, he murdered Aaron, an harmless bystander and her buddy, however all she stated was, “You screwed up Damon once more. You place me able to defend you once more. The place I’ve to bend my morals once more. The place I’ve to go in opposition to each single factor I imagine in once more as a result of I really like you.” Like, huh?
Bonnie differs, as she units expectations and bounds for Damon and his conduct. Not like Elena, she gained’t compromise who she is and what she believes to maintain him round. Elena needs him to be higher, too, however she moms him and makes excuses, whereas Bonnie holds him accountable.
I as soon as noticed a TikTok that stated: Damon modified (quickly) as a result of Elena requested him to, whereas Damon modified completely as a result of Bonnie impressed him to. Finally, Elena was by no means an excellent match for Damon to be a greater character and boyfriend as a result of she liked him an excessive amount of for who he was. With Bonnie, he grew into the potential he had all alongside.
That they had a platonic relationship from the beginning
Damon is emotionally stunted. Being alive for nearly 200 years with mommy points, eldest youngster syndrome, and extreme abandonment issues will try this. It’s why he doesn’t know the muse of a wholesome relationship, as most of his romances in The Vampire Dairies are primarily based on sexual stress and chemistry relatively than belief, honesty, and open communication. However all of those qualities might be present in Bamon’s platonic friendship.
The jail world in season six helped develop Bonnie and Damon into platonic soulmates. Partly as a result of the duo had been caught alone in 1994 and had no selection however to depend on each other. A reliance quickly become a real friendship during which each events realized to deal with one another, a primary in Damon’s lengthy life.
Not often did anybody see Damon previous his devilish persona and permit him to be weak sans Bonnie. It’s why he revered her and her opinion a lot. Damon letting down his guard reveals how a lot he trusted her and their relationship. And for Bonnie, Damon preserving his phrase is what made her stick round. Not simply promising to be higher however appearing on it as nicely.
Damon selected Bonnie over Elena
In season six, episode 9, Damon says one thing so surprising that it stays probably the most iconic Bamon moments to at the present time. He tells Elena that he’s going again to the jail world to avoid wasting Bonnie. “I’m doing this for Bonnie, Elena. Not you.”
TVD followers understand how obsessive Damon is with Elena and the way he’ll go to bat for her over something and anybody (actually talking). So, for him to inform Elena how he chooses to avoid wasting Bonnie regardless of being secure and sound in the true world, reveals how a lot he loves and appreciates her. Even Elena takes notice of this new-found growth and makes constant off-hand remarks all through the season of the pair’s closeness.
Moreover, within the season six finale the place it’s revealed that so long as Bonnie lives, Elena will likely be in a sleep state, he decides to spend the remainder of his days with Bonnie throughout her human lifetime. Outdated Damon would’ve “by chance” murdered Bonnie if it meant Elena could be alive—he truly tells her that in season 2—however the brand new and improved Damon liked Bonnie a lot that he would relatively select her over the love of his life, Elena.
The sexual stress was out of this world
Even in case you’re not a Bamon fan, you have to confess their chemistry was insane. And I’m not simply saying that as a result of I’m a Bamon shipper by and thru. One of many the explanation why Damon and Bonnie had so few scenes collectively within the early seasons was due to Graham and Somerhalder’s chemistry. It was so highly effective that producers determined to axe their scenes so the Delena setup wouldn’t be sidelined.
However in case you look carefully, you’ll discover that in Damon and Bonnie’s restricted interactions, like in season two once they staff as much as discover her mom, their I-hate-you banter is so enemies-to-lovers that it’s plain the 2 belong collectively.
Once they grow to be buddies, although, that’s the place we see the stress full and middle. Damon is the primary particular person Bonnie sees when she escapes the jail world. She’s cooking a pile of pancakes—their signature dish—when he walks in and sees her. They offer one another the most important hug with him cradling her face and stroking her hair whereas her legs are round his waist. You’ll be able to’t idiot me and say that’s a platonic reunion.
Season seven additionally offers us some intense chemistry moments, like when Bonnie is on her homicidal I-have-to-kill-all-vampires rampage, and Damon calms her down by affectionately holding her, rubbing her shoulders, and telling her how he loves her the identical manner he loves Elena. I’m not crying, you might be.
Closing Ideas
The Vampire Diaries has plenty of missed potential ‘ships, however Bamon stays the highest one, and I’ll die on this hill. You’ll be able to love Elena and Damon—I do too generally— however finally, the suitable selection and the one selection was Bonnie. Anti-Bamon followers wish to say Bonnie and Damon don’t make sense due to her integrity and the way it doesn’t align with Damon’s character. And so they’re proper, to an extent. I don’t deny Damon’s early character, however let’s not neglect that Bonnie’s friendship made him into a person she is pleased with.
