The Originals - S5E9 - We Have Not Long to Love

Previously on The Originals, “The Kindness of Strangers”

From Ancient Grudge Break to New Mutiny

It’s Mardi Gras and rather than the united celebration that has happened over the past few years with Hayley, Vincent, and Josh running the Quarter, the Nazi vampires have issued an ultimatum: all the species back to their areas —  werewolves in the bayou, witches across the river and vampires in the French Quarter —  if not, the Nazi vampires will attack. They are somewhat limited since Marcel took their daylight rings, but using their compulsion, they can launch attacks.

When Lisina and Ivy decide to keep the Mardi Gras celebration going in defiance, the vampires send a compelled human to blow up the float they are making, killing Lisina. In honor of her, the werewolves decide to march in the Quarter and when Vincent chooses to stand with them, the vampires poison a group of witches, including Ivy (*cries as my ship is lit on fire at the dock*). The vampires also have a witch whom the show conveniently doesn’t show which means we’ve probably seen them already. Time to rewatch this season!

Meanwhile, the Mikaelsons are too caught up in their familial drama to pay attention to the war brewing. Declan returns wanting to know what happened to Hayley, but no one has time for his questions because Hope is holding all of the Hollow in her. Klaus is trying to help by giving her the bracelet that subdues her power, but the Hollow is driving her insane. That, coupled with her guilt and anger towards Elijah about her mom’s death, is a powder keg. Since Elijah is self-flagellating, he goes to the bar to talk to Declan and find out what could have been for Hayley (Declan was going to propose), but Hope shows up and attacks him. Naturally, he lets her because he has nothing to live for after killing the love of his life and leaving Antoinette. Klaus has a brother with a death wish and a daughter whose rage and voices can only be quieted by violence. Just regular single dad stuff.

The saddest thing is that if the Mikaelsons weren’t so in their shit, Hope could probably easily end this species war and actually get back at the people who really killed her mom: the Nazi vampires. But as per usual, the Mikaelsons won’t jump in until the problem comes to their doorstep.

The Good

The frank discussion about Marcel’s rule of the Quarter needed to happen. Josh being the one to call him out was great, and I like that Marcel clarified that he truly thought he was keeping the peace by separating the species. He’s not about purity and as a Black man and former slave, that needed to be clarified.

Single-dad Klaus is trying. He doesn’t know what to do, but he can at least stop his daughter from killing his brother… for now.

Freya (FINALLY!) proposing to Keelin. Now Keelin is a Black woman and being Black and associated with the Mikaelsons doesn’t give you a long lifespan on this show, but it was a beautiful proposal and who doesn’t want Freya to find happiness.

The Badly Hollows

Two great WOC characters gone in one episode. I love The Originals (and TVD) but women of color have always been expendable on these shows and it’s a shame that the one set in New Orleans, of all places, cannot seem to have any women of color in key roles for more than a few episodes. Also, Vincent running to save Ivy was sweet, but you were surrounded by vampires and hybrids, my dude. Send one of them instead of running yourself. You are not FloJo.

Poor Declan. He is really out of his depth and I don’t want to watch him become like Cami. Send that poor baby back to Dublin and let him live. Hopefully, Elijah’s compulsion holds strong.

While Hope’s gambit took away the plot device of separating the Mikaelson siblings, now it’s back in her again and that wasn’t a great storyline last season. Hopefully, The Hollow can be dissipated or put into an urn or a moonstone or whatever the hell cause I’m over it.

The Originals is off for two weeks and this was a great emotional point to take us into the final four episodes, but I have to call out the treatment of women of color on this show and especially The Vampire Diaries. Since TVD set the pattern of using and discarding Black women with the witches on their show, women of color have continued to be disposable in this universe. And often they are dynamic, interesting and powerful characters like Lisina and Ivy. Unless they are built into the core cast of the show (Bonnie on TVD) their arcs are brief and almost always end in death. It is absolutely egregious. I know this is a show about vampires and werewolves and deaths are inevitable, but when I can tell you exactly how the arc of a woman of color will play out because it’s been recycled so many times, you have an issue. And since I haven’t seen anything in the casting of Legacies to indicate a change in that pattern, I’m sure we can expect more of the same.