It was the porch scene. If you were breathing and had a television in 2010, you remember exactly where you were when the tension between the "good girl" and the "bad brother" finally snapped. Honestly, looking back at the vampire diaries elena and damon first kiss, it wasn’t just a plot point; it was a cultural shift for the CW. Fans had spent over a season watching Damon Salvatore pine, sabotage, and slowly redeem himself, while Elena Gilbert fought an attraction that felt like a betrayal to Stefan.
Then came Journey to the Center of the Night—well, specifically Season 1, Episode 19, "Miss Mystic Falls," where the dance happened, but that wasn't the kiss. We had to wait. The buildup was agonizing.
When it finally happened in the Season 1 finale, "Founder's Day," it felt earned. Sort of. It’s actually one of the most brilliant bait-and-switches in TV history because, as we later found out, it wasn't even Elena. It was Katherine Pierce. But for the characters—and the millions of people watching—that moment on the porch represented the first real crack in the Stefan-Elena-Damon triangle. It changed the gravity of the show.
The Messy Reality of the Vampire Diaries Elena and Damon First Kiss
Let’s be real for a second. The "first kiss" is a bit of a technicality nightmare in Mystic Falls. If you’re talking about the first time Damon’s lips touched someone who looked like Elena, it’s the Season 1 finale. Damon, feeling uncharacteristically vulnerable after helping save the town, pours his heart out on the porch. He talks about being "better" because of her. He leans in. She leans in.
It’s electric. It’s also a total lie.
Katherine Pierce, the 500-year-old doppelgänger, was playing the long game. She wanted to stir the pot, and boy, did she. This moment is crucial because it showed us that Damon wanted to be redeemed, and it showed the audience that Elena—or the idea of her—was the only thing capable of grounding him.
The actual first kiss between the real Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore didn't happen until Season 2, Episode 22, "As I Lay Dying." This one was different. It wasn't fueled by Katherine’s malice or a sudden burst of teenage rebellion. It was a goodbye.
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Damon was dying from a werewolf bite. He was hallucinating, sweaty, and full of regret. Elena, ever the compass of compassion, stayed by his side. When she kissed him then, it was soft. It was a "thank you for being in my life" kind of kiss. But if you watch Damon’s eyes, you see everything change. He didn't die, obviously—thanks to Klaus's blood—but that moment of mercy from Elena cemented his obsession. It proved that she saw the "human" in him, even when he didn't see it himself.
Why That Porch Scene Still Works
Critics often talk about "chemistry," but Nina Dobrev and Ian Somerhalder had something that felt almost invasive to watch. It was intense. In the "Founder's Day" scene, the lighting is low, the music is swelling, and the dialogue is sparse.
"I like you better this way," Katherine (pretending to be Elena) says.
That line is a dagger.
Damon has spent his entire existence being the "other" brother. He’s the backup. The mistake. In that moment, he thinks the girl he loves is finally choosing his darkness over Stefan’s light. It’s tragic because it’s built on a deception, yet it remains the most searched-for moment in the series. Why? Because the vampire diaries elena and damon first kiss represents the "Delena" shipper's first major victory, even if it was a hollow one at the time.
It also set a precedent for the show’s structure. The Vampire Diaries wasn't just about blood and gore; it was a gothic romance that relied on the "slow burn." Showrunners Julie Plec and Kevin Williamson knew that if they gave the fans a real, happy kiss too early, the tension would evaporate. By making the first kiss a trick by Katherine, they extended the longing for another three seasons.
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Breaking Down the Timeline
If you're trying to keep track of the Delena evolution, it's not a straight line. It's a jagged, bloody mess.
- Season 1 Finale: The "Katherine Kiss." Damon thinks he's finally made progress with Elena. He's actually being played by his ex.
- Season 2 Finale: The "Deathbed Kiss." This is the first genuine contact. It’s small, sweet, and heartbreaking. It marks the point where Elena stops hating him.
- Season 3, Episode 10: The "New Year's Kiss." Damon tells her, "If I’m going to feel guilty about something, I’m going to feel guilty about this." Then he actually goes for it. No tricks. No deathbeds. Just them.
- Season 3, Episode 19: The "Motel Kiss." This is the one. The "Never Let Me Go" by Florence + The Machine moment. This is where Elena finally stops fighting it and kisses him back with the same intensity he’s been throwing at her for years.
The Psychological Impact of the "Bad Boy" Trope
We have to talk about why we care. Honestly, the trope of the "reformed villain" is as old as time, but Damon Salvatore took it to a different level. When the vampire diaries elena and damon first kiss happened, it tapped into a very specific viewer fantasy: the idea that love can fix a broken, dangerous person.
Now, in 2026, we look at these dynamics a bit more critically. We talk about "red flags" and "toxic behavior." But within the context of a supernatural drama, that kiss was the catalyst for Damon's entire character arc. Without that initial spark—even the fake one with Katherine—Damon likely would have stayed a one-dimensional antagonist. That kiss gave him hope. And in Mystic Falls, hope is more dangerous than a wooden stake.
The fans weren't just watching two pretty people lock lips. They were watching a moral tug-of-war. Stefan represented safety, stability, and the person Elena should be with. Damon represented passion, danger, and the person she actually wanted to be with. That first kiss was the moment the scale tipped.
Behind the Scenes: What Really Happened
It’s no secret that Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev were dating in real life during the height of the show. This is what gave those early scenes such high stakes. When you watch the Season 1 porch scene now, knowing the actors were together, you can see the genuine comfort and physical pull between them.
Production-wise, the porch scene was filmed in Covington, Georgia, which stood in for Mystic Falls. It was late, it was likely humid, and the actors had to nail the transition from Damon's vulnerability to the shock of Jenna opening the door. It’s a masterclass in blocking and timing.
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Common Misconceptions About the Kiss
A lot of people remember the first kiss as being the "heart of the show," but they forget how angry Stefan was. He didn't just see it as a kiss; he saw it as a declaration of war.
Another big misconception? That Elena was "in on it." She wasn't. When she finds out Damon kissed Katherine thinking it was her, she’s disgusted. It actually sets their relationship back several steps. It took almost two more years for them to get back to that level of intimacy.
Also, people often confuse the "Heart of Darkness" motel kiss with the "Founder's Day" kiss. While the motel kiss is arguably more famous among die-hard fans because of the music and the "Delena" payoff, the porch kiss is the one that started the fire. It’s the original.
How to Revisit the Magic
If you’re looking to re-watch these moments, don't just skip to the YouTube clips. You miss the context. To really feel the weight of the vampire diaries elena and damon first kiss, you need to see the episodes leading up to it.
- Watch "Miss Mystic Falls" (S1, E19): Look at the way they look at each other during the dance. No words, just eye contact. This is the "pre-game" for the kiss.
- Watch "Founder's Day" (S1, E22): Pay attention to Damon’s monologue. It’s one of Ian Somerhalder’s best performances. He’s finally letting his guard down.
- Watch the Season 2 Premiere: Witness the immediate fallout. It’s brutal.
The legacy of this moment lives on in shows like Bridgerton or A Court of Thorns and Roses. It’s that same "enemies to lovers" or "reluctant attraction" energy. The Vampire Diaries didn't invent the trope, but they certainly perfected it for the social media age.
Ultimately, that first kiss—fake or not—was the moment the show stopped being about a girl and her vampire boyfriend and started being an epic about choice, redemption, and the messy reality of who we love versus who we’re supposed to love.
Next Steps for TVD Fans
To truly appreciate the evolution of the Salvatore brothers, compare the Season 1 porch scene with the series finale's final moments of peace. Notice how the lighting, the music, and the physical distance between the characters change. If you're analyzing the cinematography, look for the "blue tint" used in early seasons compared to the warmer, golden hues of the later seasons when Elena finally finds her agency. Understanding the visual language of the show makes those romantic payoffs feel even more significant.