Nerdophiles Catch Up with…The Originals

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Next Monday, The Originals returns for their second explosive season. The dramatic spin off series of The Vampire Diaries, features the one and only Mikaelson family and their roots in the French Quarter of New Orleans. The Originals primarily follows the lives of hybrid Klaus Mikaelson, and vampires Elijah and Rebekah Mikaelson and their many friends and enemies. Here’s a quick review of what happened last season.

Things to Remember

• Marcel, the former king of the French Quarter and Klaus’ protégé, has once again come to a rocky truce with Klaus for the time being after being bitten and subsequently healed by Klaus. He also had a tremulous romantic relationship with Rebekah Mikaelson.
• Father Kieran, a priest of the French Quarter and a human expert on the supernatural, met an untimely death after vampirism failed to cure him of a hex placed upon him by the vengeful witches. His niece, Cami, however, continues to pursue a friendship with Klaus and still remains involved in the supernatural world.
• The Witches of the French Quarter tried fruitlessly to perform the “Harvest” ritual, a ritual performed every three hundred years in order to strengthen their relationship and ultimately their power to their deceased ancestors. The Harvest involved a sacrifice of four young girls, including Davina, but it was continually challenged by the Mikaelsons and the quarter vampires throughout the season. Ultimately though, the Harvest was performed, and girls were brought back from the dead. I personally did not really enjoy the witches storyline and found myself once again flabbergasted at their ability to bring the dead back as I had in The Vampire Diaries. It seems no one really ever stays dead in this show.

• Elijah continued to find his place amongst Klaus’ side, while trying to deny his feelings for Hayley, in fear that he would ruin his relationship with his brother Klaus.
• Hayley continued to carry Klaus’ child to term while battling vengeful witches and those who would wish warm to Klaus and his family. Over time, she also discovered her werewolf roots, discovering the remnants of her family pack hiding in the Bayou. Desperate to repair the relationship between vampires and werewolves within Louisiana, Hayley became a mediator between the species. She also discovered that she is werewolf royalty and that she has a prearranged marriage to another wolf named Jackson.
• Eventually Hayley gave birth to a baby girl, then was subsequently murdered by the witches. However, because she still had her daughter’s blood within her body, she returned as a hybrid, much to the surprise of a grieving Klaus and Elijah.

• Klaus made a deal with the Bayou werewolves, offering them moonlight rings that allowed them to control their shift. However, the rings draw upon energy from Klaus, weakening him in the process.
• The Mikaelson family, matriarch, Esther returned from the other side, inhabiting the body of one of the young harvest witches, Cassie, unbeknownst to those around her.
• Davina, who was in hiding from the local witches who wished to sacrifice her for the Harvest ritual, found help and guidance from Marcel. She was able to begin learning to control her burgeoning powers with the help of the Mikaelsons and Marcel. She ultimately brought back Mikael, the Mikaelson patriarch, from the dead and has complete control of him for the time being.
• Meanwhile, Rebekah, after continual strife between her and Klaus, happily left New Orleans, taking Hayley and Klaus’ child, Hope, with her to give the child a better future and safeguard her against the witches.

So what do we have to look forward to in season 2?

• Well for starters, Nina Dobrev is expected to make a crossover appearance as the second doppleganger, Tatia. I’m looking forward to gauging both Elijah’s and Klaus’ reaction to seeing the doppleganger they both had fallen in love with when they were human. How will this effect their relationship with Hayley?
• Davina still holds Mikael under her control, while Esther continues to inhabit the body of Cassie, unbeknownst to those around her. I can’t imagine what that reunion between husband and wife will look like.
• Kol, another Mikaelson sibling, will supposedly be seen through flashbacks and show runner Julie Plec hints that Kol may come back from the dead in the near future.
• It looks like Hayley is still struggling to accept her new position as a hybrid, as well as the absence of her child Hope. Still, I am hoping both Elijah and Klaus will help her adapt.
• Some photos from the set have recently surfaced online showing Claire Holt (Rebekah) guest starring and shooting some very adorable scenes with baby Hope. I’m really hoping to see periodic updates of the pair throughout the season.

The Originals returns Monday, October 6^th on the CW. Tune in weekly for my episode recaps and season two predictions.

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