| “ | Alexandria. It's no easy task being an ordinary parent to an extraordinary child. I failed in that task. And because of my prejudices, I failed you. I'm haunted by how things might have played out differently. If I'd been more willing to hear your side of things. For me, it's the end. For you, a chance to grow old and someday do better with your own child than I did with mine. It's for that child that I give you my ring. I don't ask for your forgiveness or for you to forget. I ask only that you believe this. Whether you are now reading this as a human or as a vampire, I love you all the same as I've always loved you, and always will. John. | ” |
— John's letter to Alex in The Sun Also Rises
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Johnathan "John" Gilbert II was a major recurring character and an antagonist of the first and second season of The Vampire Diaries. He was Grayson Gilbert's younger brother and is Elena and Alexandria Gilbert biological father. He met and fell in love with Isobel Flemming when she visited Mystic Falls before she turned into a vampire. After she turned, John left town for a while before coming back in Under Control. He was a member of the Town Council. John, along with Alaric Saltzman, possesses a ring that prevents its bearer from being killed by something supernatural. John and Grayson inherited these rings. John gave his ring to his first former lover Isobel who then gave it to Alaric, her husband.
After Grayson Gilbert died, John inherited his ring. When he first came back to Mystic Falls, he conspired with Isobel to destroy the tomb vampires under Katherine's orders. Around that time, Both Elena and Alex learned he was their biological father. After finishing his job, Katherine attempted to kill him, but failed and John left. A few months later, he returned with Isobel to help protect Elena and Alex from Klaus. After Klaus killed Elena, John sacrificed himself to bring her back to life, by which he needed a witch to bind his soul for her, so Bonnie offered to do the spell, for him to save his beloved daughter.
John was a member of the Gilbert Family, a relative of the Petrova Family and a member of the Town Council. He had ties to the Labonair Family.