Few TV characters go through as many deaths, love stories, and supernatural transformations as Elena Gilbert, who starts The Vampire Diaries as a human high school student and ends it married to the vampire who turned her, Damon Salvatore, after dying, coming back, and switching species twice. Her journey through 171 episodes makes her one of the most layered protagonists in supernatural teen drama.
First appearing in: 2009 (Season 1) · Last regular appearance: Season 6 (2015) · Portrayed by: Nina Dobrev · Transformations: Human → Vampire → Human · Vampire doppelgänger: Katherine Pierce · Series episodes: 171 (Seasons 1–8)
Quick snapshot
- Elena is the Petrova doppelgänger of Katherine Pierce (Wikipedia)
- She dies as a human in the Season 3 finale and is turned by Damon (ScreenRant)
- Ends the series married to Damon Salvatore (Vampire Diaries Wiki)
- Season 1: Introduced as human orphan (Wikipedia)
- Season 4: Transitions to vampire after drowning (ScreenRant)
- Season 6: Placed in sleeping spell; Nina Dobrev exits (Vampire Diaries Wiki)
- Elena’s story ends with her human again, married to Damon (ScreenRant)
- No further appearances planned after series finale (ScreenRant)
Below is a quick-reference table of Elena Gilbert’s key attributes.
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Elena Gilbert |
| Portrayed by | Nina Dobrev |
| First Appearance | Season 1, Episode 1 (2009) |
| Last Appearance (regular) | Season 6, Episode 22 (2015) |
| Finale appearance | Season 8, Episode 16 (2017) |
| Species | Human (born) → Vampire → Human (cured) |
| Cause of death (human) | Drowning in Wickery Bridge crash |
| Vampire sire | Damon Salvatore |
| Doppelgänger | Katherine Pierce (Petrova) |
| Final romantic partner | Damon Salvatore |
Who kills Elena as a vampire?
Elena dies as a human in the Season 3 finale, “The Departed,” when Matt Donovan’s car plunges into Wickery Bridge. She has vampire blood in her system, and Damon Salvatore turns her in the Season 4 premiere while she is clinically dead (ScreenRant fan-site recap). That makes Damon her sire, not her killer. Elena never dies as a vampire; her only death is as a human.
Elena’s first death and transition
- She drowns in the car crash after Klaus’s sacrifice ritual is interrupted (Wikipedia)
- Damon feeds her his blood before the crash, so she turns after death (Vampire Diaries Wiki)
The vampire who killed Elena
No vampire kills Elena. According to ScreenRant’s recap, she dies four times across the series, but only as a human — the Wickery Bridge drowning is her permanent human death, and the other three (sacrifice, Mystic Grill explosion, magical coma) involve resurrection or transformation.
Elena’s only true death is a human one, making her vampire life a second chance that drives her arc.
The implication: her vampire existence is a borrowed life, which shapes every choice she makes afterward.
Who is Elena really in love with?
Elena’s love triangle with Stefan and Damon Salvatore spans the entire series. She dates Stefan first, develops feelings for Damon, and ends up with Damon.
The Elena-Stefan-Damon love triangle
- Elena dates Stefan Salvatore from Season 1 through early Season 3 (Wikipedia)
- She kisses Damon in Season 3 before breaking up with Stefan (CBR comic & entertainment site)
- A flashback reveals Damon was in Mystic Falls the night Elena’s parents died, complicating her timeline (CBR)
Elena’s final romantic choice
Elena and Damon become a committed couple in Season 5. At the series finale, she marries Damon and they spend a happy human life together, eventually finding peace in the afterlife (ScreenRant).
The pattern: Elena’s romantic arc mirrors her transformation from human to vampire and back — her choice of Damon is the final step in her identity.
| Attribute | Stefan Salvatore | Damon Salvatore |
|---|---|---|
| First meeting | Season 1, Episode 1 – on the Mystic Falls boardwalk | Season 1, Episode 2 – at the Salvatore house |
| Relationship duration | Seasons 1–3 (on screen) | Seasons 4–8 (on screen, plus marriage) |
| Final outcome | Stefan sacrifices himself in Season 8; Elena marries Damon | Elena and Damon grow old together and find peace |
Who did Elena get pregnant by?
Elena does not become pregnant in the series. The question stems from fan rumors or confusion — no canonical pregnancy occurs (Vampire Diaries Wiki). She marries Damon and is alive at the end, but children are not shown on screen.
Pregnancy storyline in The Vampire Diaries
- No pregnancy plot exists for Elena in any of the 171 episodes
- The only pregnancy in the series is Caroline Forbes’s twins with Alaric in Season 7
- Elena’s life after the series is not depicted, leaving her motherhood status unknown
The catch: the absence of a pregnancy storyline keeps Elena’s final chapter open to interpretation.
Why did Elena leave Vampire Diaries?
Nina Dobrev, who played Elena, left after Season 6 to pursue other acting opportunities. Julie Plec, the showrunner, said in interviews that the decision was collaborative and allowed the story to focus on other characters.
Nina Dobrev’s departure
“I felt it was time to move on and challenge myself in new ways.” — Nina Dobrev, 2015 interview (reported by multiple outlets)
Nina Dobrev
Dobrev returned only for the series finale in Season 8.
Storyline explanation for Elena’s exit
In-universe, Kai Parker places Elena into a deep sleep spell linked to Bonnie Bennett’s life. Elena sleeps until Bonnie dies naturally, which happens off-screen before the finale. She then wakes up, reunites with Damon, and marries him (Vampire Diaries Wiki).
The implication: the sleeping spell was a narrative device that allowed the show to continue without its lead while keeping her story alive.
Who has the saddest death in Vampire Diaries?
Elena’s human death in Season 3 is often cited as tragic, but fans frequently rank other deaths as sadder: Jenna Sommers, Lexi, and Stefan Salvatore.
Iconic character deaths
- Jenna Sommers (Season 2) — killed by Klaus, Elena’s guardian
- Lexi (Season 1) — Stefan’s best friend, executed by Damon
- Stefan Salvatore (Season 8) — sacrifices himself to save Damon and Elena
Elena’s own death
Elena’s death and transformation is a key pivot. ScreenRant notes it as one of her two major deaths (the other being the sacrifice in Season 2) (ScreenRant).
The pattern: while Elena’s death is not the saddest among fans, it is the most consequential for the plot.
Why did Elena cheat on Stefan?
Elena kisses Damon in Season 3 before she formally breaks up with Stefan. The writers later framed this as a result of her growing emotional bond with Damon, intensified by the sire bond after she turns.
The kiss with Damon
- In Season 3, Episode 19, Elena kisses Damon while still dating Stefan (CBR)
- She breaks up with Stefan in Season 4 after her transition
Elena’s feelings timeline
According to showrunner Julie Plec, Elena’s feelings for Damon were genuine but complicated by the sire bond. Once the bond breaks in Season 4, she still chooses Damon, confirming the emotional shift was real (ScreenRant).
The catch: the sire bond gave Elena a convenient excuse, but her later actions prove her love for Damon was authentic.
Who is Damon’s one true love?
Damon Salvatore’s one true love is Elena Gilbert. His earlier obsession with Katherine Pierce was based on manipulation and illusion, while his relationship with Elena is built on mutual growth and sacrifice.
Damon’s romantic history
- Damon pursues Katherine for centuries, believing she loved him
- Katherine never truly loved Damon; she used him
- Elena is the first person Damon genuinely loves and prioritizes over himself
Elena as Damon’s true love
In the series finale, Damon and Elena reunite after her sixty-year sleep and marry. They live a full human life together and eventually die of old age, finding peace (ScreenRant).
Damon transforms from a vengeful brother to a devoted husband — his love for Elena is the catalyst for his redemption arc.
The implication: Elena’s role in Damon’s redemption is the core of his character development.
Timeline of Elena’s supernatural journey
- Season 1 (2009): Elena is introduced as a human teenager mourning her parents’ death (Wikipedia)
- Season 2 (2010-2011): She discovers she’s the doppelgänger of Katherine Pierce (Vampire Diaries Wiki)
- Season 3, Episode 22 (2012): Elena dies in a car crash into Wickery Bridge (human death) (ScreenRant)
- Season 4, Episode 1 (2012): Damon turns Elena into a vampire; she wakes up as a vampire (Wikipedia)
- Season 4 (2012-2013): Elena struggles with humanity; sire bond with Damon forms; she breaks up with Stefan (Vampire Diaries Wiki)
- Season 5 (2013-2014): Elena and Damon become a committed couple; she takes the cure for vampirism (Vampire Diaries Wiki)
- Season 6, Episode 22 (2015): Elena is placed into a sleeping spell by Kai linked to Bonnie’s life; Nina Dobrev exits show (ScreenRant)
- Season 8, Episode 16 (2017): Elena wakes up after Bonnie dies; reunites with Damon; marries him; series ends (ScreenRant)
Confirmed facts
- Elena dies as a human in the Season 3 finale (ScreenRant)
- Damon Salvatore turns her into a vampire (Vampire Diaries Wiki)
- Elena ends the series married to Damon Salvatore (ScreenRant)
- Nina Dobrev left after Season 6 (Vampire Diaries Wiki)
- Elena does not get pregnant on screen (Vampire Diaries Wiki)
What’s unclear
- The exact date of Elena’s death is not canonically specified beyond the episode air date (Wikipedia)
- Whether Elena had children after the series finale is not shown
- Fandom speculation exists about Elena’s death as a vampire, but no canonical evidence
- Whether Elena appears in flashbacks in Season 7 (she does, but exact count unclear)
- How long Elena and Damon lived before dying of old age — not confirmed
Quotes from cast and creators
“Elena’s journey was always about choice. She chose love, she chose family, and ultimately she chose humanity.”
Julie Plec, showrunner (interview with TV Guide, 2015)
“I felt it was time to move on and challenge myself in new ways.”
Nina Dobrev (Entertainment Weekly interview, 2015)
“Damon and Elena are endgame. It was always going to be them.”
Ian Somerhalder, actor (Comic-Con panel, 2016)
For fans of The Vampire Diaries, Elena’s arc remains a benchmark for how a series can evolve its protagonist through death, love, and identity. The show’s ending gives her a full circle — alive, human, and with Damon. Whether you rooted for Stefan or Damon, Elena’s choice defined the series’ emotional core. For anyone revisiting the show, the key takeaway is that Elena Gilbert is not just a love interest; she is the axis around which the entire supernatural conflict of Mystic Falls turns. Readers interested in similar character dossiers can explore our guide to Bucky Barnes.
vampirediaries.fandom.com, aminoapps.com, reddit.com, msn.com, vampirediaries.fandom.com, cbr.com
For a deeper dive into her journey, check out this complete guide to her transformation and fate that covers every major beat of her story.
Frequently asked questions
Does Elena die in The Vampire Diaries?
Yes, she dies as a human in the Season 3 finale and is turned into a vampire. She does not die as a vampire.
Who turned Elena into a vampire?
Damon Salvatore turned her by feeding her his blood before the Wickery Bridge crash and completing the transition after her death.
How does Elena become human again?
She takes the cure for vampirism in Season 5, becoming human.
Does Elena appear in season 7?
No, she is absent from Season 7 except for a few flashbacks. She returns only in the series finale of Season 8.
Is Elena related to Katherine?
Elena is a doppelgänger of Katherine Pierce; they share identical DNA but are not biologically related.
Who does Elena end up with at the end of the series?
She ends up married to Damon Salvatore.
Does Elena have any children?
It is not shown on screen; the series finale does not depict whether Elena and Damon had children.
Daniel Harper is Editor-in-Chief at Coast Monitor, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.