Why Damon Salvatore is the Worst Character on The Vampire Diaries

Ian Somerhalder as Damon Salvatore, Stefan’s malevolent vampire brother. He is mostly thought of as selfish and manipulative, but later on begins to display a more caring side. Though his love for Elena is initially one-sided, she begins to develop feelings for him as they work together to find out what happened to her biological parents and brother. Why Damon Salvatore is the Worst Character on The Vampire Diaries

Vicious & Manipulative

For most of season one, we have little reason to sympathize with Damon, even though he’s technically our hero. He’s vicious (as in… very deadly), manipulative, and cruel; his character lacks depth. And while Ian Somerhalder’s portrayal may be entertaining, there is little substance to his character—it’s just not an interesting story.

Selfish & Arrogant

So why is Damon considered to be one of, if not THE worst character on a show? It’s because he embodies everything that’s wrong with being selfish and arrogant. He makes bad decisions based solely off his wants and desires, which ultimately hurt other people (like when he kills Jeremy’s father). And when it comes down to it, despite being Elena’s vampire brother, we really don’t like him very much.

Flat-Out Rude

At times, it feels like there’s a contest to see how rude each of these characters can be. Because some people are just flat-out rude. A little bit of rudeness is tolerable, but in its worst form, it’s so incredibly unpleasant that we don’t even want to watch any more television with that person being such a jerk. That’s why we think Damon Salvatore is one of them worst characters on The Vampire Diaries.

Forgets Who His Friends Are

According to Ian Somerhalder, who plays his vampire brother, Damon Salvatore, He does some really despicable things. But what he’s done for Elena has got him one step closer to redemption. He’s a bad boy with a good heart now. Do you buy it? His friends aren’t so sure; they all want nothing to do with him.

Never Gives Up

True to his nature, even though he was badly injured at one point, Damon refuses to give up. In fact, he’s so persistent that he’s able to break through other vampires’ mental shields and compel them against their will. He remains resolute in his quest for Elena no matter what gets in his way—including all of her would-be suitors.

Takes Care of Others When Needed

First and foremost, Damon shows care for his family and friends when they’re in need. He doesn’t just help them once and then act as if they mean nothing to him. He continues to be there for them, even if he doesn’t want to be at first. How many people can say that about themselves?

Can Admit Mistakes/Learning Curve

He’s also had several moments where he’s made some mistakes, or been seen to be vulnerable, making him a more well-rounded character. For example, in one episode Elena gave him a journal of all her thoughts and feelings, which he stole and read. In another episode Elena found out about it and was pretty upset; however, Stefan was able to acknowledge that what he did was wrong and apologize for it. This leads me to my next point…

Strong/Determined When Needed

We’ve seen him stand up to Klaus and successfully kill his brother, Stefan, which should tell you he has what it takes to be a good hero. Sure, he may have manipulated Elena into loving him (without her knowing), but that’s only because it was what she needed at that time. In his own way, he really does love her; in season two when Katherine wants him back, you can see how much he doesn’t want to go with her.

Damon Salvatore Quotes

I am evil! I have fed off hundreds of human beings! I’ve tortured, raped, and killed them in every way imaginable. You do know you’re only alive because she doesn’t want to be alone with me? No one knows what it’s like to love someone who cannot love you back. You cannot expect a beautiful thing like death not to strive for perfection. And I’m about as perfect as they come. What do you say?

Look, what happened to Enzo is gonna haunt you and her for the rest of your lives. But the you standing with me right now, the you that’s gonna marry Caroline Forbes tomorrow, the you that I have known for almost 200 years, you didn’t do it. Evil, nasty, Ripper Stefan did it, and you are not him. You hear me?

__ Damon To Stefan

The Vampire Diaries’ Damon Salvatore’s Most Memorable Quotes

Welcome to my world, Elena.   Life has never been more perfect, has it?   You’re so much more than your blood. Sometimes you find love where you least expect it. I’ll always be here for you. No matter what happens, I’ll always be here for you. Your friends are a bunch of self-righteous hypocrites who want to control your life and tell you how to live it…and they don’t even know anything about true evil.

Nobody likes him But I Like Him A lot

I love a challenge. In fact, I hate easy things, not because they are easy but because it means that I don’t have to work hard to get what I want. And what do I want? To fall in love with another vampire. And when you think about it, there aren’t many other ways to actually be in love with another vampire… and yes, you guessed it right!

He only cares about himself

Throughout season one, his concern for Elena is not genuine. He cares about her only when she can help him complete his agenda. Even when he does attempt to help her, it’s usually done in a way that gets him what he wants, or to prove a point to Stefan.

His relationship with his brother is toxic

When Elena steps in to protect her friend Caroline from Damon’s murderous threats, she puts herself in danger. When she tries to stop him from hurting his brother Stefan, he tells her that he considers them a team—and that he’ll do whatever it takes to get what [he] want[s]. When his brother finds out about their relationship, things only escalate. One of you has to die, Stefan says at one point.

His love for Elena doesn’t last

While it’s true that Elena is at first only interested in Stefan, she spends all of Season 1 waiting for Stefan to return to her. At no point does she become romantically involved with Damon. When things change in Season 2, and her feelings toward both brothers are fully developed, it becomes clear that Elena and Damon cannot have a romantic relationship as long as he continues to prey upon people for his own personal gain.

Even You Hate Him

I don’t know about you, but I haven’t met a person who liked Damon. He’s selfish, manipulative, and doesn’t give two shits about anyone else. But let me ask you something: if everyone thinks he sucks—then why is he still around? Because we all love to hate him. Hate-watching television has become almost an art form these days and Damon Salvatore will not disappoint if that’s what you’re looking for in your programs.

Is Ian Somerhalder like Damon Salvatore?

Ian Somerhalder has quite a few similarities to his character, Damon Salvatore. Just like him, Ian’s alter ego has had a rough past: he was sexually abused by his own father and expelled from school for fighting. He also shares some of Damon’s characteristics, such as being charming and seductive when it comes to women. On top of that, both men have been known to be extremely selfish at times! However, there are also many differences between Ian Somerhalder and his fictional counterpart: while Damon has always been portrayed as an evil vampire with no redeeming qualities whatsoever (except maybe towards Elena), Ian is actually very kind in real life!

How did Ian Somerhalder get the role of Damon Salvatore?

Ian Somerhalder, who played Damon Salvatore in The Vampire Diaries, recounted how he seized the role from a blonde, blue-eyed actor who was trying to “play it cool” to land the character during the audition

Q & A

How old was Damon Salvatore in 1912?

Damon was a 178-year-old vampire and distant descendant of Silas. Since his younger brother, Stefan Salvatore, injected him with the Cure, he is now human. He was a major antagonist in the first part of Season One. He was born in 1839 and lived in the colonial town of Mystic Falls with his brother Stefan, his father, Giuseppe Salvatore, and also with his mother Lillian Salvatore until her death in 1858. He became a vampire in 1864

What episode did Damon and Alaric won the contest?

During the sixth season, Alaric is resurrected as an Enhanced Original Vampire and is forced to live without Damon for some time. Alaric even assists Elena and compels her to forget about Damon because she grieves his death too much. When Alaric reunites with Damon after he gets out of the Prison World, Damon is angry at him for compelling Elena to forget about him, but they make up shortly after this, even when Alaric is now human and cannot compel Elena’s memories of Damon back. Their relationship becomes slightly strained when Damon compels Alaric to do some digging around about his new girlfriend, Jo Laughlin

What episode does Elena leave town with Damon?

The Departed (The Vampire Diaries)