had some of the best, and most controversial, characters on television, but some of the more minor characters were wasted on their limited screen time. The series was known for its epic romances and the cruel villains who were constantly trying to keep the heroes apart. Whether the recurring characters were on the side of good or evil, they still added to the stakes of the show and had the potential to do so much more.
Running for eight seasons from 2009 to 2017, the supernatural teen drama had enough juice to produce two spin-offs, and , and remain relevant in the cultural conversation. The central love triangle of the show is between Elena (Nina Dobrev), and the Salvatore brothers, Stefan (Paul Wesley) and Damon (Ian Somerhalder).
However, outside that conflict, there was a tangled web of characters who all contributed something unique to the show and propelled the plot forward, even if their appearances were short.
Though she was a fan-favorite character and a great friend to Stefan, . Though she did come back briefly, via a spell, to help Stefan through a time of turmoil, she was never one of the major players in the series. Despite her great chemistry with the rest of the cast, the series didn't have plans for her besides being a window into Stefan's backstory in season 1.
Unfortunately, the compelling Lexi was little more than a plot device for the show to pull out when necessary.
Vicki didn't last long on the show, but she made an impact. As one of the main characters Matt's (Zach Roerig) little sister, her death was one of the first major losses on the show. She was also romantically involved with Elena's little brother Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen), and the tragic end to their romance was a motivating factor for many of his later decisions.
Though she had a strong personality and wasn't easily pushed around, Vicki never got the character development she deserved. The purpose of her character only ever mattered in relation to the men in her life.
There were many women in Damon's life that paled in comparison to his feelings for Elena, but Rose-Marie was an unexpectedly significant person in his life. She first appears in season 2 when the residents of Mystic Falls are first beginning to tangle with Klaus (Joseph Morgan) and the original vampires.
Also on the run from the originals, Rose-Marie is a useful ally and could've been an excellent foil to Klaus, had she lived long enough to meet him on the show.
She and Damon have an immediate connection, and his loyalty to her and desire to ease her suffering as she passes is an important moment of humanity for Damon. It's proof that he has a soul and is capable of caring about others. Had Rose-Marie stayed on the show, they could've had a compelling relationship that was one of equals instead of the frequently toxic pairing of Elena and Damon.
One of the original vampires, later joining the cast of , Kol isn't a major villain in and serves as more of an annoyance than anything else. He's the bratty younger brother of Klaus, Elijah (Daniel Gillies), and Rebekah (Claire Holt), and doesn't have any clear motivations besides enjoying himself and causing as much destruction as possible. It's a shame that the original family isn't as fleshed out in as they could have been and that Kol's character was one of the casualties.
Mason Lockwood is the reason that Tyler (Michael Trevino) is able to navigate the early stages of becoming a werewolf and is the first family member who has a positive influence on him. Unfortunately, he makes an enemy out of Damon which ends in his death. Mason was an interesting character because he wasn't quite a villain, but his motivations were dubious, and his interests didn't always align with what was best for Elena. If he hadn't been killed, he might have been a solid ally for Tyler and an intriguing love interest to someone on the show.
Liz Forbes was the Sheriff of Mystic Falls, Caroline's (Candice King) mother, and not a small character on the show, but because of how wonderful she was, there would never be enough screen time for her.
Though she's staunchly anti-vampire at first, she soon comes to be one of Damon's best friends and Caroline's biggest support systems. Her tragic death in season 6 was a turning point for Caroline's character and marked the departure of one of the strongest human characters on the show.
The parents were never the most important part of , but Liz's position as sheriff helped her rise above this. However, she was still underutilized during her tenure on the series. Liz was a well-developed character who deserved more than popping up now and again to solve a problem or investigate a murder. Seeing her have her own unique storylines would have been a better use of her character.
Bonnie's (Kat Graham) ancestor Emily played a crucial role in season 1 of the show but disappeared not long after that. She was introduced as a powerful witch and an ally to Katherine (Nina Dobrev). However, she soon revealed that she had her own motivations for helping Katherine that had to do with the Bennett bloodline. The Bennett bloodline is a crucial plot point throughout the series, and Emily being Bonnie's gateway to that world, and to magic, was a smart choice.
Later in Bonnie's journey, it would have been amazing to have Emily there to guide her. Bonnie goes through some of the most traumatic events of the series, and though her Bennett powers save the day time and again she doesn't get a lot of help from her family. Witnessing Emily return as a guide for Bonnie would have been a saving grace for Bonnie and helped to flesh out Emily's character.
Another significant woman in Damon's life is Sage, an ancient vampire who steers Damon onto a more sympathetic path, but ultimately meets her end because of her ties to the original family. Damon and Sage have a compelling relationship because she truly cares for him, but not in a romantic way. Though they share a kiss, her heart lies with Finn (Casper Zafer), an original, whose death causes her to die because he sired her. She was very charismatic and might have been a forceful foil to Elena when she and Damon fell in love.
Elena's birth mother, Isobel, isn't a very sympathetic character, as she is willing to sacrifice the people she loves for the chance to become a vampire, but this ruthlessness makes her all the more compelling. She also has a history with Alaric (Matthew Davis), whom she abandons and convinces she has died. It's obvious that with the mess she left in her wake, there was plenty of unfinished business by the time she was killed at Klaus' hand. Sadly she and Elena never got to explore their relationship as parent and child.
for many reasons, including his deep lack of empathy and morals that make him the most vile killer in the series.
However, no series is complete without a truly horrible villain, and Kai is up to the challenge. His casual and funny demeanor is in sharp contrast to his power-hungry motivations, and his actions lead to some of the biggest plot twists in the series. Of course, the heroes defeat him in the end, but as such a complex character, Kai could have been on the show for many seasons.
