When do Damon and Elena get back together? This question defined years of online forums and fan debates during the original broadcast of The Vampire Diaries. The short answer is that Damon Salvatore and Elena Gilbert officially get together in Season 4, Episode 23 ("Graduation"), but their relationship undergoes multiple breakups, separations, and magical obstacles before their final reunion in the Series Finale (Season 8, Episode 16, "I Was Feeling Epic").
The competitor article on this topic mixes up episode numbers, confuses the sire bond mechanics, and gets basic narrative timelines wrong (such as claiming Damon was a human in Season 1 or that Elena moved to New Orleans during The Originals while Damon stayed in Mystic Falls). Let's clear up the confusion with a precise, canon-accurate breakdown of their relationship milestones.
The Foundation: From Adversaries to Confidants
Before they ever become a couple, Damon and Elena endure years of hostility. In Season 1, Damon kills Jeremy Gilbert (though a magical ring brings him back), terrorizes Elena's friends, and acts as the show's primary antagonist.
The shift happens gradually through shared trauma and forced proximity. Key early milestones include:
- The Season 1 Finale: Damon poses as Stefan to share a goodbye kiss with Elena on her porch, completely unaware it's actually Katherine Pierce—a deception that sets up massive trust issues later.
- Season 2, Episode 22: When Elena is dying to break the sun and moon curse, Damon forces his blood into her system to save her, knowing it will turn her into a vampire if she dies. This act of desperation alienates Elena initially, but it anchors their deep connection.
- Season 3, Episode 19: During a trip to Denver, Elena finally admits her intense confusion about her feelings, sharing a passionate motel kiss with Damon that shatters her denial.
The Official Start: Season 4 and the Sire Bond
Elena transitions into a vampire at the start of Season 4, which triggers a sire bond linking her feelings directly to Damon. Because she loved him as a human, the bond amplifies her romantic devotion, making Stefan and Elena break up for good.
In Season 4, Episode 7 ("My Brother's Keeper"), Elena sleeps with Damon at the Salvatore boarding house. While fans celebrated this milestone, the reality of the sire bond casts a shadow over it. Damon, determined to do the right thing, pushes Elena to test whether her feelings are real.
In Season 4, Episode 23 ("Graduation"), the truth comes out. Damon tells Elena to turn off her humanity switch earlier in the season, but once her humanity returns, the sire bond is officially broken by curing her of vampirism. Free from any supernatural influence, Elena looks at Damon and delivers the definitive line: “I’m not sorry that I’m in love with you.” They officially become a couple.
The Heartbreak: Season 5 and 6 Separations
Their relationship is far from smooth sailing after Season 4. They face continuous obstacles that test their bond:
- The Traveler Curse and Doppelgänger Rule: Season 5 introduces metaphysical barriers that keep trying to tear them apart, culminating in Damon's apparent death in Season 5, Episode 22 ("Home"), where he gets trapped in the Prison World.
- The Grief and Memory Wipe: In Season 6, a devastated Elena can't cope with Damon's loss and asks Alaric Saltzman to compel her to forget she ever loved Damon. When Damon escapes the Prison World, he spends the first half of Season 6 trying to win back a woman who views him as a dangerous monster.
- The True Reunion: In Season 6, Episode 7 ("Do You Remember the First Time?"), Elena's memories flood back when she touches the border of Mystic Falls. They reunite, staying together through the trials of Kai Parker's sleeping curse, which puts Elena into a magical slumber for Seasons 7 and 8.
The Final Reunion: The Series Finale
The ultimate answer to when they get back together for good happens in Season 8, Episode 16 ("I Was Feeling Epic").
After decades in a magical coma designed to keep her asleep until Bonnie Bennett died, Elena wakes up. Damon, who took the cure to become human and lived out a mortal life alongside her, embraces her on the porch of the Salvatore home. They share a tearful reunion, live a long, happy human life together, and finally find peace after death.
You can read more about the show's production history and cast interviews on Entertainment Weekly. For broader details on the television universe, check out IMDb.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Damon wipe Elena's memory in Season 2?
In Season 2, Episode 8, Damon confesses his love to Elena on her porch. Terrified of the vulnerability and the target it puts on her back, he immediately compels her to forget he said it so she can remain safe.
Does Elena stay a vampire for the whole series?
No. Elena takes the cure in Season 6 before falling into her sleeping curse. When she wakes up in Season 8, she is fully human, allowing her and Damon to age and grow old together.
Why was Elena in a coma for two seasons?
Actress Nina Dobrev left The Vampire Diaries at the end of Season 6. To write her character out without killing her off, writers used Kai Parker's sleeping spell, tying Elena's life force to Bonnie's so she could return for the final episode.
