Elena Gilbert is a beautiful, popular 17-year-old girl with blond hair and blue eyes. Over the course of the series, Elena transforms from a shallow, self-centered “ice queen” to a more loving, open-minded person.

Stefan Salvatore is the younger of the two vampire brothers. He is classically handsome, with dark, wavy hair and green eyes. Stefan is tortured by his vampirism and by Katherine’s death. Until falling in love with Elena, Stefan does not believe that he can be redeemed.
Damon Salvatore is Stefan’s older brother, brash and arrogant, with dark hair and black eyes. He’s dark and sadistic, but also charming and seductive. Events in The Fury and Dark Reunion show that Damon is also capable of fierce loyalty and affection.
Bonnie McCullough is one of Elena’s best friends, a bubbly short redhead with brown eyes and a heart shaped face, who is a psychic. She has an odd fascination with Druids.
Meredith Sulez is another of Elena’s best friends; she is tall with olive skin and dark hair. Meredith is level-headed and thoughtful, and she is often the voice of reason throughout the series.
Matt Honeycutt is Elena’s ex-boyfriend, a typical All-American high school quarterback with blond hair and blue eyes. While Matt is heartbroken at losing Elena to Stefan, he remains friends with both of them.
Katherine is the young vampire with whom Damon and Stefan both fell in love when they were humans during the Italian Renaissance. Katherine turned the two brothers into vampires before faking her suicide. She physically resembles Elena, which caused Stefan’s initial attraction to Elena.
Caroline Forbes is a former friend and current rival of Elena’s, a beautiful green-eyed redhead. Caroline is manipulative and vengeful during much of the series, before redeeming herself in Dark Reunion.