Buffy introduced a vampire, Spike type, a dangerous vampire who took joyful pleasure in killing his victims but also had a certain reek that’s impossible in resisting. This character quickly merged by the infatuation, and battle lines were drawn over who the heroine should be.
All of this happened in a famous web series, The Vampire Diaries. Most of us have watched it, or at least have heard about it from the people around, so now let us get in-depth with its psychological aspects and what it teaches us in real life.
The Roots of the Series
In a sped-up version of Buffy’s own arcs with Angel and Spike, the first 22 episodes Of the first season featured Stefan falling in love with Elena. It also revealed that he had a bit of a problem with human blood, turned dark, was forced into a ‘rehab’, and then again returned to his hero figure. Meanwhile, Damon (Stefan’s elder brother), was redeemed enough by his own love for Elena, that she also started to have feelings for him later.
About the Show
The love triangle was baked into the premise, but somewhere along the writers of the series realized that they could play around with the expectations of the readers of the book and play a long game with its heroine’s affections. So, when it got adapted into a web series, the love triangle itself was never the issue, but the lengths to which the show went in order to leave it unresolved, bordered on the ridiculous after more than 5 seasons.
After years of irresolution, we are shown that Elena chose Stefan in the season 3 finale because she had met him first. But then later, we discover that a much prior meeting before Stefan, with Damon, had been wiped away from her memory altogether. After becoming a vampire, when all her emotions are magnified, she decides that Damon is more of her genre. But then an ancient prophecy pulls her and Stefan back together for a while.
It eventually settles, but the endless to and fro apparently in-services to the rabid fanbase that had developed for both couples online. The fanbase felt betrayed at what could have been a beautiful story of a girl, growing out of one kind of love, and then into another. The safe choice versus the person who challenges you to grow was shown between Stefan-Elena and Damon-Elena respectively. That's what the audience got in the end, more or less. But getting there could be slogging boredom at times.
Vampirism as a Metaphor
In sharp contrast with Bella Swans from the literary world, Elena, even while surrounded with friends and lovers who were vampires, remained stubborn and strong on the fact throughout the first 4 seasons that she didn't under any circumstances, wanted to become a member of the undead vampire community herself.
After mounting a line between both the worlds, Elena was thrown headfirst into a one, full of misguided passion, indulged and murderous impulse, as good a metaphor for adulthood as any could have. But where Buffy uses its supernatural elements for exploring the horrors of High School, The Vampire Diaries was a little vaguer with the metaphors included in it.
At any time, the show used a vampire’s ability to turn their emotions off at their own free will as a metaphor, in order to numb depression, sadness, guilt, or grief and then falling off the edge of just giving up on humanity altogether. The first was always the most interesting visual treat. Whether it was with Elena flipping the switch after her brother, Jeremy's death, and Caroline doing the same after her mother, Sheriff Elizabeth’s death from cancer.
Observational Learning
This show enables us to observe the differences between humans and supernaturals. And the basic difference is that vampires could turn their emotions off so that they don’t have to feel the grief and broken feeling inside, but humans have to feel every bit of every emotion at all for all their lives. The show also makes us understand that people are in love multiple times, there are heartbreaks several times, but still sticking together as a team, much more like a family in order to face any situation, is what makes us a capable individual.
Leadership Qualities
every character in this show had their unique style of being a leader whenever an appropriate situation struck. Each one of the characters knew how to handle everybody else, along with giving comfort as a family, be it vampire, werewolves, witches, or humans. Each character justified their leadership when the situation called out for it.
Women’s Role
This show gives rise to a more powerful faction of women before turning them into more responsible characters than men. The women on the show turned out to be more strengthful, intellectual, and mindful ladies than any of the male characters. At every pace of time, they handled every other man giving them confidence, support, love, and motivation, being stronger in their internal breakdowns whenever required. Ladies of the show grew beautiful, confident, responsible, and stronger than any other show could have possibly shown.
The Bottom Line - Learning From The Series
Somewhere along the way, one realizes that the heartache is just a byproduct of all the good things about being alive. Friendship, love, chance of redemption, by not feeling anything at all, just doesn't miss out on the bad stuff. That's the story The Vampire Diaries wanted to tell and show everyone. And Elena’s arc indeed demonstrated it beautifully. Also, the major success of this show is also attributed to the beautiful star cast, As if Ian Somerhalder was born to play the role of Damon!
One thing the series always remembered was that not all loves are ‘epic’ and that soulmates could come in different forms at any point in time. Long-form storytelling gets a unique opportunity to tell these kinds of tales, of people falling in and out of love infinite times, over the time span of life, and this show became a great example for it.
Also, read a review of a supernatural tale with a subtle love story, Twilight.
Written By - Pavas Shrigyan
Edited By - Kashish Chadha
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