With The Vampire Diaries franchise coming to an end, its creator Julie Plec has already moved on to another vampire show, Vampire Academy. Fans, however, aren't as quick to move on and certain topics are still hot and up for debate.
Despite Elena Gilbert being a protagonist of The Vampire Diaries, she was one of the most hated characters on the show. Oftentimes, fans would reproach her for being selfish and a bad friend, but Elena has had some amazing friendships on the show and she has proven time and time again that she cared about more than just herself.
Elena & Elijah
This friendship will strike some as odd because it started with Elena being scared to death by Elijah. Their relationship wasn't always friendly, as Elijah's allegiance was always first and foremost to his brother, but they shared some valid advice with each other and had an interesting bond.
They understood each other on a special level because they would both go to great lengths to protect the ones they love. When Elijah apologizes to Elena for leaving her stranded in the woods, he tells her that her compassion is a gift and that he's sorry he had to go against her. They also meet again when Elena pretends to be Katherine. It's obvious Elijah admires Elena, and Elena has some level of respect for Elijah despite them being at odds sometimes.
Elena & Jo
Though not the closest of friends, Jo and Elena hit it off while working together at the hospital. Jo was also dating Alaric who is Elena's friend. Jo was a very insightful person, who always offered great advice to Elena, prompting her to talk about her feelings.
When Jo was losing her mind about the wedding details, Elena was calming her down and assured her it would be okay. She was also Jo's bridesmaid. Their friendship had great potential if it weren't for Jo unexpectedly dying on her wedding day and Elena slipping into a magical coma induced by Kai.
Elena & Jenna
Despite Jenna being Elena's legal guardian after her adoptive parents died, their relationship was more friendly than strict. It was clear that the two cared deeply for each other. Despite messing up her life, Jenna stepped up and took care of her niece and nephew.
She always tried to do her best by them, struggling with instances when that included rummaging through Jeremy's room. In the wake of her mother's death, Jenna was the only person who could help Elena through that grief. Fans loved Jenna and they loved the relationship she shared with Elena, whether it was friendship or a family bond. When Klaus killed her, in one of the few times the gang couldn't stop the villain, it was a sad and surprising turn of events.
Elena & Caroline
This wasn't among the favorite friendships on the show. It often seemed that Caroline was a better friend to Stefan than she was to Elena, which was fine, but it sometimes appeared that Caroline simply didn't want happiness for Elena or she was very patronizing towards her.
However, despite the hurdles their friendship hit from time to time, they kept coming back to each other. At the end of the day, if one needed the other, they would both drop everything and come running.
Elena & Stefan
After resolving the whole saga where Stefan went full ripper and left her for weeks, and in the meantime she fell in love with his brother who stayed to take care of her, Stefan and Elena still danced around for a couple of episodes. Then it became clear that Elena would always love Damon more, so she and Stefan settled into a beautiful friendship.
Despite doppelgangers being destined to end up together, Stefan and Elena were always better as friends, because that was when they brought out the best in each other. They had some amazing scenes as friends later in the seasons, especially in the episode where they hitchhike a ride back to Mystic Falls.
Elena & Tyler
Their friendship goes way back to when they were kids. Everyone in Mystic Falls pretty much grew up with each other, and they were no exception. His family was mentioned to be there for hers when her parents died, and they also continuously helped each other after ending up in the supernatural world.
Elena was the reason Tyler admitted to Klaus he was no longer sired to him. He saved Elena from Klaus when he was going to drain her of her blood. Elena was also the one who told Tyler to embrace the wolf inside of him instead of trying to hide it.
Elena & Matt
Elena and Matt have a special bond on the show. Despite having dated in the past, they're shown to have a platonic relationship, a friendship that goes way back. He's the person who knew her before, and one who continues to know her after she gets mixed up in the supernatural.
They also often take time to talk, something that doesn't happen much on the show. They have meaningful conversations about life and love. When Elena has her humanity turned off, it's Matt dying that brings her back. It's the relief she feels at the fact he's not really dead. So she obviously cares for him a lot.
Elena & Alaric
Alaric started off the show as Elena's history professor and Jenna's boyfriend. But as Jenna died, he reluctantly stepped in as Elena's guardian but most of all friend. He was one of the few people that tried to help her navigate the supernatural world and eventually joined it as a vampire.
Their relationship was an odd mix between Alaric being Elena's guardian and being one of her friends. She clearly trusted him a lot, since a part of Elena's TVD arc was asking Ric to compel away her memories of Damon. This meant she had to open up a lot about something painful and she clearly felt fairly comfortable doing that with Ric.
Elena & Damon
It's a rare occurrence that one gets to fall in love with their best friend. If Elena and Stefan felt the sparks instantly and jumped into dating, Elena's relationship with Damon started as a tentative friendship that slowly grew and changed.
It often seemed that he was the person who understood her the most and loved her even at her worst moments. In return, she was the one that managed to forgive Damon the unforgivable, cherishing their friendship more than her grudge (no matter how understandable it was). Before their relationship ever turned romantic, there was a beautiful friendship between them that never left. It simply got upgraded into something more. Damon and Elena also shared many underrated moments before ever getting together.
Elena & Bonnie
Though many people would disagree, Elena was a good friend to Bonnie. Undoubtedly, Bonnie is a character that was mistreated the most on the show, but she was always a loyal friend to all of her friends. She continuously risked her life to help everyone, especially Elena.
But Elena shows up for Bonnie as well. It was often shown how Elena would invite Bonnie for dinner and to spend the holidays with her parents. She invited her into her family, and in the end, Elena doesn't flinch at letting Bonnie live out her life even if it means she gets to spend the next couple of decades in a magical coma. Their friendship was the strongest on the show and they were often more akin to sisters than friends.