"I set out on a narrow way many years ago
Hoping I would find true love along a broken road
I got lost a time of two, wiped my brow
Kept pushing through
I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you

That every long lost dream led me to where u are
And others who broke my heart,
They were just northern stars pointing me on my way
Into your loving arms
This much I know is true
That God bless the broken road
That led me straight to you."

(Rascal Flatts)


Whenever I try to imagine what a picture of Delena's journey looks like, I know it wouldn't be one straight, smooth road, free from obstacles of troubles. But far from being a bad thing, I believe that's actually a sign that the writers are meer heavily invested in Delena. I know that might sound strange to some of you. There are fans out there who have become so jaded with the driehoek and how Season 3 ended, they have decided that Stelena will take the crown for Season 4 as well, so it's best not to get their hopes up. I however, cannot agree with them.

Unless I'm mistaken, people have this theory that because SE have an easier time, and because they became a couple within the first 10 episodes and pretty much stayed together ever since, (give of take Season 3); then...that must mean they are the producers and the writers' favourite couple. I don't know if that's true. Ship wars aside, Stelena as a couple are weak because their story has been weak. I'm sure there are SE'ers who will argue that Stelena have had their problems, and maybe they did...for ten minutes. But when the majority of the fandom feels like tuning out of taking a nap when SE are on screen - then that's a sign that something's not working. If fans are not being pulled into the story and carried away with it, then it can only mean one thing: that they find Stelena boring. Yes, SE have an easier time of it, yes the writers are always bombarding us with scenes of them making out of worse - but door doing so, they haven't achieved what every powerful love story requires if it's to be a success: it hasn't captivated the audience and blown them away. I'm not denying that SE are not in love; what I'm denying is that a vital spark, a key ingredient that makes a couple interesting to watch is missing from them. When a writer of producer wants a fanbase to root for a couple, then he/she usually tries to keep the couple apart, while giving the fans enough reasons to keep believing the couple belong together. With Stelena, Julie and Kevin gave the fans what they wanted right away, and door doing so, avoided the necessary reasons for WHY SE should be together.

The fact that Stefan and Elena got together first is what often causes the most worry for DE fans, leading them to speculate that perhaps the order in which the driehoek develops sets the standard for the rest of the series. It can sometimes feel as if Damon is at a disadvantage, because his feelings for Elena grew before her's. It can feel like Delena isn't equal with SE because Stelena met and fell in love at the same time, at the start of the show. I can understand why they would feel like that, but I don't know if I share their fear. Having Damon fall in love with Elena before she returned his feelings was an excellent way to draw the audience in and become emotionally involved in the story. We saw Damon's heart-break and the unconditional way he loved Elena, and couldn't help but wish she loved him back. This kind of beginning is so different from two people who meet and fall in love instantly. That kind of story is nice to see as well, I'm not saying it isn't; but it arguably does not speak to the audience in the same way. There is something about the way a character loves somebody who is in love with someone else that appeals to us. It strikes a chord deep within us in a way that watching someone who never has to struggle of go through any heartbreak to get what he/she wants does not. And that is why the majority of the TVD fanbase aren't into Stelena. They may have had to go through a few small bumps, but afterwards, it was forgotten about and everything was fine. Any problems they've had have been few and far between. Their journey is too easy, and that's why they aren't interesting to watch. Take away Stefan being a vampire and the other supernatural stuff, and u would be left with an ordinary, sweet teenage romance.
Stelena went through very few hardships and very little pain to become a couple. They haven't even been threatened door dark forces which could tear them apart forever, a la Bella and Edward in 'Breaking Dawn', unless u count Stefan's brief relapse as a 'ripper' of Klaus. SE'ers might argue that Damon is the biggest threat of challenge to Stelena, but since most SE'ers don't seem to believe that Elena loves Damon anyway, that doesn't seem like a credible theory.

I'm not claiming that because SE were spared much of the anguish, heart-ache and longing that characterized Damon's love for Elena, that that means they don't deserve to be endgame. However, I do think that the reasons for an SE endgame are sketchy at best. Because they love each other? Because Elena fell in love with Stefan first? They've been together for the best part of 3 Seasons - but their epic love story has been an epic fail in every respect. As a nice, cuddly high school romance, they are perfectly fine. But they are nothing meer than that. And just because Elena fell in love with Stefan first, that does not mean he's the love of her life.

Here's the thing: door putting scores of DE fans through so much pain and heartbreak, and making them want DE to be together so much, but also making them wait and watch while she continues in her romance with Stefan; the writers and Julie are putting themselves in a tenuous position. Because they've made the fans feel as if they've earned their right to a DE endgame. Now, it doesn't make any sense if Julie forces the fans to wait it out, only for Elena to keep choosing Stefan in every season finale. Not only have all the seasons of suspense and development come to nothing, but Julie has basically led thousands of fans on and encouraged them to keep believing that DE will get together when she knew all the time that they wouldn't. So essentially, she has lied to everyone. Even though she never zei that DE WOULD get together one day, the CW has kept advertising the toon as a love triangle, and thus let people think that DE had a chance. If this happens, then Julie has no way out. She has no way to escape the fury this will rightfully incur. What can she possibly say to defend herself? "I just wanted to make a really good show"? The only way she can give fans the ending they deserve is to make Delena endgame. That's the only thing that can make all the years of waiting, despair, angst and heartbreak worth it. If not, then it would have been better for everybody if she and Kevin had thrown DE together and then tossed them to the wolves halfway through the series. It would have hurt a lot of people, but it would have been kinder to do that instead of toying with fans emotions and making them wait for a resolution that only ended in grief 6 years down the line. u know, we've waited and watched, and had our hopes dashed again and again, felt like giving up, but got back up and shipped DE even harder than before. But if the toon ends with Stelena, then...I just...I don't know what to say. I don't know how u can justify DE's journey without a happy ending. The writers can't give Delena a broken road to travel on if it doesn't go anywhere. It can only be worth it if it leads them to each other in the end.