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Zap2it On the Scene: Comic-Con 2010
'The Vampire Diaries' Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec: Is Damon worthy of Elena?
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It's no secret that a large contingent of very vocal "The Vampire Diaries" fans are rooting for Damon (Ian Somerhalder) and Elena (Nina Dobrev) to finally get together. While Damon has admitted his feelings for Elena, she's not exactly his biggest fan at the moment. After all, in the season premiere, he snapped her little brother's neck - which can be kind of a mood killer for a girl.
I was on the scene at New York Comic-Con to chat with executive producers Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson about the future of the duo that a veritable army of Twitter fans refer to as "Delena."
They definitely hear you guys. Plec loves reading fans' tweets, recaps, and reviews about each episode. "One of the greatest things about this experience is that our fan base is very vocal," she says. "The community runs very deep, and they're very very supportive, and that's good."
She admits that occasionally, she has to force herself to take a step away from the computer. "All these girls are like 'Damon and Elena forever! Delena! Ahh! Oh, nothing on the show is working except for Damon and Elena!' and then you take a step back and you're like wait, no, stay off Twitter. "
Williamson finds the Delena fascination intriguing. "It's so interesting. Why? Do they really want them together? Or do they just want to want them together?" he says.
The neck-snapping incident that drove a wedge between the two former friends was arguably the most shocking moment we've seen yet in a series that surprises me in every act. Plec says that she and Williamson were having lunch when he pitched her the idea, and she gasped out loud. "My jaw fell on the floor," she recalls. "That is the most messed up, twisted, ridiculous, horrible thing, that is awesome. And if I'm having a reaction, as someone who's heard everything, and I lose my mind over it - it blew my mind."
It blew Elena's, too, and Damon won't have an easy time redeeming himself.
"He screwed up," Williamson says bluntly. "I'm sorry, everyone loves Damon, but he's not worthy of her, yet, in my opinion. Yet. And that's why we have a show! We can go episode to episode and build toward all sorts of romance and love, and we've got a long way to go."
Largely due to Ian Somerhalder's inherent charm and Damon's sharp one-liners that add edge and intrigue to every script, the fans are willing to forgive his character almost anything. "This is such an unpopular opinion," Plec says cautiously, "but I really feel strongly about everybody's willingness to love Damon no matter what he does. I love Damon. Who doesn't love Damon? But if everybody loves him no matter what he does, then how does what he does have impact? How is there anything profound about your anti-hero or your villain?"
The strong reaction to the season premiere from Damon's fans was exactly what the writers were looking for. "So for him to do something that seriously hardcore, I knew people were going to be upset about it, and it's upsetting, but I felt like it was really important for Damon's character, when all was said and done."
Don't get discouraged, Delena 'shippers. Damon's road to redemption is going to be long and rocky and probably littered with death and bloodshed -- not to mention, there's that whole Stefan thing in the way -- but it'll only make the payoff all the more epic.
"That's the journey," Williamson says. "I don't just want to throw them together tomorrow. I'd be sad. I want to see the kiss, I want to see the sweaty palms, I want to see it all go down."
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I completely agree. For Damon/Elena to be plausible, it's going to take time. Damon's done some pretty horrible things. But the ride, the struggle, is half the fun. For me anyway. Just so long as there's development of some sort, I'll be a happy camper! :)
Stefan is a drag. He isn't building clean water wells in Rwanda, so wish he'd get over himself already.
Regardless, my issue with how Damon has changed this season aren't about his hook-up with Elena since the love triangle stuff is going to get drawn out until the every last scene of the series finale.
I think it's just Ian Somerhalder is better at his job as an actor and rather then realizing that he worked as a snarky evil vampire who occasionally did good things, they've messed up the character completely with this Hardy Boys mystery solving for the pure sake of mystery solving junk. It's sad to watch one of the few interesting characters became so mopey and pathetic.
I agree Saniya. What Damon did was hard core. I'm team Stefan but if Elena and Damon were to get together it would be pretty amazing, knowing how much sexual tention there is, but that's a long way from now. Let's hope somewhere down the road, in many season's to come, but it's too soon now. It's funny that people can't forgive Bonnie for doing things to protect her loved ones but Damon snaps someone's neck just because he's upset and people think it's no big deal...That baffles me.
That's actually awesome to hear. The Damon/Elena relationship is my main obsession-point of the show and I would absolutely hate it if KW and Julie threw them together so quickly. I want the build-up, I want them to go through the angst and the heartbreak and the slow forgiveness before anything else happens. It would totally cheapen their profound bond if it happened too soon. For me, half the fun of liking a relationship is the buildup to it and picking apart every little interaction they have until they finally get together.
So, I'm okay with waiting. I'll appreciate the end result so much more that way.
FINALLY!!! .. I'm so glad that KW and JP addressed this! ... and they were actually being nice about it! .... That neck snapping thing is THE WORST THING to do to anyone, much less to the brother of someone you supposedly love. Yeah pp can claim that deep down inside Damon was just hurt and felt rejected.. he's a vampire so human codes dont apply to him..etc etc.. blah blah blah... However, he's trying to win Elena's love and snapping her brother's neck is not the easy route.
When I first watched the S2 premier, I was SO FURIOUS that they had Damon do that to Elena, cause like most fans, I'm a total sucker for forbidden love and I wanted Damon and Elena to get together so that moment was def. disheartening. But I totally understand why it had to happen.. I think that it really puts Damon in a position where he realizes that he cant just do whatever he wants and NOT face the reprucussions of it.
As much as I ADORE Delena and am a hardcore shipper, I want the consequences of what he did to last a very long time. Honestly, I woudnt mind if Elena hated him for the rest of the season. He HAS to redeem himself in multiple ways.
It's like if he doesnt take that journey to redeem himself and find his humanity in the process than that sexy pull of Delena wont be so sexy anymore. The tension is what drives their relationship and I think it would be super stupid if Damon and Elena got together.. I want to see their progression.. similar to last season..when he earned her friendship. And I think that when he does in some ways redeem himself and she forgives him or whatever and they get back on track, the angst and the struggle will be worth it and when they do share that first kiss etc..it will def. be BEAUTIFUL!
Although If you really think about it, snapping ya little brother's neck is like totaly unforgiveable.. but mehh its romanticized t.v. so they'll make it work.. hopefully like in season 3.. a veryyy long time from now lol
thanks so much for this article!! i'm not a patient person so if this were any other tv couple i probably would have given up by now but this whole "journey" is honestly one of the best parts of the show im excited!
Thank you so much for article, really appreciate you thinking of delena fans. You rock Carina mwuah lol. Love the interview and yeah agree totallly with the writers on this. Delena will happen and it will be more real and hot than anything else bug we have to be patient too.
D/E foreverxxxcc
Finally, something to put Delena fans minds at ease XD. I love this. I love Damon & Elena. Damon is on a path to redemption and I agree he's not suited for Elena right now. But one day he will be and I hope they can be together and not just for a fling but be together forever XD Damon & Elena forever of all ever love'em much >>>333. Awesome article Carina:)
Thank you SO much Carina!!! Very much appreciated!!
I totally agree... Damon has to grow and open up to all the potential he has inside of him..to become the man worthy of Elena's love...it's a long journey...but the little things which slowly stitch together.. make that final moment so much more BEAUTIFUL and WORTH IT!
P.S LONG LIVE THE WRITERS!