When did Elena Began to Fall for Damon?

The Vampire Diaries is an American supernatural drama television series based on the novel series of the same name, written by L. J. Smith. The series ran from 2009 to 2017 and followed the story of Elena Gilbert, a teenage girl who was caught between two vampire brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore. One of the main plot points of The Vampire Diaries is the relationship between Elena and Damon. As the series progresses, Elena begins to develop feelings for Damon, despite her initial dislike of him. Fans of the show have long wondered exactly when Elena first began to fall for Damon.

First Impressions

While Delena (the official ship name of the couple, Damon and Elena) is considered one of the main love stories in the beloved TV series, it didn't always start that way. In fact, the pilot episode focuses more on Stefan and Elena and implies a budding romantic relationship between the two. Meanwhile, Damon was pegged to be the season's antagonist, even attacking some of Elena's schoolmates to feed his thirst for blood.

Elena first meets Damon at the Salvatore Boarding House while in search of Stefan. Damon introduces himself as Stefan's brother, and tension immediately fills the space as he mentions Stefan's ex, Katherine, implying that Stefan was quite hung up on her. Luckily, Stefan appears and breaks the ice. However, Elena remained wary of Damon, not quite sure whether to consider him a friend or an enemy. Their connection was, at times, quite rocky throughout the earlier days of the show. But that just adds to the thrill of this enemies-to-lovers trope.

Damon Falling for Elena

It's quite an understatement to say that Damon Salvatore is one complex character. You don't really know whether to love him or hate him. But what really makes Delena a compelling ship is that it is Elena who brings out the humanity in the otherwise dark character of Damon.

Many times viewers see his murderous side. And it is easy to label him as a monster. But because of Elena's influence on him, we begin to see that there is more to Damon than the stereotypical bloodthirsty vampire. And this side of him is shown in a season one episode in which Damon visits a sleeping Elena and gently strokes her face. This is the first hint of Damon's budding feelings for Elena.

In Season 2, Episode 8, "Rose," Damon finally confesses his feelings for Elena when he returns her necklace. However, audiences were left disappointed when he decided to compel her to forget his confession.

Elena Reciprocating Damon's Feelings

Elena and Damon's relationship has always been a roller coaster, with Elena initially rejecting Damon's advances. In fact, it took four seasons before the pair finally made it official. This road was paved with tons of fake-outs and a lot of drama, and it even witnessed Elena's transition into a vampire. But in the season 4 episode, "My Brother's Keeper," the two decided to cave into their strong feelings for each other in a night of passion.

So, in season 2, we see Damon confessing his love for Elena, and two seasons later, the two get together. But when did Elena first realize that Damon was more than just her initial love interest's brother? Well, it was much earlier than people realized.

We go back to the start of the series, in the season 1 episode, "Miss Mystic Falls." In this episode, Damon steps in for Stefan as Elena's escort. The two then share their first dance in which the chemistry was simply jumping off the screen. At this moment, Elena knew Damon would be there for her when she needed him.

Final Thoughts

Damon and Elena are truly one of the most iconic couples in teen drama history. And it is easy to see why audiences were so excited to see the pair finally get together. As rocky as their story was, it was all worth it in the end to witness a love of a lifetime.

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