The Vampire Diaries/Characters

Elena Gilbert
""I don't question why everyone tries so hard to save me. You shouldn't question why I try so hard to save everyone else." Portrayed by Nina Dobrev."

A pretty and popular girl who reassessed her priorities following the death of her parents in a car crash of which she was the only survivor. She starts dating a new arrival in town, Stefan Salvatore, only to discover after a series of eerie incidents that he is far from normal...  As a Gilbert, she is a descendant of one of the town's Founding Families. She  in "The Departed" before it was revealed that


 * Action Survivor: Elena, while not really an Action Girl (she's far too likely to be a Distressed Damsel), is pretty competent while trying to defend herself. For example, when a strange vampire is trying to kill her, she stabs him with pencils - repeatedly - and then breaks a mop over her knee to try to stake him, and when a werewolf attacks her, she instantly sticks a knife into his gut. She's also adept at using her surroundings while trying to run away if pursued by a supernatural.
 * Adaptation Dye Job: Was blonde in the original books, now a brunette.
 * Badass Normal: She's getting there.
 * Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: A rather heroic version of this. She literally stabs in the back in "Homecoming". Justified in the case of what happened with Elijah but  is not happy about it
 * Cool Big Sis: To Jeremy.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Distressed Damsel: Although not as often as you could expect, and often justified.
 * Doom Magnet
 * Heroic Sacrifice: Attempts this throughout season two.
 * Identical Granddaughter: Katherine, several generations removed.
 * I Did What I Had to Do: Erasing Jeremy's memory from, and lying to everyone about it to protect them.
 * I Just Want to Be Normal: Says this almost word-for-word to Stefan.
 * Ordinary High School Student:
 * Parental Abandonment
 * Took a Level In Badass
 * Tsundere: type B.
 * Took a Level In Badass
 * Tsundere: type B.
 * Took a Level In Badass
 * Tsundere: type B.

Stefan Salvatore
""I don't hurt people. I don't do that. I'm the good brother." Portrayed by Paul Wesley"

A hundred-and-sixtysomething vampire, Stefan is a Friendly Neighbourhood Vampire who avoids drinking human blood, choosing to feed from animals instead. As a result, he is weaker than most other vampires - in particular, his elder brother Damon, who bears a grudge against Stefan. Early in the series, Stefan meets and begins to develop feelings for Elena, and decides to pursue a relationship with her while protecting her both from his own nature and other vampires. As of the season 2 finale

""Hurt her again and you're dead.""
 * Alliterative Name
 * Anti-Villain:Type III or IV in season 3.
 * Badass: Especially in Season 3 as Antagonist,I mean just look at THIS
 * Berserk Button: If you want to get on Stefan's bad side, trying hurting Elena. Or Caroline.

"Caroline: Why are you looking at him with your serious vampire look? Stefan: My wha… my serious vampire look? Caroline: Umhm… I mean it’s different from your worried vampire look. Neither of which stray too far from your "Hey, it’s Tuesday" look."
 * Beware the Nice Ones: He may be the nice brother (and all-around good guy) but he is not to be crossed.
 * Blue Oni: To Damon's Red.
 * Cold Turkeys Are Everywhere: Stefan has to resist the urge to drink human blood every day, as human walk all around him.
 * Deadpan Snarker: He's usually stoic but his scenes with Damon are true snark to snark combat.
 * The Dragon:(season 3) To Klaus.
 * Dragon with an Agenda: At the end of "Homecoming"
 * Emotion Suppression:
 * Face Heel Turn : In the season 2 finale.
 * Friendly Neighborhood Vampire
 * I Am a Monster
 * I Hate You, Vampire Dad: Towards Katherine.
 * Mr. Fanservice: Has had multiple shirtless scenes.
 * Platonic Life Partners: Had this with Lexi, is heading into something similar with Caroline.
 * Spiky Hair
 * Stalking Is Love: Followed Elena around for months and dug up all kinds of information on her before introducing himself. Though he did have a reason for doing this other than creepiness. He wanted to make sure Elena wasn't Katherine
 * The Stoic: Very much so, and lampshaded in 2.03 Bad Moon Rising


 * Tall, Dark and Handsome
 * Took a Level In Badass: In season 3.
 * Took a Level In Jerkass: Oh boy, also combined with Lack of Empathy due to Klaus compelling him to shut off his humanity.
 * Vegetarian Vampire:
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: With Damon. Type 2. Stefan may be angry with or wary of his brother most of the time, but he'll allow no one else to touch him as Mason Lockwood found out.

Damon Salvatore
""It's cool not growing old. I like being the eternal stud." Portrayed by Ian Somerhalder."

Stefan's older brother, and most certainly not a Friendly Neighbourhood Vampire. He long ago swore to make Stefan's life "an eternity of misery". At first, he kills a lot of people in Mystic Falls, but later moderates his behaviour for a number of reasons - though he remains dangerous. When he wants to, Damon can be charming and hilarious... but also cruel and capricious, and capable of killing on a whim. For the first season, Damon was the series's Antagonist, but has reverted his status to help Stefan and protect Elena.


 * All Love Is Unrequited: Damon is the epitome of this trope. He loves Elena, she doesn't love him back. He loves Katherine, who also doesn't love him back, but instead loves Stefan. Who is in love with Elena.
 * Anguished Declaration of Love: To Elena at the Originals' Ball
 * Anti-Hero: Swings around between Type III and Type V.
 * Recently he settles down with Type III / Good Is Not Nice.
 * Badass
 * Berserk Button: Elena, in every single way. Hurting Stefan is also not a good idea.
 * Big Brother Instinct: He may enjoy screwing with Stefan, but he's the only one allowed to do so, as the tomb vampires painfully learn.
 * Black Sheep
 * Blue and Orange Morality: At times he genuinely doesn't seem to comprehend that Elena might be upset because he murdered someone she didn't even know. Even when he, he seems to class it as bad because it made Elena upset, not because he thought it was morally wrong.
 * Character Development
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Depending on the Writer: Is Damon a guy who's had a really tough life and just happens to be humanity's natural predator, is he a Complete Monster who only presents a soft side to manipulate people, or are vampires so unlike humans that it's impossible to determine his motivations? It can vary from episode to episode.
 * Forgot About His Powers: His abilities to extent his influence and senses via a tame raven and making a fog appear to confuse his victims, seems to have been written completely out of the show. While Damon himself kills the raven out of a desperate need of blood, the fog thing is just sort of forgotten, and is never brought up again
 * Fully-Embraced Fiend
 * Heartbroken Badass
 * Heel Face Turn
 * I Hate You, Vampire Dad: Both subverted and played straight, due to the vampire conversion process being... somewhat complex. Damon loves Katherine dearly, but It's only been touched on briefly, but all signs are that Damon deeply resents the whole affair.
 * Now that Katherine's back and proclaiming that
 * Jerkass Facade
 * Jerk with a Heart of Gold
 * Karma Houdini: Has as of yet suffered no consequences for killing Lexi, raping Caroline, snapping Jeremy's neck, trying to kill Caroline, forcing his blood on Elena, and countless other crimes.
 * Ladykiller in Love: With Elena.
 * Love Hurts
 * Love Makes You Evil: His love for Katherine...
 * Love Redeems: ... And his love for Elena.
 * Mr. Fanservice: Enjoys wearing low neck shirts and walking around shirtless.
 * Murder Is the Best Solution: A bad case. The number of their current, potential, and former allies that Damon has killed or tried to kill for very little reason is quite staggering, and greatly exceeds the number of definite enemies he's killed.
 * No Sense of Personal Space: Damon loves to unnerve people by getting in their face.
 * Red Oni: to Stefan's Blue.
 * Romantic Runner-Up: Twice, towards Katherine and Elena, both times to Stefan.
 * Tall, Dark and Snarky: Oh so much.
 * Token Evil Teammate
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: With both Alaric Saltzman and his brother, Stefan. Both are Type 2.

Bonnie Bennett
""You saw what I was able to do tonight. I know who I am now. If Damon spills one drop of human blood, I'll take him down." Portrayed by Kat Graham."

Elena's best friend, Bonnie begins the series haunted by strange visions. She soon discovers that she is a witch, like her grandmother before her - but finds herself torn between her loyalty to Elena and her desire to protect the town from the vampires.


 * Adaptation Dye Job / Race Lift: Was a redhead of Scottish descent in the books.
 * Alliterative Name
 * Badass
 * Cute Witch
 * Extraordinarily Empowered Girl
 * I Just Want to Be Normal: At first, but eventually learns to enjoy her powers and the good she can do with them.
 * Love Triangle: In season 2, between her, Luka and Jeremy.
 * Psychic Nosebleed
 * Took a Level In Badass

Jeremy Gilbert
""Why does everyone keep dying on me?" Portrayed by Steven R. McQueen."

Elena's little brother took their parents' death poorly, falling into self-destruction and drug abuse. He also fell in love with the troubled and older Girl Next Door, Vicki Donovan. But he's far from stupid, and Elena's desperate attempts to protect him from the vampires only serve to make him suspicious and start to distrust her.


 * Badass Normal: Shoots a hybrid in the back with a crossbow then decapitates him without flinching.
 * Back From the Dead
 * Bullying the Dragon: He's one of the few people who has little to no problem standing up to Damon and telling him off despite the frequent death threats.
 * Cartwright Curse: Lampshaded: "You know I don't have the best of luck with girlfriends."
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Despair Event Horizon: After Anna is killed, he attempts to kill himself in order to turn into a vampire and thus turn off his emotions.
 * Driven to Suicide: In the season one finale.
 * Hot-Blooded: In the first season, he's perfectly willing to tell off Tyler for his treatment of Vicki despite Tyler's bullying and threats.
 * I See Dead People: Seems to be a side-effect from him coming Back From the Dead at the end of season two.
 * Loners Are Freaks: Some have this perception of him in early episodes, but it disappears when his angst does.
 * Mr. Fanservice: Is rather ripped for being so young
 * Parental Abandonment
 * The Stoner
 * Troubled but Cute
 * The Stoner
 * Troubled but Cute

Caroline Forbes
""So you're saying now I'm an insecure, neurotic control freak... on crack?" Portrayed by Candice Accola."

Elena and Bonnie's other friend (and uncomfortably aware of this), Caroline is a similarly rich and privileged young woman. She is a descendant of the founding families through her mother, Sheriff Liz Forbes, but the importance of her mother's job means that Caroline often feels neglected, leading to a troubled relationship between the two of them. Desperately insecure and somewhat resentful of existing in Elena's shadow, things get even worse for Caroline when the attractive older man who catches her eye turns out to be Damon Salvatore, who uses her as a minion/sex-toy/blood-bank. After she is freed from his control, she starts dating Elena's ex, Matt - which isn't especially good for her inferiority complex.


 * Adaptation Dye Job
 * Adorkable: She's sensitive, talkative and has a really bad habit of saying the wrong thing.
 * Alpha Bitch: Subverted. It's a front she puts up.
 * Always Someone Better: Feels this way towards Elena.
 * Badass Adorable
 * The Big Guy: a non-traditional example. Caroline is constantly having her strength played up, she is constantly out-muscling other characters, lifting them out of wells, even lifting a heavy stone door requiring both brothers in another scene. Even her ethics have become more Chewbacca-like, with a valuing of courage and loyalty to friends rather than the more complex Hero and Heart ethics of Stefen and Elena.
 * Character Development: Has become more interesting and tolerable since she
 * Clingy Jealous Girl: More so, ever since she became
 * Composite Character: Of the book versions of herself and Meredith.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Defrosting Ice Queen
 * Disappeared Dad: He's gay.
 * Dumb Blonde: Subverted, she appears to be this at first, but she's actually very capable and conscientious.
 * Friendly Neighborhood Vampire
 * Not that he meant to, but she already had very good reasons to hate him.
 * Lovable Alpha Bitch
 * Motor Mouth
 * Overshadowed by Awesome: When around Elena.
 * Platonic Life Partners: With Stefan (though the shippers disagree).
 * in season 2, episode 2, "Brave New World."
 * Sugar and Ice Personality: Pretty much fits to a 'T'
 * Took a Level In Badass: Seems to agree with her - As of the the fifth episode of Season 2 she's   Moments later she's saving the day by   At least there's always handy vampire mind control to set things right again.
 * Tsundere: Type A.
 * Tsundere: Type A.

Matt Donovan
""I get it, this is your life now. But you know what my life is, Caroline? My life is an absentee mom, and a bunch of bills to pay, and school, and a job, and it sucks sometimes, but it's my life and I think that I just want to live it without all this." Portrayed by Zach Roerig."

Elena's childhood friend and ex, Matt was willing to give Elena space after the death of her parents, hoping that the two might eventually get back together. Naturally, he was somewhat upset when Elena then fell for Stefan... but was able work past it, befriending his 'love rival' and eventually beginning a new relationship with Caroline.

Perhaps the reason for his mature outlook is that he had to grow up fast - unlike most of the other characters, Matt isn't the descendant of an ancient family, but from the wrong side of the tracks; from an early age, he had to look after his irresponsible alcoholic mother and stoner big sister.


 * Better as Friends: from Elena's perspective, though he doesn't agree.
 * Dogged Nice Guy
 * The Generic Guy
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: With Tyler, at first.
 * I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Despite being very jealous of Stefan and his relationship with Elena, he tries to become friends.
 * in Know Thy Enemy, he
 * Parental Abandonment
 * Token Human: The only cast member left with no supernatural elements or special abilities.
 * Unlucky Childhood Friend: To Elena.

Tyler Lockwood
""I have no one else to tell. I’m sorry about earlier. It’s just, I’m alone with this. What’s gonna happen to me? I’m gonna turn on the next full moon, and I won’t be able to stop it. I’m scared." Portrayed by Michael Trevino."

Matt's best friend, though the two couldn't be more different - Tyler seems to be nothing more than a Jerk Jock, and the son of the town's Mayor. But his parents are very unpleasant people... and Tyler has actually inherited more from his father than just womanizing ways and a hair-trigger temper...


 * Dirty Coward: He's good with threats but when Jeremy actually challenges him to a fight, he looks visibly scared.
 * Freudian Excuse: His father was a womanizing, abusive alpha male who tried to force him to fight Jeremy "like a man".
 * The Generic Guy
 * Hair-Trigger Temper: Justified, it's a side-effect of his latent lycanthropy.
 * Heterosexual Life Partners: With Matt, at first.
 * Jerkass: But then evolves into a Jerk with a Heart of Gold.
 * Magic Pants: Invoked, Tyler removes his shirt become his transformation but keeps his pants on, in the hope that "it's like the hulk where I get to keep my pants.".
 * Mr. Fanservice: Winds up naked after transforming back on several occasions.
 * Put on a Bus / The Bus Came Back: Leaves mid-way through S2, but then returns for the last couple of episodes.
 * Star-Crossed Lovers: With Caroline.
 * The Stoner: At first, but less than Vicki or Jeremy.
 * Troubled but Cute
 * Star-Crossed Lovers: With Caroline.
 * The Stoner: At first, but less than Vicki or Jeremy.
 * Troubled but Cute

Jenna Sommers
""I've become my worst nightmare. The authority figure." Portrayed by Sara Canning."

In a better world, Jenna could have been an awesome aunt to Elena and Jeremy. With the tragic death of her sister and brother-in-law, however, she's had to step up into the role of guardian for the two of them, for which she is rather less suited. Still, she tries... and at least she has a nice love interest now in the form of Alaric, following the second mysterious disappearance of Logan "Scum" Fell.


 * Adults Are Useless: Made very, very clear in the first season finale.
 * Cool Big Sis: Fills this role much better than the one of "responsible parent".
 * Kick the Dog:
 * Older Than They Look: If she looks just a year older than her niece... that's because in real life, she is.
 * Out of Focus: Is quickly demoted to a Plot Device for
 * Promotion to Parent: After her sister and brother-in-law are killed in a car crash, she becomes Elena and Jeremy's legal guardian.
 * Promotion to Parent: After her sister and brother-in-law are killed in a car crash, she becomes Elena and Jeremy's legal guardian.

Alaric Saltzman
""I was a little too distracted by my dead vampire wife to ask any questions." Portrayed by Matt Davis."

The replacement history teacher after Mr Tanner was killed by a mountain lion, Alaric is much friendlier. But he's not without secrets - he came to Mystic Falls to hunt vampires, in particular the one that killed his wife. He finds rather more than he planned to... but settles into working with the heroes to protect the town from supernatural threats.


 * Actually Not a Vampire: In his first few episodes there are hints dropped that he is a vampire.
 * Badass Normal: History teacher by day, vampire hunter by night.
 * Cool Teacher
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Good Thing You Can Heal: His ring protects him from being killed supernaturals. Damon once killed him solely for this purpose
 * Grand Theft Me: Ends up on the receiving end of this.
 * Love Hurts
 * Parental Substitute: Looks to become this to Elena and Jeremy after.
 * Red Herring: When he is first introduced, there are many exceedingly obvious hints that he is a vampire, who has been behind the recent murders. His true identity as a vampire hunter is revealed when he kills the vampire that was actually behind them.
 * Took a Level In Badass: Pre-series, after losing his wife.
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: Type 2 with Damon Salvatore. Damon may have killed him and turned his wife into a Vampire, but they have this weird friendship going on that even the writers love, and which they have named "Team Badass".
 * You Killed My Wife
 * Vitriolic Best Buds: Type 2 with Damon Salvatore. Damon may have killed him and turned his wife into a Vampire, but they have this weird friendship going on that even the writers love, and which they have named "Team Badass".
 * You Killed My Wife
 * You Killed My Wife

Klaus Mikaelson
""Love is a vampire’s greatest weakness and we are not weak. We do not feel and we do not care." Portrayed by Joseph Morgan/Matt Davis (when he was possessing Alaric)/"

A hybrid of vampire and werewolf, Lord Niklaus (known pretty much universally as Klaus) is the main antagonist from Season Two onward. He's responsible for numerous character deaths and his manipulations stretch back all the way to Season One, before he made an onscreen appearance or was even mentioned.


 * Ax Crazy
 * Badass
 * Big Bad: He is this for Season Two. This continues on through Season Three as well, though he winds up sharing the role with.
 * Black Sheep
 * Blond Guys Are Evil
 * The Chessmaster: Rescue the werewolf and vampire and kill the witch that he needs to perform his ritual? Doesn't matter, he's got a back-up of each of them.
 * Chronic Backstabbing Disorder
 * Corrupt the Cutie:.
 * Crazy Prepared
 * Disproportionate Retribution: His punishment towards Katherine for running away from him.
 * Evil Brit
 * Grand Theft Me: Does this to Alaric, which is how we first meet him.
 * I Am Not My Father: Becoming Mikael is Klaus' worse nightmare.
 * I Just Want to Have Friends: Seemingly a large part of his desire to create . In The Hybrid he bitterly refers to   as his only companion. Of course, any sympathy this might evoke rather vanishes when one remembers that the reason why he's so alone is he murdered his entire family.
 * It's All About Me
 * Ninja Pirate Robot Zombie: He's a.
 * Plot Armor Despite virtually everyone in the cast constantly trying to kill him, and coming ridiclously close to being Killed Off for Real several times, the writers won't let him die.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old
 * Villainous Breakdown: Had a small one in "The Hybrid" when, then another in "Bring Out the Dead" when  , then again in "Do Not Go Gentle" when.

Vicki Donovan
""Don`t start with the little twelve-steps thing. School councilor has been down that road, it doesn`t work for me." Portrayed by Kayla Ewell."

Matt’s older sister and Jeremy’s first girlfriend, Vicki is a compulsive drug user who gets high to avoid her crappy life. She is turned by Damon on a whim.


 * All Men Are Perverts: As she believes.
 * Cold Turkeys Are Everywhere: After she is turned, everyone around her suddenly looks like a walking blood bag. According to Stefan, this is usual for a new vampire, but it's made much worse by the fact that Vicki was a drug user.
 * Ms. Fanservice: Dances around in her undies under Damon's compulsion
 * Really Gets Around: According to Tyler.
 * Sacrificial Lamb
 * Seventh-Episode Twist: To prove the point that anyone can die, the writers killed off Vicki, a character heavily established as Matt's sister, the first character turned into a vampire onscreen, and the center of a prominent secondary love triangle between Jeremy and Tyler.
 * The Stoner
 * The Stoner

Elijah Mikaelson
""Young vampires — so arrogant. How dare you come in here and challenge me?" Portrayed by Daniel Gillies."

An Original vampire, Elijah is the most sophisticated member of his family. He alternately works for Klaus and against him throughout the series. He was once in love with Katherine and tried to save her from his brother but she betrayed him. He has developed a fondness for Elena as well.

""I'm a little behind the times but I believe the term you're looking for is 'OMG'.""
 * Badass: And how. He's second only to Klaus on the vampire totem pole, vastly above and beyond the likes of Stefan and Damon.
 * Cain and Abel: With Klaus.
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Ensemble Darkhorse: Possibly more so than any other character. He's been staggeringly popular ever since his first appearance.
 * Face Heel Turn: Klaus promised to take him to his family's bodies if Elijah spared his life. Of course, Klaus reneged and stabbed Elijah with the ash dagger (which Elijah had previously been stabbed with by Alaric and Elena).
 * Friendly Enemy
 * I Am a Monster: After threatening Elena, he comes to agree with his mother's view of him as an abomination.
 * Noble Demon
 * Only Sane Man: When you compare him to the rest of his family... Yeah.
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old: An Original vampire.
 * Rewarded as a Traitor Deserves
 * Sixth Ranger Traitor
 * Sharp-Dressed Man
 * Sophisticated As Hell


 * Villain Ball: Sometimes family comes first to him, even if it means sparing/helping his murderous siblings.
 * Worthy Opponent

Rebekah Mikaelson
""If you come after my brother, I will rip you apart." Portrayed by Claire Holt."

An Original vampire, Rebekah is the only daughter of the Original family. She had a romance with Stefan in the 1920s. Klaus staked her when she chose Stefan over him. She was unstaked by Klaus in an effort to find out why his hybrids were failing. Her cruel nature masks her emotional insecurity.


 * Alpha Bitch
 * Always Someone Better: To Caroline
 * Ambiguously Bi / Immortality Bisexuality
 * Calling the Old Man Out: Rebekah to Mikael.
 * Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: A common victim of this, it makes the fact that she's so bitchy understandable because she probably has problems trusting anyone
 * Evil Counterpart: She seemed like she was an evil version of Caroline at first but she's really just scarred from everyone in her life turning on her.
 * Fake Brit: Claire Holt is Australian.
 * Also the originals are Scandinavian. She manages to be a fake Brit both in and out of universe
 * Femme Fatale
 * I Hate You, Vampire Dad: He's also her actual father.
 * Really 700 Years Old: More like 1000.
 * Rich Bitch
 * Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds
 * Rich Bitch
 * Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds

Mikael
""I can kill Klaus and I will."

Portrayed by Sebastian Roché."


 * Abusive Parents: Mikael is this to Klaus.
 * Archnemesis Dad: to Klaus.
 * The Dreaded: Klaus, a werewolf-vampire hybrid who can't be killed and treats everyone around him like an insect...is absolutely terrified of him.
 * Food Chain of Evil: He only feeds on other vampires.
 * Hunter of His Own Kind
 * Sealed Evil in a Can
 * Sealed Evil in a Can
 * Sealed Evil in a Can

Esther Mikaelson
""I love my family, Elena. But they are an abomination." Portrayed by Alice Evans/"


 * : Could share this with Klaus but she have been more of a threat in recent episodes than Klaus.
 * Hot Mom
 * Knight Templar Parent: Wanted so badly to protect her children that she.
 * Mama Bear
 * The Stoic
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist: Has come to believe that.

Kol Mikaelson
"" Again with the dagger threats, don't you have any other tricks? " Portrayed by Nathaniel Buzolic"


 * Ax Crazy: Heavily implied.
 * Badass: Klaus would rather deal with Elijah than deal with Kol
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old: Plus kept in a coffin for 100 of those years
 * Small Name, Big Ego
 * Smug Snake

Finn Mikaelson
"" I will be ready to die." Portrayed by Caspar Zafer"


 * Aloof Big Brother
 * Badass- Stabs Klaus in the hand before he can even react.
 * Badass Long Hair: In his first appearance.
 * The Dragon: To Esther
 * I Am a Monster
 * I Love You, Vampire Son: To Sage
 * Momma's Boy- Is the only one of his family who knows Esther's true agenda
 * Really Seven Hundred Years Old: And has been kept in a coffin for over 900 years
 * The Stoic
 * Who Wants to Live Forever??: Finn doesn't.
 * Who Wants to Live Forever??: Finn doesn't.

Giuseppe Salvatore
"These creatures are of the darkest parts of hell, they have the ability to control your mind, seduce your spirit. They are deadly. They must be destroyed! Portrayed by James Remar."


 * Abusive Parents: Killed his own sons for trying to help a vampire escape.
 * Knight Templar Parent
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist

Zach Salvatore
"Blood only runs so deep when you're related to vampires."

"Portrayed by Chris William Martin"


 * Only Sane Man
 * Unfazed Everyman
 * We Hardly Knew Ye
 * We Hardly Knew Ye

Sheriff Elizabeth 'Liz' Forbes
"I`m not going to let people get caught in the crossfire of a pissing contest between a hybrid and a vampire. Portrayed by Marguerite MacIntyre."


 * Badass Normal
 * Big Damn Heroes: When, in Series 3, Caroline is kidnapped and, Liz (and Tyler) burst in and save the day.
 * Knight Templar Parent
 * Mama Bear: As of Series 3.
 * Reasonable Authority Figure

Bill Forbes
"You're a vampire, sweetheart. I don't think you'll ever be okay again. Portrayed by Jack Coleman."


 * Badass Gay
 * Knight Templar Parent
 * Straight Gay
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist
 * Straight Gay
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist

Mayor Richard Lockwood
"Portrayed by Robert Pralgo."


 * Abusive Parent
 * Knight Templar Parent
 * Knight Templar Parent

Carol Lockwood
""You know, if you`re going to bring a girl home I wish she`d have the tact not to sneak out like a prostitute." Portrayed by Susan Walters."


 * Rich Bitch
 * Stepford Smiler

Mason Lockwood
""Oh, what am I? I apologize. I’m an animal." Portrayed by Taylor Kinney."

"Tyler: Your eyes, they glowed... what was that? Mason: Reflection. Off car headlamps."
 * Agent Scully: Plays up his reputation as a skeptic, but he knows for a fact that there's more out there.
 * Black Sheep
 * Blatant Lies
 * Blatant Lies


 * Unwitting Pawn: Of Katherine.
 * Unwitting Pawn: Of Katherine.
 * Unwitting Pawn: Of Katherine.

Jonas Martin
"Portrayed by Randy J. Goodwin."


 * Badass: Takes down a whole group of werewolves singlehandedly.
 * Papa Wolf
 * Roaring Rampage of Revenge
 * Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds
 * Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds

Luka Martin
"Portrayed by Bryton James."


 * Kill It with Fire
 * Kill It with Fire

Greta Martin
"Portrayed by Lisa Tucker."


 * Evil All Along
 * Hey, It's That Guy!: Lisa Tucker is a former American Idol contestant

Logan Fell
"Portrayed by Chris Johnson."


 * Bullying a Dragon
 * Jerkass
 * Stalker with a Crush
 * Your Cheating Heart
 * Your Cheating Heart

Katherine Pierce / Katerina Petrova
"I will always look out for myself. If you're smart, you'll do the same. Portrayed by Nina Dobrev."


 * Acting for Two
 * Ax Crazy: Subverted. It may seem so in the beginning, but flashbacks and interaction with other characters make it perfectly clear that Katherine is very much sane, just really obsessed
 * Badass
 * Bait And Switch Big Bad: After a season of build-up around her, her appearance right at the end of season one where she stabs John Gilbert (the previous seasons BigBad) in the gut seems to be setting her up as season two's Big Bad. However, it transpires that she is in fact only running away from the real Big Bad,.
 * Catch Phrase: Although she doesn't use it that often, "better you than I" has been coming up a lot.
 * The Chessmaster
 * Evil Counterpart: to Elena.
 * Evil Tastes Good
 * Faux Affably Evil
 * Femme Fatale
 * I Love You, Vampire Son: To Stefan.
 * Manipulative Bitch
 * Of Corsets Sexy: In the flashbacks.
 * Pet the Dog: Has a few of these moments, such as mourning Stefan's death in a flashback, or bringing Damon his cure in the season finale.
 * Start of Darkness: Episode 2x09, "Katerina".
 * The Vamp
 * Woobie, Destroyer of Worlds: In 2x09, "Katerine" we find out that she gave birth out of wedlock; wasn't even allowed to hold the baby before it is given away; and then she gets sent away to England ( keep in mind that she most likely was all alone when she first came); then she meets and falls for Klaus, and has feelings for/trusts Elijah, only to find out that they both wanted to kill her; and then she tries to kill herself in order to stay away from Klaus, only to have vampire blood forced into her system; then she uses that to kill herself and become a vampire; and when she returns home, her entire family, along with anyone else that she loved, and most likely, the whole village is dead, killed by Klaus. Wow.
 * Yandere: For Stefan oh so much,she even stalks him (as seen in "The End of The Affair").
 * Yandere: For Stefan oh so much,she even stalks him (as seen in "The End of The Affair").

Alexia ‘Lexi’ Branson
""Because when you can hurt, you can love... Love, Stefan, that's the point..." Portrayed by Arielle Kebbel."


 * Friendly Neighborhood Vampire
 * The Hedonist
 * The Obi-Wan: to Stefan, during his Ripper days.
 * Passing the Torch: Her unfinished business that causes her to
 * Posthumous Character: We discover far more about her after her death than we got the chance to in her single episode appearance.
 * We Hardly Knew Ye
 * We Hardly Knew Ye

Anna
""Dracula was a complete wuss. Never showered. Very smelly." Portrayed by Malese Jow."


 * Badass Adorable
 * Becoming the Mask
 * Only One Name
 * Only One Name
 * Only One Name

Isobel Flemming-Saltzman
""I'm so sorry, Elena. I was such a disappointment to you." Portrayed by Mia Kirshner."


 * Depraved Bisexual: strongly hinted at.
 * Heel Face Revolving Door: To the point where we
 * The Lost Lenore: Her  death is the primary motivation for both John and Alaric's actions throughout Season 1.
 * Manipulative Bitch
 * Missing Mom
 * Mysterious Parent
 * The Vamp
 * Woman in Black
 * The Vamp
 * Woman in Black

Pearl
""Mystic Falls is our home, Damon! They took that from us, our land, our home. It's time we rebuild!" Portrayed by Kelly Hu."


 * Hot Mom
 * Lady of War
 * Mama Bear
 * Of Corsets Sexy
 * Only One Name
 * We Hardly Knew Ye
 * We Hardly Knew Ye

Rose
"" I can never forget it, what it's like to be human. It haunts me. It's the only thing that’s kept me going." Portrayed by Lauren Cohan."


 * Birds of a Feather: With Damon
 * Conversation Casualty: A sympathetic version. Rose is already dying, having been bitten by a werewolf; Damon gives her a Dying Dream of her human life centuries ago, during which he challenges her to a race. He stakes her during the countdown.
 * Friends with Benefits: With Damon
 * Only One Name
 * Only One Name

Sage
""A woman isn’t just for food. She’s for pleasure. Portrayed by Cassidy Freeman."


 * Ambiguously Bi
 * Dark Action Girl
 * Evil Counterpart: To Lexi. Sage was the one that corrupted Damon, turning him into the psychotic amoral vampire seen in Season 1. Lexi was the moral compass for Stefan who helped him regain his humanity after his Ripper days..
 * False Friend: To Damon
 * Fiery Redhead
 * Only One Name
 * Really 700 Years Old: Since she knew Finn before he was daggered, that makes her at least 900 years old.
 * Only One Name
 * Really 700 Years Old: Since she knew Finn before he was daggered, that makes her at least 900 years old.
 * Really 700 Years Old: Since she knew Finn before he was daggered, that makes her at least 900 years old.

John Gilbert
""You know, Jeremy, I was taught to hate them, the vampires. It’s what I know. It’s what your father knew." Portrayed by David Anders."


 * Deadpan Snarker
 * Hey, It's That Guy!: It's Adam Monroe/Sark as a vampire hunter!
 * Jerkass: Graduated to Jerk with a Heart of Gold
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist
 * Well-Intentioned Extremist

Maddox
"Portrayed by Gino Anthony Pesi."


 * The Dragon: to Klaus.
 * The Stoic
 * The Stoic

Dr. Meredith Fell
"Portrayed by Torrey DeVitto."


 * Brainy Brunette
 * Hospital Hottie
 * The Medic

Abby Bennet
"Portrayed by Persia White"


 * Black Best Friend: To Elena’s mother, Miranda.
 * Missing Mom: To Bonnie.

Book Series
Meredith Sulez


 * Brainy Brunette
 * Deadpan Snarker
 * May-December Romance: With Alaric.
 * Power Trio: With Elena and Bonnie
 * The Smart Guy
 * Unfazed Everyman:
 * Unfazed Everyman: