How Bonnie and Damon's friendship reinvigorated The Vampire Diaries' later seasons

"I'm sure there are a billion other people you'd rather be here with."

"Not exactly."

The Vampire Diaries has an incredible legacy. From its epic love triangle to the universe it started, so much was sparked by our introduction to Mystic Falls. And a huge part of that legacy is the bonds between the characters, both romantic and platonic, including the unlikely yet beloved friendship between Bonnie Bennett (Kat Graham) and Damon Salvatore (Ian Somerhalder).

An excellent TV friendship is made by the sum of its parts, and both Bonnie and Damon were great characters from the start. Damon was the reckless brother who made impulsive choices, pissed everyone off, and often made life difficult. On the other hand, Bonnie started the series by discovering she was a witch and learning about the supernatural world. Where their stories began kicked off two incredible series arcs, but made them an unlikely pairing.

At the start, the only thing they had in common was Elena Gilbert (Nina Dobrev). Bonnie hated vampires, and Damon was one, so they could barely stand to be in the same room for the first half of the series. In fact, at different points, they each tried to kill the other.

So how do these two become besties? The Vampire Diaries sent the unlikely pair of pals to a prison world at the end of season 5, where they bonded in one of the show's most memorable and beloved arcs.

After seasons of supernatural hijinks and life-threatening stakes, Damon and Bonnie's relationship had evolved, but it would take four months of being the only two people alive — or so they thought — for them to become friends. Still, The Vampire Diaries never lost sight of who each individual was. Damon's darkness and reckless behavior were huge problems for Bonnie, and he wasn't going to change overnight. Their bond plays an essential role in Damon's series-long redemption arc. Friendship can be messy and still be great, which these two proved in spades.

When Nina Dobrev left at the end of season 6, Bamon helped breathe new life into the series. Their bond was crucial, because Bonnie's life had been linked to Elena's, which meant that all Damon had to do to get Elena back was kill Bonnie. But he didn't, both because he loved Bonnie and he knew Elena would never forgive him. Instead, the two leaned on each other as they struggled to find purpose in a world after Elena. They fought together, they were pitted against each other, and ultimately, they helped each other survive.

Whether they struggled to find purpose after Elena or had some supernatural entity control them, the foundation they built in season 6 help propel the series in its final seasons. Damon and Bonnie were partners-in-crime or bickering besties, both of which resulted in great stories.

We have The Vampire Diaries to thank for many things, and high up on that list is Bamon.

Read more from I Want My Teen TV, EW's summerlong celebration of teen shows past and present.

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