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The Originals: The River in Reverse

Cami: (to Klaus) "Rebekah's out to get you. Elijah's out to get you. Is there anyone who isn't plotting your downfall? I doubt you trust your own reflection."

Although a lot happened, not a lot happened. I mean, there were fights but ultimately it was all sound and fury signifying nothing.
Marcel was right, Klaus might have the title, but he has no kingdom. Even worse, he pushed his family away. How could they have possibly known he was even marginally sincere? Even if he was. Sure, I could see him having almost pure motivations when it comes to his unborn child, but the rest, well, Rebekah's actions were a long time coming.

Klaus really can't see himself or his actions as they are. He has no external awareness. He's so isolated from the world and even his own emotions that he has no real gauge on the motivations of others. He might've predicted Rebekah turning against him, but I doubt he really knows why. He said he let Elijah take control, but he did so begrudgingly and not without constant comment. He's a long, long way away from being a good king. At the moment, he's not much more than a mildly restrained tyrant.

Still, at least as far as morals are concerned, nearly everyone was working from almost the right place. Marcel protected his people, Rebekah wouldn't even contemplate risking her unborn niece, and Elijah stayed true to his hope for Klaus' redemption. I just hope he doesn't lose Hayley in the process. Hayley going with Klaus in those closing moments felt like a bad move. Yet did she really have a choice? Elijah pushed her away, so in a way Klaus is really all she has.

Of course both Rebekah and Elijah will protect Hayley no matter the cost, but distance breeds neglect. How long will it be before Hayley is too far away from them? Can they really watch over her when she's half a city away? More importantly, how can we further the only currently interesting romantic relationship in the show (Hayley and Elijah) when they no longer have easy access to one another? I guess we have to trust that the laws of fate in this kind of romantic fiction will find a way.

I just wish we had gotten a bit more from the scenes with Hayley and Elijah shacking up in a real shack, while Elijah is dreaming about another woman. Awkward for sure, but also a bit romantic because it was clear he was transferring his current emotional state to the last time he had those feelings. Which brings into question how deep he really felt about Katherine (who am I kidding, can anyone really love Katherine?). At this point though Hayley and Elijah aren't even past the furtive glances and chaste touching stage. I guess ancient vampires move pretty slowly.

Lastly we got Cami, and her super secret childhood code (that looks like crazy caveman drawings) that she left herself that has given her a clue about Klaus and Marcel's vampire nature. Turns out Klaus was right, she is the type to dig until she gets answers that could get her killed. At least she's talking to Father Keiran, who is in the know; otherwise she could be in real trouble. What Klaus did to her was complicated. Yet even though he is kind of protecting her, and I do think he genuinely likes her, I don't think drowning out her brother's death was a good idea.

Bits:

Joshua backed the wrong horse.

Just because Klaus is paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get him.

The beating that Klaus took at first felt like a victory, I kind of hoped Marcel would win, so that Klaus could learn some humility. They need to redeem him, but I guess they can't do it overnight.

They were hitting it hard with the striking photography in this one: the cross of the burning bodies, the statues in the cemetery. Interesting stuff, and very New Orleans.

So Klaus has screwed over Elijah's romances, too. I guess Klaus is an equal opportunity killjoy.

The stuff with Hayley's family being reverse cursed was messed up and cool. They can only be human on the three nights of the full moon, or was it just one night? Either way that royally sucks (pun intended).

Quotes:

Rebekah: "Perhaps I'm concerned that if I voice my opinion about what you did to Elijah, I will end up on the wrong side of your toxic hybrid teeth."
Klaus: "Poppycock! I would never bite you...you know my preferred method of punishment for your indiscretions is the dagger."
Rebekah: "There is something fundamentally wrong with you."

Hayley: "Remind me to annihilate your brother once you're healthy."
Elijah: "Yes, remind me to remind you to get in line."

Cami: (to Klaus) "Yes, it is ironic discussing free will with a mind-controlling vampire."

Hayley: (to Elijah) "So you're having weird, retro sex dreams. Get over it. I'm staying."

Hayley: "Why are you trying to put together your family when it's so clear that one part of it is broken?"
Elijah: "The definition of the word 'broken' suggests that something can be fixed."

Elijah: "This has nothing to do with Hayley."
Klaus: "It has everything to do with her! She's adored you since she arrived, and now my child, my blood, will grow up to call you father."
Rebekah: "Is that what this is? You are once again worried that you will be left behind? Has history taught you nothing? We don't abandon you, Nik. You drive us away."

Cami: "You are the architect of your own unhappiness."
Klaus: "I don't remember asking for your advice."
Cami: "Oh really? So of all the people in New Orleans, you choose someone with a masters in psychology to record your life story. You're over a thousand years old. I'm pretty damn sure you know how to type."

Marcel: "You will never have this. Loyalty. You can't buy it. You can't own it. You can't force it. It comes only out of love and respect for the people who believe in you. You taught me many things, Niklaus Mikaelson, but this I learned myself, and it is something that you will never know. Enjoy your kingdom."

This was a good episode, brutal (like always), but not exactly satisfying. Klaus' victory over Marcel feels hollow, and that's probably because it was supposed to be. I'm looking forward to seeing how things play out from this point forward.

3 out of 4 Rows of Bodies Burnt in the Shape of Cross.

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.

3 comments:

  1. The really amazing thing about this series is that Rebekah and Elijah still care about Klaus.

    I did like that Klaus managed to win the encounter, because it just seemed inevitable that he would lose and I like that they're being Vampire Diaries-like unpredictable. I did *not* like Hayley leaving with Klaus.

    Good point about the photography. This show is doing some interesting stuff with their exceptional location. I hope they keep it up.

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  2. I don't think Elijah pulling back from her was in Hayley's mind when she left with Klaus. She left because Klaus explicitly threatened her and *anyone* (Elijah) who would try to prevent him from taking her. She left as much to protect Elijah as anything.

    Klaus continues to be the least sympathetic character on this show. He's responsible for so much of his siblings pain & unhappiness and yet he guilts them at every turn.

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  3. I think Joseph Morgan's speech at the end cemented (to me at least) why he deserved to have his own show. Yes, Klaus is overly paranoid and an "equal opportunity killjoy", but it is still a great show.

    Also because he can still say things like "poppycock" and still be rather threatening.

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