For fans of *The Vampire Diaries* and its spin-offs, particularly *Legacies*, a persistent question often arises: Why is Alaric not a vampire anymore? It’s a completely valid inquiry, given Alaric Saltzman’s incredibly convoluted, often tragic, and undeniably fascinating journey through supernatural existence. The short answer is that Alaric is currently human because he took the cure for vampirism. However, the path to his present human state is far from straightforward, involving multiple transformations, deaths, resurrections, and a pivotal decision that redefined his life. This article delves deep into the specific details of Alaric’s supernatural evolution, explaining precisely how he shed his various vampiric skins to embrace a mortal life.
Alaric Saltzman, initially introduced as Mystic Falls High School’s history teacher and a vampire hunter with a mysterious past, quickly became an integral part of the supernatural world. His narrative arc is arguably one of the most complex in the entire franchise, marked by numerous encounters with death and subsequent transformations. Understanding why he’s human now requires tracing his lineage through both enhanced vampirism and conventional vampirism, illustrating the profound lore intricacies of *The Vampire Diaries* universe.
Alaric’s First Foray into Vampirism: The Enhanced Original Hunter (Season 3)
Alaric’s initial foray into vampirism was nothing short of epic and terrifying. In Season 3 of *The Vampire Diaries*, after being killed by Rebekah Mikaelson, Alaric was resurrected by the Original Witch, Esther. Esther, driven by her desire to rid the world of vampires, performed a powerful ritual that transformed Alaric into an Enhanced Original Vampire. This was not just any vampirism; it was a potent, amplified version of the Original vampirism, designed by Esther specifically to be the ultimate weapon against her own children.
- The Ritual and Its Purpose: Esther infused Alaric with dark magic, binding his life to Elena Gilbert’s life. This meant that if Elena died, Alaric would also die. Her intention was for Alaric, as this super-powered vampire, to systematically hunt down and destroy all vampires, starting with her Original children.
- Powers and Characteristics: As an Enhanced Original, Alaric possessed all the strengths of an Original Vampire (immortality, super strength, super speed, compulsion, etc.) but was virtually unkillable, even by a White Oak Stake. He was, in essence, an anti-vampire weapon, compelled by Esther’s magic to fulfill his hunter’s purpose, often against his own will. This period saw a darker, more ruthless Alaric, embodying the very thing he once hunted.
- His “Death” and Elena’s Transition: The fate of this particular vampiric state was directly tied to Elena. When Rebekah drove Elena’s car off Wickery Bridge, resulting in Elena’s death (with Damon’s blood in her system), Alaric, due to their magical link, also perished. Elena’s subsequent transition into a vampire seemingly marked the end of Alaric’s reign as the Enhanced Original. This was a critical juncture, as it appeared to definitively remove him from the vampire population.
This phase was pivotal in establishing Alaric’s deep connection to the supernatural world, but it did not leave him a permanent vampire. His initial vampirism was a temporary, albeit devastating, state tied to a specific magical condition.
The Collapse of The Other Side and Alaric’s Human Return (Season 6)
Following his death as an Enhanced Original in Season 3, Alaric found himself on The Other Side, the supernatural purgatory for deceased supernatural beings. He existed there as a ghost, unable to interact with the living world in any physical way, yet still connected to his friends in spirit. This spectral existence continued until the dramatic events of Season 5 and 6.
- The Decay and Collapse of The Other Side: Due to a series of magical disturbances, including the actions of Silas and subsequently the Travelers, The Other Side began to destabilize and eventually collapse. As this dimension crumbled, supernatural beings trapped there faced oblivion, being dragged into a void.
- The Travelers’ Spell and Alaric’s Resurrection: In a desperate attempt to save their friends, Bonnie Bennett (who was serving as the anchor to The Other Side) and Damon Salvatore worked with Liv Parker and Luke Parker, two powerful witches of the Gemini Coven. They devised a spell to bring back as many of their loved ones as possible from the collapsing dimension. Crucially, when Alaric was pulled back through the collapsing veil, he was resurrected as a human. He was not brought back as a vampire, Original or otherwise. His vampire state had been nullified by his death and the breaking of Esther’s magical link to Elena, as well as the unique circumstances of his resurrection. He simply returned to his pre-vampire human self, albeit one with a profound understanding of the supernatural world and the memories of his vampiric life.
This return to humanity was a major turning point, allowing Alaric to pursue a normal life, or at least as normal as one could get in Mystic Falls. He became a professor at Whitmore College, striving for a semblance of peace, yet still intrinsically linked to the supernatural happenings around him.
A Second Bite at the Apple: Alaric’s Human-to-Vampire Transition (Season 6-7)
Just when it seemed Alaric had found his footing as a human again, tragedy struck, forcing him back into vampirism for a second time. This instance was far more conventional than his Original transformation, but equally significant to his overall journey. In Season 6, Alaric fell in love with Jo Laughlin, a doctor and witch from the Gemini Coven. Their wedding, however, was violently interrupted by Kai Parker, Jo’s twin brother and a powerful siphoner. Kai murdered Jo, who was pregnant with Alaric’s twins, and mortally wounded Alaric.
- The Circumstances of His Second Transformation: Facing imminent death, and with Damon’s blood already in his system (a common occurrence for the characters in *The Vampire Diaries* to heal injuries), Alaric transitioned into a vampire. This was a classic vampire transformation: he died with vampire blood in his system and then fed on human blood to complete the process. He became a “regular” vampire, not an Original.
- Life as a Conventional Vampire: This period saw Alaric grappling with the ethical dilemmas of vampirism, particularly his strong desire to have children and a family, a dream that seemed impossible as an immortal. He was a vampire in every sense, with all the strengths and weaknesses of a typical vampire, including vulnerability to stakes and sunlight (though he used a daylight ring). He lived this life for a significant period, adjusting to his new reality while still holding onto the hope of a human future.
This second transformation complicated Alaric’s narrative, solidifying his status as someone who had truly experienced the full spectrum of the supernatural world. It also set the stage for his ultimate return to humanity, driven by a profound desire for family.
The Ultimate Reversal: Alaric’s Journey Back to Humanity via The Cure (Season 7)
The concept of “The Cure” for vampirism had been a long-standing plot device in *The Vampire Diaries*, first introduced in Season 4 as a mythical solution to immortality. It was eventually consumed by Katherine Pierce, making her human, and then extracted from her by Bonnie Bennett. This ancient, powerful magical substance became the key to Alaric’s final transformation.
- The Existence and Location of The Cure: At the beginning of Season 7, The Cure, which had made Katherine human, was literally in Elena Gilbert’s bloodstream. Elena was in a magical coma, linked to Bonnie’s life, and therefore could not be woken up until Bonnie died. This presented a unique problem: if anyone wanted to extract the cure, they would have to drain Elena of all her blood, effectively killing her.
- Bonnie’s Role in Delivering The Cure: Bonnie Bennett, ever the loyal friend and powerful witch, was instrumental in Alaric receiving the cure. When Nora and Mary Louise, two Heretics, drained all of Elena’s blood in an attempt to get the cure for themselves, Bonnie intervened. Using her magic, she siphoned the cure from Nora and Mary Louise and, rather than letting it be lost, stored it within a syringe.
- The Specific Circumstances and Alaric’s Choice: Alaric, now a vampire, was desperately trying to protect his twin daughters, Josie and Lizzie Saltzman (born to Jo via a magical transfer into Caroline Forbes). The girls, being siphoner witches, were incredibly powerful but also vulnerable. Alaric yearned for a normal, human life where he could raise his children without the constant threat and limitations of vampirism. He wanted to be able to age with them, provide them a stable, mortal upbringing, and generally escape the dangers that perpetually plagued supernatural beings. Bonnie, understanding his deep desire for a future with his children and recognizing the dangers of the cure remaining in the world, offered it to him. Alaric, without hesitation, chose to take it.
- The Process of Taking The Cure: Alaric injected himself with the syringe containing the cure. The transformation was immediate and effective, reverting him from his vampire state back to his human self. This was a definitive and conscious choice, marking his final transition out of vampirism.
This moment in Season 7 cemented Alaric’s current status. He became human again, free from the thirst for blood, the immortality, and the supernatural baggage that came with being a vampire. It was a choice born out of love and a yearning for a life he believed was best for his daughters.
The Lore Behind The Cure for Vampirism and Its Implications
Understanding Alaric’s cure-induced humanity requires a brief dive into the lore surrounding this mystical substance:
The Cure is a unique and ancient magical artifact, a single dose created centuries ago by Qetsiyah, a powerful witch. Its primary purpose was to make Silas, the world’s first immortal being, mortal again so that Qetsiyah could kill him and be reunited with him in the afterlife.
- Origin: Created by Qetsiyah to make Silas mortal. It was intended for a specific immortal, but its properties can affect any vampire.
- Mechanism: When a vampire takes The Cure, it fundamentally rewrites their biology, reversing the vampiric transformation. It drains all the vampire blood and magic from their system, returning them to their human state, complete with the aging process resuming from the point they were turned. For Alaric, this meant he would continue to age from the time he became a vampire (the second time) until his natural death.
- Rarity and Significance: The Cure is depicted as incredibly rare, with only one known dose existing. Its existence creates massive power struggles throughout the series, as various characters seek it for different purposes – to destroy vampires, to become human, or to control others.
- Consequences: Taking The Cure has significant consequences:
- Loss of Immortality: The most obvious consequence is the loss of eternal life. The individual becomes mortal and susceptible to death from natural causes, injuries, and diseases.
- Resumption of Aging: They begin to age again from the moment they were turned.
- Vulnerability: They lose all supernatural abilities (strength, speed, compulsion, healing) and become vulnerable like any other human.
- The “Humanity Switch” Effect: While not a direct result of The Cure itself, the transition can be psychologically taxing. Characters like Katherine struggled immensely with the sudden fragility and normalcy of human life after centuries of power and immortality.
- The Cure’s Transferability: A critical piece of lore is that The Cure can be drained from one human (who was once a vampire) and given to another vampire. This is precisely what happened with Elena (who had it after Katherine) and then with Alaric. However, removing The Cure from someone who has taken it means they rapidly age and die, unless they are able to feed on another vampire for sustenance. This effectively means that for Alaric to remain human, no one else can extract the cure from him without killing him.
Alaric’s consumption of The Cure was a calculated decision, weighing the immense power and immortality of vampirism against the simple, profound desire for a mortal family life. It marked the definitive end of his supernatural transformations, ensuring his future as a human.
The Aftermath: Life as a Human and the Headmaster of the Salvatore School
Since taking The Cure in Season 7 of *The Vampire Diaries*, Alaric Saltzman has remained human throughout the subsequent series, *The Originals* (in his brief appearance), and prominently in *Legacies*. His return to humanity allowed him to fulfill his long-held dream of being a present, mortal father to his daughters, Josie and Lizzie. He embraced his human status, navigating the world without supernatural powers but with an unparalleled depth of knowledge about the supernatural.
- Fatherhood and Family: Being human meant Alaric could age alongside his daughters, provide a stable and non-vampiric presence in their lives, and avoid the dangers that constantly threatened immortal beings. This was his primary motivation and the driving force behind his choice.
- Headmaster of the Salvatore School: In *Legacies*, Alaric serves as the headmaster of the Salvatore Boarding School for the Young & Gifted. This role perfectly encapsulates his unique position: a human with immense wisdom about the supernatural, acting as a protector, mentor, and guide for young witches, vampires, and werewolves. He can no longer fight supernatural threats with brute force, but his strategic mind, extensive knowledge, and unwavering moral compass make him an invaluable leader.
- Continued Vulnerability: His humanity means he is vulnerable. He can be injured, grow old, and die. This adds a layer of tension to his character in *Legacies*, as he often finds himself in perilous situations without the benefit of supernatural strength or healing. However, it also highlights his courage and dedication to protecting his students and daughters.
Alaric’s journey from human to two different types of vampires and back to human again is arguably one of the most dynamic character arcs in *The Vampire Diaries* universe. It highlights the show’s complex lore and the profound impact of choice and consequence. His decision to become human was not about weakness, but about strength – the strength to choose a vulnerable, yet profoundly fulfilling, life dedicated to family and mentorship.
In conclusion, Alaric is not a vampire anymore because he consciously chose to take The Cure for vampirism in Season 7 of *The Vampire Diaries*. This decision, made after experiencing both enhanced Original vampirism and conventional vampirism, was driven by his deep love for his daughters, Josie and Lizzie, and his desire to provide them with a normal, stable, human upbringing. His journey is a testament to the intricate and ever-evolving lore of the series, showcasing that for some, the greatest power lies not in immortality, but in the embrace of a mortal life filled with love and purpose.