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The Originals: Fruit of the Poisoned Tree

Elijah: "No one hurts my family and lives."

The episode started out with a brutal reminder that our core characters are still bloodthirsty vampires who have been killing for a thousand years. Even Elijah and Rebekah. What a twisted, dysfunctional family.

Of course it's all about family. Klaus and his ties to Marcel, Klaus and Rebekah, Rebekah and Elijah, Marcel and Thierry, and of course Elijah and Hayley. Elijah so clearly cares for her in a way that's more than just the protective uncle of her unborn child. He may not even really understand his feelings, but the sparks between them were palpable. His actions were also very telling; they way he killed the elder witch Agnes was kind of perfect. Sophie begged him to keep Klaus from killing her, when it was clear he had his own reasons for wanting her dead.

That's an interesting point about Elijah's code of honor. He kept his word, but didn't keep to the spirit of it. Sophie was asking him to spare her for the sake of her people. Elijah only kept to his actual promise, and that's a harsh truth about his nature. He might be the honorable one, but he's still a monster like his siblings. I also loved that he did it for Klaus too, because that smile Klaus gave him after he killed the witch was great.

Poor Rebekah, though. She needs to get away from her family in the worst way. She even slept with Marcel to get some distance from Klaus. And yet she was the one that ended up cleaning up the murder of that poor girl, and mopping up her blood while wearing an expensive dress. I hope that her blossoming relationship with Hayley will help ease some of her pain. She needs someone she can trust, and I hope Hayley can be that person for her.

I'm still a little fuzzy about the time frame. It's clear at least a couple months have passed since the premiere, because Hayley is starting to show. Yet what about Rebekah's trip to Europe with Matt? Where does that fall, did it happen before the season started? If so, when did that episode fit in to the greater continuity? Will Rebekah leave again, is this before Klaus went to save Caroline at graduation? Perhaps I'm being nitpicky, but it's starting to bother me a little.

So Klaus created the human council that Father Kieran is in charge of. That explains Kieran's place in the greater scheme of things, and shows some interesting foresight on Klaus's part. He really was a king back then, not just a tyrant. He cared enough about the city to create a balance with the supernatural world. He also still cares to an extent, because he didn't just kill the council when they didn't immediately bow to his demands. That means the humans have some power. Very cool.

Bits:

Marcel learned to read on Shakespeare? Talk about a steep learning curve.

Father Kieran didn't know about Sean, and now Cami has threatened Klaus about him removing her grief.

Agnes was the last living elder, and was apparently the only one who could perform the harvest ritual. I bet Sophie will end up doing it by season's end.

At the beginning of the episode, Klaus was acting petulant again, much like he did when he first arrived on The Vampire Diaries. I wonder if that's because big brother is back and in charge.

I really like seeing all three of the siblings working together to save Hayley. It gives them humanity. I'm also surprised at how much I like Hayley. I sort of want Hayley to become a hybrid so she won't grow old and die. Actually on that note, does Elijah have the original spell to make a vampire? Is Davina powerful enough to do it? What if she made Hayley an Original?

I get why Rebekah wants to be free of Klaus. He can't keep stuffing her in a coffin. It's exactly like what Marcel did to Thierry.

Marcel was trying to get the location of Klaus's hiding place from Rebekah, but she didn't give it up consciously. Yet I wonder if going for that apple was a unintentional way of betraying Klaus, since Marcel would know where those apples came from -- that Plantation was where he was born.

After all that drama saving Hayley, Marcel kidnapped her. I'm not sure how I feel about her being a constant damsel in destress.

Here's the full version of the poem Klaus read at the beginning of the episode;

"A Poison Tree"
I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

And I watered it in fears,
Night and morning with my tears;
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine.
And he knew that it was mine,

And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

- William Blake

Quotes:

Rebekah: "So this is what you do the first time we're back together as a family: vampire book club?"

Klaus: "You lot are the Faction, pillars of the community who maintain the city's supernatural balance. I should know. I created this group. Only in my day it was a bunch of pirates and corrupt politicians. Looks like nothing's changed."

Rebekah: "How did I get elected supernanny?"

Rebekah: "Poetry about poisoned apples from dead trees. Looks like someone's worried about impending daddyhood."
Klaus: "Nonsense. Elijah's back. In his presence, all problems turn to pixie dust and float away."
Elijah: "Strange. I don't recall any pixie dust from the darkness of the coffin I was recently forced to endure."

Another really good episode, and the first time we got to see the Mikaelson family dynamics in a more private way.

3 out of 4 Cursed Needles.

Samantha M. Quinn spends most of her time in front of a computer typing away at one thing or another; when she has free time, she enjoys pretty much anything science fiction or fantasy-related.

4 comments:

  1. I'm really really enjoying The Originals; Plec seems to be redeeming herself from the mess of TVD.

    Also Elijah in casual wear? Looks really good.

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  2. I'm starting to ship Elijah and Hayley. And I never thought that would happen.

    Terrific review, J.D.

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  3. Anytime I want to introduce one of my friends to The Originals, I think I'll show them the badass Elijah scene at the church. That'll get anyone, male or female, instantly hooked. Man, that was awesome.

    I figured TVD 4x20 and OGs 1x01 took place around April/early May ish... and then OGs 1x02 skipped ahead a few months (same as TVD), at summer's end with the arrival of Rebekah. She was briefly on an ep of TVD saying goodbye to Matt and I assume she popped down to NOLA directly after that. Now, the shows are running concurrently. Hayley and Klaus got horizontal in what... TVD 4x16? So maybe March ish? Show-wise, I'd reckon it's still maybe Semtember-ish, gauging on Elena and Caroline's 'still-newish-at Whitmore' status.

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  4. I am really enjoying this series... I already prefer it to TVD.

    I was bit apprehensive about it as I was not keen on Hayley in TVD. But she's grown on me as the series has progressed.

    I'm glad we were reminded of what Elijah is capable in this episode, he had started to seem a bit too good. I'm surprised Sophie didn't pick up on his carefully worded pledge, I know I did.
    Klaus' smile at Elijah's action was great, he looked so genuinely pleased with the turn of events.



    ReplyDelete

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