If there was one consistent thing about The Vampire Diaries, it’s that death wasn’t permanent. Only a few characters who were killed off remained that way and even the ones who did still showed up again throughout the series for various reasons. Even so, many were gone before they should’ve been.
These were characters who still had a lot to offer the show in terms of storylines or had development left to go through. Some others were just popular and entertaining, so audiences wanted to see more of them. On the flip side, a few actually stuck around longer than they probably should have.
Gone Too Soon: Meredith Fell
In terms of importance to the story, Meredith Fell (Torrey DeVitto) wasn’t a huge part of the series. However, she was a welcome addition in season 3. Meredith’s position as a doctor who used vampire blood to heal her patients was different and it led to Elena becoming a vampire.
Her relationship with Alaric Saltzman was also one of his better romances. Meredith basically disappeared after Alaric died other than helping Damon and Stefan out a handful of times. That was relatively disappointing as she could’ve been a consistent presence in Mystic Falls like Carol Lockwood or Liz Forbes.
Gone Too Soon: Mikael
Considering the awful things that Mikael (Sebastian Roché) did to his family members, specifically his son Klaus, the fact that he was killed off wasn’t upsetting to fans. The issue was that he came off as a major disappointment in terms of being a threat.
Klaus and his siblings were all-powerful, so when the “vampire who hunts vampires” scared them, Mikael felt like he could be the series’ greatest villain. Alas, he showed up and was staked by Klaus in their first true showdown. Though he got more time on The Originals, his stint on The Vampire Diaries left a lot to be desired.
Overstayed Their Welcome: Jeremy Gilbert
It’s clear that Jeremy Gilbert (Steven R. McQueen) was one of the most important characters in the history of the show. That became even more obvious when Jeremy gained his hunter abilities and played a part in finding the cure. That storyline led to him getting brutally killed by Silas.
Honestly, as popular as Jeremy was, that likely should’ve been the end of his run. He had already come back to life several times by that point and his storylines after being brought back weren’t really pivotal to the story. Fans may have missed him but the show might’ve been better for it.
Gone Too Soon: Enzo St. John
It’s difficult to consider someone who dies so close to the series finale as someone gone too soon but Enzo St. John (Michael Malarkey) is a special case. He may have joined the show late but Enzo became a crowd favorite and his relationship with Bonnie turned out to be one of the show’s best.
Bonnie finally seemed like she would get her happy ending, only for Stefan to show up and murder Enzo. It was a truly shocking moment that is memorable but it also felt like it was too much. Bonnie had been through so much heartbreak and saved everyone countless times, so she deserved to stay with a popular character.
Gone Too Soon: Jenna Sommers
The early seasons of The Vampire Diaries were outstanding in terms of throwing curveballs at viewers who assumed they knew what was coming. One of those moments came at the end of season 2 when Klaus needed a vampire to sacrifice to break his curse. Katherine, Damon, and Stefan were all viable options.
So, it was a true shocker when it was revealed that Klaus had Jenna Sommers (Sara Canning) turned into a vampire, just to kill her. The death itself was heartbreaking and though it advanced the story, Elena and Jeremy really could’ve used Jenna sticking around for longer since they lost so many parental figures over the years.
Overstayed Their Welcome: Liv Parker
In season 5, the show debuted a few new characters, including Liv Parker (Penelope Mitchell) and her twin brother Luke (Chris Brochu). They were pivotal to the show in terms of what they represented, acting as the way to connect to their relatives Jo and Kai Parker.
The way that Liv lied about being an inexperienced witch felt like a retread of new characters hiding things, so she was off to a bad start. Her relationship with Tyler also wasn’t one of the show’s better ones and she just felt like someone who was too unimportant to last almost two dozen episodes.
Gone Too Soon: Vicki Donovan
Poor Vicki Donovan (Kayla Ewell). When the series began, it looked like she would be a pivotal character who would have a relationship with Jeremy. She seemed like someone who would redeem themselves after having issues with drugs. Unfortunately, after only a few episodes, she was turned into a vampire.
Unlike Caroline or Elena, Vicki wasn’t allowed much of an opportunity as a vamp and she was killed just an episode later. While Vicki may not have been cut out to last the entire series, she could’ve stuck around a bit longer to get some shine as a vampire.
Gone Too Soon: Anna
Maybe Jeremy and Bonnie were meant for each other because nobody was unluckier in love than the two of them. After Vicki’s death, Jeremy met Anna (Malese Jow) and the two instantly clicked. Jeremy even found out that she was a vampire and wanted her to turn him.
Anna wasn’t an evil vampire, so fans liked her. She was just a girl who wanted to reunite with her mother and have something of a normal life. Tragically, she was killed in the season 1 finale by John Gilbert and she was never given the chance to have the life she wanted. Anna deserved better and her later return was welcome.
Overstayed Their Welcome: Tyler Lockwood
Tyler Lockwood (Michael Trevino) was the show’s introduction into the world of werewolves and he was the first successful hybrid sired by Klaus. Though he was a main character, Tyler was never among the most likable, even when he was dating Caroline.
For the most part, Tyler’s role in the show diminished after his rivalry with Klaus ended. The romance with Liv and everything involving the Travelers felt lesser than what was done beforehand in the eyes of many. By the time he left Mystic Falls, it felt like it might’ve been too late, and then he was brought back only to kill off for good.
Gone Too Soon: Lexi Branson
It’s hard to find a character who is as beloved as Lexi Branson (Arielle Kebbel) in so few episodes. She first appeared in season 1’s “162 Candles” and was unceremoniously killed in that same episode. It was important to move Damon’s plot forward but remains a heartbreaking death.
As someone so important to Stefan, it’s a shame the audience didn’t get more of them together. She returned a few times after and fans loved it but showing up as a ghost or on the Other Side is a lot different from actually being around consistently.