The Vampires Diaries has several types of supernatural creatures, such as witches, werewolves, hybrids, and, of course, vampires, with the most dangerous type being known as the Rippers. Throughout The Vampire Diaries’ eight-season run, the show introduced different categories of vampires. While all vampires were essentially the same and had similar abilities, a few characteristics made some of the creatures of the night different.
The Vampire Diaries doesn’t change much when it comes to vampire lore. The show uses the usual concept of undead creatures who can burn in the sun and have to feed on blood in order to survive. However, The Vampire Diaries featured a rare supernatural being known as a Ripper. Rippers are rare entities in vampire lore, which is why they add a unique twist to what is otherwise known about vampires and their feeding habits.
Rippers Are Vampires With An Insatiable Bloodlust In The Vampire Diaries
Rippers Can’t Control Their Bloodlust
Rippers are violent vampires that have an insatiable bloodlust, unable to control their need for human blood. They tend to feed on their victims until they die or are ripped to pieces, hence the name Ripper. These vampires have animal-like traits and are sadistic. They are considered as the ultimate predators because they view their victims as prey, and lack the emotions that would help them control their thirst for blood. While Rippers can go on a violent killing spree, they are not inherently bad. Most times, they try to control their bloodlust by staying away from human blood.
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The Vampire Diaries doesn’t explain why certain vampires in the show are more inclined to be Rippers compared to others. When a person transitions into a vampire, all their emotions and habits become heightened. Perhaps vampires who became Rippers had certain characteristics as humans, that were heightened when they transitioned, making them more likely to turn into the beastlike vampires. Since Rippers are blood addicts, there’s a possibility that they inherited their addiction.
How Rippers Are Different From The Vampire Diaries’ Other Vampires
Rippers Are More Violent Than Average Vampires
While all vampires need blood and feed on it for sustenance, a Ripper’s craving for blood is different from a regular vampire’s. Rippers are a different type of vampire in The Vampire Diaries, but they are not actually a subspecies. They have the same abilities as average vampires. They simply have different feeding habits. When a Ripper starts feeding on blood, they can’t stop and tend to lose their sense of self, which is why they are considered as blood addicts. Rippers are also more violent than regular vampires. They bare their fangs and snarl when attacked, similar to how an animal behaves when they are cornered.
A Ripper has a different level of cruelty that is usually missing in normal vampires due to their lack of remorse. They take great pleasure in terrorizing and mutilating their victims, more so than the average vampire. Rippers also have a different level of morality compared to their fellow creatures of the night. Although Vampires are not really known for being virtuous creatures, Rippers can kill anyone, including their family, when they are deep in the trenches of their bloodlust. They switch off their humanity more regularly because they usually can’t live with the damage they cause.
All Rippers In The Vampire Diaries
Stefan And Lily Salvatore Were Rippers
Rippers are extremely rare in The Vampire Diaries. The only known born Rippers in the series are Stefan and his mother, Lily. Stefan struggled with his blood addiction and often fell off the wagon. He once killed everyone in a small village when he was in “Ripper mode” and only realized what he had done when he came back to his senses. Due to his insatiable bloodlust, Stefan avoided feeding on humans. He chose to feed on animals so he could keep his bloodthirst in control. The other Ripper in the show, Lily, reportedly killed over 3,000 people during her time in Europe.
It’s worth noting that vampires who are infected with the Ripper virus can be cured.
However, outside the natural Rippers, a vampire can also become a Ripper when they are injected with the Ripper virus, as was the case for the Augustine vampires. When Elena and Damon were infected with the virus, they became Rippers for a short period of time. It’s worth noting that vampires who are infected with the Ripper virus can be cured. On the other hand, Rippers like Stefan and Lily had to live with their blood addiction in The Vampire Diaries, since it occurred naturally, which meant that they couldn’t cure it. The only solution to their bloodlust was for them to learn how to control it.
Based on the novels by L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries is a story about the developing love triangle between Elena Gilbert and two vampiric brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Set in the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, the show follows the trio from high school through college as they battle for one another’s affection.
- Cast
- Nina Dobrev , Ian Somerhalder , Steven R. McQueen , Paul Wesley , Kat Graham , Michael Trevino , Michael Malarkey , Zach Roerig , Candice King , Matthew Davis
- Release Date
- September 10, 2009
- Seasons
- 8