For eight seasons, The Vampire Diaries fans watched the blood-sucking brothers Damon Salvatore and Stefan Salvatore fall and rise. Both redeemed themselves by the end of the series. And though viewers picked their favorites, The Vampire Diaries co-creator Kevin Williamson revealed which Salvatore brother he believes became the better man.
‘The Vampire Diaries’ presented Damon as the bad boy and Stefan as the compassionate, responsible brother
The Vampire Diaries has captivated audiences for years, primarily due to its love triangle involving Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev) and vampire siblings Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) and Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley). Damon is the older brother and initially presents himself as the bad boy. He’s the more impulsive of the two and often makes decisions without considering their deadly consequences.
Throughout the series, while Damon is often the troublemaker, Stefan is the more level-headed, responsible brother. Damon acts selfish and self-destructive. But Stefan puts his family first and works hard to protect those he loves (except when he briefly became the sociopathic Ripper).
However, by the time The Vampire Diaries ended, both Damon and Stefan were heroes who had redeemed themselves for their wrongdoings. Ultimately, Stefan sacrificed himself so that Damon could live a long, happy life with Elena.
‘The Vampire Diaries’ co-creator Kevin Williamson says Damon became the better man
The Vampire Diaries created a passionate debate among fans over whether Damon or Stefan Salvatore was the better man. While both brothers had unique strengths and weaknesses, co-creator Kevin Williamson said Damon became the better man.
The showrunner explained that Stefan may have been the more responsible and selfless sibling and was often a better brother to Damon than vice versa. However, Williamson noted that Damon was the one who changed the most in the end.
“What happened was Damon became the better man,” Williamson told TV Guide. “And I think that’s the eternal arc, is that he truly became everything his brother wanted. He became everything his brother was hoping he would become. And because his brother sacrificed himself for him, Damon got to live a better life.”
Fans loved Damon despite his villainous story arc
Williamson may believe Damon became the better man in the end. But many fans of The Vampire Diaries thought he was good throughout the series, despite his colder, more murderous moments.
According to co-creator Julie Plec, Damon was meant to be a villain for much longer. But because of fan feedback, she decided to redeem him and make Katherine Pierce (Nina Dobrev) the show’s big baddie.
“They [were like], ‘Poor Damon, poor Damon, he’s so misunderstood! He just loves Elena so much,’” Plec recalled in a chat with E! News. “We were aghast. We were like, ‘What have we wrought? We have basically accidentally created ...er couple for toxic masculinity.’ The women loved him, and we couldn’t understand it at all. That was a moment.”
