Ah, Stefan Salvatore. That hair! That jaw! Those soulful green eyes that spend absurd amounts of time per episode directing agonized and/or lustful looks toward the object of his love and obsession! He keeps a journal, he broods, he sheds manly tears, he (generally) doesn’t drink human blood. He is a paragon of vampire virtue and a shining example of what a boyfriend should be.

Except, not so much. And I’m not talking about how, when force-fed human blood, he went all crazy-junkie on us for a few episodes. That I can forgive. He’s a vampire, after all, and he can’t help being drawn to blood. No, it’s the rest of the time that Stefan creeps me out. Forget lovely murderous sociopath Damon—it’s Stefan who is the true villain of Mystic Falls. He uses guilt as a tool for manipulation (of himself and others) and, more dangerously, as an excuse to avoid acting. His nobility is, in fact, nothing more than a deep and overwhelming self-centeredness.

Bad boyfriend, Stefan. Bad!

I’m reminded of another mythical creature, or rather his ill-fated creator: Dr. Frankenstein. In Mary Shelley’s classic novel, Frankenstein is unable to see past himself and his desire for scientific achievement. He pushes the boundaries of morality and science to create life. What he creates, a monster made of dead flesh reanimated, is too horrible to comprehend. And so, rather than dealing with it, he runs. But never far enough or fast enough.

Because of Frankenstein’s choices, the monster, not an inherently evil creature,  …