The Originals: Ashes to Ashes

"I against my brother, my brother and I against the infidel."

In a world where moves and countermoves are made for, against and between family members who can ever trust anyone? Even if you wake up on the same side, it isn't guaranteed that you'll end the day there. In fact, if you're in or around the Mikaelson family circle, it's almost guaranteed that you'll brunch with your enemy by noon and kill your father while reciting poetry.

That was fun.

With an all powerful evil witch on the loose, a baby's life at stake and Marcel getting tortured for information and used as a guard dog, it almost doesn't make sense for Davina to still be so rigidly focused on bringing Kol back. Except it does, because it's Davina. She is loyal to the people that she cares about. I have to give her credit for that. If Vincent is right it might just be the thing that turns her kindness into wickedness, though. I've been a fan of Davina since the beginning. She's not my favorite character or anything, but she is strong and thinks for herself which isn't always easy with so many master manipulators running around. It was sad to see her lose something that she worked so hard for.

I rather liked Rebekah and Elijah digging up Esther's corpse and venting about the newest corner that their brother painted them into. Talking about the murder of their loved ones and watching their dreams slip just out of reach like it happens every day. Because for them, living so many lifetimes with Klaus, these are things that do happen to them all the time. How sad. I thought both actors did a fine job of showing just how tormenting that would be, and even though it's happened so many times before showing the devastation sprouting once again.

Elijah is pissed. At Klaus. Like a lot. Yikes. It would have been interesting to see a real rift between them play out. In the past, Klaus' transgressions got glazed over and even if he wasn't easily forgiven, there were more pressing matters of epically dramatic proportions to be dealt with. I was honestly really looking forward to what it might mean if Elijah held his ground against Klaus for once, but Hayley begged him to stay in Hope's life. I guess him showing up back at the manor to share drinks with Klaus says that we won't get to see too much distance between them. Red door or no red door, I say Elijah is due for some respect from his brother. Some grovelling. A new suit. Or something.

Klaus did apologize to Cami. Does Klaus do that? Then he got even more romantic and told her that they were destined to meet. That if it wasn't the way it happened he would have eventually found her somewhere else. It was a lovely moment for them. Right up until he DID NOT kiss her, left her hanging there all awkwardly and ran into the street like four year old. Billie always mentions that Klaus takes baby steps. Babies move faster than this.

I always worried that the showdown would be disappointing. They really had no other way to play it since the Klaus/Mikael attack of brute force was a disaster and last week's plan fell apart. So I can see why appealing to Dahlia's sensitivities towards her sister was the last logical option. It was the only door they hadn't knocked on. But still I thought the most powerful witch in the world would've been able to put up a better fight than she did. Oh well. I'm also pretty disappointed that Dahlia is gone. It'd be a little impossible to keep her around in any capacity without leaving a very volatile sword hanging over everyone's heads, but I like Claudia Black and I wanted Aunt Dahlia to stick around a while. P.S. Did anyone believe that Esther suddenly felt all warm and fuzzy towards her sister? It seemed confusing to me.

3.5 out of 4 hearts of stone (that turn out to really be made of sunshine and butterfly kisses).

Bites and pieces

Claire Holt is back. Was back? I guess the internets don't know everything. Except I saw a promo of her last week. I liked having her back.

Dahlia melted the dagger, the only existing weapon that could be used to subdue Klaus. Kol and Davina should've talked craftsmanship with whoever made Papa Tunde's knife of neverending torment, because that thing seems indestructible. How sad that the parting gift Kol gave her to protect herself is already gone.

Cami was hilariously terrible at babysitting. Drinking on the job. Playing with the baby in bloody clothes.

Freya giving Rebekah the option of being a vampire or a witch was just lovely. It was also the final straw to endearing Freya to me as part of this show. Very touching sisterly bonding.

Not only did Klaus make an apology this week, he also addressed Freya as 'sister' and didn't throw her across the room when he awoke to her holding the white oak stake over his heart. Blah blah baby steps blah. Give Cami a smooch already.

Esther came back with her original face. Was it just me or did she have on a lot of make-up? Did Elijah dropped her at Sephora before they went to meet Klaus at the bar?

Dahlia and Esther made up just in time for the Mikaelson siblings to leave Klaus sitting at the table alone.

Was Dahlia right about Hope not being able to control her power? Was she lying? Can Freya take over the Yoda role? Will Hope be the big bad in 20 years when the cast reunites for a straight to TV movie??

As suspected, Klaus' secret double agent plan didn't include any mercy for Hayley and the wolves. Poor Hayley.

Rebekah: "With Klaus as dealer, I expect a crappy hand."
Marcel: "It wasn't just a bad hand. He rigged the game. He compelled me to hurt you because he knows what you mean to me."

Freya: "Well, my adage holds. Nothing good ever happens in a clearing in the woods."
Elijah: "Nothing good ever happens where my brother is concerned."

Davina: "The spell's already done. I just use the spirits to turn dirt and ash into flesh and bone, though maybe I should've worn an apron."
It's like a witchy easy bake oven. No lightbulb required.

Rebekah: "I suppose it's a family trait. Everything we love we turn to ash."

Davina: "It's gonna be weird seeing you with your original face."

Esther: "Let me guess... you've brought me back from the dead to torture me."
Elijah: "My dear mother, we simply need your blood. Now in the event that you should suffer horribly I won't say I won't enjoy it immensely."

Rebekah: "Yes, mother, you have no choice, but then again why should you be any different than the rest of us? We're all just dancing puppets in Nik's end of days marionette show."

Vincent: "You've got a little blood right there."
Cami: "Oh, yeah. My dry cleaning bill has been insane since I moved back into town."

Esther: "When I saw my children willing to fight for each other. It was only then that I realized my most grievous sin; not standing by you."

Klaus: "Once upon a time there was a wolf king, who fought a war for the most precious treasure in all the kingdom, his beautiful little princess. But victory came with a price. Allies lost, new enemies made. And so the wolf king stood alone. Happily ever after it was not. But sometimes, even the worst endings aren't really endings at all... And you should know, my littlest wolf, that even when all seems burnt to ash, in our story, there is always another chapter to be told."

This season started out with Rebekah telling Hope a fairytale about her niece's own life. The season went out with Klaus doing the same. Nice bookending there. If I'm not mistaken, Hayley also tried her hand at the dreamy storytelling. Perhaps halfway through? Or maybe it was to mark the beginning of her shift from member of the Mikaelson clan to renegade.

Well, that's all she wrote, folks. Until next season.

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