The Originals – “Rebirth” – Blog Review

By: Kristin Trujillo (@kristin0409)

The Season 2 premiere begins with Rebekah reciting a fairytale to her gorgeous little niece, Hope. The fairytale tells the story of how baby Hope came to be, and how her parents (and family) will do whatever it takes to return to her.

In the months after Klaus handed baby Hope to Rebekah for protection, he’s played the part of a grieving father and became reclusive. No one has seen or heard from him, which unsettles Francesca and the wolves. She’s hired people to protect her and has refused to leave her home in fear that Klaus and Elijah will retaliate. Elijah informs Klaus that he’s located the last of the moonlight rings (12 rings created by Genevieve, worn by the wolves that weaken Klaus on full moons). They know that the time has come to rage war against Francesca and the wolves, but Elijah expresses concern over Hayley.

Battling with her hybridism, Hayley often retreats to the bayou in her wolf form. She wants revenge against Francesca, and to simply be reunited with her daughter.

Marcel has spent the past few months across the river with occasional between-the-sheet visits from Camille. He asks her how Klaus is doing and is shocked to hear that no one knows, not even her. He’s extremely happy to hear that Davina told her coven to shove it and has returned to high school.

Divina has been frequenting a record shop and has made friends with the owner, Joe. She’s momentarily distracted by a cutie who’s leaving the shop and is quickly angered when Oliver walks in to threaten Joe. Davina stops the wolves and tells Joe to leave.

Oliver reports back to Francesca about what happened with Davina at the record shop and a witch named Cassie joins them. Except Cassie isn’t really Cassie…she’s Esther Mikaelson possessing Cassie’s body! Following the meeting, Esther meets with Vincent and tells him about Francesca’s unraveling. Vincent is revealed to actually be Finn, her devoted son.

Camille goes into town to try and see Klaus at the compound, and although he sneaks behind her several times, she never sees him. Instead, she’s greeted by Elijah who tells her that Klaus doesn’t want to speak with her and that he wants her to stay away to ensure her safety. Camille tells him that she’s already in danger because the Guerrera’s are following her and hints that Marcel would be willing to help them take the city back. Elijah thanks her for coming and as she leaves, he says he likes her spirit. Klaus joins him and agrees.

Marcel has compelled a group of people, which Joshua has gathered, into listening to his speech about becoming vampires. He tells them to go home and that they’ll find their way back to join him if they choose to. After the group leaves, Marcel explains to Joshua that they need warriors. Klaus catches the tail end of the conversation and says that warriors fight for their family.

Elijah begins to clean out Hayley’s room and she walks in on him. He promises her vengeance against Francesca for plotting to kill her baby, but Hayley still seems irritated with Elijah. She tells him that she’ll inform him when it’s ok to clean out her room.

Davina visits Mikael and feeds him her blood. She has a bracelet that protects her from him and says that once she discovers a way to keep her friends safe from Klaus’s sire bond, she’ll release Mikael to kill him.

As Klaus and Marcel discuss ways to fight back against Francesca, Klaus reveals that the wolves are in possession of the white oak stake and asks Marcel to help him get it back. Joe (the record shop owner and Marcel’s friend), walks in and listens to their plan to hunt down the wolves. Klaus realizes that the reason Francesca and the wolves haven’t gone after him is because they actually don’t have the stake. Joe reports back to Oliver and the rest of the wolves about the discussion with Klaus.

Back at the compound, Klaus, Elijah and Hayley discuss a plan to take back the city. With the promise of Francesca’s head on a silver platter, they’re ready for battle. Francesca asks Cassie to perform a spell to locate the white oak stake, but she realizes that it’s been cloaked. Joe tells Francesca that the last person to have the stake was the priest, Father Kiernan. With this news, one of the wolves pays a visit to Camille, who reluctantly hands him a key. The key, however, is part of the plan as she nods to Elijah through the window once the man leaves. This also means that Joe was in on the plan and wasn’t going against Klaus and Marcel.

While Klaus is weakened by the full moon and the moonlight rings, he remains at the compound while Elijah, Hayley and Marcel work together to kill and take back all of the rings. As each one is collected, Klaus’ power is restored. He kills some of the wolves and uses their blood to paint on his blank canvases.

Francesca is home with her bodyguards when they see one of their men through the window being thrown and killed. Her door swings open and Elijah appears in the doorway. She’s cocky because she doesn’t think Elijah can step foot inside, but he reveals that her home has become public property…allowing him entry without permission.

Elijah returns to Klaus and informs him that Francesca escaped and that her ring is the last that remain. Except she didn’t succeed at escaping…Hayley found her and killed her.

Marcel explains to Joshua that they’re not fighting for real estate, they’re fighting for the soul of the city. As they’re talking, one of the girls from the group he’d compelled earlier walks in claiming not to know how she got there. One recruit!

Back at the compound, Hayley is struggling with the fact that she killed Francesca while she begged for her life as well as eight of her own people. She tells Elijah that the way he looks at her has changed and then walks away. ELIJAH!! Always so diplomatic and bad-ass, but horrible when it comes to women!!

Davina goes to the record shop and finds that it’s closed. She runs into the cutie she’d seen earlier in the episode and he introduces himself as Kaleb.

In a heartbreaking conversation between Elijah and Klaus, Klaus admits that he feels everything that’s happened is his fault for not accepting Hayley’s pregnancy and instead, fighting to be king of New Orleans. Elijah destroys the stones from the moonlight rings, fully restoring Klaus’s power and tells him that he’s the only one who can comfort Hayley. Klaus asks what he can say to help ease her pain after losing their daughter, and Klaus tells him to say whatever it takes.

Klaus talks to Hayley about what she’s going through and assures her that things will get better. He convinces her that the wolves will respect her for fighting for her daughter and that she will be their queen. Promising to face their enemies together, as a family, Klaus puts his hand over hers and flashes that gorgeous smile.

Vincent meets with Cassie after pretending to be Camille’s sponsoring resident, and they’re soon joined by Kaleb. Kaleb reveals that he’s not Kaleb at all…it’s Kol! Cassie tells her sons that they have a family reunion to plan.

Have you all processed the episode yet? I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Klaus and Elijah will soon have BOTH of their evil parents trying to kill them. I’d also like to state that I’m not a fan of so many people inhabiting other people’s bodies. It’s confusing and I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that we want Nathaniel Buzolic back playing Kol!

Tune in next Monday, October 13th at 8/7c on The CW to find out what happens next!

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