Alaric Saltzman started off life on The Vampire Diaries as a minor antagonist, a vampire hunter who was determined to kill the vampire who supposedly murdered his wife. However, that plan soon backfired and he ended up becoming best friends with that same vampire: Damon Salvatore.
Alaric was generally seen to be one of the best characters on the show, thanks to his dry sense of humor and stoic heroism. However, he also went through a lot on the show, and while fans felt for him, Alaric also committed the occasional nefarious act that caused fans to question their loyalty to the character.
Felt Bad - When Jo Died
Alaric and Jo were only together for one season, but theirs was honestly one of the best relationships on the show. Because they were both adults and had moved on from their angsty phase a long time ago, there was very little drama to their relationship (not counting external factors).
They were incredibly suited to one another, with Jo being aware of the supernatural before they'd even met. However, in the penultimate episode of Season 6, Jo was killed while pregnant at their wedding. Alaric never even had a chance to say goodbye.
Hated - When He Became An Original
It's difficult to say whether Alaric was actually himself when he became a new Original vampire, as he wasn't technically possessed by any other beings. However, he was definitely evil, and a ruthless killer to boot.
Original Alaric hated all vampires and sought to kill them all. He went after Klaus Mikaelson, and even successfully staked him. Thankfully, Klaus lived, as did everyone else, but for a minute there, viewers thought that Alaric had murdered the entire cast of the show.
Felt Bad - When Caroline Left Him
This was such an awkward and weird couple. When Season 7 aired, fans didn't know what to expect after Elena Gilbert's departure in the previous season, but they sure weren't expecting Alaric and Caroline Forbes to embark on a relationship and start a family together.
It was a bit disturbing considering Alaric had once been Caroline's high school teacher, but even so, Alaric was finally happy with his life, and had settled down. However, when Stefan returned, Alaric told Caroline to go be with him, sacrificing his happiness for the good of hers.
Hated - When He Hurt Caroline
It wasn't immediately clear when Alaric first appeared on the show, but at heart, he was a family man, first and foremost. This was hinted at when he came seeking revenge for the 'death' of his wife, but only fully affirmed once he had his own children.
Biologically, Alaric's twins were his and Jo's, but thanks to a spell, Caroline carried them to term. After the twins were taken, Alaric snapped at Caroline, telling her she wasn't a mom because they weren't her daughters, which hurt Caroline deeply.
Felt Bad - When Isobel Left Him
The characters of The Vampire Diaries were so intertwined with each other, it's sometimes hard to believe. In this case, Alaric and Elena were closer than they first thought, as Alaric was the husband of Elena's biological mother, Isobel.
Initially, Alaric came to Mystic Falls thinking that Isobel was dead. However, it transpired that Isobel had become a vampire and had simply ghosted Alaric. This was a defining moment for the vampire hunter, as he had to throw away all of his old assumptions about vampires and start again.
Hated - When He Became Klaus
For such a good character, Alaric loved to turn evil every once in a while. Unusually, though, this wasn't due to him switching off his humanity, which is the main cause of villainy in the main cast. In Alaric's case, he was possessed by the spirit of Klaus.
In order to retain the mystery surrounding this Original vampire werewolf hybrid, Klaus was introduced in Alaric's body, and proceeded to wreak havoc upon Mystic Falls. However, Alaric failed to capture Joseph Morgan's unique charm as Klaus, and so appeared to just be a stereotypical villain.
Felt Bad - When Damon Compelled Him
Damon has never really been known for being selfless and considerate, so fans shouldn't have been that surprised when he compelled Alaric to do what he wanted. However, considering that Alaric was Damon's best, and sometimes only, friend, it does sting a little.
In Season 6, Damon was desperate to get Bonnie out of the prison world that she was trapped in but to do so, he needed the Ascendant. Alaric refused to steal Jo's out of fear for her safety, but Damon compelled him to do it anyway, completely breaking their trust.
Hated - When He Refused To Help Bring Bonnie Back
Damon should never have compelled Alaric, as that was an abuse of power, and a breach of trust. As a result, their friendship took a long time to heal. However, Alaric wasn't completely innocent in all of this either, as by refusing to help, he was essentially damning Bonnie.
Bonnie had been trapped in the prison world for weeks with Kai Parker. After he left, however, things got even worse. Bonnie hated being on her own, and almost took her own life. Alaric chose his girlfriend over the witch who had saved everyone's lives more times than they could count.
Felt Bad - When Jenna Died
Jenna was the first person that Alaric dated after his wife left him, but she was so much more than just a rebound. Alaric clearly loved her in a way that he hadn't with his ex-wife, and Jenna was finally happy. Unfortunately, their relationship was never meant to last.
Near the end of Season 2, Klaus managed to perform the ritual to unleash his werewolf side, but he required a vampire to sacrifice. Therefore, he kidnapped Jenna, turned her into a vampire and then killed her in front of Elena, Alaric was devastated, and so were the viewers.
Hated - When He And Damon Drifted Apart
Alaric and Damon spent the majority of the first few seasons of The Vampire Diaries as the best of friends. Damon was incredibly anti social at the beginning, so to see him drinking and chatting with a friend who wasn't his brother or another vampire was truly something.
However, when Alaric came back from the dead, something changed. Throughout Season 7 and 8, he and Damon spent less and less time together. People do just naturally drift apart in real life, but in television shows, friendships are usually forever, so this was a real disappointment for fans.