The Originals: The Brothers That Care Forgot Recap

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The Originals: The Brothers That Care Forgot (2×08)

Synopsis: Klaus, with a little help from Marcel, attempts to convince Finn and Kol to join their side and take arms against their mother. Davina tries to rescue Kol and Cami discovers her ultimate role in Esther’s plans. Meanwhile, Hayley discovers a way to unlink the rest of the pack from Esther, but it comes at a steep cost.

Rating: ★★★★☆

We finally see the return of Rebekah this week and it seems like she has been doing a wonderful job of raising baby Hope, despite her own parents’ failure at raising her and her siblings. However, all does not seem safe as she questions her safety when she sees a flock of starlings that she knows are Esther’s doing. She contacts Klaus and Elijah for help, believing Esther may have found her and Hope. Klaus, busy dealing with other matters, entrusts Elijah to meet with Rebekah instead.

Back at the compound, Finn and Kol are lavishly enjoying their imprisonment still in Klaus’ grasp. Klaus has but a single simple proposition for them: join him against Esther, or they will have more life-threatening issues to worry about. Elijah, certainly not his normal complacent self, wishes to jump straight into torture and more murderous alternatives after Finn broaches the subject of Rebekah and Hope. With their roles reversed, Klaus barely manages to restrain him. Finn questions where darling Rebekah is, insisting she was so blindly loyal to Klaus and will likely have a far different answer to Esther’s proposals of mortality. Will the allure of motherhood be too great for Rebekah to resist?

Across town, Jackson and Hayley confer with Aiden and they plan to call a meeting of the wolves in order to sway the pack, who still cower in fear from Esther. While living with Ansel, Jackson learned much of the pack’s history from him and wishes he were still alive to help them. Unfortunately, it seems most of his secrets died with him. It is a shame Ansel was not kept around for longer.

Davina frantically approaches Marcel, fearing Kol took the white oak stake while she was sleeping. However, Marcel reveals that Klaus has both Kol and the stake and he himself was responsible for taking them. Davina appears to fear for Kol’s safety in Klaus’ hands, but Marcel insists Kol only wants to use her to get his own way. Will Marcel’s lies push Davina away even further? After his talk with Davina, Marcel pays Klaus a visit, having volunteered to provide Kol with a little pressure to join their side. Klaus promises to subject both of his brothers to agonizing torture if his brothers refuse to join him.

Marcel is more than happy to threaten Kol in particular, insisting he stay away from Davina, fearing Kol is going to break Davina’s heart. I think Davina is more than capable of taking care of herself though. Despite this, Marcel’s dark paternal nature gets the best of him and he is not hesitant about subjecting Kol to some pain to change his mind.

Speaking of Davina, Marcel had ordered his second, Josh, to watch Davina carefully while he is gone. Davina, learning of Josh’s new boyfriend, Aiden, insists he invite him over to meet her and it is painfully obvious she intends to use their reunion as a distraction. While the two share a passionate kiss, Davina sneaks out from under Josh’s watch and visits Kol’s former lab in the cemetery from 1914. With her magic, she manages to cook up some weird looking black syrupy goop that she then proceeds to drink. Yuck.

Back at the compound, Klaus relentlessly questions Finn and his unwavering obedience and loyalty to his mother. Klaus offers Finn the freedom Esther never gave him and the chance to make his own future. Despite this all, Finn still sides with mommy dearest and reveals the secret Esther has been hiding for so long: that she was once barren and made a deal with her sister Dahlia to bear children. As a result, Dahlia would take the first born from every generation. Klaus is stunned, refusing to believe the truth and there is a glimmer of fear in his eyes as he learns that if Hope were alive, Dahlia would come to destroy them all.

Meanwhile, Hayley discovers the existence of a unification ceremony that is capable of instilling certain unique abilities onto every member of the pack. Having been a myth to the wolves for ages, Jackson reveals that Ansel actually once saw it performed and he admitted it actually worked. Historically, werewolf bloodlines were unified and ultimately evolved by the joining of different bloodlines. At first Hayley is ecstatic, believing Hayley’s unique ability to turn at will would hopefully be transferred to the pack and therefore the pack wouldn’t have to rely on Esther’s rings and the pack could live independently. Unfortunately, Hayley’s exuberance is tampered when she discovers that Hayley and Jackson would have to actually marry and consummate their marriage in order for the unification to succeed.

Hayley calls Cami for advice, who wakes up from bed as if nothing has happened. Last week, we last saw her face down Esther who paid her a visit at the bar. Seems like whatever Esther did left Cami with no memory of their encounter and a particularly nasty headache. Only time will tell what Esther actually did to her. Hayley admits to Cami that she can’t deny that Elijah has weaseled his way under her skin, but she still seems frustrated by their lack of conversation since becoming a hybrid. To be perfectly honest, Hayley has two fantastic men to choose from. I can’t deny Jackson’s good boy appeal, yet Elijah’s bad boy mentality is more than alluring, if only he paid attention to her more.

Outside of town, Rebekah meets with Elijah at a diner and Elijah once again meets his adorable niece, Hope. While the sight of Elijah holding baby Hope is charming, there is a part of me that fears for Hope slightly, having seen Elijah so monstrously affected by Esther’s manipulations and torture. Elijah shares with Rebekah Esther’s offer of mortality and you can practically see the longing in Rebekah’s eyes for a chance at motherhood of her own. Still, she is slightly disturbed by Elijah’s irregular behavior and later discovers a freezer filled with recently deceased bodies in the diner. Rebekah manages to snap Elijah’s neck and makes a hasty escape, fearing for both her safety and Hope’s.

Davina, after escaping from Josh, approaches Klaus and Marcel at the compound. Using her magic, she incapacitates Marcel and faces down Klaus. Davina incites Klaus to bite her, and he collapses after drinking her magically poisoned blood. However, Kol intervenes, having finally joined sides with Klaus and gets Davina to stand down.

Cami then frantically arrives, having discovered a series of puncture wounds down her spine that, with some help from her father’s books, she learned are part of an ancient spell she thinks were caused by Esther. Esther it seems has prepared Cami’s body as a vessel for someone to jump into. She angrily approaches Finn, who is still chained, and demands to know why Esther choose her of all people. Finn believes she was perfect and knew Klaus would never allow her to be harmed, knowing his attachment to her. And in the real kicker, apparently Esther was preparing Cami for Rebekah to jump into.

At the pack meeting, Jackson speaks desperately to the pack, but is met by fierce resistance from others. In an elegant entrance, Hayley skillfully demonstrates her ability to change at will. She manages to inspire the pack and claims she will marry Jackson and unite the packs to form a new unified stronger community that can defend themselves. They can join them or keep the rings and remain Esther’s bitches as she so eloquently puts it. Thankfully, Aiden is the first to stand and join Hayley and Jackson, disposing of his moonlight ring in front of the pack. Hayley still seems reluctant about joining Jackson as his wife, but Jack is hard to resist with his southern charm and good looks. Only time will tell if Hayley actually follows through with their unification.

Finally, Rebekah phones Klaus, frantic and confused as to what to do next. She realizes Elijah’s reckless actions will likely draw Esther’s attention. The two agree to meet and Klaus and Hayley join up and head off to finally meet with Rebekah and baby Hope. Prepare the tissues for next week as that’s a reunion that will likely have us shedding more than a few tears.

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