Summary

• Stefan Salvatore's death in The Vampire Diaries was a shocking twist but was a necessary act of redemption for the character.
• Paul Wesley, who played Stefan, convinced the writers that his character had to die as a penance for his darker actions as a Ripper.
• Killing off Stefan added substance to the show's ending and allowed it to close on a necessary emotional note.

After 8 seasons of protecting Mystic Falls from supernatural threats, Stefan Salvatore died in the series finale of The Vampire Diaries. A central protagonist since the very first season of The Vampire Diaries, Stefan (Paul Wesley) was unofficially known as the good Salvatore brother for the majority of the show. However, there were several moments he became the more antagonistic of the siblings — namely, when he turned off his humanity and decided to go full "Ripper." While The Vampire Diaries has featured several character deaths, it was still a shock for many viewers when Stefan Salvatore was killed.

Paul Wesley's The Vampire Diaries character always struggled to balance his humanity with his vampiric urges, and it was this eternal dilemma that ultimately led to Stefan's death in season 8, episode 16 "I Was Feeling Epic". Stefan selflessly sacrificed himself so that his brother Damon (Ian Somerhalder) could have his happily ever after with Elena (Nina Dobrev). Although the twist was certainly shocking, there's another reason why The Vampire Diaries killed off Stefan — and it wasn't the writers who initially came up with the idea, but Paul Wesley himself.

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How Stefan Died In The Vampire Diaries

Stefan Sacrifices Himself To Make Amends

Stefan's death in The Vampire Diaries came after a tumultuous 8th season for the character. Stefan had spent season 8 working for Cade — an incarnation of The Devil — which led to him committing a number of atrocious acts, including killing Enzo and trying to murder Elena. The turning point came when Stefan is given the cure for vampirism and regains his humanity. The moment this happens, Stefan is distraught, as the moral weight and guilt from his actions while a ripper operating at Cade's behest hit him all at once.

The reason Stefan dies in The Vampire Diaries is primarily to make amends for his time with Cade.

The reason Stefan dies in The Vampire Diaries is primarily to make amends for his time with Cade. While he does manage to kill Cade, this isn't enough for him. His chance at redemption comes when Katherine Pierce attempts to destroy Mystic Falls with hellfire. Seeing an opportunity, Stefan sacrifices himself in the season 8 finale, ensuring that Katherine dies and Mystic Falls is safe. Not only this, he also gives his brother Damon the cure, allowing Damon to finally have a chance at a normal life.

Why Paul Wesley Wanted Stefan To Die In The Vampire Diaries

The Star Knew Stefan Needed To Have A Redemption Arc

Paul Wesley believed death was necessary karma for Stefan. As Damon gained something of a bad boy reputation, Stefan was increasingly pigeonholed as the opposite. Over the course of The Vampire Diaries, Wesley made suggestions to the show's writers for Stefan that allowed his character to take a darker turn, specifically by having him temporarily transform into a Ripper.

As Stefan ended up doing some terrible things during his time as a Ripper, Paul Wesley convinced the writers of The Vampire Diaries that he deserved to die as an act of penance for everything he had done.

As Stefan ended up doing some terrible things during his time as a Ripper, Paul Wesley convinced the writers of The Vampire Diaries that he deserved to die as an act of penance for everything he had done. As Seventeen reported, Wesley actually pitched killing off both Damon and Stefan to the writers, so Elena could continue her life with a clean slate. Damon survived, but the writers were convinced to kill off Stefan.

How Paul Wesley Convinced The Vampire Diaries Writers That Stefan Had To Die

The Moment Stefan Dies Was A Highlight Of The Show

As Wesley rightly predicted, having Stefan make the call to sacrifice himself for his brother added some substance back to a show that had some felt had lost its way over the years.

Convincing the writers of The Vampire Diaries to kill Stefan off was a bold move that brought dignity to the end of his arc. As with many teen dramas, The Vampire Diaries played out some sub-par storylines to flesh out its 8-season run. Even Paul Wesley admitted to Seventeen that the show had jumped the shark multiple times. As Wesley rightly predicted, having Stefan make the call to sacrifice himself for his brother added some substance back to a show that had some felt had lost its way over the years.

While it was a shock for some that Stefan dies in The Vampire Diaries, it proved to be a great note to end on — and a better one than having both Salvatore brothers killed off. Killing both Damon and Stefan Salvatore would've been a bold, memorable move for The Vampire Diaries' series finale. While the show's writers may not have been able to commit to both deaths, Stefan's death provided a necessary emotional note for The Vampire Diaries to go out on.