If you are a fan of The Vampire Diaries, you might have wondered how Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce, the two doppelgangers who look exactly alike, are related to each other. The answer is not as simple as you might think. In fact, it involves a complex history of magic, curses, and bloodlines that span centuries. Here is a brief summary of how Elena and Katherine are connected in The Vampire Diaries.
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The Origin of the Doppelgangers
Elena and Katherine are both doppelgangers, meaning they share the same physical features and are two sides of the same soul. They are both descendants of an ancient bloodline, which is connected to Katherine’s evil vampire family, the Petrova Doppelgangers.
The origin of the doppelgangers goes back to the time of Qetsiyah and Silas, two powerful witches who created the first immortality spell. They were supposed to use it on themselves and be together forever, but Silas betrayed Qetsiyah and used it on his true love, Amara, who was Qetsiyah’s handmaiden. Qetsiyah was furious and killed Amara, then cursed Silas to be trapped with her corpse for eternity. She also created a cure for immortality and hid it with Amara’s body.
However, Amara was not really dead. She had secretly taken the cure and became human again. She also became the first doppelganger of herself, as nature’s way of balancing the immortality spell. Silas also had a doppelganger line that started with Stefan Salvatore’s ancestor. The doppelgangers were destined to find each other and fall in love, as a way for Silas and Amara to be together in spirit.
The Petrova Bloodline
One of Amara’s doppelgangers was Tatia, a beautiful woman who lived in Mystic Falls in the 10th century. She was loved by two brothers, Elijah and Klaus Mikaelson, who were part of the Original family of vampires. However, their mother Esther used Tatia’s blood to bind a spell that suppressed Klaus’ werewolf side, as he was the product of an affair with a werewolf. She also used her blood to turn her children into vampires, making them immortal and powerful.
Tatia’s bloodline continued with Katerina Petrova, who was born in Bulgaria in 1473. She became pregnant by an unknown man and gave birth to a daughter in 1490. Her father took the baby away from her and gave her to another family. Katerina later met Klaus and Elijah in England and learned that she was a Petrova doppelganger, meaning she could break the curse on Klaus and unleash his hybrid nature. She also learned that Klaus wanted to sacrifice her for this purpose.
Katerina escaped from Klaus by turning herself into a vampire with the help of another Original, Rebekah. She then spent centuries on the run from Klaus, who wanted revenge for her betrayal. She changed her name to Katherine Pierce and adopted an American accent. She also became ruthless, cunning, and selfish, willing to do anything to survive.
The Gilbert Connection
One of Katerina’s descendants was Isobel Flemming, who was born in Mystic Falls in 1975. She was a history student who became obsessed with vampires after meeting Alaric Saltzman, a vampire hunter. She sought out Damon Salvatore, one of Stefan’s vampire brothers, and asked him to turn her into a vampire. She then left Alaric and their daughter Elena Gilbert behind.
Elena was born in 1992 and was adopted by John Gilbert (Isobel’s cousin) and Miranda Sommers-Gilbert (John’s sister-in-law). She grew up unaware of her true parentage and her connection to Katherine. She met Stefan when she was 17 and fell in love with him. She later learned that he was a vampire and that she looked exactly like Katherine.
Elena’s life became entangled with Katherine’s when the latter returned to Mystic Falls to cause trouble for Stefan and Damon. Katherine revealed that she was Elena’s ancestor and that they were both Petrova doppelgangers. She also revealed that she still loved Stefan and wanted him back.
Elena soon discovered that she was also part of Klaus’ plan to break his curse and become a hybrid. She had to sacrifice herself for this purpose, but she was saved by her friends and family. However, she also had to deal with other threats such as the Originals, Silas, the Travelers, Kai Parker, and more.
Elena eventually became a vampire herself after dying in a car accident with Damon’s blood in her system. She also took the cure for vampirism from Katherine, who had aged rapidly after being forced to take it by Silas. Elena then gave the cure to Damon and lived a human life with him, while Katherine was dragged to hell by the devil himself.
Conclusion
Elena and Katherine are related by blood and by destiny. They are both doppelgangers of Amara, the first immortal woman. They are also both part of the Petrova bloodline, which started with Tatia, the first Petrova doppelganger. They share a deep connection that goes beyond their physical resemblance, as they are both linked to the origin of vampirism and the balance of nature.
