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Most of the time, I like to root for couples that I know stand a chance at Happily Ever After. Sometimes, I’m bitterly disappointed (don’t even get me started on How I Met Your Mother’s Barney & Robin), but I can usually spot a life-long love a mile away. It’s why I stuck around for the Blair & Chuck drama on Gossip Girl. It’s why I knew that Veronica & Logan would eventually make it work on Veronica Mars – even if it took 10 years and a Kickstarter movie. I’m just a true fan of true love.

So when my favorite couples get torn apart by outside circumstances, I have a hard time adjusting. Especially when it’s out of anyone’s control. Maybe an actor leaves the show, resulting in an unwelcome death. Maybe the series gets canceled well before its time. Regardless, these are the toughest breakups to swallow, as it seems like there’s no hope left and true love is officially dead.

Too dramatic? Tell it to my heart, which is still trying to finagle a way for Derek to come back from the dead and be with Meredith again on Grey’s Anatomy [Editor’s Note: YESSSSSS!]. But the worst offenders of this hopeless love are easily The Vampire Diaries, and its spin-off, The Originals.

Based on a series of Young Adult novels by L.J. Smith, TVD (The Vampire Diaries) tells the story of two vampire brothers who both fall in love with the same human girl, Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev). It sounds pretty straightforward, but the plot on this show moves at lightning speed, and at this point we’ve seen deaths, resurrections, brother swapping, werewolves, more deaths, magic…I could go on and on.

The show has set up some great romances over the years; some that even spilled over onto The Originals. But there have definitely been two that stand out as the best: Elena and Damon (“Delena”) and Klaus and Caroline (“Klaroline”).

The two couples have a lot in common. Both Klaus and Damon are bad boy vampires who’ve seemed well-beyond redemption at certain points. They both pined after their lady loves for years before Caroline and Elena gave them each a chance. And every time they so much as looked at the two female vampires, our TV screens burst into flames.

But then Dobrev decided to leave TVD, effectively putting an end to Delena. And Klaus moved over to star on The Originals, a vampire-driven spinoff set in New Orleans, which left Caroline free to be romanced by Stefan. So now both of my couples are split apart, with no resolution in sight. I’m not crying, you’re crying. Shut up.

Hope isn’t lost though: there are rumors that Elena might be returning for the eighth and final season of TVD this year. And Klaus and Caroline just shared an intimate phone call on a TVD crossover that proves there are still lingering feelings between the two. So I’m choosing to look on the bright side, certain that my OTPs (One True Pairs) are endgame at some point. Here’s hoping Caroline makes a move to New Orleans in 2017!

But let’s say I can only get one of these couples back together for good. Who will it be? Let’s break it down, in this ‘Never Lose Hope’ edition of Battle ‘Ships:

“Delena”: Damon and Elena

When TVD first aired, it was clear that the show was angling for a Stefan Salvatore (Paul Wesley) and Elena endgame. And I was okay with that: the two had decent chemistry, and the nice guy vampire seemed perfect for the strong, good girl Elena. But then Damon rolled onto the scene and all my good intentions (and Elena’s) went out the window.

Damon Salvatore, played by Ian Somerhalder, is dark, chiseled, angry, quippy and OMG stupid hot. From the beginning, he was painted as the bad brother, the villain to Stefan’s natural good guy. But he softened over time, mostly because of his unrequited love for Elena. She makes him better, and he brings out her wild side, creating a balance that works for both of them. It took four seasons and Elena turning into a vampire for the two to get together, but when they finally did, their chemistry was off the charts.

They’ve definitely had some ups and downs as a couple, but things were looking up at the end of season 6. Unfortunately, that’s also when Dobrev decided to leave the show, putting an end to their romance. Now Elena is wasting away in a coffin, her life forfeited to save her best friend, Bonnie. Honestly, I’m filled with rage at the thought that Elena and Damon might not end up together (especially as Bonnie and Damon are circling each other lately — blegh!). Still, these two seem destined for each other, and the thought that Dobrev might be returning — at least for the last episode of the series — is like a little flame of hope burning deep in my heart.

 

“Klaroline”: Klaus and Caroline

Everyone loves “Klaroline,” and we have the poll results to prove it. And why wouldn’t you love the tortured couple? From the beginning, Klaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan) knew he wanted Caroline Forbes (Candice King), and Klaus is used to getting whatever he wants. Caroline put up a good fight against the mostly-evil original vampire, but chemistry like that can’t be denied. While the two have never officially dated, they did finally consummate their relationship in TVD season 5. It was rough, sexy, hot and everything fans could have hoped for. Klaus lives in the gray area — never quite good, never quite bad — but Caroline gives him a humanity he desperately needs.

It was clear that these two would be endgame, until Klaus left for his own show, that is. Now Caroline is with Stefan and Klaus is heartbroken after losing his latest love Cami. But when Klaroline shared a heartfelt phone call last season on TVD, it became obvious that these two aren’t done.

Now we just have to wait desperately to see how it all turns out. Will Caroline move over to The Originals when TVD ends this year? Or will Klaus show up in the series finale to confess his love and beat out Stefan once and for all? Hint hint hint, show writers.

Verdict:

Both.

I can’t decide. I just can’t. This is like making me choose between my two perfect, though slightly dysfunctional, children. Both Damon and Klaus need Elena and Caroline. They are vampires on the edge of redemption, and if they lose their true loves there’s no turning back. Similarly, Caroline and Elena never light up with anyone else the way they do with their dark vampires. They fought against Klaus and Damon’s advances out of fear, because this is the real thing, the kind of love that only comes around once in a long, long vampire lifetime. Not even death — or spinoffs — can keep them apart. The hope is alive, my friends, and I’m choosing to believe in both these ‘ships until the very bitter end.

Can you do a better job of choosing between Delena and Klaroline? Root for your favorite ‘ship below!

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Genre: Fiction
Rachel Carter

Rachel Carter grew up surrounded by trees and snow and mountains. She graduated from the University of Vermont and Columbia University, where she received her MFA in nonfiction writing. She is the author of the So Close to You series with Harperteen. These days you can find her working on her next novel in the woods of Vermont.

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