The Originals recap: There's a new bad guy in town

It’s been a while since The Originals writers made me both cheer and gasp during the length of an episode. I think they owe it to us for keeping all the Mikaelson siblings scattered, unable to be together without snakes crawling out of orifices or flowers dying on the vine. The idea of introducing yet another bad guy into the mix did feel exhausting, but the storyline definitely paid off in the end.

As you remember from last week, Klaus received a “message” in the form of a coin. Apparently, the coin is somehow related to werewolves, so Klaus goes hunting. He kills a bunch of wolves using various tactics, but it’s Greta who confesses that she sent the coin. She wants to talk to Klaus. He wants to drain her of all her blood. Same thing.

Greta sits in the catacombs, her hands pierced with spikes, as Klaus waits for the vervain to be exposed from her body. He reminds Greta that she is moments away from death. Greta looks at him and says, “Your lack of vision will be your downfall. That’s what he said about you.”

He? Who is he?

I’m glad you asked. He is the new villain: August Muller. Klaus searches his mind for any details and the scene dissolves into 1933 Germany. Klaus is in a parlor debating art with a painter, listening as the piano fills the room, and generally annoying everyone in sight. But there is someone who challenges him and his pompous ways.

Elijah. We’re talking OG Elijah, compete with dapper suit, jaunty suspenders, perfectly coiffed hair, and a general tone that screams, “I dare you to mess with me or my brother.” I cheered at the television screen and may have clapped.

It’s been 13 years since Elijah last saw Klaus. When they lean in for a long embrace, Elijah whispers that there has been a major wolf massacre within 20 miles of the parlor. He’s warning Klaus because by the sound of it, this could be the workings of their dearly beloved father. Unless, of course, Klaus has been ignoring Elijah’s suggestion to keep a low profile.

Klaus promises Elijah that it wasn’t him. So who could it be? (Hint: the new bad guy.)

Elijah calmly puts August in a choke hold and simultaneously convinces Klaus not to kill the guy. He compels August not to mess with the Mikaelsons. August obeys and calls for his daughter to leave with him. The girl at the piano stands up. It’s Antoinette.

That’s right! Current day Elijah’s Antoinette! Someone has been stalking them and taking pictures, so she naturally kills the dude with the camera. She quickly figures that she and Elijah must leave right now because “they” will send a replacement.

They? Who are they?

You guessed it. August’s cronies. That means Antoinette knew Elijah a century ago and has been keeping it a secret from him since they’ve been together. Elijah is not happy and suggests Antoinette move on without him.

Back in the present day, Greta presses all of Klaus’ buttons and manages to stay alive doing it. She threatens Klaus. Clearly Hope is dangerous. The young girl can create hybrids at will. The pure vampires, who have his precious Hayley, will give her back on one condition.

Hope must submit to the same spell Klaus’ mother put on him. She must bind her werewolf side. Klaus challenges with a sharp, “And if I don’t?” Greta explains that it’s his daughter’s wolf nature or her mother’s life.

Klaus confides his dilemma in Marcel. Naturally he wants to fight fire with fire. He doesn’t want to give into their demands. Marcel thinks Hope should get a say and Klaus all but laughs at him. He would never put that shame on his daughter. He would never forgive himself. Of course if Hayley dies, he wouldn’t forgive himself for that either. Decisions, decisions.

Hope is back at school and is, for some reason, executing some pretty hard core parkour while Freya watches. When she returns to her dorm, her hunky crush Roman is sitting there waiting on her bed. Hope wants to know why Roman is interested in her life. Well, she’s a Mikaelson, the daughter of an Original, her dad is a vampire, her mom is a werewolf, and there is a long line of witches in her lineage. She’s interesting. Duh.

Hope doesn’t think it’s fair that she doesn’t know anything about Roman. He concedes and tells her that this one time, he pissed a lot of people off and ended up desiccated in a cave for a very long time. He’s an ancient bad boy with a damaged soul. That must be Hope’s sweet spot. (Recap continues on next page)

Josh gives Greta a “hangover cocktail” and begs her to let Hayley go, thinking kindness will do the trick. Instead he gets a lecture from Marcel. Josh asks Marcel to think about the situation. Binding Hope means no more hybrids. Isn’t that a good thing?

Fortunately Klaus does not overhear this conversation and tries once again to convince Greta to cooperate. Greta stays strong and goads Klaus again. August spawned a crusade and Klaus has no idea how many there are and how deep his world has been infected. Klaus complains once again to Marcel and asks him if he can count on Marcel to stand by him during this battle.

Marcel agrees. Then he calls Freya and asks her to do the binding spell with Hope. Hope is all on board if it means she can save her mother. Who cares that she will be snuffing out a piece of who she is? Plus, it’s her fault her mom is in this predicament in the first place. Get on board, Aunt Freya, and find the moonstone.

While Freya prepares the spell, Hope checks a major item on her bucket list. Since she may be dying tonight, she invites Roman to the library and gives him a big kiss on the lips. They share a make out sesh before the big binding.

The scene switches back to 1933 where Elijah and Klaus argue over August’s propensity to massacre werewolves. Elijah wants Klaus to calm down and leave town. Klaus wants Elijah to fight for the part of him that is a wolf. He goes as far to say, “I have a good mind to dagger you and put you in a coffin beside our sister.” Whoopsie. Elijah is done. Klaus is free to act like a mad man. Just like their father. Elijah won’t stop his brother.

In present day, Hope gives up a huge bowl of her blood, which covers the moonstone. Freya will put the moonstone in fire and then brand Hope on the forehead, palms, and feet. Fun times. Hope takes a deep breath and tells her aunt to DO IT. That’s when Klaus intervenes. Freya is pushed out of the way. Hope hears whispers. All the plants begin to die. Klaus takes the bowl full of Hope’s blood and whooshes out of the vicinity.

I thought it was weird that Klaus took the bowl of blood. Then it all made sense when he made a few werewolves drink it. Greta hates hybrids, huh? Well he’s going to make a jillion of them! Take that, crazy! Also, shouldn’t he have picked up the moonstone, too?

Greta is officially crumbling. Josh keeps encouraging her to just confess and tell him where she’s keeping Hayley. Greta starts coughing dramatically and she continues to sputter, “tell him” over and over.

Tell him what?

Greta vamps out, pulls her hand from the spike, and says, “Tell him I am stronger than you can imagine.” Then she proceeds to beat the ever living (hypothetically) crap out of Josh. With the spike. Crushing it into his skull. Thankfully, Josh does not die. Fingers crossed that his face heals nicely.

Back at school, Roman finds Hope alive. Hooray! She seems blue that she didn’t get to help her mother. She has the spell, she just needs a powerful witch. Guess who knows one? That would be bad boy Roman. All Hope has to do is sneak out of school and meet him in his vintage Mustang at the end of the road.

While Hope figures out her escape, Klaus apologizes to Marcel for his earlier rage. He admits that without Elijah, he can’t seem to control his temper. It has backfired on him. Klaus flashes back and we see him ripping the heart from August’s chest. He announces to the rest of the brood, “When you’ve had enough, pick up this coin.” It’s same coin that sent a message.

Klaus kills them all and then notices a woman crying over August’s body. She picks up the coin and asks for mercy for herself. It’s Greta.

Then she asks for mercy for her daughter. It’s Antoinette. Then she asks for mercy for her son.

It’s Roman.

He truly is a bad boy.