Stelena

"I know we've only known each other for a short while, and I know I'm in competition for your affections, but uh … I've never met a woman quite like you. I look at you and I see … an angel. I touch your skin, and my entire body ignites. I kiss you, and I know that I'm … I'm falling in love."

- Stefan to Elena

Stelena is the het ship between Elena Gilbert and Stefan Salvatore from The Vampire Diaries fandom.

TV-Series
Stefan and Elena first met when he returned to town to get to know Elena after saving her from a car accident. He went to her school and the two bumped into each other in the hallway. They were both infatuated with each other and had trouble maintaining a conversation without getting tongue-tied, Stefan in particular was in awe of Elena and looked back at her after the two parted ways. When Elena visited her parent's graves and was scared off by Damon Salvatore (unknowingly), she ran out of the forest until she bumped into Stefan again. The two kept admiring each other like before and eventually Stefan properly introduced himself to Elena, to which she said she knew who he was since they had history together. Throughout Season 1 the two maintained a beautiful relationship. Whenever Elena would be in danger, Stefan would always be there to protect her from Damon and anything else that harmed her. After Stefan revealed he was a vampire, Elena was shocked and afraid of his abilities and the existence of supernaturals. While the two distanced from each other, Elena had fall in love with Stefan deeply, and knew she could never truly be afraid. When Stefan tried to leave her for her own safety, she told him that was not his decision to make and that she loved him. The two shared a kiss, but when Stefan told Elena he could not control his vampirism, she encouraged him he could, and told him not to hide from her.

In Season 2 they fell out of contact since Stefan left to save his brother, although they both stayed faithful to each other. When Damon tried to kiss Elena, she pushed him away and tried to tell him as gently as possible that while she cared about him, she loved Stefan and it was always going to be Stefan. Broken by her rejection, Damon snaps her brother's neck and leaves. Stefan arrives almost immediately and holds Elena. Comforting her throughout the night. In Season 3, she rejects Damon and chooses Stefan. The two shared many romantic and beautiful moments together, and their relationship was rekindled and lasted at the beginning of Season 4, until Elena began to reciprocate Damon's feelings. When Elena was still human, as she was transitioning to a vampire, she told Stefan that out of all the decisions she'd made in her life, loving him was the best decision she'd ever made.

Elena and Stefan's love for each other is the most recurring theme in The Vampire Diaries. The two formed a strong and deep relationship that even many of their enemies praised. When Klaus turned off Stefan's humanity and ordered him to attack Elena, Stefan fought back and refused his order. Klaus commented on their relationship stating “that kind of love lasts forever”. Katherine, who had done everything in her power to make sure Stefan and Elena never got back together, told Stefan that he'd never once even look at her the same way he looks at Elena.

Another recurring theme is Stefan and Elena's supportive and positive relationship. Even broken up the two still had affection for each other and understood one another better than anyone else. When Silas locked Stefan up in a well for the whole summer, the only thing that kept Stefan from turning off his humanity were his thoughts of Elena. When he fake proposed to Elena he told her she “brought him back from the edge” and when Caroline turned off his humanity, he asked only Elena to bring him back. The show focuses on how the only thing that makes Stefan keep his humanity was and would always be Elena. This recurring theme does not only happen to Stefan however, when Damon forced Elena to turn off her humanity after Jeremy's death, he was not able to return it while Stefan was. When Vicki sets Alaric’s car on fire and Elena is trapped inside along with Stefan, who’s knocked out by vervain, Elena calls out to him ans he wakes up after hearing her. He weakly calls out her names and when he realizes that she’s in danger, even in his weakened state, he uses all his strength to kick the trunk door off it’s hinges so that Elena can get out safely before the car explodes. They wet constantly saving and supporting each other, the only time Stefan doesn't save Elena is when she askes him not to. They were consistently saving one another. The only time Stefan did not save Elena was when she asked him not to. He respected her choice regardless of how much he wanted to go against her wishes.

"She's the love of my life. I'd go back to her in a heartbeat."

- Stefan about Elena

Fanon
Stelena is the most popular ship in The Vampire Diaries fandom, second only to Delena. Many fans felt that even though Elena got together with Damon at the end of the series, their love wasn't quite as real as her and Stefan's. There is rivalry between Delena, Steroline and Stelena shippers. Some Steroline shippers like Stelena however.

Fans of the ship are intrigued with their love story. Not only is the ship popular because of it's soulmate themes but also because of the character's dynamic and personalities. Stefan is deep and understanding, but has trouble sealing the dark part of himself away. Elena is compassionate and kind and was potrayed to be the light in his life. They were both supportive of each other and loved one another very deeply. Stefan had always respected Elena's decisions and had done anything he could to protect her, and even though they broke up in the later seasons, fans still believed mutual feelings had always remained between them.

On AO3, Stelena is the third most written romantic Vampire Diaries ship besides Klaroline and Delena. It is the second most written ship for Elena and the number one most written for Stefan.

Fandom
AO3

TUMBLR

Trivia

 * Stefan is a Scorpio and Elena is a Cancer. Astrologically, they are very compatible.
 * Many characters on the show have been open in their support of Stelena. That includes Klaus, Caroline, Silas, Jeremy, Bonnie, Rebekah, Lexi and Matt.
 * Many celebrities have said they supported Stelena. That includes Dinah Jane Hansen and Lauren Jauregui from Fifth Harmony, Torrey DeVitto, Steven R. McQueen, Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev, Charles Michael Davis, Danielle Campbell, Daniella Pineda, Paul Wesley and Julie Plec.
 * Ian Somerhalder prefers Stelena over Delena.
 * Nina Dobrev and Paul Wesley are Stelena shippers and have supported the couple ever since the first episode. Paul and Nina are also very close friends in real life.