Oh please forgive me, woman who is already mourning I just killed someone I raised as family without a second thought... We must makeout out now after receiving such horrific news

The main premise of their relationship was lust and sex. It seemed like they didn't have a genuine bond or connection personality wise as it would always lead to them fucking the next second. or it consisted of them repeatedly fighting followed by an epic "I hate the person you are but I love you" speech. Stelena on the other hand, although lacking a more developmental build up, actually had a real RELATIONSHIP that consisted of them healing each other and working through each other's flaws, instead of enabling them by fucking and fighting and partying like Delena did. Stelena's build up was founded on a genuine connection between their personalities and morals; they connected with each other. They knew each other the best and had a romantic connection that consisted of personality and healing, instead of just lust. and stefan would have always been good for her, it amazes me how nonsensical they made Elena's character change so drastically in s4, it disgusts me that julie plague even took over the show (I fucking hate her).

Stelena was also passionate, in s2 they joked with each other, were more sexual, Stefan was more intimate and forthcoming with her, and they still had a romantic personal connection as well. I don't know why dullena stans and idiots on tiktok seem to think that romance only spans the lust that Delena had, and why they made Elena's entire character post-vampire as someone who was consumed by this constant need for sex versus someone who had morals, values, and wanted a genuine, real connection with their partner. Delena hardly even had a relationship, they had their honeymoon phase in s5 where Damon essentially lied to her entire summer. Then they broke up multiple times, Damon hurt jeremy and killed aaron. What did they to solve the problem? They fucked. They didn't even resolve the conflict without Damon actually changing and Elena genuinely forgiving Damon, it was mainly that they couldn't be without each other so that's why they reconciled (again, a sex based appeal).

Additionally, the narrative that julie plague put out was the Stefan only loved human Elena. I heavily disagree with this, as Stefan loved her regardless in s4 even after she dumped him (last episode of s4, he says she is the love of his life). I understand that post vampire Elena wanted more than just falling back on her morals in a relationship which obviously made sense for Delena to happen, but the extent of how her character changed in the process was just absurd. Human Elena was still a fun party girl but she also had morals, Damon definitely brought out her fun side but also made compromised her morals and character. Stefan would have always been good for her, even though he isn't as extroverted as Elena, he would have definitely been able to work through her flaws instead of enabling them. Delena should have definitely been explored in this aspect, in which Damon brought out her extroverted fun side, but not at the expense of her morals and character as it goes against vampirism.

Elena also did not know who she truly was around Damon aside from being his puppet. It came across as though she wanted "more" than Stefan who was just a good guy who she instantly fell for because she already knew the type of person she was. Hence, this reinforces the appeal that Delena has, which Stelena lacks. However, Elena absolutely lost her own when she was with Damon, she constantly compromised her own morals, and she enabled his flaws instead of holding him accountable. Her post vampirism shift and being with Damon actually had the opposite effect in which she lost her old sense of self, but indulged in her darkest desires, and somewhat became more like the fun, party girl that she was before her parents died. But even then, the old version of Elena was still presented as someone who upheld the same values and morals that she and Stefan shared. When it came to Damon, she lost her sense of self around him because she gave him so many freebies and became an absolute hypocrite. The fact that she also became more self centered and just more unlikeable as most fans agree that vampire Elena was just not a good person overall compared to the old pre-parent death Elena (not saying she is evil, but she is rather unlikeable). This goes to disprove the whole "oh but Elena knew what her morals were, she didn't need to fall back to Stefan anymore to rely on them." Because in fact she completely lost that sense of morality when it came to Damon, and became a bitch to all her friends, and became the absolute worst version of herself. This shows that the audience of TVD rather fall for appeal and poor writing than the reality of the situation, and this is likely due to the bad boy trope combined with the sexualization of Delena that Stelena lacked. additionally, in a fictional show no one cares as much to look beyond a surface level appeal and are more inclined to favor toxic ships based on a bs narrative that was provided by a shitty writer.

Stelena also was not just based around them upholding similar morals, they worked in basically every dynamic: domestic, marriage, healing, going out, etc., aside from Stefan being more introverted than Elena. Surface level viewers which basically encapsulated a large chunk of the TVD audience don't look at the reality of the situation beyond the bs that plague wanted people to think, that Damon loved her regardless. Stefan loved her either way, but instead of enabling them like Damon, he worked through them with her and they healed on a healthy basis and UPHELD HER CHARACTER, aka the Elena Gilbert that we all once knew and loved. It made no sense for Elena's character to completely change post vampirism, fundamentally according to the rules of vampirism itself, and her character was literally sacrificed at the expense of Damon, whether people want to believe it or not. The writing, rules, and characters of the show were sacrificed in order to push a bullshit agenda out, which a large chunk of teenage viewers believed because of how respectful Stefan was of Delena, in which he moved on and settled for Caroline again, because of fucking Julie Plague.

The fact that Stelena was literally supposed to be endgame if Nina hadn't left the show disproves this bs narrative that a huge chunk of the young TVD fans believe about why Delena is better than Stelena. Although this narrative made sense somewhat in the time being, in terms of Elena's long term character and her real desires in regards to having a relationship as a human, growing old, building a family (beyond sex and partying), this narrative made absolutely no sense. Even Delena's conversation about family was about sex. Their last dance was about sex. Although they were slightly healthier in s6, which Elena actually making Damon realize why he is unlovable beyond just sex, Elena even said it, Damon was bad for her as a human. She literally became a human in s6. Delena seems like the couple to marry and divorce and remarry at least 3 times, because that is literally what their entire premise was s5-s6. Although s6 painted a better light on their relationship, they were still extremely rocky and given Damon's impulsivity and reckless nature, just imagine how bad they would be as humans, espeically since Damon only "changed" for Elena. They would reconcile based on unhealthy sex and codependency, have long periods of passionate sex, and fight and fall out again because they enabled each other's flaws instead of working through them. Damon only changed to BE with Elena, he didn't actually change much as a person aside from his friendship with Bonnie, which even then he made numerous selfish moves and was a poor friend to her. Obviiously this would help reinstate some healthy qualitiies to Delena, but Damon would inevitably fall back into his old routine with Elena in which she enabled his flaws, whereas Bonnie held him accountable.

Of course, the TVD audience, especially fanatical Delena shippers ignore the fundamental reality of this poor writing and Nina leaving the show. I understand the psychological appeal as well, because this is a show about vampires that tailors to a young audience, and I want to make it clear that I am not 100% against Delena. Delena definitely has likeable qualities, and I know this post is rather painting them in a negative light even though they definitely should have been explored. but it made no sense logically for them to be endgame and for Stefan/Stelena to have been treated the way it did. it was solely due to fan service that was hyped because of a invalid, temporary narrative that only made sense in s4, in which Elena only fell out of love with Stefan because she was sexually attracted to Damon, even though he went against a lot of what she believed in. Plague made it out to be that Elena liked Damon's personality, which made no sense long term again as he went against everything she believed in and only made her feel good in the moment as a vampire. Again, this shows the inconsistency in Elena's post vampirism arc, fundamentally going against what they show initially portrayed as a person's natural qualities being HEIGHTENED. Even when they were "together" in s5-6, Damon still violated her and went against a lot of what human Elena valued, but it was presented that he "changed" even though he really just behaved in a certain way just to stay with her. This is shown in s7-8 by the selfish and impulsive decisions that Damon still makes, which I know he would fall back into when he is human with Elena, as she doesn't hold him accountable (only a little in s6). Also, Elena's character went downhill and she lost several of her old CHARACTER qualities (aside from being a fun party girl) during this time again to appease Damon's character.

I hope I made my point clear, that this show post s3 is just shitty writing overall, and several TVD fans (especially a huge portion being younger viewers) aren't willing to look beyond an incorrect narrative that was perpetuated by shitty writing, along with this being a fictional show in which bad boys are preferred. I also think people are attracted to some parts of Delena, including their passionate sex, iconic moments, epic speeches, and build up which Stelena overall lacked in comparison to Delena, and again fall for the nonsensical agenda that was pushed by Plague instead of analyzing the situation as completely incorrect, invalid, and just contradictory writing to make Delena happen and to make Stefan go through hell and back. The fact that this whole agenda is incorrect further shows how awful human Delena would be together, and how insanely toxic they would still be, which people ignore I guess because this wasn't shown on the show and due to this bullshit narrative presented in s4-5. In s6, although Elena was harder on Damon and was more resistant to be with him, she still fell for him again as he made HER feel good, instead of actually changing (as seen in s7-8). She literally hated his personality and fought with him until he made her feel special again (because he only acted a certain way to be around her) and until they fucked and reinstated their lustful connection. THEN she remembered why she loved him despite his personality being shit even when he was with her.

3x22

Bamon having husband and wife energy, and making a badass entrance.

Debekah with Damon holding Rebekah back and comforting her while she cries

Dullena with Damon saying that Elena's call is "everything bad ever", saying he would’ve "grabbed her, gagged her, thrown her in a well"

4x15

Bamon with Damon staying on the island to look for Bonnie, Elena saying that Damon 'kinda loves' Bonnie, them hugging, Damon taking her home.

Debekah with Damon and Rebekah being a team and looking for Bonnie on the island.

How I’m choosing to believe it went

Bonnie (rightfully) refuses to help Stefan find a cure for Damon because he’s horrible/doesn’t deserve to live and he wouldn’t hesitate to let Bonnie die.

Bonnie pretty much starts putting herself first from here on out because she deserves better

Damon (thankfully) dies from the wolf bite at the end of season 2.

Elena doesn’t forgive Damon for any of his misdeeds because death does NOT equal an automatic pass for all of his appalling actions.

She doesn’t give him that disgusting kiss while he’s on his death bed. (That kiss wasn’t their first kiss either btw, their first kiss was when Damon forced it on her in 2x01)

Stefan doesn’t leave town with Klaus because he didn’t have to go to him for help for his undeserving brother

Without having to take the cure to Damon, Katherine would remain trapped with Klaus and would be taken with him when he leaves MF

Stelena continues to flourish (as it should)

Life for the MF gang remains kind of normal (as normal as it can get in a supernatural town)

Season 3 pretty much doesn’t happen because it wouldn’t have the chance to snowball into the events that occurred

The only thing that would remain the same is the Jeremy/Anna/Vickie storyline I reckon

Season 4 would only partially happen because the hunter would still come to town, and Shane would probably still be a problem

1 heterosexual white boy

1 heterosexual white girl

[ note that both of them must be attractive ]

3 teaspoons of angst

4 teaspoons of problematic stuff (eg: panic attack kisses)

Dump the whole can of toxicity

Ig sprinkle some chemistry

3 spoons of violence

100 spoons of FANSERVICE

1 spoon of self insert

Optional: cheating

Some options for the boy:

Bad boy

Cheating, abusive asshole billionaire

Player

You can give them a sappy redemption arc when he meets the girl.

Must: codependency

Some options for girl:

Good girl

Soft girl

Manic pixie dream girl