Love triangles have always been a popular trope in fiction, but The Vampire Diaries is particularly fond of them. Every main character has found themselves caught up in at least one at some point, and it causes controversy not only among those involved but also among fans of the show.
Because of how intense and long-lasting the romances can be, it's easy for viewers to get attached. But some prefer the relationships that no one saw coming, rather than the ones that were originally planned. Love triangles are designed to divide fans, and while there were a few in which the choice was relatively easy, there were others where it was all too difficult.
Alaric, Caroline, & Stefan
It wasn't difficult for viewers to choose between Alaric and Stefan as it was always clear who Caroline loved. She had no romantic feelings for Alaric and they were only together for the sake of their children.
Alaric was in love with Caroline, and it was downright weird given that he was her high school history teacher. Even if fans didn't want Caroline to be with Stefan, almost everyone preferred him to the alternative.
Jeremy, Vicki, & Tyler
Choosing between Jeremy and Tyler was another decision that wasn't hard for viewers to make. Tyler treated Vicki like an object and didn't bother going to visit her in the hospital after she was attacked. Even when Tyler tried to change his ways he was still ashamed to be seen with her by his parents.
Jeremy would do just about anything for Vicki and he loved everything about her. Her death left him so devastated that Elena asked Damon to take his memories away. However, the series finale of The Vampire Diaries revealed that Tyler and Vicki reunited in the afterlife and found peace.
Stefan, Damon, & Katherine
Katherine had chemistry with just about everyone, but her relationship with Damon was difficult to watch. It was clear in 1864 and it was still clear in the present that Katherine never loved Damon as much as she loved Stefan.
Although it was rare, Stefan was occasionally Katherine's guiding light. She was out for herself first and foremost, but there was something about Stefan that allowed her to hold onto her humanity. Damon and Katherine's relationship had the opposite effect and they brought out the worst in each other.
Bonnie, Jeremy, & Anna
Anna reappeared to Jeremy not long after his romance with Bonnie began. Although Bonnie and Jeremy had some good moments, Anna and Jeremy's relationship was beloved by fans in the first season.
Viewers didn't expect to see her again after her death, and Jeremy reuniting with the girl he loved and lost was bittersweet. It was difficult not to feel bad for Bonnie as Jeremy continued to communicate with his dead girlfriend, but Jeremy admitted to Elena that it was Anna he loved.
Matt, Caroline, & Tyler
By the time Caroline and Tyler started getting closer, she and Matt had already fizzled out. There was nothing concerning about their relationship, other than it falling flat. Fans still enjoyed Matt and Caroline's dynamic, as he was Caroline's first real love interest on the show, but it was clear that it was never meant to last.
When Caroline and Matt broke up and she started dating Tyler, most fans appeared happy with the change.
Elena, Stefan, & Katherine
When it came to Stefan's relationships with the Petrova doppelgangers, things were complicated, to say the least. Plenty of viewers enjoyed how pure Stefan and Elena's love was, but Stefan's romance with Katherine was for those who wanted the opposite.
Elena was already a good match for Stefan because of their shared morals, but Katherine and Stefan were complete opposites. Their relationship was unpredictable and sometimes hostile on Stefan's side, but they could also get through to one another in a way that others couldn't.
Tyler, Caroline, & Klaus
The love triangle between Tyler, Caroline, and Klaus was a big deal on and offscreen. Caroline had a huge impact on Klaus, and his feelings for her made him want to be better.
Tyler wasn't happy about the man who sired him hitting on his girlfriend, and it started a feud between them that went on for seasons. A good portion of viewers were attached to Tyler and Caroline's romance, but the enemies to lovers aspect of Klaus and Caroline's story made them a fan-favorite romance.
Caroline, Stefan, & Elena
Around the time that Caroline and Stefan became a possibility, Elena was head over heels for Damon. But Caroline still seemed to sense something between the two that made her worry about her own relationship with Stefan.
Stefan's love for Elena was incredibly deep, and it can be argued that Stefan never loved anyone as much as he loved her. Plenty of viewers were hoping that Stefan and Elena would find their way back to each other, but a good amount had their fingers crossed that Stefan could move on with Caroline.
Klaus, Caroline, & Stefan
There wasn't an official love triangle between Klaus, Caroline, and Stefan, but fans were still extremely divided over who Caroline should be with, out of the two of them. Even though Klaus was in New Orleans and far away from Mystic Falls, Klaus and Caroline were such a beloved ship that viewers held out hope for the pairing.
But with Elena in a magic-induced slumber, Stefan and Caroline became the central love story of the last couple of seasons, and their transition from best friends to more was something many fans were fond of.
Stefan, Elena, & Damon
There's no question that the biggest source of controversy is the love triangle between Elena and the Salvatore Brothers. It was the very basis the show was built upon, and The Vampire Diaries gave fans more than enough reasons to be in both camps.
Damon and Stefan would often switch between being the bad guy, and Elena's affections would switch as well. No matter who Elena chose in the end, there was always going to be people who wanted for the opposite.