嘿 guys. I want to start off 由 saying that this is strictly my opinion with which 你 may 或者 may not agree. This 文章 is somewhat anti-Stefan 或者 anti-Stelena, so fair warning beforehand. If 你 are a 粉丝 of them, please do not read it. Contructive criticism much appreciated. :)

This 文章 mainly deals with Stefan's actions in the 最近的 episodes (3.09-3.12), and how i view them in regard with Stefan-Elena's relationship.
Stefan went on his revenge Klaus mode asserting that he didn't care about anything anymore, including Elena. He stated that 'destroying Klaus' is all he has left. Elena then had 说 if he was trying to make her hate him, which could be very much possible. We all know how Stefan is, don't we? After spending about 3-4 months with Klaus and doing his chores, he must be full of guilt at the moment. He must be feeling that he does not deserves to be with Elena- that she is better than him (his words, not mine). But part of me can't help but think that there is 更多 to it, which is that Stefan himself cannot accept and face what he has done, what Klaus made him do. Klaus unleashed the 'monster' inside of him which Stefan was trying so hard to ignore and suppress from himself, and from everyone. Last time this happened (1.20) he wanted to commit suicide, despite having Elena's 爱情 i might add. But this time he has someone to blame it all on, Klaus. So once he got his freedom back, he used this agency 由 focusing all his energy on destroying Klaus instead of going back to Elena who would've welcomed him with open arms! To me it is like he hates this side of himself, and whenever it comes out to play he wants to run away from it irrespective of how different other people think about it. This is actually sad! It's tragic for Stefan's character, and I somewhat understand it.

But this very trait of him is the reason i can never ship Stefan-Elena. It just says how things cannot work between them. Stefan can't embrace his vampire nature. He can't 爱情 himself, atleast not his whole self. He loathes himself for even having this bad streak inside of him, but as a vampire it's not possible for him to keep it under control 或者 in check all his eternal life. He falls, but when he is back to his 'normal' self he does what he feels like doing to make things right- for himself ie, suicide in 1.20 and avenging Klaus in season 3. In both scenarios his actions serves to himself only, these were the steps which made him feel better, in a twisted way. His guilt was greater than his 爱情 for Elena. 

But in both cases, where does Elena fit in for him? She was right there for him, supporting him, waiting for him to come back to her. Loyal as always. Her 爱情 for Stefan was actually monumental. She deserves to be loved just as much in return. But Stefan places his needs before Elena's. His 爱情 took a backseat when he chose revenge (or suicide) over Elena. He did what suited best for him, not taking into account what Elena needed. That's not something anybody would want in any relationship!  What he did was not because he couldn't face Elena, no. It was because he couldn't face himself. Similarly, he lied to Elena, 或者 rather hid his past from Elena for the very same reason for 2 seasons. He was ashamed of it, and thought that Elena would judge him based on his past- which he should have known better. Elena is such a compassionate character. She forgave Damon, and believed in him even after everything he did right in front of her eyes. So, i'm pretty sure Elena would've accepted Stefan, and his past without letting it effect their relationship. It appears to me as if Stefan wants Elena to see and 爱情 only a part of him- the good part, the part over which he has control, the part he's not contrite about.  Such a relationship isn't real. What they had then was merely an illusion. Moreover, 由 doing so Stefan severly underestimated their relationship. It's like he doesn't have faith in his relationship with Elena. He thought Elena knowing his dark past would crumble their world. Like one single blow, and it'll all be over for them. Pretty much why he 说 to Elena in 3.10 "I 迷失 你 the moment I left town." He actually believed that their relationship wouldn't survive now, so he gave up. Not Elena, but Stefan gave up on them. 

Elena was full of hope. She truly believed that she, with Damon's help, will be able to save Stefan. This belief of her was crushed 由 none other than Stefan himself in 3.10 when just to revenge Klaus he refused to budge to save Jeremy! This cannot be love. One possibly cannot include this indifference on Stefan's part as one of his 移动 to make Elena hate him. Just No! 你 do not do this to someone 你 love. Specially not if you're only doing this to make someone hate you, but 你 still actually care! This is the excuse which SE'ers come up with, right! If he loves her and cared about her in that moment, then how could he not help her save the one person she loves most dearly, her only family member. It would have killed Elena had Jeremy died. Here Stefan did this only for revenge from Klaus, and didn't give a damn about Elena. He was being utterly selfish with the one person he claims to be in 爱情 with.

Now, a point which i recently observed after watching 3.12 and the Canadian promo of 3.13. Till 3.11, Stefan didn't care about Elena at all. His main concern was Klaus. Even up until the time Elena tells him that she kissed Damon, he was just being his jerk- ish self. But soon after she reveals this, something in him snaps. He's hurt, clearly. He goes back to home, and punches Damon when he asks if Elena is okay. He punched Damon, fine. What irks me is the timing of all of this. One episode back, Stefan was the one who 说 to Damon and I quote "protecting Elena is your problem now". This is what Damon's doing, right! Looking out for her because Stefan is too busy being the 'better villain'. Stefan was well aware of how Damon feels about Elena when he chose to be all villiany. It didn't matter much to him then. But soon as he notices in 3.12 that Elena has changed now, that she has been getting closer to Damon, that SHE kissed Damon, it's then he starts getting all in Elena-is-mine mode. Elena didn't matter to him in these few episodes, yet in the Canadian promo of 3.13 we see Stefan saying to Damon that he loves her. What changed his mind? To me it's almost like he cannot accept the fact that Elena is indeed starting to 移动 on in her life. That things have changed now. He's back to claim his 爱情 for Elena when he saw Elena moving on from him. It just pinches me in the wrong way! And what bothers him 更多 is she is starting to have feelings not just for any person, but for his brother Damon. 由 punching Damon for 接吻 Elena, and 由 saying to Damon that he loves her he's asking him to back off. Kinda. Stefan's 'love' for Elena is rushing back to him now because Stefan is scared that while being the bad guy, Damon somehow became the hero. He's scared that Elena will choose Damon over him, something which he isn't used to. There's no other explanation which i can think of about this sudden change in him.  To him loosing Elena might be a bad thing. But what's worse is losing her to his own brother Damon, else he wouldn't have deemed Damon as unworthy of Elena's 爱情 to Elena herself when he realized that he had ruined his chance with her. It was like if 你 can't be with me, i won't let 你 be with Damon either. Stefan was okay if taking revenge on Klaus meant Elena being in misery, coz that was exactly what he was putting her through. But the moment revenging Klaus meant Elena and Damon getting together, it is so not okay with him anymore. Again, selfish. 

Now contrasting all this to Damon, and Damon and Elena's relationship i feel so proud of being a Delena shipper. DE's relationship is real. It's based on truth, understanding, and belief and we all know this. For Damon, Elena's priorities are foremost. He would literally do anything for her happiness and safety, even if it hurts him. We have seen this on several occassions. His 爱情 is selfless. Even now when he knows Elena feels something for him too, he  never misses an opportunity to praise Stefan to Elena. He knows it might reduce his chance to be with her, but he does it anyway. Which is something i really can't say for Stefan, i'm afraid. Damon was happy for Elena because he knew she was happy with Stefan. But now when Stefan has to deal with the same thing, he's being very immature. Damon love's for Elena brings out his selfless side, whereas for Stefan it brings out his selfish side. 

I am not at all saying that Stefan does not 或者 has never loved Elena. Of course he has. Their relationship has had some great moments, but it's the way Stefan loves Elena which makes me not ship them. All in all, for a relationship which is referred to as 'epic' every now and then, i sure can't see SE as one. If it really was epic Stefan would never have wanted to revenge Klaus for what he did to him when Elena, his love, was waiting for him. If it was epic, Elena's 爱情 for Stefan should had been 更多 than enough to make him care again and to make him come back to her. Instead it was seeing Elena falling in 爱情 with Damon that made him care. Epic 爱情 is one where 你 care about your other half's happiness 更多 than your own, not when 你 are putting them in danger while letting your own motives take precedence over your love. 爱情 is not epic when 你 can watch your lover die, and do nothing about it. In short, epic 爱情 is Damon & Elena. A patient and selfless love.