Elena fully remembers that she loves Damon again in season 6, episode 20, “I’d Leave My Happy Home for You.”

Quick answer

  • After having her love for Damon magically erased earlier in season 6, Elena gradually starts to fall for him again, but the actual moment she gets all her old memories back is in 6x20, once the cure to vampirism starts working on her.
  • In that episode, her restored memories of their entire relationship come flooding back, and she remembers how deeply she loved him before the compulsion.

How it builds up in season 6

  • Earlier in the season, Elena asks Alaric to erase her love for Damon so she can move on after believing he’s gone for good.
  • When Damon returns from the prison world, she only remembers him as the dangerous “bad guy,” so they spend much of season 6 dating and creating new feelings while her old memories remain blocked.

The exact memory-return episode

  • By “I’d Leave My Happy Home for You” (6x20), Elena has taken the cure, and as it takes effect, the magic tied to her compulsion begins to unravel.
  • This is when she finally regains all of her original memories of Damon, including remembering that she already loved him long before season 6.

Mini note on the love vs. memory question

  • Emotionally, she starts realizing she still has feelings for Damon earlier in the season as they grow close again, even without her original memories.
  • But if the question is strictly “when does Elena remember she loves Damon in season 6,” the canon answer is episode 20.

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