Stefan Loved Elena More Than Damon Did, and This Vampire Diaries Scene Proves It
Stefan loved Elena. Damon was obsessed with her.
You may notice that the most popular love triangles come from the vampire genre, be it Edward-Bella-Jacob from Twilight or Stefan-Elena-Damon from The Vampire Diaries.
Of course, the supernatural setting implies constant turbulence with the characters — and that is certainly one aspect that made The Vampire Diaries' love triangle so compelling to follow.
Season 1 introduced Stefan Salvatore as the protagonist and main love interest for Elena Gilbert, while his elder brother Damon came in as a bloodthirsty monster and the show's major antagonist. However, things changed drastically after a few seasons, with viewers noticing Damon's increasing hotness and growing sexual tension between him and Elena.
Damon then became the ally for the Mystic Falls gang, and Elena subsequently chose him over Stefan. Her transition into a vampire also marked the beginning of their relationship, to the delight of some fans and the frustration of others.
Even though The Vampire Diaries concluded over six years ago with Damon/Elena being the endgame, the series' huge fandom remains divided between the two Salvatore brothers to this day. Many fans believe that Stefan was always the better choice for Elena because he truly loved her and proved it many times.
'I think Stefan loved [Elena] more and in a less selfish way compared to Damon. The hallmark of that was Stefan resisting Klaus' compulsion. It was just a very beautiful and powerful scene to me,' a fan wrote on Reddit.
The scene the fan is talking about came in Episode 5 of Season 3, 'The Reckoning,' when original vampire Klaus Mikaelson compelled Stefan to feed on Elena. Although the power of the compulsion is almost impossible to resist, Stefan chose to stab himself rather than harm his girlfriend. According to fans, this noble act served as the best example of Stefan's selfless love towards Elena.
As for Damon, many viewers believe that Elena was more of an obsession for him. After chasing Katherine Pierce for decades, Damon found out that she didn't love him when he met her doppelganger. Of course, he deluded himself into thinking that Elena was what he was looking for and became addicted to her.
She was his emotional anchor, but Damon never gave her any comfort in return.
'You don't abuse, constantly cross boundaries and constantly lash out, even killing the loved ones of your supposed "true love," when you get any hint of rejection,' a fan pointed out.
While Damon's relationship with Elena was clearly toxic, some people also criticize the heroine for how she treated the younger Salvatore. Many argue that it's a good thing she and Damon ended up together, as Elena most likely didn't deserve the great and pure love Stefan felt for her.
Source: Reddit.