After thirteen years on The CW Network, The Vampire Diaries universe finally concluded with Legacies’ fourth and final season. In a franchise encompassing three shows, shared characters, locations, and lore, thirteen years’ worth of television had expanded the universe far beyond what it initially was in 2009. Each of the three shows did its part to continue making essential strides toward growing out of the expanding universe. But which seasons, in particular, had some of the most significant impacts on branching out the lore in the franchise?
While each show had its best and worst moments or seasons, each series involved specific storylines, elements, or lore that significantly impacted further understanding and growing the franchise. The Vampire Diaries, The Originals, and Legacies all played a role in what the franchise extended to be. Each of its conclusions closed a separate chapter in the overall universe. While The Vampire Diaries had one of the most challenging jobs explaining the rules in its early seasons, The Originals had to find ways to keep things interesting when its main characters were already nearly unbeatable. Meanwhile, Legacies introduced new monsters and antagonists that neither predecessor had seen before.
10 Legacies: Season 1
CBS Television Distribution & Warner Bros.
Legacies clarified early on that it needed to find a distinct factor in its storytelling to separate it from its predecessors. While Legacies relied on Hope, Josie, and Lizzie as its forefront with franchise familiarity and the Salvatore School as a known location, Legacies used monsters, such as a dragon, a mummy, and the Necromancer, along with the overarching villain Malivore to create a new path.
Season 1 recognizes Hope’s loneliness two years after Klaus and Hayley’s deaths. Hope’s growing bonds with Josie, Lizzie, and the rest of the Super Squad portray a show that understands what it takes to create a found family. Legacies also proved it was taking on a lighter and more comical tone. This may have been due to its choice to avoid relying on centuries-old vampires with years of guilt and brood to bring the series down.
9 The Originals: Season 4
A time jump in the aftermath of Klaus handing himself over to Marcel sees Hayley finally able to cure the rest of the Mikaelson siblings. It also introduces Hope as a young child. The Hollow is the Mikaelson’s most significant threat yet, as it wishes to exist within Hope’s body. But, the Originals will not allow that, choosing instead to divide the Hollow amongst the four. In doing so, they are forced to separate from Hope and each other. Such a decision sets up a massive time jump as the series goes into its final season. The Hollow plays a role in the fifth season of The Originals when it is finally defeated, and gets a reference during the Legacies’ shared Star Wars hallucinations between Hope, Josie, and Lizzie. Season four’s use of the Hollow even reveals the origins of werewolves.
8 The Vampire Diaries: Season 1
Stefan and Damon’s arrival in Mystic Falls changes everyone’s lives forever, and it is also the start of understanding how the supernatural works. The Vampire Diaries also balances the past with the present quite well, showing Katherine’s vitality to Stefan, Damon, and Elena’s present regarding Elena’s striking physical similarities as well as Katherine’s crucial part in Damon and Stefan’s past. Season one is big on revealing Elena’s history, including her secret adoption and biological parents. Season 1 also sets up Mystic Falls and its small-town background, including its significance toward the founders and the present-day vampire-hunting founding family council. But, if season one is remembered for any colossal plot twist, it is the exciting cliffhanger that comes from Katherine’s return to Mystic Falls and how it affects the series moving forward.
7 The Vampire Diaries: Season 6
Although The Merge is a side storyline during the eight seasons of The Vampire Diaries during its sixth season, it is an emotionally conflicting dilemma throughout Legacies. Introducing Kai Parker, Jo Laughlin, and the Gemini Coven creates long-lasting impacts for Josie and Lizzie as teenagers, especially when Josie meets Kai in the prison world. The Merge, which plays out in the sixth season between Kai and Luke, would be the reason Caroline is missing for most of Legacies and be a turning point for the Dark Josie arc when she attempts the Merge with Lizzie early.
6 Legacies: Season 4
Malivore has finally been defeated, but that is not the end of the story. Season four is jam-packed, introducing the activation of the world’s first full Tribrid. But, Hope activating her vampire side and killing Landon to defeat Malivore has one final unexpected result. Hope turns her humanity off. Although most of the season encompasses the desire to bring back Hope’s humanity, it also includes the return of Hope’s remaining family, Aurora’s villainous return and redemption, the introduction of Gods, and Lizzie’s transition into a Heretic. However, season four also concludes by bringing Klaus and Caroline back to help finish the series.
5 The Vampire Diaries: Season 8
Stefan’s decision to join Cade to save young Josie and Lizzie sets up one last grand adventure. Having the job of closing up the show, The Vampire Diaries swings big, turning both Salvatore brothers human by its final minutes, bringing Katherine back as the show’s final villain, and waking Elena up from her magical coma. Season eight also reveals Caroline and Alaric’s intent to transform the Salvatore Boarding House into the Salvatore School for witches, vampires, and werewolves. Sadly, it is also a season of significant loss as long-time characters die by the end.
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4 The Originals: Season 5
Season five doubles as an ending for one show and prepares the Salvatore School as the central location for its spinoff Legacies. Season five may not be a huge fan favorite given its numerous significant character deaths. However, season five is essential for The Vampire Diaries Universe to continue. Introducing Hope as a teenager and a brief appearance by teenage Josie and Lizzie help understand the direction the next installment will be going. It also officially concludes Klaus’ redemption arc and explains Rebekah could look forward to receiving the cure in the future, finally gaining the human life she always wanted.
3 The Originals: Season 2
Season two flourishes in blasts from the past. Kol, Finn, Esther, and Mikael all make grand returns to the realm of the living in what should be considered the world’s most dysfunctional family reunion, especially considering they are not the only blood relatives arriving. Freya and the villainous Dahlia make their first appearances during season two, revealing the truth that the eldest Mikaelson sibling had not died like the rest believed but had been given away by Esther. Klaus, Elijah, Hayley, and Rebekah are forced to hide Hope’s existence while dealing with constant new threats or questionable alliances.
2 The Vampire Diaries: Season 3
The CW
Stefan gets an unexpectedly dark twist which raises all the stakes. His new role raises the bar for vampirism, giving a deeper understanding of his Ripper side and No-Humanity behavior. It is also a big season for the original family, as Rebekah, Kol, Finn, Esther, and Mikael all arrive to cause different types of mayhem in Mystic Falls. Season three also adds a new layer to everyone’s relationships. It may also be the best narrative season for Elena, Stefan, and Damon’s love triangle, as pushing Stefan to the darkness opens up new sides for him while Damon tries to be the good brother.
The sire bond between Klaus and his Hybrids also becomes a huge addition, especially in how sire bonds would be used between Elena and Damon later on and Hope and Lizzie after Lizzie’s transition. In addition to turning Elena into a vampire, season three also revealed the sire line connection between the Originals and all other vampires, one that would be broken between Klaus and his sires by Davina in the third season of The Originals.
1 The Vampire Diaries: Season 2
Caroline’s transformation into a vampire begins an epic journey that proves just how excellent Caroline is as an individual and a vampire. Tyler breaking his werewolf curse in the same season allows the show to dive into two main characters striving to contemplate massive shifts in their lives and what it means for them moving forward. It also excels in pacing. Although the audience may think Katherine is the season’s big bad, it becomes clear that is not the case when Elena meets Elijah. Still, Elijah’s arrival is a setup for the even more significant threat, Klaus. Klaus breaking his curse is the catalyst that eventually allows Hope to exist.
