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The Originals: Every Mother's Son

"Every story needs a wicked witch. It'll be all the more satisfying when we melt her."

This show does tea parties and family dinners better than I could've thought possible. Did anyone even eat? And why didn't I see anything cajun? They're in New Orleans for crying out loud.

Everyone is gearing up for Esther's big dinner invitation. I thought it was weird that in between the silk and linens and candle lighting, no one mentioned how rude it was for her to invite herself over to their house instead of offering up her own plot in the cemetery. Hayley and Klaus seem to be on the same revenge-y page, while Elijah, cautious as ever, wants to find out what Esther is planning. The Klaus/Hayley chemistry continues to run rampant, and I hate to say it, but I'm kind of, slowly, a little bit getting onboard.

The writers on this show continue to impress. Bringing almost the entire original family (sans Rebekah) was due given the name of the show isn't The Original Brothers. The real genius, though, is that Esther doesn't hide behind witchy prowess alone. After taking out an entire pack of werewolves in one episode, she wouldn't be a believable threat if the new big bad relied on muscle alone (witch or otherwise). She has a gift for the well-thought-out-diabolical-plan that her sons are known for, which makes her a formidable opponent. I'm interested to see if this arc only lasts one season given that if our trio can beat Esther, I can't imagine that anyone could stand against them.

It seems fitting that in an episode with a big family pow wow at its juicy core, the rest would be peppered with flashback bits about their past. Esther tells Klaus that whenever he hears a bird to know that she is with him. Then she gives him the bird pendant to curb his strength and/or rage and tells him that birds are sacred to the Vikings. While I love a good flashback, they seem a little redundant now. Finding out that Esther cursed Klaus into being weak, for which Mikael always hated him, and that hate in turn created the murderous mastermind that is Klaus Mikaelson today was, in a word, fascinating. Maybe the not taking responsibility for your actions is a family trait, because Esther was all 'whoops. My bad, but I love you so it's cool, right?'

Watching Finn rant and rave and whine for the length of a partial meal was enough to annoy me, so I can't imagine how his siblings have felt over the years. Except he spent 900 years being daggered, so he has a right to his anger. Yeesh. I might be a momma's boy too. Wanting him and even Kol to jump sides makes little to no sense after what Klaus has done to them over the years, but I hate Esther enough that I don't want them to be on her side, either. I won't even mention the idea that they could ever trust Mikael. Maybe they could team up and create a spin-off of this spin-off: The Other Originals in Paris, Texas. ;)

This episode was good, but it wasn't great. I am stuck between 3.5 for the really good writing and acting and a 2.5 for the lackluster events that left me not wanting to rewatch. I guess I can call that a 3 out of 4 Snake Sacrifices.

What do you guys think?

Bites and pieces

Marcel admitting that he needs an original on his side is smart. Maybe he's learning. On the other hand, after all that we have learned about Elijah, is it even feasible that he would go against Klaus for any length of time??

I cant help but wonder what would've happened if Klaus had beat his father in that duel all those years ago.

Past Finn definitely stole that necklace from Klaus so he could give it back in front of his mother. Right? I guess being a kiss-ass isn't a newly acquired past-time.

Before the birds came, I thought Esther was going to put Klaus and Elijah in new bodies, and I started having heart palpitations. Daniel Gillies and Joseph Morgan are irreplaceable! Both Hayley and Elijah seemed a little tempted by the offer, but the thought that Hayley could ever let Esther live, after trying to kill Hope, fell flat to me.

Why did Esther want to stop Klaus from triggering his werewolf curse? If I remember correctly, the witches are cool with werewolves because they are a part of nature. Unless I've forgotten something.

It occurred to me during this episode that Esther doesn't know Mikael is back. I cannot wait for that reunion.

Marcel better watch out. Esther and her birds are coming for him.

If they're Vikings, how come no one is wearing the hats? Didn't Vikings wear hats with horns?

Klaus: "My siblings used to tell each other that she didn't hate us. That she hated herself for what we had become."

Esther: "I love all my children, Niklaus, but you are the most special."

Hayley: "No. You don't get to ignore me for days and then act like you're concerned, Elijah. For once will you just trust me that I will do something and it'll get done."
You tell him, sister.
I realize I am pretty alone in this, but I am realizing I fit squarely on team Hayley during these small bouts. Elijah is ever the chess player. He's willing to treat her poorly in order to make her "stronger." He might realize that she is plenty strong if he stopped trying to handle her.

Gia: "Captain Condescension didn't feel the need to cover mind compulsion in today's lesson."
I hope they didn't introduce Gia and the rest of Marcel's band of merry men just to kill them all off next week. Loved this line.

Finn: "Mother will sit at the head of the table."

Klaus: "Did Mother raise you so you could wash her knickers?"
Another very funny line.

Lenore: "What besides love could inspire such pain and cruelty?"
Look, I'm not a parent, but I feel like I've heard this before on a few Lifetime movies. Isn't this the kind of thing that abusers say to their victims?

Klaus: "I thought that if I could best him just once, he would see that I'm worthy."

Esther: "We will take their pride, their love, their joy. We will lay it all to ruin, and when they are at their lowest point, in their deepest despair, they will have no choice but to beg for me to release them of their pain. And because I love them, I will."
Sounds like a loving mother to me.

2 comments:

  1. Loved your review Laure -- very funny. I especially liked your comment about the Viking hats with horns. I'm trying to picture that entire family sitting around the table in those hats.

    I felt a little twinge when she was talking about Klaus and Elijah getting new bodies because That Can Not Happen. Did Hayley look tempted? I know she hates being a hybrid, but I can't imagine she would take anything from Esther.

    Esther doesn't know about the baby, does she?

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  2. I think, and I'm not entirely positive about this, that Esther was desperate to hide her infidelity from Mikael. So her weakening Klaus' and suppressing his werewolf side was a way of keeping that secret. It was also partially to protect Klaus I guess, but really it was self preservation on Esthers' part.

    I am glad that Cassie is no longer the vessel, even though the actress did pull off some creepiness, she didn't carry enough emotional weight or perhaps simple presence to be the mother of all evil. So good set up there having that new rogue witch end up as the new big bad.

    Finn has always been an evil, annoying character. He was just as bad on TVD when he was in his real body. The new actor is better though.

    I too am on Team Hayley, she is probably the most sympathetic of the three. Even though she can be manipulative and murderous. I don't like how all the romance between Hayley and Elijah has basically vanished into thin air. It's disappointing. I kind of wish Elijah would get over himself and tell Hayley how he feels.

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