The Vampire Diaries: The Best Damon & Elena Moments (2024)

Most fans spent The Vampire Diaries asking themselves "When do Damon and Elena get together" after so many starts and stops. Elena Gilbert's epic romance with Damon Salvatore was the central romantic relationship in The Vampire Diaries, replacing her original courtship with Damon's brother, Stefan. Damon and Elena meet in season 1 and end up involved in a love triangle with Stefan, but Elena eventually chooses Damon. However, the road was not easy, as the best Damon and Elena episodes proved. In the end, it was obvious that Damon and Elena were meant to be together.

He often lied to her, and himself, about his feelings to protect them. However, as time went on and Elena ended up a vampire as well, things got even more complicated. What shook up The Vampire Diaries fans was when Nina Dobrev left the show and seemingly ruined any chance of Elena and Damon getting a happily everafter ending. Luckily, some relationships were meant to last, and there was one last moment for the two, signaling the end of the best Damon and Elena episodes with that last happy ending for the supernatural couple.

1 Damon And Elena Meet For The First Time

Season 1, Episode 2: "Night Of The Comet"

Every love story has to start somewhere, and in The Vampire Diaries, the best Damon and Elena episodes all fought to match up to their first meeting. Stefan seemed to meet her first, although flashbacks later showed Damon did. Stefan warned his new girlfriend about his dangerous brother, and when Damon showed up, he gave her little reason to believe otherwise. Damon didn't seem to care about her at all and appeared willing to let her die, only reluctantly saving her when needed. This is because he was still in love with Katherine, although that would change soon enough.

2 Damon Saves Elena From Car Wreck

Season 1, Episode 11: "Bloodlines"

In season 1 of The Vampire Diaries, Elena falls in love with Stefan, who warns her about how dangerous his brother Damon is. Elena saw how badly Damon acted and how poorly he treated Caroline so it looked like Stefan was right about Damon. However, things changed in the 11th episode of the season when Elena ended up in a car accident.

Damon saved her from the accident and the two took a road trip to Georgia, where they got to know each other better and he showed her that he could be trusted without her vervain necklace. This ended up as one of the best episodes for the couples because it was the first time she learned he was more than she thought.

3 Elena And Damon Dance At The Miss Mystic Falls Pageant

Season 1, Episode 19: "Miss Mystic Falls"

One of Delena's earliest emotional moments is their first dance at the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant. Damon intervenes and dances with Elena as her date after Stefan loses himself to his bloodlust. This wasn't the last time they danced together, as Elena and Damon share another dance during their farewell scene in season 6. Their chemistry is evident during both scenes as they struggle to tear their eyes from each other. It's important that Damon stepped up for Elena when she needed it. This marked the time Elena showed an attraction to him.

4 Damon Tells Elena He Loves Her And Compels Her To Forget

Season 2, Episode 8: "Rose"

In season 2's "Rose," Damon confesses his feelings to Elena. He explains that he is in love with her before compelling her to forget. Damon tells Elena he can't be selfish with her and admits he deserves her love less than Stefan. Elena recalls this moment in season 4 after becoming a vampire. The doppelgänger remembers all the memories Damon compelled her to forget. This was a huge moment, making it one of the best episodes for these two because it was the first time Damon did something completely selfless.

5 Elena Kisses Damon On His Deathbed

Season 2, Episode 22: "As I Lay Dying"

Elena and Damon shared their first kiss in The Vampire Diaries season 2's "As I Lay Dying." Damon is bitten by Tyler Lockwood and quickly deteriorates from the toxicity of the werewolf's bite. Elena, moved by Damon's vulnerability, kisses the dying vampire on his deathbed before he is cured with Klaus' blood. This scene was one of the first moments that highlighted Elena's feelings. The vampire tells Elena that she would have liked him as a human, to which Elena assures him she cares for him already.

6 Damon's Birthday Present To Elena

Season 3, Episode 1: "The Birthday"

When it comes to the best Damon and Elena episodes, it is the moments where their relationship takes a turn that helps them shine. That happened in the season premiere of season 3 when Sefan was gone and the two had spent the summer trying to find him. This also gave them more time to get to know each other better and that was a chance for them to realize that Elena needed to be with Damon and not Stefan.

That also played out thanks to the birthday gift that Damon gave her, the necklace. Later in the show, Elena said this was the moment she realized she loved Damon, and that made it pivotal when Damon and Elena got together.

7 Damon's Porch Kiss With Elena

Season 3, Episode 10: "The New Deal"

Damon has an internal battle with himself when being a good brother comes into conflict with his love for Elena. In episode 10 of season 3, Stefan stops their plan to kill Klaus to save Damon. On the porch of Elena's house, Damon admits that just because of what Stefan did for him, he can't feel guilt over wanting Elena. Damon is distraught over his feelings for her, and then the most heart-racing moment occurs.

Damon utters the line, "If I'm going to feel guilty, I'll feel guilty about this," and proceeds to kiss Elena. This moment had fans excited as Damon held her close and stared into her eyes before saying goodnight.

8 Their Road Trip To Denver

Season 3, Episode 19: "Heart Of Darkness"

Damon and Elena shared instant chemistry, and it seemed only a matter of time before Elena gave in to her secret feelings for Stefan's brother. In season 3's "Heart Of Darkness," Damon and Elena embark on a road trip to Denver to locate Jeremy. Elena succumbs to passion and shares a steamy make-out session with the older Salvatore. This could be considered Delena's first real kiss.

Damon mistakenly kissed Katherine in season 1, believing her to be Elena, and Elena tentatively kissed Damon in season 2 after fearing he would die from a werewolf bite, but there was nothing questionable about this.

9 Damon And Elena's First Real Encounter

Season 3, Episode 22: "The Departed"

Elena falls head over heels with Stefan partially because he was the first one she met. Despite the two having a deep romantic relationship, fate had other ideas. In season 3, it turned out Elena met Damon first. This is a nice moment between the couple before they were a couple. Elena is in the middle of the road waiting for her parents when she meets Damon, who can't comprehend Elena's resemblance to Katherine.

Regardless, sparks flew. There's some serious flirting going on and fans could feel the connection. However, Damon ultimately wipes her memory because no one could know he was in town. Later that night, Stefan would save her life.

10 Damon Teaches Elena How To Feed As A Vampire

Season 4, Episode 4: "The Five"

The Delena relationship changes in season 4 as Damon helps her adjust to life as a vampire. In "The Five," the older vampire takes the doppelgänger to a fraternity party. Damon teaches Elena how to feed without killing, and they share a significant amount of chemistry. This is one of Delena's most passionate moments in The Vampire Diaries and highlights the difference between Elena's relationship with Damon as opposed to Stefan. Stefan represents safety and stability, but Elena and Damon's romance is a love that truly consumes them.

11 Damon And Elena Sleep Together For The First Time

Season 4, Episode 7: "My Brother's Keeper"

Although Elena kisses Damon in season 3, she chooses to be with Stefan in the season finale. In season 4, the doppelgänger makes a different decision. Elena connects with Damon as she adjusts to life as a vampire. The couple sleeps together in "My Brother's Keeper" after Elena breaks up with Stefan. This is the first time Elena chooses Damon over Stefan, a decision she repeats throughout the series. It was a big moment when Elena and Damon got together after the build-up, resulting in an iconic moment.

12 Their Graduation Reunion

Season 4, Episode 23: "Graduation"

Damon and Elena get together in season 4, but their relationship is far from smooth sailing. The Mystic Falls gang discovers that Elena is sired to Damon, and is compelled to follow the vampire's commands. This almost ends their romance, as Damon refuses to believe the validity of Elena's feelings. Damon expects Elena to leave him for Stefan after the doppelgänger breaks the sire bond by turning off her humanity. However, she reunites with Damon in the finale "Graduation," declaring her love for him is real.

13 Their Summer Of Love

Season 5, Episode 1: "I Know What You Did Last Summer"

Damon and Elena share a romantic summer of love after seemingly defeating Silas in season 4. In season 5's "I Know What You Did Last Summer," the vampires are happily in love and preparing for their lives together as Elena departs Mystic Falls for Whitmore College. Elena's life resumes its usual turbulence when she starts college, but this remains one of the show's more lighthearted moments. Damon and Elena are undoubtedly in love — and oblivious to Stefan's whereabouts at the bottom of the quarry.

14 A Small Moment On The Couch

Season 5, Episode 3: "Original Sin"

Elena and Damon don't get to have the most typical relationship. There are moments in the show where they get to relish some peace. One moment occurs in season 5. The episode starts with Elena and Damon on the couch. They're cuddling close to the fireplace and agree that it's a nice moment until Damon provides a reality check by musing that something will always interrupt them. The peaceful moment is gone when Silas walks in, but it was nice while it lasted and gave a glimpse into the simpler aspects of their romance.

15 Damon's "You Are My Life" To Elena

Season 5, Episode 3: "Original Sin"

The turmoil between Silas, Stefan, Katherine, and Tessa rises in episode 3 of season 5. Damon and Elena manage to save Stefan from Tessa and get him back to the Salvatore house before a heart-wrenching and emotional moment occurs between Damon and Elena. Damon is told that doppelgängers are destined to fall in love. That leads to Damon telling Elena that their love is a lost cause. After Elena's reassurance, Damon tells Elena that he won't let fate, the universe, or anyone's idea of destiny get in the way of their love.

16 Damon And Elena Kiss In The Rain

Season 6, Episode 7: "Do You Remember The First Time?"

Elena and Damon share several passionate encounters throughout the series. In season 6, Damon recalls an emotional kiss with Elena in the rain in one of the best Damon and Elena episodes. The vampire tells Elena about this as he tries to help her recover her lost memories of their relationship. Damon and Elena's romance almost ended in heartbreak in season 6. Unable to cope with Damon's death, Elena asks Alaric to erase her memories of him. The couple finds their way back to each other after Elena takes the cure.

17 The Last Dance Between Elena And Damon

Season 6, Episode 22: "I'm Thinking Of You All The While"

Season 6 is an emotional one for fans. Elena says goodbye to her loved ones in a subconscious state. Kai fulfills his most sinister plot and links Elena's life to Bonnie, so when Bonnie is alive, Elena remains comatose. This is an emotional goodbye for Damon. Damon and Elena had come a long way in their love for each other before fate intervened. A beautiful moment occurs when Elena says goodbye to Damon. They have a passionate final dance on the road where they first met, and it all ends with a kiss.

18 Damon Tells Elena He Wants To Be Human

Season 8, Episode 16: "I Was Feeling Epic"

Elena takes the cure for immortality in season 6 and finally becomes human again, while Damon struggles with the reality of relinquishing his life as a vampire. However, after a tender encounter with an elderly couple, Damon confesses to Elena that he wants to be human with her after all. Damon tells Elena the opportunity to grow old with her means more than being a vampire. This final scene displays Damon's devotion to Elena. Elena had a wedding ring, solidifying it as one of the best Damon and Elena episodes on The Vampire Diaries.