This Is the Best Episode of The Vampire Diaries (And It Changes Everything)

One of the most iconic series, with eight seasons running from 2009-2017, The Vampire Diaries made an impact since its premiere. However, before the halfway point, it started facing some narrative issues. This was when Klaus and the Originals showed up, and while it was a time when the CW show deepened and expanded, it seemed to take a different path than what it initially set out to do. The series format requires it to go in varying directions, especially with so many characters and side plots, but you have to be careful not to fall into repetition. The whole routine of protecting Elena from new dangers was starting to feel predictable, and the audience could sense the story was changing. But little did fans know at the time, the show was headed for a twist that would change everything in the Season 3 finale.

Turning Elena into a vampire was something everyone expected to happen eventually, but the way it went down was surprising and way too soon (not that it was a bad thing). That’s the turning point in The Vampire Diaries from here on out, especially because it changes the whole dynamic everyone was getting tired of watching – which is why this episode is one of the best in the series. “The Departed” is all about the protagonist’s emotions and how, in the middle of all the chaos with vampires and other supernatural beings, she just wishes everything could go back to the way it was before.

With the Originals arriving in Mystic Falls, a lot starts to change. Alaric’s always been against vampires, and now, as an Enhanced Original Vampire, he still wants to end it all. At the same time, the hybrid Tyler is furious with Klaus (mainly because of Caroline and the control Klaus has over him), which leads to a fight when he tries to save Elena from him. To get the season finale, it’s necessary to remember that this happened in the previous episode, especially because Elena’s fall in the middle of all of this is what ends up causing her transformation in the first place.

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With Alaric wanting to kill Klaus, the situation becomes critical for the other vampires, as the original one is the first in line for Damon, Stefan, Caroline, and Tyler. His death could lead to the end of all the others, which is why Alaric ends up being chased to prevent success. However, he seems to succeed by using the White Oak Stake, but here comes one of the episode’s many plot twists: Bonnie performed a secret spell and transferred Klaus’ essence into Tyler’s body, ensuring his survival.

Meanwhile, Elena, after recovering from her accident during the rescue process, gets in a car with Matt to drive away from Mystic Falls and all the vampire chaos. It is at this moment that one of the most special and memorable scenes in The Vampire Diaries takes place. In a phone call with Damon, she reveals that she will always choose Stefan. However, in this moment, it’s clear that she’s not sure about her feelings, since her decision about which brother she loves has always been based on gratitude from the start. Stefan was the one who first appeared in her life, not only when she was older, but when he saved her in the car accident that killed her parents. But that’s what everyone believed.

Elena tells Damon that if the two of them had met before Stefan showed up, things might have been different. But in a flashback, it’s shown that this did indeed happen; still, Damon erased this memory from her mind in order to protect her. That’s when an accident happens in the same place Elena’s parents died. When the car falls off the Wickery Bridge into the river, Stefan appears, but she asks him to save Matt first. That’s when she drowns and dies. It’s worth noting that at the same time, Alaric also ends up dying because his life is linked to Elena’s. This is what makes Damon and Jeremy aware of her status. Rebekah wanted to save Klaus from Alaric anyway, so she had to do it by causing Elena’s death.

When the protagonist ends up in the hospital, everything happens quickly. A desperate Damon rushes there and finds Dr. Meredith, who warns him that vampire blood is flowing through Elena’s veins. With her fall in the previous episode, she ended up suffering from a brain hemorrhage, and the doctor transfused her with the blood she had (most likely Damon’s, since Meredith had already used his blood to save other patients in serious condition, such as Caroline’s father). With Elena’s death and this event, the last seconds of the episode show her opening her eyes and coming back to life unexpectedly.

With that, Season 4 could finally explore what it would be like to have the main character, whom everyone was getting tired of watching, become a vampire. Unfortunately, even though this was a good start to the story, Elena was the human who was disputed by two brothers and who always needed to be protected and rescued. Maintaining this dynamic over three seasons of around 20 episodes each was becoming a little tiresome for the audience. Apart from that, her virtuous personality and loyalty to Stefan always seemed to get in the way of scenes with Damon – who had become many people’s favorite. Most of the audience hoped that “Delena” would get more moments.

“The Departed” is the highest-rated episode of The Vampire Diaries, having received a 9.4 rating on IMDb. Its script also received very positive feedback from critics, precisely because it knew how to develop and conclude every storyline perfectly. It’s important to highlight this season finale because it also managed to intertwine all the character arcs satisfactorily. The series has been long, with its ups and downs, but the end of Season 3 is spectacular.

The Vampire Diaries is available to stream on Peacock.