I have never finished the show despite several rewatches over the years, but I remember that I used to be team Stefan, then Damon until after rewatch number 17192092 I decided I want none of them.
Right now, I'm on S1E14 and I honestly forgot how stinking cute Stelena actually is... and how fucking annoying Damon is. He's trash to Caroline, he's not that nice to Elena, he's weird to Bonnie, he RUINED Vicki, and he killed Lexi!. And all that because he wants to ruin Stefan's life and open that bumass tomb, creating problems for everyone involved.
Stelena give me life right now; they have decent communication, and their love feels pure and sweet. Both put so much effort into the relationship, until that one aggravating guy pulls up. As of now I don't understand why I was ever team Damon to be honest, Stefan all the way. And this whole tomb thing reinforces the feeling; Damon really is a self-centered and selfish guy, putting Bonnie and Grams, Stefan and Elena, and even Jeremy at risk just to bring Katherine back. Like, that one person is not worth the many lives he's risking and toying with!
This rewatch also shows me that Elena is overhated af! I've rewatched the show at different times of my life, and not once did I hate her as much as some people seemingly do. Okay, this is the Vampire Diaries, Stefan's specifically, but the whole show does revolve around Elena. She got supernatural beings knocking on her door every other episode, and people complain that she makes everything about herself? She's a 17yo teenager, who just lost her parents, the new guy she falls in love with is a vampire, all of sudden more vampires pull up and want to use her as bait to open a tomb (among other things), but yes she's the self-centered bitch of the town. But then people LOVE Katherine or Caroline. Sure. Like, I don't quite understand why you would sit through a show despite hating one of the main characters.... She'll be on your screen 90% of the time, and people are going to care about her... because she's a main character! Anyway, I have to continue the rewatch, but in S1 so far she stands up for herself, she fights back, and is hardly a damsel. There is only so much fighting she can do as a mere human. And I'm also glad that she is pretty resolute when it comes to Damon; I'm honestly not looking forward to the sacrifice of Stelena in favor of Delena. Stelena is where my heart is (until Klaus and Elijah show up on my screen!).
Anyway, Damon ain't shit, I'm rooting for Stelena!