THE TV SHOW: The Vampire Diaries
THE PAIRING: Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder) and Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev)
THE MOMENT: Damon and Elena say a temporary goodbye as they dance.
The Lead In: Damon and Elena
For six seasons, I’ve enjoyed the love triangle between vampire brothers and human Elena (I’ve rooted for both brothers honestly). Damon, Stefan, and Elena went through several transformations over the years. The most recent transformation for Elena Gilbert, however, was her becoming human once again. The setup perfectly led into Elena Gilbert’s temporary fairy tale goodbye.
RELATED The Vampire Diaries: I’m Thinking Of You All The While Recap – Farewell Elena Gilbert
After Kai tore through Alaric and Jo’s wedding like the evil psychopath he is, several bodies were left in his path of destruction. The most terrible was hands down Kai’s murder of his own twin sister Jo and of course the twin babies growing in her stomach (Poor Alaric). Then there was Liv (along with the rest of the Gemini coven) who had to die because Kai temporarily killed himself (so he could become a vampire). Seeing Tyler finish the murder so he could live and become a werewolf was extra harsh.
Then there was Elena Gilbert, unable to wake from her Sleeping Beauty induced sleeping spell.
Damon’s Choice
Kai, with his twisted sense of humor, wanted to get revenge against Bonnie for leaving him in the 1903 prison world so he bound the two best friends together as a sort of joke. The only way Elena Gilbert would wake is if and when Bonnie died. Kai wanted to see Damon suffer as he contemplated whether or not to let Bonnie die so he could be reunited with his beloved.
But Damon wasn’t going to let this happen to Bonnie (I don’t think Damon ever even really considered this option), rescuing her from Kai and killing him (this scene was kind of epic too…I’m not going to lie). He would never take Bonnie’s life. First, he clearly cares about her as a friend. And, secondly, he knows she is Elena’s best friend. He couldn’t do this to the woman he loves. The only option left for these now parted lovers is to temporarily say goodbye until Bonnie dies a normal human death, leaving Elena in a slumber for 60-70 years. There’s something truly magical about that.
Damon and Elena’s Goodbye Dance
After everyone else said their goodbyes (in a vision induced way), including the other brother Stefan that also loved her, it was time for Damon to say his own temporary farewell to the woman he loves for several decades. Bonnie would live out her life, and Damon being immortal, would one day reunite with Elena. For now, since they would keep Elena spelled away from those seeking the vampire cure in Elena’s blood, they had one last romantic moment together.
Damon touches the closed coffin and enters Elena’s thoughts to say his goodbye. He tells Elena that she could have just told him what to do, but Elena knew what he was going to do. She knew he wouldn’t let Bonnie die. Elena admits, “I knew that the love of my life would stand by his best friend even if it meant to live without me for a little while.” Elena follows her confession with a kiss.
“Things are going to be awfully dull around here without you,” Damon declares.
But Elena tells Damon it won’t be because she doesn’t want him sitting around waiting for her. She needs him to live his life. She wants him to be happy. Then she stops with a smile to ask Damon for that dance.
Damon and Elena stare at each other, knowing the dance will lead into their long farewell.
Damon then lifts his hand up to offer Elena that dance she asked for.
The two take each other’s hands…
…and Damon and Elena begin to slowly dance in each other’s arms, looks of sadness on each of their faces.
Then as the music begins to build, Damon starts twirling and dipping Elena around, and transforms a sad dance into one of hope.
He lifts her into his arms and then the two end their Sleeping Beauty goodbye with a fitting fairy tale, old-fashioned dance.
After time turns slow, the two stop dancing as Elena asks him, “Are you ready for this?”
Damon just says back, “Ready to spend the next 60 years of my life without you in it? Who’s ever going to be ready for that?”
Elena tells Damon she loves him and he says he loves her too. He dips Elena one last time and ends their goodbye with a kiss.
The show temporarily fades to black, leaving Elena alone to sleep for about 60 years, but time will one day bring Damon and Elena together once more. This is a show about vampires and immortality after all…
What did you think of Damon and Elena’s goodbye dance? Sound off in the comments…
Photos: CW
RELATED:
Check out our other Romantic Moments
ARE YOU A ROMANCE FAN? FOLLOW THE SILVER PETTICOAT REVIEW:
Our romance-themed entertainment site is on a mission to help you find the best period dramas, romance movies, TV shows, and books. Other topics include Jane Austen, Classic Hollywood, TV Couples, Fairy Tales, Romantic Living, Romanticism, and more. We’re damsels not in distress fighting for the all-new optimistic Romantic Revolution. Join us and subscribe. For more information, see our About, Old-Fashioned Romance 101, Modern Romanticism 101, and Romantic Living 101.
It was sweet, and beautiful, and harkened back to their first dance ever in season one at the Miss Mystic Falls pageant (the hands not touching at first). I really admire how the writers were able to write Elena off of the show without ACTUALLY ending “Delena”. It’s just on pause for some decades… Because just like Stefan with Caroline, Damon will wait for her. Elena being in a sleep spell is such a magical, epic way to say goodbye to a fictional couple, “for a little while”, but still keep their love alive.