The Originals recap: 'Keepers of the House'

Ominous, disgusting, creepy, and gross. These adjectives, along with a few more colorful ones that I’m too prudish to write, issued from my mouth on numerous occasions during this dark episode. The blue orb finally has a name. In more disturbing news, it finally has a host.

When we last saw loyal, law-abiding Will, he was not himself. In fact, he was a murderer and child thief. He drives four sedated children in an ambulance down a path that leads to some torch-wielding people who are clearly up to no good. They are there to “prepare the ritual.” It’s obvious all are under the same spell as Will. The leader gives him a token with the serpent sigil. He claims it has the master’s power and he should use it for “what’s to come.”

Ominous. I know.

I wonder if the orb knows that a family of originals is crossing New Orleans’ city limits right now? Hayley is desperate for Vincent to cleanse Hope. Something needs to happen because the girl is freezing cold and hearing whispers. Vincent is eager to nip this in the bud so he can send all of the Mikaelsons back to the farm, especially when Hope starts chanting something in a weird dialect. Vincent’s eyes widen. The Hollow is coming.

Vincent rubs his hands together and says a spell. Hope is all better! Hooray! She hops up, good as new, and walks over to her dearest daddy. Except she can’t technically get to him because every black crow in the state of Louisiana falls dead in a circle around her. Disgusting.

Hope’s fever returns. Elijah follows Vincent to the church to work on a spell, while Hayley convinces a group of witches that they need to give her some sort of lead. She pleads with a fellow mother, who finally gives Hayley a name: Laura. Oh yeah, Laura is a wolf. Whhhaaat?

Marcel and Hayley head out to the bayou to find this girl, who’s easy enough to locate since she’s just standing by herself with a knife, staring out at the water. Laura slowly turns around, recognizing Hayley’s voice, and tells her the kids are as good as dead. She’s a tad upset since she didn’t know that “they were going to bring children into it.” Hayley asks a great question: Who is “they”?

Laura laughs. “They” are those who serve The Hollow. They are the ones who follow the blue light. These people are trying to take back the city that Marcel stole. The Hollow is going to give them the power they need.

Hayley reminds Laura that she has the power of her pack. This does not sit well with Laura. She looks at her queen with disrespect. Since Hayley chose to be a Mikaelson, the pack means nothing. Laura doesn’t care that Hope is in danger. All she cares about is that The Hollow needs sacrifices so it can get stronger. And then it will rise and everyone will bow. Even Marcel.

Laura’s not going to bow, though. She gouges her own throat with that knife she was holding. Have mercy.

Over at the dilapidated mansion, Klaus speaks wonderful accolades in his sweet daughter’s ear. He’s been given the important task of protecting Hope. He talks about her strong spirit and warrior’s heart. Klaus promises her beignets and trips around the world when she gets better. When he sees that she’s struggling, he takes off her bracelet that keeps her from performing magic. Hope looks directly into her father’s eyes and says, “If you see the blue lights, don’t look at them!” Klaus nods, promising to keep Hope safe for always and forever. Hello, foreshadowing.

Freya, who is back at the farm, asks Keelin to try to find the venom that will help Freya make an antidote for Marcel’s bite. She gives Keelin a present before she leaves for New Orleans: a ring that will help her not change into a werewolf during a full moon. But it also is completely controlled by Freya. It’s a cure with a leash. Fun times.

With Hayley in the bayou, Freya in transit, and Klaus at the estate, Elijah watches as Vincent burns the ashes of the dude he killed at the Strix mansion to see if they can give them a clue. While Vincent prepares the spell, Elijah asks what the deal is with this annoying orb. He has personally removed undesirables from New Orleans before. What’s the big deal?

This is why I love Elijah.

Vincent says this is a very big deal. The Hollow takes everything you want to keep buried away inside that is dark and terrible and makes you do those exact things. This is harsh stuff, and not only because Vincent doesn’t know how to stop it. He sees a vision in the smoke. He sees his friend Will.

Vincent invites Will for a drink but wastes no time calling him out. He begs Will not to give in to the darkness. Whatever The Hollow promises is a lie. Will’s face doesn’t change. He tells Vincent that “they” sent him to find Vincent. Then he pulls out his gun and begins shooting. Super Elijah, man of steal, jumps in front of Vincent and takes all the bullets. He grabs Will by the throat and says, “That’s quite a monster you have lurking in there. Do you want to see mine?”

This is also why I love Elijah.

No magic or vampire mind reading can get through Will’s head. Vincent continues to try every trick in his repertoire, but nothing works. Elijah votes they kill Will. Vincent doesn’t let him. Then Will pulls out that token and knocks both men down without blinking an eye and leaves. Elijah is not pleased. It’s a good thing Vincent tagged Will with magic — now they can trace him right back to the kids. I did not see that coming.

Team Take Down The Hollow meets in the woods to make a plan. The gang’s all here, excluding Freya, who is taking care of Hope. Marcel takes Klaus one way while Elijah, Vincent, and Hayley go the other. The goal? Root out the problem and make it go away. Annnnnnnnnd BREAK!

They find a weird altar with some sort of animal skull and a ton of bones. Will and his cronies are there, looking at four tiny wrapped bodies. Creeptastic. When one says that the ritual should begin, Klaus grabs a bone and throws it into that dude’s chest. Mass chaos ensues. The Mikaelson clan grabs, bites, tears, rips, and kills everyone while Vincent rushes to remove the kids from the fight.

Suddenly, Will whips out his pendant, and an imaginary rope drags Marcel back near Will’s feet. Before we know it, Klaus is grabbing Will by the neck. He sputters, “You can’t stop what’s coming.” Klaus breaks Will’s neck, and a huge fiery ring surrounds both Klaus and Marcel. They are in a trance. The scene transitions to their subconscious, where Klaus implores Marcel to not look into the light beaming from the skulls. I’m going to have nightmares tonight. For sure.

Vincent quickly figures out that this was the plan all along. The Hollow wants to channel its power into someone on the earth. The kids are the link. He can’t free Klaus and Marcel unless he kills one of the kids. Elijah all but does the deed himself (which concerns Hayley on all sorts of levels) before Hayley suggests a loophole. If someone has to technically die, why can’t it be Elijah? He’ll just come back to life anyway. Won’t that work?

Why, yes it does. Vincent holds the hand of a sedated kid and the hand of Elijah, he starts the spell, and Hayley stakes her beloved in the heart. The link is broken, Hope wakes up, and all the kids are eventually reunited with their loved ones. Keelin gets the venom, and Freya gives her a normal ring that she no longer controls. Yay for happy endings!

We find Vincent at the bar, nursing his wounds. A lot of his friends seem to be dying on this show. Marcel arrives, relieved that they put an end to this orb business. Vincent isn’t convinced. Call it a hunch, but he fears that the orb did anchor to one of them. Is it the end? Or is it just getting started?

Vincent leaves Marcel with a bottle of whiskey. Marcel begins to drink but notices a reflection in his glass — a blue reflection. He turns, and there’s a mirror with his face, a blue orb, and that darn serpent sigil again. All of this makes sense. I guess he DID look directly into the light.

Back at the mansion, Hope wakes up to a plateful of beignets by her bed. She trips along down the cobweb-covered hallway. When the scary music begins to play, I fear that Hope is going to start glowing like a Smurf. Thankfully she doesn’t. She finds her dad on the balcony. With eyes glowing like a Smurf.

Double Hollows. This should be interesting.