After a lot of talking and plotting and talking some more, it seems as if Klaus’ dastardly plan to take New Orleans back from Marcel is finally being put into action. While the Original bad boy’s convoluted plot relies a bit too heavily on deus ex machina (even with that convenient compulsion trick), this episode delivered some gloriously devious twists and turns, however loosely based in logic they may have been. Best of all, Klaus and Marcel are fighting over more than just turf as a full-fledged love triangle has taken shape. To paraphrase Klaus, “Oh, to look (if not be) young and in love… what a tragedy.”
Elijah’s still in a box In this episode of “The Originals,” I felt very aware of the show’s spinoff status if for no other reason than “The Originals”‘ borrowing of some “The Vampire Diaries” maneuvers. This isn’t necessarily a good thing. When there’s a plan afoot, there’s a lot of talking. What’s the plan? Do you have a plan? Why yes, I have a plan A AND a Plan B! What are these plans?” I wish there was enough faith in the audience to show instead of tell at least some of the time, as even the cast seems to be tired of regurgitating great swaths of dialogue that read like a new car instruction manual. In any case, the plot, as it stands, revolves around finding Elijah and getting him back from Marcel. This gives Rebekah a reason to stick around, and also a reason for us to watch Hayley read from Elijah’s diary in the opening of the show. I’m thinking Klaus might want to get poor Hayley cable television or a subscription to Us Weekly just so she doesn’t die of boredom sitting around the house as an oven for his bun.
Marcel wants to believe in Klaus Poor Marcel. Though he is a dictator who rules all he surveys, he doesn’t seem like such a bad guy. Though vamps are getting knocked off in record numbers, he wants to believe his old pal Klaus has nothing to do with it. In fact, when Klaus suggests that the witches might be behind it, Marcel actually sends a bunch of vampires to shake things up in witch territory. Of course, Marcel can’t see that this is just one piece of the nasty puzzle Klaus is putting together to destroy the vampire he once thought of as an adopted son. I know that logically Marcel is going to have a blind spot for Klaus. Still, it’s going to be hard to watch this slow-motion betrayal, especially knowing that, on the spectrum of dictators Klaus will be SO much worse than Marcel.
Thierry and Katie as star-crossed lovers There’s Romeo and Juliette, and then there’s these two, who are about as lucky in love as Elizabeth Taylor. First, Klaus captures a guy who looks like Thierry, gouges him with a pitchfork until he bleeds out all the vervain in his system, then compels him to do his bidding. Now a secret Klaus weapon, he shows up for the big Witch Beatdown agreed to by Marcel (and gently suggested by Klaus) During the ensuing chaos, this guy attacks Katie, Thierry’s true love. Thierry reacts by killing him. Okay, maybe this guy is unluckier than Thierry and Katie. But now Marcel’s right hand man has violated his number one rule, and that means certain death.
Like a good, semi-suicidal girlfriend, Katie swings into action. She convinces Sophie to help her do magic so that she can, I guess, shoot sparks out of her hands and make Marcel and the other vampires writhe around on the ground. This would suggest The CW might want to spring for a bigger effects budget. While this is going on, Rebekah has convinced Sophie to help her find Elijah while everyone’s distracted by Katie. Katie tries to kill Marcel, Klaus kills Katie, Thierry sobs and rocks her dead body while Sophie tosses up her hands in frustration. Nobody wins… well, except for Klaus. Sure, he didn’t find Elijah, but Marcel now owes him one for saving him from Katie, and that’s just as good, right? Well, not really. But that’s not the worst of it. Marcel, never considering that Klaus might have masterminded the entire debacle (probably because that would not make any sense at all), sticks his right hand man into a wall for a sentence of 100 years. Not only has he lost Katie, he’s lost his best friend AND he’s stuck in a wall.
Hey! It’s a masquerade party! Ah, it turns out New Orleans is just like Mystic Falls! They have proms all the time! Oh, but this isn’t a prom, it’s a fundraiser, and it’s really just a chance to get Camille, Marcel and Klaus all in the same room while wearing pretty clothes. Honestly, though, I can’t say this is strictly a Marcel-Camille-Klaus triangle, as I think Rebekah has to be tossed into the mix as well. Though Marcel is clearly angry at her for a past rejection I’m sure we’ll learn more about later, she’s still clearly hung up on him — and he’s looking for a lookalike for her in Camille. I think there’s great potential in the turf battle between Klaus and Marcel being given a human aspect in Camille, who I suspect would be a terrible shrink but is certainly smart enough to keep these two vampires on their toes.
What’s up with Hayley? Hayley is so bored she’s willing to lie on a table and let Sabine, a witch, try to figure out whether her child is a boy or a girl. Of course, this non-magical ceremony somehow causes Sabine to start babbling in tongues (I think Latin, though I could be wrong) and scare her enough to tattle about it to the other witches. I’m sure someone will Google the exact phrase (I would have if I’d been able to pause the Slingbox, which isn’t an option). Don’t tell, though — we’ll find out next week, I’m sure.
Klaus’ brilliant plan isn’t so brilliant after all After Klaus saves Marcel’s life, he logically assumes Marcel will give him back Elijah. Even Marcel assumes he’s giving back Elijah — until Davina stomps her pouty teenage witch feet and tells Marcel no way. She hasn’t figured out how to kill an Original yet, so nuh-uh! We’ve hardly met Davina and I’m already sick of her, but clearly she’s attached to Marcel in some way, as when Katie was making him writhe around Davina was frantically drawing, which is just one of the things I find irritating about her. Still, I think she convinces Marcel not to deliver on his promise — and this may finally be the first shot in the war Klaus has been hoping to start.
Do you think Klaus will get the best of Marcel? What do you think is going on with Hayley’s baby? Do you think Rebekah will ever rescue Elijah?