Throughout The Vampire Diaries, there are plenty of epic rivalries and fights, many of which cannot be resolved without the help of some magic. The show features some truly powerful witches, from Bonnie Bennett to the original witch, Esther, and all are impressive in their own right.
In a show filled with supernatural beings, witches are oftentimes underestimated, despite their great powers. However, villains like Kai proved that magic is perhaps the most powerful force and used for good or for bad, there are many incredible spells.
The Preservation Spell
Esther was first introduced to the show in season 3 as a mysterious witch, and the mother of the Original vampires. "Dangerous Liaisons," followed Esther enlisting Elena to help her put a stop to her children, who she viewed as an "abomination."
She reveals to Elena the witch Ayana, who had been responsible for preserving Esther's body and sealing her coffin so that it could not be opened. The spell was powerful in that it ensured Esther's body remain the same way for more than a thousand years. Along with this preservation spell, Ayana also used strong magic to seal the coffin where she rested, allowing for only direct descendants of Ayana to open it, as Bonnie was. Ayana's magic protected Esther greatly and kept her safe from anyone who should try and harm her.
The Hybrid Curse
Not to be confused with the Werewolf curse that ties someone to the cycle of the moon, the Hybrid curse was created by Esther in order to suppress Klaus's werewolf nature. The episode "Klaus," sees Elijah recount to Elena the events that lead to Klaus being both vampire and werewolf: their mother, Esther, had an affair with another man who was a werewolf, meaning that when Klaus was made immortal along with his siblings, he became a hybrid.
Considering the strength of the werewolf curse, which saw fans feel sorry for Tyler as he underwent painful transformations trying to break it, Esther's ability to suppress this side of Klaus through magic is truly immense. Urged by her angry husband, Esther masterfully casts this powerful spell, one that Klaus would be trying to break for centuries to come.
The Dagger Spell
When the Original vampires first made an appearance in season 2, it seemed hopeless that the Salvatore brothers would be able to defeat them and protect their beloved Elena. Yet, with the introduction of Elijah came the spelled dagger that proved integral in the ongoing fight with the Original family.
Whilst researching the Originals in "The Dinner Party," Elena learns of the spelled dagger, and how, when dipped in the ash of the white oak tree, can be used to kill an Original vampire. Whilst the plans to kill Elijah go awry, the dagger becomes an important artifact throughout the show since the power cast onto it gave it the ability to desiccate an Original, something which Klaus often used to subdue his siblings.
The Life-Force Control Spell
Bonnie's command of magic was compelling to watch, and one of the instances that proved her status as one of the strongest witches in the series was in the episode "Never Let Me Go." Needing to change the name of ownership on the Salvatore Boarding House, Bonnie uses this spell to temporarily kill Matt.
The spell gave her the immense ability to slow Matt's heart rate right down until it eventually stopped beating, and then revive him. It was a rare moment where fans could see Bonnie use her magic slightly frivolously, yet it didn't denounce the amount of focus and talent that the powerful spell required.
The Spells That Created The Other Side
When Qetsiyah first appeared in The Vampire Diaries, the amount of power she possessed was clear from the get-go and cemented her as one of the most powerful witches. In "Original Sin," she disclosed her past to Stefan, and informed him that she was the one responsible for the Other Side - using an archaic but powerful spell, she created the Other Side to act as a prison for Silas, the man who had betrayed her.
Whilst Qetsiyah's motivations behind her magic were selfish, the Other Side became a phenomenon that encompassed all supernatural beings after death. The enormity of the spell meant that it also needed a mortal anchor, which she initially granted to Amara, whom Silas had fallen in love with, further emphasizing the power she was capable of.
The Protection Spells
There were many variations of Protection spells used throughout the show's eight-season run, but perhaps the most powerful expression of this spell was used by Bonnie in "The Last Dance." Having just learned that Klaus has overtaken Alaric's body, Bonnie takes him on to protect her friends, and the spell's power ensures her resurrection should she die.
Another notable use of this powerful spell occurs in "We're Planning a June Wedding," where Valerie cast her own protection spell over Lizzie and Josie should something happen at Stefan and Caroline's wedding. The spell ultimately ensures the twins remain unharmed, even after they have been engulfed by flames.
The Resurrection Spells
Similar to the protection spells, that are many times where witches use a variation of the resurrection spell to revive someone who has died. As the nature of the spell would suggest, it requires a great deal of strength to conduct and is thus one of the most powerful spells seen on the show.
The most significant examples of this spell appear in the episode "As I Lay Dying," where Bonnie successfully brings Jeremy back to life after he has been shot, and in "Original Sin," where Quetisyah recalls performing the spell on herself to bring her back from the Other Side.
The Immortality Spells
Perhaps one of the renowned group of spells throughout The Vampire Diaries are the ones that grant immortality. Whilst there are many variations of the spell, ranging from the creation of the Original vampires to the spell that granted a condition immortality to the Hunter's, the most powerful expression was Qetsiyah's invention of the spell.
Recounted in "Original Sin," Qestiyah divulges to Stefan how she first invented the spell that would grant immortality some 2,000 years ago and intended to use the spell to spend eternity with Silas, but he betrayed her and drank it with Amara. The spell was deemed so powerful that mortal doppelgångers were created alongside it to ensure that there would be different versions of the immortals that could still die - like Elena and Stefan, for example.
The Sleeping-Beauty Spell
Upon his introduction to The Vampire Diaries, Kai immediately made himself known as one of the best villains in the show's run. In a catastrophic turn of events, the season 6 finale "I'm Thinking Of You All The While," follows Kai's violent interruption of Alaric and Jo's wedding, and sees him cast a spell with devastating side effects.
The Sleeping-Beauty Spell is Kai's twisted revenge on Bonnie - as long as Bonnie is alive, Elena will remain in a comatose state, ultimately meaning that Bonnie would never see her best friend again. The effect of the spell is a powerful one and lasts for two seasons as Bonnie tries to come up with new ways to break it, without herself or Elena dying.
The Hell-fire Manipulation Spell
The last ever episode of the show, "I Was Feeling Epic," centered around the incoming threat of Hell Fire, which would decimate the entirety of Mystic Falls. In a tense moment, Vicki rings the bell that unleashes the bell that would bring certain doom to the town, but Bonnie masterfully interjects just in time.
Bonnie uses her powers to manipulate the fire away from the town, and down into the tunnels to prevent anyone from getting caught in its wrath. However, Bonnie's power begins to fade as she feels herself, and the spell weakens. In one of the show's most epic scenes, Bonnie's hand is taken by her grandmother Sheila and realizes that her ancestors are standing around her and giving her their power. With this new strength, the army of Bennett witches send the fire back to Hell with this mighty spell and saves the residents of Mystic Falls.