At its core, the pilot is about processing grief. Elena and Jeremy are drowning in loss, and Stefan is burdened by a century of loneliness. The show uses the supernatural as a metaphor for dealing with intense emotional pain. Secrets and Dual Identities
When we meet Elena, she is not a damsel in distress. She is a high school "It girl" stripped of her shine by a recent tragedy—the death of her parents in a car accident. Nina Dobrev, in her breakout role, plays Elena with a palpable weariness. She goes through the motions: cheerleading practice, dinner with her brother Jeremy (Steven R. McQueen), and her guardian Aunt Jenna (Sara Canning). But her eyes are hollow.
6/8 Vicki Donovan gets attacked in the woods. This show was NOT playing about the horror elements.
We are introduced to and her brother Jeremy . They are struggling to cope with the recent death of their parents in a car accident. Elena returns to high school for the new semester, trying to put on a brave face, while Jeremy turns to drugs to numb his pain.