The Originals: Rebirth Recap

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWW1MW_5V8Y]

The Originals: Rebirth (2×01)

Synopsis: Klaus, Elijah, Hayley, and Marcel attempt to wrest control of New Orleans back from the witches and werewolves. Meanwhile, Esther continues to plot in secret with her sons Finn and Kol.

Rating: ★★★★☆

While the Mikaelsons mourned the loss of Hope, it seems the Guerrera werewolves, lead by Francesca Correa, have taken over control of the French Quarter. The wolves work as guard “dogs” for Francesca and they have partnered up with the witches. They have pushed the dominant vampire population out, forcing Marcel to hide on the outskirts of town and forcing Klaus, Elijah, and Hayley to seek refuge within their compound.

Meanwhile Esther, as Cassie, is creating moonlight rings for the wolves. Klaus, powerless to do anything, spends his days tearing canvases apart and fighting his feral desire to spill blood. Hayley, more or less is not much better off. Preferring to spend her time alone, Hayley wanders the woods in her wolf form fighting her hybrid nature. Elijah seems to be the only one not as deeply effected. Across town, Marcel and Cami seem to have hooked up, but she’s got a “no strings, no plans” policy with her relationship with him. Marcel is also spending his days trying to recruit humans to turn to join his personal army to retake the Quarter, preferably without Klaus this time around.

The object of desire, the fabled white oak stake, still remains up in the air. Klaus, realizing the wolves and witches don’t have it and desperate to destroy the moonlight rings, teams up with Elijah, Marcel, and Hayley to go werewolf hunting. The wolves, also realizing Klaus doesn’t have the stake, take the fight to the compound. (Might I just applaud the female werewolf who wore a slick pantsuit to the fight.) Hayley, Elijah, and Marcel are able to dispatch the wolves and remove the rings, strengthening Klaus. Klaus, doing what he does best, elegantly begins to paint a canvas using the blood of the deceased, apparently reinvigorated with inspiration for art. I do love that twisted mind of his.

Hayley, desperate for revenge, heinously kills Francesca, despite her pleas for mercy. Shocked by her own actions, she struggles with taking her first lives as a hybrid and killing her wolf brothers in the process. Let’s just say Hayley has a minor melt down over the course of the episode, also believing that Elijah looks at her as a monster now. She ultimately has come to accept that things between them are different now. Is this tear between the two of them repairable or are the two doomed to spend their lives apart? Despite this though, Klaus shares a rare tender moment with Hayley, helping to ease both his and her grief and pain over the loss of their daughter. Despite her resistance, it seems Hayley is starting to realize her strength and role in regaining control of the city and making the city a suitable safe place for Hope to return to. In order to do this, Hayley must take her rightful places as “queen” of the werewolves and unite them with the vampires.

And in the most shocking twist yet, it appears Ester has somehow managed to bring back her son Kol, who inhabits the body of none other than Daniel Sharman from Teen Wolf. Playing an original vampire though is certainly different than playing a teenage werewolf and he will have some large shoes to fill, taking over the role from Nathaniel Buzolic. It seems that literally the entire Mikaelson family is back from the grave in some form and a war is brewing. Thankfully it seems most of the family is still unaware that baby Hope is actually alive and safe. On the witches’ side are Esther, Kol, and Finn. Kol though is definitely the Loki in the room, as his allegiances have shifted before, so I am curious to see how his story will play out. Mikael meanwhile is still under Davina’s control and also remains a wild card.

Ultimately, I believe there was substantial character development in Klaus throughout the course of the episode. Klaus, angry over his own actions, seemed to finally understand the effects his actions have had on others, including Elijah, Hayley, and ultimately his daughter. He wants to move forward united as a family, something I never imagined Klaus would accept or say.

Next week it looks like things are escalating once more between the vampires, werewolves, and witches. Elijah comes face to face with his father Mikael and Klaus looks like he is begin to suspect Cassie is not what she seems. If you haven’t started watching The Originals, I highly recommend it. At this point, in my opinion I believe The Originals has matured in an evener better cultivated drama than the The Vampire Diaries and I strongly hope that continues this season.

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LHOOS-rCMg]