Diana Roulzi :
Yes, I completely agree. Elena is the show's protagonist, yet I’ve seen many people dodge that fact and try to assign that role to two male characters—Stefan and Damon—simply because they dislike her character. The mere fact that people strip a female character of such a pivotal role in this way speaks volumes. Furthermore, the standards she is held to compared to other characters are insane. Elena is the one who is most expected to be perfect as a character: she must always be the good and helpful girl with impeccable morals. The moment she makes a mistake or acts like a typical seventeen-year-old or young adult, everyone is quick to call her out. Unlike characters such as Klaus, Damon, or Stefan, the only videos I see dedicated to Elena are ones criticizing her for every little thing.
The truth is, Elena never gets the recognition she deserves, largely due to internalized misogyny. I don't think many people truly grasp the complexity of her character or just how interesting she is. From the very beginning, Elena is portrayed as a girl grappling with the loss of her parents and the impact of trauma. This, combined with her protective nature toward others, drives her to make sacrifices and risk her own life to save her loved ones. Yes, at times it might seem like she fails to see the big picture, but that only reveals how terrified she is—deep down—of being left alone while everyone around her dies. To me, that aspect gives her character humanity and allows her to break the mold, setting her apart from the stereotypes that define so many other female characters in fiction. People say Elena is weak and useless, but as a human trying to survive in a supernatural world, she does an exceptional job—a fact for which she rarely gets the credit she deserves, unlike Stefan and Damon. Even now, it is easy to find comments claiming Elena only stayed alive thanks to the two of them, ignoring the fact that she also plays her part in ensuring her own survival and that of her friends. From the show's early seasons, Elena proves to be incredibly brave; far from constantly fearing her own death—as Katherine does throughout her life— (+)
2026-08-18 19:50:44