05/10/2026
Happy Mother's Day!
According to the internet 😀, these are the worst mothers in The Vampire Diaries Universe. Agree? Disagree? Others?
Esther Mikaelson (TVD / The Originals)
Widely considered the ultimate antagonist of the Mikaelson family. While she claimed to love her children, she turned them into vampires and then spent centuries trying to exterminate them to "undo" her mistake. Her willingness to sacrifice her children for her own sense of morality makes her a frequent top pick for this list.
Lily Salvatore (TVD)
After faking her death, Lily abandoned Stefan and Damon for nearly a century. When she finally returned, she made it clear that her "family" was now her group of Heretics, effectively replacing her sons and showing a cold indifference to the trauma they suffered in her absence.
Dahlia (The Originals)
While technically an aunt, Dahlia acted as a maternal figure to Freya. Her "parenting" involved kidnapping Freya, forcing her into a cycle of magical slumber, and eventually attempting to claim Hope Mikaelson as part of a dark bargain. Her obsession with power far outweighed any familial bond.
Isobel Flemming (TVD)
Isobel abandoned Elena at birth to pursue a life as a vampire. When she finally reappeared, she was clinical, manipulative, and worked with Katherine Pierce. Her final act of "protection" for Elena involved a cold su***de that left her daughter with more questions than answers.
Sybil and Seline (TVD)
Though they are Sirens, Seline’s role as a nanny/maternal figure to the Saltzman twins was rooted in deep deception. She intended to offer the girls up to Arcadius (the Devil) to save her own soul, representing a literal betrayal of the children she was meant to protect.
Inadu’s Mother (The Originals)
Briefly seen in flashbacks, she and her tribe were responsible for the creation of The Hollow. By failing to contain her daughter's darkness or participating in the rituals that created a literal plague of magic, she set the stage for centuries of misery for the Crescent wolves and the Mikaelsons.
Kelly Donovan (TVD)
Unlike the supernatural villains, Kelly was grounded in a more realistic kind of neglect. She was consistently absent, leaving Matt to raise himself and Vicky. When she did show up, it was often to cause chaos or steal from her own children.
Genevieve (The Originals)
As a temporary parental figure and midwife during Hayley’s pregnancy, Genevieve’s intent was to sacrifice baby Hope to the Ancestors immediately after birth. Her actions were driven by a desire for her own survival and power within the New Orleans coven.
Aurora de Martel (The Originals / Legacies)
While Aurora’s "motherly" instincts were mostly non-existent, her mental instability and obsession with Klaus led her to treat those younger or weaker than her—including those she should have protected—as pawns in a centuries-long game of revenge.
