If you are a fan of The Vampire Diaries, you must have wondered how Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce, two women who look exactly alike, are related to each other. The answer is not simple, as it involves a long and complicated history of magic, curses, and bloodlines. In this article, we will try to explain how Elena and Katherine are connected, and what it means to be a Petrova doppelgänger.
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What is a Doppelgänger?
A doppelgänger is a living, breathing double of oneself, who shares the same physical features and soul. Doppelgängers are rare and supernatural phenomena that occur as a result of nature trying to balance itself after an imbalance is created by magic. In The Vampire Diaries, there are two main bloodlines of doppelgängers: the Petrova doppelgängers and the Salvatore doppelgängers.
The Petrova doppelgängers are the female descendants of Amara, the first immortal woman who was created by the powerful witch Qetsiyah as a gift for her lover Silas. However, Silas betrayed Qetsiyah and used the immortality spell on himself and Amara, who was his true love. Qetsiyah was furious and killed Amara, but she soon realized that Amara was not truly dead, but in a state of limbo between life and death. Qetsiyah then created a mystical object called the Other Side, where she trapped all supernatural beings after their death, including Silas and Amara. She also cursed Silas to be tormented by visions of his true love until he took the cure for immortality and died.
However, nature was not happy with Qetsiyah’s actions, as she had disrupted the natural order of life and death. To restore balance, nature created shadow selves of Silas and Amara, who were destined to find each other and die in each other’s place. These shadow selves were the doppelgängers, who shared the same bloodline and soul as their original counterparts.
Who are the Petrova Doppelgängers?
The Petrova doppelgängers are the female shadow selves of Amara, who inherited her dark brown hair, brown eyes, and fair complexion. The first known Petrova doppelgänger was Tatia, who lived in ancient Greece around 1000 BC. She was the lover of both Elijah and Klaus Mikaelson, two of the Original vampires who were created by their mother Esther using Tatia’s blood as a binding agent. Tatia was also the mother of a son, whom she had with an unknown man before she met the Mikaelsons.
The next known Petrova doppelgänger was Katerina Petrova, who was born in Bulgaria in 1473. She was a noblewoman who was disowned by her family after she gave birth to a daughter out of wedlock in 1490. Her father took her baby away from her and gave her to another family. Katerina then fled to England, where she met Trevor and Rose, two vampires who wanted to use her as a sacrifice for Klaus Mikaelson. Klaus needed a Petrova doppelgänger’s blood to break his hybrid curse, which prevented him from accessing his werewolf side.
However, Katerina learned about their plan and escaped with the help of Trevor. She then turned herself into a vampire by drinking Rose’s blood and hanging herself. This made her useless for Klaus’s ritual, as he needed a human doppelgänger’s blood. Katerina then changed her name to Katherine Pierce and went on the run from Klaus for over 500 years.
The last known Petrova doppelgänger was Elena Gilbert, who was born in Mystic Falls in 1992. She was adopted by Grayson and Miranda Gilbert after her biological parents John Gilbert and Isobel Flemming gave her up for adoption. She grew up unaware of her true heritage until she met Stefan Salvatore, a vampire who fell in love with her because of her resemblance to Katherine Pierce.
Elena soon learned that she was a Petrova doppelgänger and that Klaus Mikaelson wanted to use her blood to break his hybrid curse. She also learned that Stefan’s brother Damon Salvatore also loved her, creating a love triangle between them. Elena eventually became a vampire herself after she died with Damon’s blood in her system in 2010.
How are Elena and Katherine Related?
Elena and Katherine are related by blood through their common ancestor Amara. They are also distant cousins through Katherine’s daughter Nadia Petrova, who was born in 1490 and turned into a vampire by Gregor in 1498. Nadia spent centuries looking for her mother, until she finally found her in 2013. She revealed to Katherine that she was her long-lost daughter and that she had traced their family tree to Elena Gilbert.
Elena and Katherine are also related by soul, as they are two sides of the same soul that originated from Amara. They share a deep connection that goes beyond their physical resemblance. They can sense each other’s presence, feel each other’s emotions, and even impersonate each other’s voice and mannerisms. They also have similar personalities, as they are both strong, smart, brave, and compassionate. However, they also have their differences, as Katherine is more selfish, manipulative, and ruthless, while Elena is more selfless, honest, and kind.
Elena and Katherine have a complicated relationship that ranges from enemies to allies to frenemies. They have tried to kill each other several times, but they have also helped each other when they needed to. They have also shared some moments of understanding and forgiveness, especially when Katherine was dying from old age after taking the cure for vampirism from Elena’s blood. Elena forgave Katherine for all the pain she had caused her and her loved ones, and Katherine apologized for ruining Elena’s life. However, Katherine also secretly possessed Elena’s body by using a Traveler spell before she died, and tried to ruin her relationship with Damon. Elena eventually regained control of her body and banished Katherine’s spirit to hell.
Elena and Katherine are two women who share a lot in common, but also have their own identities and destinies. They are both Petrova doppelgängers, but they are also more than that. They are survivors, fighters, lovers, and heroes. They are both part of a legacy that spans centuries and worlds. They are both Elena and Katherine.
