The Most Important Damon and Elena Episodes in TVD (2024)

The Vampire Diaries thrived on romance, with the central love triangle between Elena, Damon, and Stefan. Of the two, Damon and Elena were in a forbidden romance because she was dating his brother, but nothing could keep them apart. Coined Delena by the fandom, the ship continues to have an enthusiastic audience today.

Passion and danger drove Damon and Elena together, and they shared some of the most romantic moments throughout The Vampire Diaries. Their love may have started off as a forbidden one, but it soon became clear that they were truly meant to be together. From their first dance to their first kiss, fans can tune into these episodes and relive the Delena magic all over again.

Updated on April 4th, 2024 by Fawzia Khan: Few other TV ships have the kind of fan following that Damon and Elena do. Some of the best The Vampire Diaries episodes had some heartwarming moments between Delena, reaffirming that they were always supposed to be endgame. From when Elena and Damon got together to their ultimate fate as a couple, these TVD episodes answer the most important questions about the couple. This list has been updated with even more episodes that were significant for Damon and Elena as a couple.

15 "The Five" Solidified the Bond Between Damon and Elena

While human Elena loved Stefan, her transformation into a vampire brought to light what she really needed, and whom she needed for her happiness. Stefan was not able to handle Elena as a vampire, but Damon could teach her how to survive in her new reality. He allowed her to enjoy her vampirism, teaching her how to feed in a way that would keep her undercover but also be enjoyable.

A college party turned out to be a significant moment for Delena, as the couple were finally able to let go and enjoy themselves with wild abandon. Elena found that she could be a vampire and even like it, so long as she had Damon by her side. Their chemistry was also evident when they danced together.

14 "I'm Thinking Of You All The While" Was a Bittersweet Goodbye For Damon and Elena

Elena's exit was upsetting for many fans, but many thought that The Vampire Diaries improved when she left the show. Delena shippers were disappointed to see a pause in their favorite relationship, but Damon and Elena gave them some memorable moments even as they bid farewell. Elena was already under her sleeping curse, so they met in her mind, where they had an emotional last dance.

It was a bittersweet moment, because while it was clear how in love they were, it was not possible for them to be together at the time. They had so much to say, that all of it couldn't be encompassed in words. Dance had always been a part of their love language, so their final moments were also spent in showing their love this way, rather than using words.

13 "Do You Remember The First Time?" Showed Fans Delena's Unseen Moments

The most heartbreaking turn in Damon and Elena's romance occurred when Damon was left behind in a disintegrating Other Side, and Elena decided to compel away her memories of him. She thought that she had lost Damon for good, so when he returned, Elena had no recollection of their love. Thus, Damon took it upon himself to remind her.

In "Do You Remember The First Time?", Damon took Elena down memory lane, where fans got to see their dates, their fights, and a particularly romantic moment in the rain that cemented Delena's love definitively. As they kissed in the rain, Elena asked Damon to promise him that they were forever, which was undoubtedly one of their best moments together.

12 "The New Deal" Saw Damon Facing His Feelings For Elena Openly

Season 3 was a turning point for Damon and Elena's love story, as Stefan was whisked away by Klaus on a mission that required him to be a Ripper. Damon took this opportunity to show his feelings to Elena, guilt-free, so that he could tackle his love for her in his mind. In a breathtaking moment, he decided to not care for propriety and kissed her for the first time without the looming threat of death or compulsion on the horizon.

Fans were delighted because Elena didn't push him away, neither did she admonish him for kissing her. It was clear as day that she reciprocated his feelings, even if she didn't know how to deal with them yet. Damon also did not bother compelling her to forget his kiss, which meant that their relationship was getting close to fruition.

11 Elena Realized Her Feelings for Damon in "The Birthday"

In Stefan's absence, Damon and Elena's love blossomed, even as Elena tried to quash her feelings Damon surprised her with a birthday party, which was incredibly sweet as it lifted her spirits after losing Stefan. He also returned Stefan's necklace to her in a tense moment, proving that he could be unselfish when it came to Elena.

This was also the moment when Elena realized, in retrospect, that she loved Damon. Her feelings were understandably complicated, but she knew, deep in her heart, that she was in love with the older Salvatore. It was the most important episode for Delena, because Elena had been in denial up to this point.

10 "Miss Mystic Falls" Gave A Taste of The Chemistry Between Damon and Elena

Damon and Elena's amazing chemistry as a couple first came through in "Miss Mystic Falls" when Damon stepped in as Elena's escort to the titular beauty pageant. As Elena's boyfriend, Stefan was supposed to be her partner and dance with her, but he gave in to his bloodlust and went missing. When Elena was introduced, she was without an escort, but Damon quickly stepped forward to save her from embarrassment.

This was the first time Damon and Elena had a real emotional connection as they held each other and danced. There were obvious sparks between the two, and Elena enjoyed Damon's company for the first time. Usually above high school rituals, Damon also cracked a smile that gave away his feelings for Elena.

9 Damon Admitted His Feelings for Elena in "Rose"

Amid Klaus' impending arrival, Elena and Damon had a heartfelt moment where he told her his feelings in clear words. Elijah was hunting down Elena, and Rose took her hostage. After all the riveting action, Damon ended the episode by telling Elena he loved her for the first time. In a gut-wrenching move, he compelled her to forget his confession.

This was the beginning of Damon's redemption arc in The Vampire Diaries, as his adoration for Elena urged him to be a better man. Damon's love for his brother's girlfriend had been evident for a long time, but this first admission of love was special. It was a moment that Elena remembered in Season 4 when she became a vampire, and the compulsion vanished.

8 "As I Lay Dying" Proved To Be An Unexpected Delena Turning Point

In Season 2, the vampires discovered how fatal a werewolf bite could be to them when Rose and Damon were both bit. They didn't know of a cure then, and after Rose passed from the venom, it was assumed that Damon would die too. Elena could not stand to see Damon in pain and took care of him in her typically generous way.

Elena kissed Damon in farewell, but it was obvious that there were some emotional undercurrents to it because she cared for him deeply. She did it as a kindness to a dying man, but the passion between Damon and Elena leaked through. Shortly after, Damon was cured by Klaus' blood, leaving him and Elena wondering about their status and their future.

7 "Heart Of Darkness" Saw Elena Taking Charge of Her Feelings

Season 3 featured much tension between Damon and Elena, which came to a head when they went on a road trip to Denver to find Jeremy. With Stefan no longer present, Damon and Elena's relationship had grown, and their chemistry was off-the-charts. After years of attraction, Elena initiated their first real kiss, which led to a steamy makeout session.

It was incredibly satisfying to see Elena following her heart after denying her love for Damon for so long. She took matters into her own hands and, for the first time, didn't care for what Jeremy or anyone else thought. This was the true beginning of their love story where this The Vampire Diaries couple was on the same page about their feelings.

6 Damon and Elena Met First in "The Departed"

A big reason why Elena chose Stefan in the Season 3 finale was because she met him first. However, flashbacks in "The Departed" proved otherwise, much to the fans' joy. Damon and Elena were apart the whole episode, but an emotional flashback showed that Damon had run into Elena years ago as she was waiting for her parents to pick her up.

Even then, there was a flirtatious energy between the two of them. Damon was his usual charming self, and while he was drawn to Elena for her resemblance to Katherine, he was appreciative of her individual identity too. This small moment proved that Delena was always meant to be the endgame.

5 Elena and Damon Get Together For The First Time in "My Brother's Keeper"

Elena's transformation into a vampire skewed the odds in Delena's favor. She looked to Damon to guide her into her new life of bloodlust and supernatural power, which only brought them closer. For the first time, Elena chose Damon after ending her relationship with Stefan, which was a momentous occasion in the supernatural love triangle.

They got intimate fairly quickly and made love for the first time, partly because Elena was sired to Damon. The couple finally found happiness together for the first time, even if everyone else in Mystic Falls disapproved of their union. It was immensely satisfying to see this ship come to life after years of teasing by the writers.

4 Elena Chose Damon in "Graduation"

"Graduation" was an important episode because it marked the end of Elena's school life and her entry into college, but not without Kol, Vaughn, and Rebekah creating chaos. Her relationship with Damon was upended because she was told about the sire bond, but after the bond was broken, she found that she still loved him with her whole heart.

In an impassioned speech, Damon told Elena that he was not the ideal man for her, but his love for her was real, making him selfish. He did not expect Elena to tell him she didn't care because she was deeply in love with him too. Thus, Damon and Elena got together in a legitimate relationship for the first time, which was an important moment. It also perfectly contrasted with the Season 3 finale, where Elena chose Stefan.

3 "Home" Proved That Damon and Elena Could Die For Each Other

Delena shippers saw their favorite couple together in earnest for an entire season, but they were ripped apart again in Season 5. The Travelers had taken over Mystic Falls, and Damon devised a heroic but risk-filled plan to blow them up. The only hitch was that he would get killed, but he counted on Bonnie to bring him back from the Other Side.

In a sweet but uncharacteristic moment, Elena insisted on joining him while he rammed his car into the Mystic Grill. It was a Bonnie and Clyde moment, which summed up the tone of their relationship: they would die for each other. Sadly, after their heartfelt declarations of love, Damon got stuck in the Other Side, meaning he was essentially dead. He left a distraught Elena alive in the mortal world.

2 "I'd Leave My Happy Home for You" Was a Sweet Reminder of Delena's Relationship

In "I'd Leave My Happy Home for You," Damon and Elena took their commitment to the next level. Elena wanted to take the cure for a while to return to her human self, but that was complicated because Damon was adamant about remaining a vampire. However, honest communication between the couple led to a stirring epiphany from Damon: he loved being a vampire, but he loved Elena more. Thus, he decided to take the cure with her.

Elena took the cure successfully, but Damon was interrupted. As she turned human again, memories of Damon, both good and bad, returned to her slowly. She remembered how he kissed her on the porch, their first date, and the last time he refused to take the cure. This episode was bittersweet because it brought the positives and negatives of the relationship to light.

1 "I Was Feeling Epic" Saw Damon and Elena Get Their Happy Ending

The Vampire Diaries series finale saw Mystic Falls as a safe place, once and for all, with the characters' final fates. Elena had been missing for nearly two full seasons, and her return was hinted at in exciting ways. Further, Damon and Elena's reunion was the most anticipated part of the series finale, giving the couple their happily ever after.

Bonnie found a loophole in the Sleeping Beauty curse, and Elena woke up to see her friends alive and well. Thankfully, her love for Damon was still alive and well, and they shared a passionate embrace. This episode also revealed that Delena married and had a happy human life together. Even their afterlife was depicted beautifully, and fans were satisfied that their ship had sailed successfully.

The Vampire Diaries

TV-14

Fantasy

Horror

Romance

Where to Watch

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The Vampire Diaries follows the lives, loves, dangers and disasters in the town Mystic Falls, Virginia. Creatures of unspeakable horror lurk beneath this town as a teenage girl is suddenly torn between two vampire brothers.

Release Date

September 10, 2009

Creator

Julie Plec, Kevin Williamson

Cast

Nina Dobrev , Paul Wesley , Ian Somerhalder , Kat Graham

Main Genre

Drama

Seasons

8 Seasons

Production Company

Outerbanks Entertainment, Alloy Entertainment, CBS Television Studios