As of the time of this writing, The Originals has been picked up for a season starting in the fall and I couldn’t be more pleased. A full hour each week of Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah, and their complete dysfunction brings me bliss. I have yet to hear a good and sexy cajun accent on the show, but I expect there to be at least one episode next year where Klaus talks low and close to some man with a Louisiana drawl. Klaus will say sweetheart, the other dude will say darlin’ and I will say, “Yes! Yes! Oh, god, Yes!” Ahem. I will be pleased, is what I’m saying. So the gnashing of teeth and rending of garments that occurs with TVD on a daily basis happened here as well, but since the pilot has been picked up I don’t feel it necessary to dole out throat-punches to anyone who could have screwed this up.
Since so much of this episode involves new characters with no background for me to rant and rave about for words on end, this recap is a bit lighter in content than normal, so I apologize. I would, however, really like some feedback on whether people would like me to recap The Originals this fall. I’m not looking for ego stroking, just wondering if they will be read. There is nothing more depressing for a writer than to feel their voice is not heard. So if you are interested, drop me a line in my Ask box, or tweet me @MaddieSBH and I will get an idea if I should add it. Thanks!
We begin on a quickly desiccating Robo-Elena. As proof that every single character has had a lobotomy this year, Damon is shocked, shocked I tell you, at her level of calm. I can say from experience that when I have reached the nuclear level of pissed off, I look that calm as well and it’s because I am focusing my mind power on the quickest way to extract the most painful revenge imaginable. Usually involving piranha and vats of boiling oil, just so you know. Her increased hunger will only “heighten” her creativity. Good for her.
Kat comes in as the exposition fairy this week. It seems Klaus has scampered off to Nawlins and I do believe by the sly smile on her face and her dropping Hayley’s name, our kitten knows why.
*Insert establishing aerial shot here.*
As Anne Rice confirmed lo these many years ago, New Orleans truly is a perfect place for various creatures of the night. Under the guise of the normal levels of debauchery that can be found, there could easily lie another level of sin and seduction. We see Hayley’s mark and her new ‘do hanging at a bar with Jane-Anne Deveraux, the focus of Klaus’s trip. She gives Hayley a lead and ensures she will visit immediately by saying the magic words on this show, “It’s the last place you’d ever want to go.” *shakes head* These people. Aaaaaand, Jane-Anne has a lock of Hayley’s hair. Sure sure, this’ll end well.
Jane-Anne and Sophie, who we will soon discover are sisters, wander through a cemetary in order to find the perfect spot to do witchy things. Sophie has had a vision involving Hayley that will bring about the downfall of Klaus. I couldn’t imagine what it would be at this point, because although Klaus slept with her and actually admires her tenacity at not bowing down to him, Hayley is in no way a motivator for him.
So here come the 50 bazillion candles and the salt symbols. You know the Winchester boys would just kick that salt out of the way and blow out the candles with a shrug and then move on. It is now night and Hayley is still driving around the backwater roads, I’m assuming a bit lost and in another dimension because there is no way she has been driving for HOURS in and around the same area. I’m an awful person because I at first thought Jane-Anne was drawing a penis salt symbol, so subconsciously I must have already realized the reveal would involve Klaus’s package. Unless I am just always thinking of Klaus’s package.
*Yada yada* car trouble *yada yada* chanting and witches coming out of the woodwork *yada yada* Hayley is nabbed.
Elijah is filling in Rebekah on Klaus’s journey to discover who else is plotting against him. Elijah calls her on her giddiness, and although I love Klaus, I get where Rebekah is coming from. She has been the one trying to hold them all together for centuries. Girl is tired. “We are three distrustful acquaintances who happen to share a bloodline.” Yep yep. Elijah is also unsure of his allegiance as he wants to discover the plan first before deciding if he is TeamKlaus or TeamWitch. *rolls eyes* Yeah, like that was going to happen. Although the “depending on my mood” made me giggle. Elijah has gotten ALL of the good lines lately. Damon must be livid.
Their conversation was intercut with scenes of Klaus using his version of charm (dimples and veiled threats) to try and extract info from a random Bourbon Street witch. The total lack of poker face on this witch only fuels his already short fuse. Aside - Can you imagine Klaus receiving bad service from some vapid model at Abercrombie or wherever he buys his deep-vee t-shirts? The walls would ring with the wailing of the infidels! Anyhoo, this one proclaims witches don’t talk out of school. Hell, in Mystic Falls, witches don’t even bother going to school. Apparently Marcel has laid down the law on this score.
Klaus arrives in some gin joint and proceeds to glare. I’d have the same look at someone singing such an overplayed song. This would be Marcel. The tension is high as the two approach, but I cannot be the only one having “Beat It” playing in my head and hoping the two of them will have their wrists tied together before having a dance off in the back alley. Just me? Okay, then.
All of this masculine bravado is for show, of course, as the two men embrace as old friends. New Orleans was Klaus’s former stomping ground and Marcel was his sire. When Mikael ran Klaus out long ago, Marcel stepped in and took over as Head Bastard in Charge.
Klaus was good enough to pass along the information on daywalker rings to his friends. Huh. And Stefan never had one made for Lexi, his BFF For Evah. Who exactly is the good guy again?
Marcel talks of inner circles and families and we detect the continuation of the theme from earlier with Elijah and Rebekah. It appears Marcel has created exactly what Klaus has always wanted. And he has the added attraction of having the witches bow down to him, as well. There is even a hierarchy to this fiefdom with nightwalkers appearing to be much lower on the food chain. The very way that Marcel casually states what’s his is Klaus’s has to grate. Klaus does not wish to be the pampered guest of the current ruler. He wishes to be royalty. Green is not a good color for our sweetheart.
Marcel produces Jane-Anne and proceeds to taunt her with her “crimes”. Crimes, of course, that Marcel has written the guidelines and punishments for. He is just giddy with power and that kind of pride normally has a mighty fall. I wonder why there are any witches in New Orleans if he has such power? Why not just leave? Jane-Anne won’t allow the words to slip from her throat, so blood does instead. The cheering is vulgar and far beneath the nobility that Klaus believes is inherent in being a vampire.
And Klaus gets the first inkling that his protege believes he is above the teacher.
After a word with Jerry the Vampire, Klaus is off to talk to another Deveraux witch, Sophie, the sister of the former Jane-Anne. That headscarf is doing her no justice sartorially, but I’ll let it slide. Klaus calls the previous show melodramatic. *cough* Operatic Slaughter of Hybrids in the Forest *cough*
Sophie points out to Klaus this is no longer his town and he is one step closer to losing his shit. The two vamps Marcel has tailing him adds to his anger. You can tell Klaus’s exact level of irritation by the length of his responses. He gets a bit wordy and melodious in cadence the more pissy he gets. God, I love that. He warns the duo off and leaves.
Sophie goes out the backdoor into the alley. Alone. At night. With vampires on her tail. Ah! I see we are keeping with the stupidity theme even in the spinoff. Joy. She prays for her sister and this is enough justification for these two vamps to intimidate her, but she just doesn’t give a fuck anymore. Vamp 1 grabs her, but is suddenly persona non grata in this alley and has disappeared. Wait! Not totally, as that would be his head. And now Vamp 2 is pinned to the wall. Who could her savior be? Why, it is the suavest murder in history. Not a spot of blood nor hair out of place for our Elijah.
Klaus goes to have a word or fifty with Marcel and is instantly disgusted by the gauche displays of overt vampirism. It is cheap and tawdry and our dimpled demon is furious at what has become of his cultural mecca. Klaus spots one of Marcel’s inner circle by his piece of jewelry and this idiot snubs him. Klaus goes all Reese Witherspoon on him, “Don’t you know who I am?!” and Marcel attempts to placate him. When Klaus states that it is his town, there is a slight shift in Marcel’s eyes before he takes Klaus up to view his work.
As Marcel points out the growth of the town, he boasts of all that his single-handed skill has rought. He is simply poking a bear at this point. Klaus’s curiosity about how Marcel is able to keep the witches in line is the key to how Marcel will be able to go on living for the foreseeable future. I don’t believe he is bluffing and I think that is the Big Bad for the spinoff’s first season. Marcel plays off that the tail was only to look out for Klaus, and I believe he is to be trusted with the same amount of effort as I use to determine April’s reason for existence. There attention is taken up by a sassy blonde, whose fate is to be determined by her courage. Hello, Klaus’s new love interest! What?
“Elijah.”
“Klaus.”
“What an entirely unwelcome surprise.”
“And what an entirely unsurprising welcome.”
IF I AM GOING TO GET MORE OF THIS EVERY WEEK I WON’T BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT!
Klaus stomps his foot and refuses to leave until he he finds his treasure chest of information until Elijah provides the map.
Wait. Elijah is wearing a 3-piece suit. In New Orleans. While tussling with witches and vampires. He is one cool mutha..shut yo mouth.
Sophie has decided that Marcel needs to go, and even though Klaus quite probably agrees with her, the last thing you ever wish is to tell Klaus what he is going to do. He is already on a tear before they produce Hayley and he laughs off their presumption that she means anything to him. But these witches are not about emotion right now. They are about balance and the coming of something new. And that something new is Klaus Junior.
“Vampires cannot procreate!”...but they sure love to try. Oh, you know you all finished that line.
Sophie points out that werewolves can and Klaus is part were. What is most heartbreaking and moving about this entire exchange is that from the very first moment Elijah declares Hayley pregnant, Klaus wants to believe. The slight sheen of tears in his eyes gives it away. HIs bluster and words are but a cover for the deep wanting he now feels. The witches have done some kind of magical mojo that ties the life of Hayley and the child to the death of Marcel. Uncle Elijah is all up in that ready to kill Marcel himself, but you see things are never that simple. Sophie, oh honey, never tell Nik there are rules and he must follow them. Control is the only thing he has left and he will not submit himself to anyone for any reason, That is his prideful shortcoming and you have just highlighted it. In a twisted version of a vampire sonogram, Klaus listens and hears the heartbeat of his unborn child. He will demand their death, but it is the shallow threat of a nearly broken man.
Elijah makes his case for why this pregnancy is so important beyond the uniqueness of it all. This is a chance for an Uncle Elijah, who will make sure the child never toes one well-shod step out of line nor wears white after Labor Day. That child will have the slickest haircut in Pre-K. Aunty Bekah would buy out the Neiman Marcus baby department and FAO Schwartz. It gives her humanity in a roundabout way. Right now Klaus is focusing on the manipulation, but he wants nothing more in the world than to have a family of his own. It's all he's ever wanted. It IS his weakness. Klaus would kill for that child. I know many won't like this story line, but this is EXACTLY the perfect outcome to his obsession. I will go into this further with my end rant if you are more interested in my thinking.
“Family is power, Niklaus. Love. Loyalty. That’s power.”
The simple “no” that follows Elijah’s powerful argument does not come from Klaus’s heart, nor his head. It comes from his hurt.
Elijah fills in Bekah on the impending addition to their fucked up family tree, and she feigns indifference. Yes, I said feigns, because no matter what she says now, Rebekah loves and needs her brothers. Katherine has listened in on their squabble and proves the Petrova intelligence is still intact. She knows that Klaus will come around and accept this child. What has driven her has driven Klaus. The stark loneliness and desire for family. Both chased by mad men for centuries and never having any peace.
Marcel makes the miserable mistake of calling New Orleans “my town” and Klaus, who is already a few fries short of a happy meal, loses it. Oh, no he didn't throw slavery in Marcel's face. And then Marcel called Klaus jealous. This'll be a slap fight any minute.
“I’m not the prince of the quarter, friend. I’m the king! Show me some respect” This fight just got real, yo. And with that, the tides have turned. Klaus shows the tiny flaw in Marcel’s reasoning. Anyone who breaks a rule dies. Klaus is going to break the rule of hurting one of the inner circle, and yet remains unkillable. You are not as powerful as you believe, Marcel. Nor do you have as big an ego.
As he walks off his tantrum, Klaus comes upon a street artist and his sassy blonde, Camille, from earlier. She must have shown Marcel bravery in order to have survived that confrontation. Let’s see what else she brings to the table, shall we? She has an appreciation for art and an insight into the artist that happens to mirror the very thing that drives Klaus. He blinks back tears again as he is moved by her words. Gee, do you think Klaus has a type? What can I say? I kinda like her, but it’s too early to tell.
Her words speak to his injured soul and he rethinks what he said to Elijah earlier. Marcel has power, loyalty, and family, things that Klaus prizes above all else. He wants back what he sees as rightfully his. It is time for the family to unite and come together in the one place they knew happiness. Klaus has decided he wishes to be King and every King needs an heir.
Step one of the plan commences with Klaus healing the vamp he had bitten earlier. All is forgiven, yes?
A bone is thrown to the Klaroline shippers in the form of a phone message, thus allowing for crossover storylines in the future.
Rebekah is going to take a bit more convincing. Elijah offers her family and children, in a slightly different version of what she envisioned. She is still far too hurt by recent events, but within the next episode or two events will unfold to change her mind, of course. She is going to hang around through the end of the Silas storyline so some people can still believe she will be the vampire who is cured, but won’t be because it is Damon and STOP MAKING ME TYPE THAT!
Oh, Katherine, please do not deign to describe someone as irredeemable. There are those who would stamp that label on your chest and would be just as wrong as you are. Elijah kisses her softly on the forehead in the gentlest kiss-off seen in recent history. She knows it the very second it happens and the goodbye is superfluous.
God, I can’t even with this scene. Damon brings Elena some blood which is of course laced with vervain so she horks it out. He is far too smug and I wish to punch him. I HAVE NEVER FELT THAT WAY BEFORE AND IT IS KILLING ME! Damon and Stefan have decided to break Elena using Lexi’s methods that ARE THE WORST THING EVER AND HAVE MADE STEFAN THE POMPOUS AND ARROGANT MONSTER WHO GOES ON RANDOM KILLING SPREES HE IS TODAY! With the way these two have been forcing choices down her throat, I am Team Elena “Fuck You” Gilbert all the way. I hope she outlasts them both.
Now for the issue that has everyone in a tizzy. There are so very many people who are horrified with Hayley’s pregnancy and I have seen more concern about this than I have for the possible Silas induced zombie apocalypse. I am sure I will surprise no one when I state my position with glee that I LOVE IT. I have no doubts that the showrunners are bright enough not to make this a Twilight redux. I know I’m going to shock some of you, but there is a world of literature and tales out there far predating Twilight that include supernatural children. Just because it was a recent cultural phenomenon does not mean that everything after it owes some kind of fealty. I am already sick to death of hearing TVD is some kind of rip off, even though it is approximately 1,000,000,000xs (I rounded down) more mature and complex than Twilight, must we already begin to compare the new show to the abomination with glittery disco ball vampires?
With that said, the ability of Klaus to be able to father a child is not entirely all “magic did it” or “our love is so special and pure it was somehow able to produce a mcguffin, er, baby”. The werewolves on the show have children. Klaus is a hybrid and so half werewolf. It is not beyond reason that he is not purely dead and there is some life in his swimmers. As to why he never produced a child over the years, again that is not hard to deduce. His werewolf side was not brought to the fore until Episode 2x21: The Sun Also Rises. Until then he was only vampire, so all the fair maidens he bedded throughout his existence would have been free from fear of fecundity. When his werewolf side was “activated” it is possible his sperm were activated as well. Since that fateful night, have we seen Klaus bump furries with anyone? No. And just like every afterschool special has shown us, it only takes one time.
What I find incredibly fascinating, and twisted, about all this is the possibility for Klaus and the rest of his family to have what they have craved for 1000 years. There is nothing that will drive a story faster than the protagonists having hope of happiness just beyond their grasp and everything they do in their attempts to claim it. Klaus can build a biological family raised from birth to owe him allegiance as the father. Rebekah can be surrounded by normalcy in the form of nieces and nephews who would adore her completely. She would spoil them with love as no child has ever been spoiled. Oh, she would get it wrong quite often, but she would love them. Elijah would have his family united as one in a common cause to be benevolent rulers of New Orleans. He has always thought of himself as royalty and you all know it. His haughty demeanor and dapper ways bespeak of a man who believes he is doling out indulgences to the plebeians around him. I am sorry, Klaus, but the true King is Elijah.
Where the twisted side comes in is in how the show will prevent them from ever achieving this happiness. After four seasons absolutely everyone who watches this show should know it has less to do with supernatural creatures and more to do with how far will someone go in a desperate attempt for peace. We have seen creatures in bleak and dark places have a sliver of sunlight fall upon their faces and go absolutely mad with wanting. Every single act has been that of a sadly downtrodden figure seeing a way out of the darkness, only to have that light move further and further away like the door in Poltergeist, so they just run faster. That “run faster” entails more evil acts, unthinking and uncaring of the consequences other than getting them that moment of acceptance. That moment of happiness. That moment of love. So Plec and company will dangle that carrot of hope in front of their noses on a weekly basis while they grasp and struggle to reach it.
And we watch because no matter how evil they are, we understand that drive. It is human.
Since so much of this episode involves new characters with no background for me to rant and rave about for words on end, this recap is a bit lighter in content than normal, so I apologize. I would, however, really like some feedback on whether people would like me to recap The Originals this fall. I’m not looking for ego stroking, just wondering if they will be read. There is nothing more depressing for a writer than to feel their voice is not heard. So if you are interested, drop me a line in my Ask box, or tweet me @MaddieSBH and I will get an idea if I should add it. Thanks!
We begin on a quickly desiccating Robo-Elena. As proof that every single character has had a lobotomy this year, Damon is shocked, shocked I tell you, at her level of calm. I can say from experience that when I have reached the nuclear level of pissed off, I look that calm as well and it’s because I am focusing my mind power on the quickest way to extract the most painful revenge imaginable. Usually involving piranha and vats of boiling oil, just so you know. Her increased hunger will only “heighten” her creativity. Good for her.
Kat comes in as the exposition fairy this week. It seems Klaus has scampered off to Nawlins and I do believe by the sly smile on her face and her dropping Hayley’s name, our kitten knows why.
*Insert establishing aerial shot here.*
As Anne Rice confirmed lo these many years ago, New Orleans truly is a perfect place for various creatures of the night. Under the guise of the normal levels of debauchery that can be found, there could easily lie another level of sin and seduction. We see Hayley’s mark and her new ‘do hanging at a bar with Jane-Anne Deveraux, the focus of Klaus’s trip. She gives Hayley a lead and ensures she will visit immediately by saying the magic words on this show, “It’s the last place you’d ever want to go.” *shakes head* These people. Aaaaaand, Jane-Anne has a lock of Hayley’s hair. Sure sure, this’ll end well.
Jane-Anne and Sophie, who we will soon discover are sisters, wander through a cemetary in order to find the perfect spot to do witchy things. Sophie has had a vision involving Hayley that will bring about the downfall of Klaus. I couldn’t imagine what it would be at this point, because although Klaus slept with her and actually admires her tenacity at not bowing down to him, Hayley is in no way a motivator for him.
So here come the 50 bazillion candles and the salt symbols. You know the Winchester boys would just kick that salt out of the way and blow out the candles with a shrug and then move on. It is now night and Hayley is still driving around the backwater roads, I’m assuming a bit lost and in another dimension because there is no way she has been driving for HOURS in and around the same area. I’m an awful person because I at first thought Jane-Anne was drawing a penis salt symbol, so subconsciously I must have already realized the reveal would involve Klaus’s package. Unless I am just always thinking of Klaus’s package.
*Yada yada* car trouble *yada yada* chanting and witches coming out of the woodwork *yada yada* Hayley is nabbed.
Elijah is filling in Rebekah on Klaus’s journey to discover who else is plotting against him. Elijah calls her on her giddiness, and although I love Klaus, I get where Rebekah is coming from. She has been the one trying to hold them all together for centuries. Girl is tired. “We are three distrustful acquaintances who happen to share a bloodline.” Yep yep. Elijah is also unsure of his allegiance as he wants to discover the plan first before deciding if he is TeamKlaus or TeamWitch. *rolls eyes* Yeah, like that was going to happen. Although the “depending on my mood” made me giggle. Elijah has gotten ALL of the good lines lately. Damon must be livid.
Their conversation was intercut with scenes of Klaus using his version of charm (dimples and veiled threats) to try and extract info from a random Bourbon Street witch. The total lack of poker face on this witch only fuels his already short fuse. Aside - Can you imagine Klaus receiving bad service from some vapid model at Abercrombie or wherever he buys his deep-vee t-shirts? The walls would ring with the wailing of the infidels! Anyhoo, this one proclaims witches don’t talk out of school. Hell, in Mystic Falls, witches don’t even bother going to school. Apparently Marcel has laid down the law on this score.
Klaus arrives in some gin joint and proceeds to glare. I’d have the same look at someone singing such an overplayed song. This would be Marcel. The tension is high as the two approach, but I cannot be the only one having “Beat It” playing in my head and hoping the two of them will have their wrists tied together before having a dance off in the back alley. Just me? Okay, then.
All of this masculine bravado is for show, of course, as the two men embrace as old friends. New Orleans was Klaus’s former stomping ground and Marcel was his sire. When Mikael ran Klaus out long ago, Marcel stepped in and took over as Head Bastard in Charge.
Klaus was good enough to pass along the information on daywalker rings to his friends. Huh. And Stefan never had one made for Lexi, his BFF For Evah. Who exactly is the good guy again?
Marcel talks of inner circles and families and we detect the continuation of the theme from earlier with Elijah and Rebekah. It appears Marcel has created exactly what Klaus has always wanted. And he has the added attraction of having the witches bow down to him, as well. There is even a hierarchy to this fiefdom with nightwalkers appearing to be much lower on the food chain. The very way that Marcel casually states what’s his is Klaus’s has to grate. Klaus does not wish to be the pampered guest of the current ruler. He wishes to be royalty. Green is not a good color for our sweetheart.
Marcel produces Jane-Anne and proceeds to taunt her with her “crimes”. Crimes, of course, that Marcel has written the guidelines and punishments for. He is just giddy with power and that kind of pride normally has a mighty fall. I wonder why there are any witches in New Orleans if he has such power? Why not just leave? Jane-Anne won’t allow the words to slip from her throat, so blood does instead. The cheering is vulgar and far beneath the nobility that Klaus believes is inherent in being a vampire.
And Klaus gets the first inkling that his protege believes he is above the teacher.
After a word with Jerry the Vampire, Klaus is off to talk to another Deveraux witch, Sophie, the sister of the former Jane-Anne. That headscarf is doing her no justice sartorially, but I’ll let it slide. Klaus calls the previous show melodramatic. *cough* Operatic Slaughter of Hybrids in the Forest *cough*
Sophie points out to Klaus this is no longer his town and he is one step closer to losing his shit. The two vamps Marcel has tailing him adds to his anger. You can tell Klaus’s exact level of irritation by the length of his responses. He gets a bit wordy and melodious in cadence the more pissy he gets. God, I love that. He warns the duo off and leaves.
Sophie goes out the backdoor into the alley. Alone. At night. With vampires on her tail. Ah! I see we are keeping with the stupidity theme even in the spinoff. Joy. She prays for her sister and this is enough justification for these two vamps to intimidate her, but she just doesn’t give a fuck anymore. Vamp 1 grabs her, but is suddenly persona non grata in this alley and has disappeared. Wait! Not totally, as that would be his head. And now Vamp 2 is pinned to the wall. Who could her savior be? Why, it is the suavest murder in history. Not a spot of blood nor hair out of place for our Elijah.
Klaus goes to have a word or fifty with Marcel and is instantly disgusted by the gauche displays of overt vampirism. It is cheap and tawdry and our dimpled demon is furious at what has become of his cultural mecca. Klaus spots one of Marcel’s inner circle by his piece of jewelry and this idiot snubs him. Klaus goes all Reese Witherspoon on him, “Don’t you know who I am?!” and Marcel attempts to placate him. When Klaus states that it is his town, there is a slight shift in Marcel’s eyes before he takes Klaus up to view his work.
As Marcel points out the growth of the town, he boasts of all that his single-handed skill has rought. He is simply poking a bear at this point. Klaus’s curiosity about how Marcel is able to keep the witches in line is the key to how Marcel will be able to go on living for the foreseeable future. I don’t believe he is bluffing and I think that is the Big Bad for the spinoff’s first season. Marcel plays off that the tail was only to look out for Klaus, and I believe he is to be trusted with the same amount of effort as I use to determine April’s reason for existence. There attention is taken up by a sassy blonde, whose fate is to be determined by her courage. Hello, Klaus’s new love interest! What?
“Elijah.”
“Klaus.”
“What an entirely unwelcome surprise.”
“And what an entirely unsurprising welcome.”
IF I AM GOING TO GET MORE OF THIS EVERY WEEK I WON’T BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT!
Klaus stomps his foot and refuses to leave until he he finds his treasure chest of information until Elijah provides the map.
Wait. Elijah is wearing a 3-piece suit. In New Orleans. While tussling with witches and vampires. He is one cool mutha..shut yo mouth.
Sophie has decided that Marcel needs to go, and even though Klaus quite probably agrees with her, the last thing you ever wish is to tell Klaus what he is going to do. He is already on a tear before they produce Hayley and he laughs off their presumption that she means anything to him. But these witches are not about emotion right now. They are about balance and the coming of something new. And that something new is Klaus Junior.
“Vampires cannot procreate!”...but they sure love to try. Oh, you know you all finished that line.
Sophie points out that werewolves can and Klaus is part were. What is most heartbreaking and moving about this entire exchange is that from the very first moment Elijah declares Hayley pregnant, Klaus wants to believe. The slight sheen of tears in his eyes gives it away. HIs bluster and words are but a cover for the deep wanting he now feels. The witches have done some kind of magical mojo that ties the life of Hayley and the child to the death of Marcel. Uncle Elijah is all up in that ready to kill Marcel himself, but you see things are never that simple. Sophie, oh honey, never tell Nik there are rules and he must follow them. Control is the only thing he has left and he will not submit himself to anyone for any reason, That is his prideful shortcoming and you have just highlighted it. In a twisted version of a vampire sonogram, Klaus listens and hears the heartbeat of his unborn child. He will demand their death, but it is the shallow threat of a nearly broken man.
Elijah makes his case for why this pregnancy is so important beyond the uniqueness of it all. This is a chance for an Uncle Elijah, who will make sure the child never toes one well-shod step out of line nor wears white after Labor Day. That child will have the slickest haircut in Pre-K. Aunty Bekah would buy out the Neiman Marcus baby department and FAO Schwartz. It gives her humanity in a roundabout way. Right now Klaus is focusing on the manipulation, but he wants nothing more in the world than to have a family of his own. It's all he's ever wanted. It IS his weakness. Klaus would kill for that child. I know many won't like this story line, but this is EXACTLY the perfect outcome to his obsession. I will go into this further with my end rant if you are more interested in my thinking.
“Family is power, Niklaus. Love. Loyalty. That’s power.”
The simple “no” that follows Elijah’s powerful argument does not come from Klaus’s heart, nor his head. It comes from his hurt.
Elijah fills in Bekah on the impending addition to their fucked up family tree, and she feigns indifference. Yes, I said feigns, because no matter what she says now, Rebekah loves and needs her brothers. Katherine has listened in on their squabble and proves the Petrova intelligence is still intact. She knows that Klaus will come around and accept this child. What has driven her has driven Klaus. The stark loneliness and desire for family. Both chased by mad men for centuries and never having any peace.
Marcel makes the miserable mistake of calling New Orleans “my town” and Klaus, who is already a few fries short of a happy meal, loses it. Oh, no he didn't throw slavery in Marcel's face. And then Marcel called Klaus jealous. This'll be a slap fight any minute.
“I’m not the prince of the quarter, friend. I’m the king! Show me some respect” This fight just got real, yo. And with that, the tides have turned. Klaus shows the tiny flaw in Marcel’s reasoning. Anyone who breaks a rule dies. Klaus is going to break the rule of hurting one of the inner circle, and yet remains unkillable. You are not as powerful as you believe, Marcel. Nor do you have as big an ego.
As he walks off his tantrum, Klaus comes upon a street artist and his sassy blonde, Camille, from earlier. She must have shown Marcel bravery in order to have survived that confrontation. Let’s see what else she brings to the table, shall we? She has an appreciation for art and an insight into the artist that happens to mirror the very thing that drives Klaus. He blinks back tears again as he is moved by her words. Gee, do you think Klaus has a type? What can I say? I kinda like her, but it’s too early to tell.
Her words speak to his injured soul and he rethinks what he said to Elijah earlier. Marcel has power, loyalty, and family, things that Klaus prizes above all else. He wants back what he sees as rightfully his. It is time for the family to unite and come together in the one place they knew happiness. Klaus has decided he wishes to be King and every King needs an heir.
Step one of the plan commences with Klaus healing the vamp he had bitten earlier. All is forgiven, yes?
A bone is thrown to the Klaroline shippers in the form of a phone message, thus allowing for crossover storylines in the future.
Rebekah is going to take a bit more convincing. Elijah offers her family and children, in a slightly different version of what she envisioned. She is still far too hurt by recent events, but within the next episode or two events will unfold to change her mind, of course. She is going to hang around through the end of the Silas storyline so some people can still believe she will be the vampire who is cured, but won’t be because it is Damon and STOP MAKING ME TYPE THAT!
Oh, Katherine, please do not deign to describe someone as irredeemable. There are those who would stamp that label on your chest and would be just as wrong as you are. Elijah kisses her softly on the forehead in the gentlest kiss-off seen in recent history. She knows it the very second it happens and the goodbye is superfluous.
God, I can’t even with this scene. Damon brings Elena some blood which is of course laced with vervain so she horks it out. He is far too smug and I wish to punch him. I HAVE NEVER FELT THAT WAY BEFORE AND IT IS KILLING ME! Damon and Stefan have decided to break Elena using Lexi’s methods that ARE THE WORST THING EVER AND HAVE MADE STEFAN THE POMPOUS AND ARROGANT MONSTER WHO GOES ON RANDOM KILLING SPREES HE IS TODAY! With the way these two have been forcing choices down her throat, I am Team Elena “Fuck You” Gilbert all the way. I hope she outlasts them both.
Now for the issue that has everyone in a tizzy. There are so very many people who are horrified with Hayley’s pregnancy and I have seen more concern about this than I have for the possible Silas induced zombie apocalypse. I am sure I will surprise no one when I state my position with glee that I LOVE IT. I have no doubts that the showrunners are bright enough not to make this a Twilight redux. I know I’m going to shock some of you, but there is a world of literature and tales out there far predating Twilight that include supernatural children. Just because it was a recent cultural phenomenon does not mean that everything after it owes some kind of fealty. I am already sick to death of hearing TVD is some kind of rip off, even though it is approximately 1,000,000,000xs (I rounded down) more mature and complex than Twilight, must we already begin to compare the new show to the abomination with glittery disco ball vampires?
With that said, the ability of Klaus to be able to father a child is not entirely all “magic did it” or “our love is so special and pure it was somehow able to produce a mcguffin, er, baby”. The werewolves on the show have children. Klaus is a hybrid and so half werewolf. It is not beyond reason that he is not purely dead and there is some life in his swimmers. As to why he never produced a child over the years, again that is not hard to deduce. His werewolf side was not brought to the fore until Episode 2x21: The Sun Also Rises. Until then he was only vampire, so all the fair maidens he bedded throughout his existence would have been free from fear of fecundity. When his werewolf side was “activated” it is possible his sperm were activated as well. Since that fateful night, have we seen Klaus bump furries with anyone? No. And just like every afterschool special has shown us, it only takes one time.
What I find incredibly fascinating, and twisted, about all this is the possibility for Klaus and the rest of his family to have what they have craved for 1000 years. There is nothing that will drive a story faster than the protagonists having hope of happiness just beyond their grasp and everything they do in their attempts to claim it. Klaus can build a biological family raised from birth to owe him allegiance as the father. Rebekah can be surrounded by normalcy in the form of nieces and nephews who would adore her completely. She would spoil them with love as no child has ever been spoiled. Oh, she would get it wrong quite often, but she would love them. Elijah would have his family united as one in a common cause to be benevolent rulers of New Orleans. He has always thought of himself as royalty and you all know it. His haughty demeanor and dapper ways bespeak of a man who believes he is doling out indulgences to the plebeians around him. I am sorry, Klaus, but the true King is Elijah.
Where the twisted side comes in is in how the show will prevent them from ever achieving this happiness. After four seasons absolutely everyone who watches this show should know it has less to do with supernatural creatures and more to do with how far will someone go in a desperate attempt for peace. We have seen creatures in bleak and dark places have a sliver of sunlight fall upon their faces and go absolutely mad with wanting. Every single act has been that of a sadly downtrodden figure seeing a way out of the darkness, only to have that light move further and further away like the door in Poltergeist, so they just run faster. That “run faster” entails more evil acts, unthinking and uncaring of the consequences other than getting them that moment of acceptance. That moment of happiness. That moment of love. So Plec and company will dangle that carrot of hope in front of their noses on a weekly basis while they grasp and struggle to reach it.
And we watch because no matter how evil they are, we understand that drive. It is human.