Unfortunately, tracking down her perfect-haired brother was easier said than done, as her other also-perfect-haired brother Klaus (Joseph Morgan) gave Elijah’s daggered body over to his former protegé Marcel (Charles Michael Davis). It was all supposedly part of Klaus’ plan to overthrow Marcel and take back New Orleans, but as we learned during the course of the episode, Klaus isn’t playing this game as well as he thinks he is.
In fact, I’m not even sure he totally knows the rules.
History Lesson
I thought the Mikaelsons’ flashbacks on The Vampire Diaries taught us everything there was to know about the first family of fangs, but after this week’s Originals, I realized we’ve barely scratched the surface. We were taken back to the 1800s, where a young Marcel — previously nameless until Klaus decided to take him under his wing — was a down-trodden, though still totally adorable, slave.
We watched as Klaus raised Marcel like he was his own child, teaching him all there is to know in life — like fencing, and being impossibly beautiful, both of which he clearly mastered with flying colors.
This week’s episode also gave us the 4-1-1 on Marcel and Rebekah’s *ahem* personal history. It turns out they fell madly in love, which didn’t sit well with Klaus, so he daggered poor Bex as punishment. So Marcel sacrificed his human life to free her, allowing Klaus to turn him into the sassy, karaoke-singing vampire we know today. (Damn it, how are we supposed to root against Marcel when he’s so friggin’ romantic?!)
Side note: I appreciated the little Matt Donovan reference — Klaus said Rebekah’s only interested in “high school quarterbacks” — but I seriously hope Mystic Falls’ human Band-Aid wasn’t watching this episode. It seems to me his girl’s still carrying a torch for Marcel, and it’s not going out anytime soon.
Girl Power
Unfortunately for the Mikaelsons, Rebekah isn’t the only woman in Marcel’s life. Let’s start with Cami (Leah Pipes), who’s not only the show’s token human, but also the clear pawn in this game of chess. After watching Marcel try desperately to win her over, Klaus and Rebekah came to the realization that she’ll be instrumental in getting under his skin — shortly before Cami came to her own realization that Marcel is a vampire, then was subsequently compelled to forget. Like I said, she’s the token human.
And then there’s Davina (Danielle Campbell), a young witch who puts Bonnie Bennett — and pretty much every other sorceress ever — to shame with her unimaginable powers. Though Rebekah managed to track down Elijah’s coffin, Davina one-upped her by expelling her from the room and wiping her memory.
So it turns out Marcel isn’t so much against all witches as he’s against any witches that don’t work for him. We can only hope that the way Marcel treats her — he keeps her tucked away like freakin’ Harry Potter — will eventually lead her to rebel.
Wolf Girl’s Plan B
We came dangerously close to having a “special episode” of The Originals on our hands when Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) journeyed to the French Quarter for a little home remedy — you know, the kind that cures you of being pregnant. She eventually had a change of heart, but not before needing Team Mikaelson to rescue her from a pack of Marcel’s goons.
Still, Hayley’s near-abortion turned out to be a good thing, especially for her friendship with Rebekah. The girls began the episode at odds, but ended up bonded over their different-yet-equally-complicated relationships with Klaus. I’m normally able to separate real people from their characters, but in this instance, I think Claire and Phoebe’s real-life friendship gives way to easily the best chemistry on the show.
The incident also proved fruitful for the bond between “Wolf Girl” and her baby daddy. Nearly losing their child showed Klaus and Hayley that they actually have a lot in common, having both been rejected by their own families — or so they feel. Now, they’re determined not to pass that same darkness onto their spawn. (That kid’s going to be beautiful, but OH MY GOD, is it going to have so many issues.)
So if all goes according to plan, Klaus will be king, Hayley will be queen and I will gladly bow to them both. All hail.
WATCH: HollywoodLife.com Interviews Danielle Campbell
HollywoodLifers, what did you think of this week’s episode? Are you as invested in the Game of Thrones-style drama as I am? Drop me a comment with your thoughts and predictions!
— Andy Swift
Follow @AndySwift
More ‘Originals’ on HollywoodLife.com:
- ‘The Originals’ Scoop: Charles Michael Davis Teases Romance For Marcel
- ‘The Originals’ Series Premiere: Klaus Draws Battle Lines In New Orleans
- ‘The Originals,’ ‘Ravenswood’ & More: 10 Best New TV Shows Of Fall 2013