tVD vs BtVS

***SPOILERS FOR BOTH THE VAMPIRE DIARIES AND BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER***

I have recently been rewatching The Vampire Diaries because the fourth season is premiering on Oct. 11 on the CW.While I was watching last night, I noticed several parallels between Stefan and Damon Salvatore and Angel and Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Stefan is incredibly similar to Angel while Damon is the Spike equivalent.

Angel/Stefan were the sons who craved their respective fathers' approval and did not get it before they were turned. Their fathers turned out to be their first victims (the difference being that Angel went back for revenge and intentionally murdered his father while Stefan went back to try again for the approval and accidentally killed his). They each went on to become the cruelest and most evil vampire in their respective histories, but then something changed. Whether it be the return of a soul (Angel) or a choice made (Stefan) they both began striving to be better and atone for the misery they caused. They each meet a high school girl (Buffy, Elena) and fall in love with her, but their Good Sides are very tenuous and eventually their cruelty resurface. Angel sleeps with Buffy and Stefan drinks human blood/chooses to turn off his humanity, but once evil they both end up betraying the girl they love. Meanwhile, Buffy/Elena team up with Spike/Damon in order to stop Angel/Stefan from becoming too evil - and succeed. However, once Angel/Stefan become good again, things have changed between them and Buffy/Elena. The girls simply cannot forget what Angel/Stefan did to their loved ones.

Spike/Damon were the sweet, sensitive men who, once turned, embraced their new lives. They may be considered evil, but they aren't really - they're just following their nature. They don't try to change anything about themselves, until they meet that same high school girl. When Spike/Damon meet Buffy/Elena, they realize that they can bring their humanity into their vampire identities - though they don't want to change anything about themselves fundamentally, they do strive to make better choices and become better men (though Spike does end up going to get a soul, he does that because he feels he is failing by himself and needs the help of a soul - and it's HIS CHOICE, not something that is forced upon him *coughANGELcough*). They are the second choices to the "Good One" - Angel/Stefan - but they are considered choices nonetheless. When the relationships between Buffy/Elena and Angel/Stefan are ruined, Buffy/Elena find themselves drawn to Spike/Damon, who end up being the support systems through all the drama.

I am definitely a Spuffy and Delena girl (if you couldn't tell already) because, especially in The Vampire Diaries, Elena/Buffy fall in love with a version of Stefan/Angel but reject them when their full natures come to light (granted, Angel was really evil, but still...). However, Elena/Buffy have always known the real Damon/Spike and eventually come to love them - flaws included.