The Vampire Diaries: 5 Reasons Why Damon Should Have Been The Final Villain (& 5 Why It Should Have Been Katherine)

Damon Salvatore had a drastic journey throughout The Vampire Diaries. Initially introduced as Stefan’s evil older brother, Damon undergoes a redemption arc after falling in love with Elena Gilbert. The senior Salvatore almost succumbs to darkness in season 8, but ultimately it is Katherine Pierce who proves to be the final antagonist.

Katherine’s return was a fitting conclusion for the show’s fiercest villain. However, Damon could have plausibly returned to his villainous roots for a final confrontation with his brother. Here are five reasons why Damon should have been the ultimate Big Bad and five why it was rightly Katherine.

10 Damon: The Story Begins And Finishes With The Same Villain

Damon became a fan-favorite character thanks to his snarky charm, but the elder Salvatore brother debuted as the show’s first villain. He arrived in Mystic Falls in season 1 and established himself as an antagonistic foil for his brother with none of Stefan’s self-restraint.

It would have been a poignant conclusion for the series to end as it began, with Damon as the ultimate Big Bad. The story could have come full circle with Damon embracing his worst impulses.

9 Katherine: Shocking Return From Hell

Even Hell couldn’t hold back Katherine Pierce. The devious doppelganger made a shocking return in the final season of The Vampire Diaries that almost destroyed the town of Mystic Falls.

Katherine was one of the show’s greatest villains and it was great to see her make an epic comeback. True to form, the evil vampire managed to manipulate Arcadius, the Devil himself, into doing her bidding.

8 Damon: He’s The Opposite Of Stefan

Damon juxtaposes Stefan throughout the series. Both brothers are vampires, but Stefan is haunted by the people he’s killed and tries to redeem himself by abstaining from human blood. In contrast, Damon revels in being a vampire and shows little remorse for his actions.

Having Damon as the final villain of the show further explores this dichotomy. The elder Salvatore could have embraced his role as the “bad brother” following a final rejection from Elena.

7 Katherine: Sired The Salvatores

In a way, the story of The Vampire Diaries started and ended with Katherine Pierce. The doppelganger is responsible for turning Damon and Stefan into vampires, which in turn leads to their love triangle with Elena over a century later.

It made sense for the Salvatores’ creator to stand as the final antagonistic force in the series. Stefan avenges his transformation into a vampire by killing Katherine and sacrificing himself to save the town.

6 Damon: Did Terrible Things With No Remorse

Damon underwent a redemption arc throughout the series, as he struggled to be a better person for Elena. This doesn’t excuse his list of crimes, though, including the murder of his family line and a pregnant woman.

The vampire expressed less remorse for his actions than his sibling. If Damon hadn’t encountered Elena on Wickery Bridge pre-season 1 then there is little doubt that he would have remained the same bloodthirsty killer he was before their relationship.

5 Katherine: Elena’s Revenge

Elena was absent for the majority of the final season, which denied her of one last confrontation with her arch-nemesis. Despite this, she had her vengeance when the Mystic Falls gang thwarted Katherine’s scheme to destroy the town with hellfire.

Katherine was Elena’s foil, rival, and physical copy. Kai’s cursed coma prevented Elena from a poetic final stand against her counterpart, but it was still refreshing to see the devilish doppelganger defeated for good.

4 Damon: He Hurt Too Many Of Elena’s Friends

Damon hurt countless people throughout The Vampire Diaries, including the friends and family members of Elena Gilbert. He compels and attacks Caroline in season 1, threatens Bonnie, and nearly kills Jeremy after being rejected by Elena in season 2.

Damon eventually reconciles with the people he hurt, becoming best friends with Bonnie and Caroline’s brother-in-law. In an alternate finale, Damon’s past deeds could have motivated a final descent into darkness.

3 Katherine: One Doppelganger Dies, Another Doppelganger Lives

Another poignant conclusion drawn from the series finale is the death of one doppelganger and the return of another. Katherine’s diabolical scheme backfires when Bonnie and the spirits of the Bennett witches repel the hellfire; Hell is destroyed along with its new queen.

In the same episode, Elena finally awakens from her magical coma and reunites with her friends. Her arc with Katherine comes full circle as her rival is defeated and she can happily ever after.

2 Damon: Stefan Could Have Killed His Brother To Save Elena

In an alternate finale with Damon as the final Big Bad, the door would be open for a possible Stelena reunion. A tragic conclusion to the vampire drama could have featured Stefan killing his big brother to save Elena’s life.

Admittedly, this would be a heartbreaking culmination to the characters’ arcs. Many fans were distraught by Stefan’s heroic sacrifice in the finale, but having to kill his brother would have been an even bleaker climax to his story.

1 Katherine: A Fitting Conclusion For Her Character

Katherine was the most resilient villain in the series. Her debut in season 1’s finale signified a turning point in Elena’s arc. The devious doppelganger tried to destroy her counterpart’s life several times throughout the series, including murdering Elena’s brother and possessing her body.

Katherine’s endgame was a fitting conclusion to her character’s arc in many ways. The ruthless doppelganger had one last trick up her sleeve and almost succeeded in destroying Mystic Falls.  An alternate finale with Damon as the final villain could have been interesting, but ultimately it was great to see Katherine get her comeuppance.

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