29 Epic Elena Gilbert Moments

Before she was a vampire, Elena trained to be a vampire hunter. She was only moderately successful.

We're going to miss this funny little face Elena Gilbert makes when she hears something silly and slightly unbelievable. It's the face we made when we learned Nina Dobrev was leaving The Vampire Diaries.

We're going to miss this crinkly, cute nose Elena face, too. As well as about a million more faces.

Elena Gilbert knows how to throw some attitude at anyone who comes at her with a sarcastic barb. So basically everybody.

Before she loved Damon, Elena loved Stefan. Two epic loves in one short, 18 year existence? That's pretty fantastic.

Remember that time Elena took charge and went after what she wanted, which was a hot makeout session on a hotel balcony with Damon? How could you forget?

The girls of Mystic Falls have formal attire at the ready and no one rocks a ballgown quite like Elena Gilbert. Except maybe Caroline Forbes. But this is about Elena.

In addition to having the best ballgowns around, Mystic Falls also had one of the best period costume shops. Elena and Co. loved to dress up for Caro's crazy dances.

Once upon a time, Elena Gilbert was a cheerleader at Mystic Falls High School. Gooooooooooo Timberwolves!

Elena Gilbert is all grown up! As a college co-ed, she fought off the urge not to eat her classmates at Whitmore College.

For all the ways everything is always about Elena, the girl does care about her friends and family like no other.

Elena is totally good at being a shoulder to cry on when her friends need it.

Surprise Elena Gilbert with some shocking news and you'll get this slightly breathless, quick-blinking face from her.

Elena sort of cries a lot. Like, A LOT. She's mastered the art of the pretty cry-face.

See? Elena has a pretty cry face, and it's not like we haven't seen it at least a hundred times. We totally know what we're talking about.

Sometimes Elena is shocked WHILE she's crying. GIVE THIS GIRL AN EMMY!

Many fans loved Nina Dobrev as Katherine Pierce more than they loved Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert. Take a look at these doppelgangers and decide for yourself.

Elena Gilbert's most badass moment? Shoving the cure into the mouth of Katherine Pierce and rendering the 500 year old doppelganger mostly powerless.

In addition to an excellent cry face, Elena Gilbert also has a tremendous "I don't know face." You can practically see the IDK in her eyes.

Human high-schooler Elena didn't need food for breakfast. A quickie with her hot vampire boyfriend was enough to keep her going all day long.

This is Elena Gilbert's "WTF" face, as in "WTF I DIED AND NOW I'M ALIVE AGAIN AND OMG I AM A VAMPIRE!"

We haven't seen it much this season, but Elena's vamp face is pretty epic.

When Damon teaches her the art of "catch, eat, erase," Elena Gilbert realizes she definitely has a taste for human blood. That whole sire-bond thing totally had nothing to do with it.

Remember that time Elena teamed up with REBEKAH and the women hit New York City? That was pretty fantastic.

Elena gave no you-know-whats after turning off her huimanity, relishing her every kill while the guys tried to save her from herself.

How could we forget Elena's existential crisis? She learned this "lay in the middle of the road and play dead so I can eat whoever stops to help" trick from Damon.

Remember when Elena first began to discover that the supernatural existed? We have Bon-bon and her floating feathers to thank for that.

Aside from her 18th birthday party and that time she took a shot and then almost DIED, Elena was a pretty good party girl.

Sire bond be damned! Elena Gilbert loves Damon Salvatore. We mostly just love the way she rips his shirt off here.