The Vampire Diaries is one of the most tragic supernatural shows you'll ever find. In some form or another, all the characters have suffered or gone through the most traumatic experiences. It was extreme to the point where fans questioned whether their favorites would make it to the end.

We say this because one of the most devastating deaths fans were forced to watch was that of Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley). Out of all the characters, Stefan proved to be the most selfless, sacrificing the most to ensure that his family and friends were safe from harm. From Stefan's death in season 8 to his compassionate nature, here are the 10 most selfless things he ever did.

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Saved Jeremy From Katherine

In the episode "The Sacrifice", Stefan proves to be the savior when he rescues Jeremy from Katherine's clutches. The Salvatore brothers and Bonnie come up with a plan to try and gain the moonstone without releasing Katherine from the tomb. However, Jeremy decides to take matters into his own hands to retrieve the stone himself.

This plan backfires when Katherine ends up getting the upper-hand and feeds on Jeremy, which helps her regain strength. With a potential hostage situation, Stefan puts himself at risk and gets entrapped in the tomb with Katherine, quickly throwing Jeremy out to save him.

Offered His Life For Jenna's

During Stefan and Elena's relationship, there wasn't much interaction between Stefan and Jenna. Sure, she didn't mind having him around because he made Elena happy, but his vampire status prevented her from getting to really know him.

Yet, in the episode "Klaus", Stefan exposes his secret to protect Jenna from Alaric. Stefan also attempts to protect Jenna further by asking Klaus to accept a trade - sacrifice his life for Jenna's. Even though he didn't know her very well, Stefan knew how important she was to everyone and would do all he could to prevent them from feeling pain.

A Deal With The Devil

One of the last selfless deeds Stefan ever made was to make a trade with Cade to help protect Caroline's daughters. This came about after Sybil and Seline tried to barter their freedom, offering the Saltzman twins as replacements for the Sirens.

However, Sybil offered the Salvatore brothers another deal that would allow the twins to be returned to safely - become Cade's henchmen instead. After Stefan agreed to the new offer, he then had to prove why Cade should consider him worthy. Considering Stefan hated it when he became a ripper, it proved how much Caroline meant to him if he sold his soul to the Devil.

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Helping Caroline Transform into a vampire

An image of Stefan and Caroline smiling at each other in The Vampire Diaries

Although Caroline and Stefan got their happy ending (kind of), it's surprising to remember that they weren't very close in the beginning. The turning point of their relationship came after Katherine and Damon left her to fend for herself after she transformed into a vampire. Instead of killing Caroline, Stefan decided to protect her and become her mentor.

It's a good thing he did otherwise Caroline would have messed up. By taking the time to teach her how to hunt and control her cravings, Stefan managed to stop Caroline from becoming a monster. He also prevented Liz from losing her daughter and Elena and Bonnie from losing their best friend.

Give Up The Cure For Elena

Stefan and Damon standing next to each other in The Vampire Diaries.

The biggest plot twist in The Vampire Diaries came in season 4 when the writers invented the prospect of the cure. The cure was a storyline that gave our favorite vampires a chance to become human again and reverse their curse. Rebekah wanted it for herself, Klaus wanted it so it wouldn't be used against him, but Stefan wanted it so he could give it to Elena.

It's quite selfless really as Stefan could have taken this opportunity to start fresh and live the rest of his life as a human. Yet he saw how upset Elena was since she had transitioned into a vampire and wanted to give her that life back. That's pretty selfless.

Saved Elena From The Car Accident

In season 1, fans watched as Elena suffered from survivor's guilt, wondering how she managed to get out of the car accident and her parents didn't. However, in the episode "Bloodlines", Stefan reveals that he was the person who pulled her out of the car.

Stefan tells Elena how he tried to rescue her parents as well but her father refused to go unless she was safe. He went go back for them but by the time he returned, it was too late. Even though his instincts tell him otherwise, fans did like that Stefan would always respect everyone's wishes.

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Left Mystic Falls To Save Damon

When the series first began, Damon and Stefan weren't on the best of terms. This all began when Damon swore to make Stefan suffer after the younger Salvatore convinced him to become a vampire. Tensions between the brothers increased further when Damon killed Stefan's best friend and then confessed his feelings for Elena.

However, Stefan proved why blood is thicker than water when he chooses to give up his life in Mystic Falls to ensure Damon's survival. In return for curing the werewolf bite that would kill Damon, Klaus demands that Stefan become his right-hand man and leave his family and friends. Considering how much Stefan loved Elena, it was a big deal for him to leave her behind. It showed fans how much he loved his brother.

Let Elena Die For Matt

Elena about to become a vampire in The Vampire Diaries

One of the hardest choices Stefan had to make was letting Elena die for Matt. At this point in the show, the couple was in an on-off relationship after Stefan switched his humanity off and Elena's feelings for Damon grew. In the season 3 finale, Elena had chosen to say goodbye to Stefan but ran into a problem when Rebekah caused them to drive off the bridge.

Stefan was the first one on the scene and had to choose between Matt and Elena. When he went to pull Elena from the car, she insisted that Stefan saved Matt over her. Stefan was reluctant to leave her but followed through with her wish. Unfortunately, this meant that Elena had died as a result which devastated Stefan.

Sacrificed Himself To Save Mystic Falls

The season 8 finale was heartbreaking for all Stefan fans as the former vampire sacrificed himself to save Mystic Falls. This came about after Katherine returned and declared that she would reduce Mystic Falls ashes, along with Damon, Stefan, and all their friends.

After much discussion, the Salvatore brothers argued about who would sacrifice themselves to ensure her return to Hell. Fans were led to believe it would be Damon until Stefan injected his brother with the cure and took his place. He then reveals to Elena that he chose to do it because he wanted Damon to live his human life to the fullest. Stefan is quite content with the decision he made, reuniting with his friends in the 'afterlife'.

Giving Katherine Closure On Her Deathbed

The most selfless act Stefan committed had to be when he gave Katherine closure on her deathbed. For the majority of the show, fans knew that Stefan would do anything to protect his family and friends. However, to put a century-old grudge to bed had to be one of the hardest things to do - especially when it involved his sworn enemy.

After Silas had drained the cure from her system, Katherine began to age rapidly and was soon on her deathbed. Whilst everyone was pleased that the doppelganger was on the brink of death, Stefan was the only one who decided to give her peace of mind. He infiltrated her memories and changed the most horrific day of her life, giving her closure on her family's death. It had to be the kindest thing he ever did.

NEXT: The Vampire Diaries: The 10 Saddest Moments In The Series