On this episode of The Originals, “Keepers of the House,” as Hope’s conditions worsens, Vincent and Elijah work together to track down an unexpected foe, the Mikaelsons learn more about their new enemy and a rescue attempt has unforeseen consequences.
Vincent shows up at Marcel’s apartment with the news that the kids they freed never made it home. While they scratch their heads wondering what happened, the ambulance, Detective Kinney and the children arrive in some woods. There’s a group of torch-wielding men waiting, and Kinney informs them the kids have been sedated and prepared for the ritual. One of the men gives Kinney a necklace, telling the cop it’s a token of their master’s power, he’ll need it for what’s to come. The man expresses concern about Vincent, and Kinney promises he won’t let anything stop them.
The Hollow is Coming
Elijah, Klaus and Hayley arrive with Hope. Vincent meets them at the compound and says once he heals Hope, the Mikaelsons have to haul ass out of New Orleans. Klaus and Elijah are more than happy to oblige, stating the city has “lost its charm.” Vincent works his mojo, purifying Hope, and she awakens. But Vincent’s magic appears to be a quick fix. A bunch of crows fall dead from the sky into the courtyard of the Mikaelson compound, and Hope says she can hear whispering. Something or someone keeps repeating “Kre Na Han.” Vincent says it’s Creole, and it means “The Hollow is coming.”
Klaus is eager to go out and kill some witches, but Elijah and Hayley warn him not to be reckless. Hayley decides to handle Marcel since he’s least likely to kill her on site. Whatever this new big bad is, it’s just as much Marcel’s problem as theirs. Klaus is left to babysit a still feverish Hope and keep her from harm while Hayley and Elijah try to figure out what’s coming for her. Elijah reminds Hayley that the Marcel they once knew no longer exists, so whatever he is now, it’s no ally.
Freya and Keelin Strike a Deal
Back at Hayley’s farm, Freya prepares to go to New Orleans to try and help her niece. Keelin suggests that since Freya will be in town anyway, she should try to get her hands on Marcel’s venom. Freya decides this isn’t a bad idea. Marcel will be preoccupied, so it should be easy for Keelin to break into the vamp’s apartment and get what they need. Keelin balks at the idea of helping Freya rob the most deadly vampire on the planet. So, Freya gives Keelin a ring made with kyanite — spelled to grant her full control of her werewolf nature. This is the cure that Keelin has been searching for. Once she puts it on, Keelin can’t get it off. Freya is using it as insurance. It will only work as long as Keelin helps her.
Do it For the Kids
Vincent gathers together other witches to explain to them that a faction of their own people that are starting to make human sacrifices to a spirit called the Hollow. It’s dark, it’s angry and it’s very powerful. Elijah arrives and announces that he and his family have arrived to erase this force. The meeting is abruptly adjourned so Elijah and Vincent can chat.
Vincent already has his hands full and doesn’t need any trouble Elijah might bring his way. But Elijah is convinced Vincent needs his help. After all, E has a lot of experience of removing anything undesirable from New Orleans. He also makes it clear that the offer is non-negotiable, especially since children’s lives are at risk.
Vincent has a hard time buying Elijah suddenly has a soft spot for kids. Vincent reminds E about Davina. While Vincent may only see Elijah as some merciless butcher, the Original brother doesn’t care. He’ll be whatever it takes to rescue his niece. Vincent agrees but swears they’re going to do things his way.
Marcel is doing his part to figure out what’s going on. He speaks to a group of witches, announcing that their problems have now become his. Marcel’s one non-negotiable rule is that nobody messes with kids. He points out the serpent sigil on a nearby wall and insists that someone has to know who’s responsible. All he wants is a name. One woman speaks out, stating the witches don’t owe Marcel anything.
Hayley speaks up from the back of the crowd. She gets why the witches don’t trust Marcel, but one of the children in trouble is her daughter who’s very sick. Hayley doesn’t care about the past, she’s just a mom asking for help. Her plea works because the woman gives Hayley the name of a woman — Lara — who she saw painting the same symbol on her window in blood. Lara isn’t a witch, she’s a wolf, and she’s run off to the bayou.
It Takes Evil to Know Evil
Vincent explains to Elijah that the Hollow’s magic has a very unique signature. He felt it on the witch he and Marcel took out at the old Stryx mansion. If Vincent can trace that energy back to its source, he can find the rest of the fanatics. Elijah questions of the Hollow has spoken to Vincent who claims it’s more like a broadcast, and he’s been able to shut it out. Unfortunately, not everyone has that capability. Elijah brings up Eva.
Vincent explains that there’s a difference between what people project and what’s truly in their hearts. The Hollow took everything that was dark and twisted inside of him and used it against him and his wife. It took everything Vincent loved from him. Elijah sees this as a good reason as to why Vincent would want to remove the evil from this earth. Vincent warns Elijah that if they run into the Hollow, it will take everything he wants to keep buried and use it to get E to do exactly what it wants him to do. And that’s what makes Elijah a liability to the very niece they’re trying to protect.
Vincent uses the ashes of a witch who lost their way and is bombarded with a series of visions. He ditches Elijah to meet with Will Kinney at the St. James Infirmary. Vincent tells Will he’s got an evil mojo breathing down his back. It was the same thing that took out his wife, and Vincent suspects it’s trying to take out his best friend.
Will pulls his gun, and Vincent warns his friend that whatever the Hollow promised him, it isn’t going to deliver. But Will is in deep. He’s convinced that the Hollow rewards those who are loyal. Vincent’s mistake was not doing what it asked of him. If he had, maybe things would be different for him, for Cami, for all of them. The city is overrun with evil, and all Will has to do to save it is one bit of evil himself.
Vincent offers to help Will walk away, but Will says Vincent is in the middle of everything that is about to come. Will was sent to get Vince, but as he pulls the trigger, Elijah steps in.
Elijah can’t use his vamp mind tricks on Will because there’s a spell blocking it. Vincent does his best to break through. Elijah is eager to resort to torture, but Vincent is determined to save his friend. But things to go to hell when Will uses the magic necklace he was given. The thing yields enough power to take down Elijah and Vincent and escape. Luckily, Vincent tagged him with magic, so they can follow Will back to the kids.
Blue Light Special
Klaus sits with Hope who is feeling worse. She asks him if he knows what the Hollow is, and Klaus has no choice but to admit he does not. Hope can feel that it wants those other kids, and she’s sure it wants her too. Klaus promises he won’t let anything happen to her. He’ll keep her safe, always and forever. Hope makes her father promise her that if he ever sees the blue lights, not to look at them.
Marcel and Hayley arrive in the bayou and find Lara pretty easily. Lara knows that Hayley is there because of the children, and Lara tells Hayley that she’s sorry, but they’re as good as dead. Hayley swears they aren’t going to hurt her, but Lara isn’t concerned about herself anymore.
Lara swears she didn’t know any of this was going to happen; that they were going to bring children into it. Hayley wants to know who “they” are, and Lara calls them the ones who serve the Hollow — followers of the blue light. Lara thought they were trying to do something good by taking back the city from Marcel and the other vampires.
Marcel argues that he was keeping the peace, but Lara states the city isn’t his to rule, it belongs to all of them. The Hollow offered them the power they needed as long as they pledged their allegiance.
Hayley questions why Lara, who’s a Crescent wolf, would join up with some cult when she has her pack. Lara points out that Hayley was gone. She’d chosen the Original family over her own kind. The pack means nothing. Hayley admits she screwed up, but she’s got a daughter now, and she needs Lara to help them. Lara just laughs, stating the children can’t be helped. The Hollow wants power, the kind that only comes from sacrifice. The kids will die so it can get stronger, and it will feed, it will rise and they will all bow before the great beast.
After giving her bleak premonition, Lara jabs a knife into her neck.
Breaking and Entering
Freya and Keelin get into Marcel’s apartment. Freya finds a safe and is certain it’s where Marcel has stockpiled his venom. Freya’s unable to open it with magic, so Keelin offers to use her super-duper wolf powers to get in so Freya can go be with Hope. Freya reminds Keelin that if she’s tries to run, she’ll turn, but Keelin swears she knows what’s at stake, so she’s not going anywhere.
Blue Balls
Vincent, Elijah, Hayley and Klaus gather together to take out the witches holding the kids. Marcel pairs up with Klaus, and they bicker about who makes a better leader. Vincent, Elijah and Hayley head in another direction and discuss the blue light. Vincent calls it “Fifolet.” New Orleans’ legend says a spirit may manifest itself in a bright, blue ball of light.
They all converge as Will makes his way to the mysterious group of witches as they prepare for some horrific ceremony. The children are bound and wrapped in sheets. Klaus loses patience with the “circle of sadists,” and takes out the leader, and it’s game on!
Hayley and Vincent hurry to save the kids while Elijah, Klaus and Marcel take out the witches. Will is the holdout, but Klaus snaps his neck. Immediately, Klaus and Marcel are engulfed in a ring of fire and rendered powerless. Vincent realizes this was all a trap. They want to channel the vampires’ power to anchor the Hollow to the living world.
The kids are still alive, but Vincent says they’re linked to the ritual. They can’t free Marcel and Klaus unless they break the spell, and Vincent has no idea how. It’s a sacrificial ritual, and Vincent can’t break it unless he kills one of the kids. This is obviously an unacceptable solution.
Vincent thinks there might be a loophole. He could link the ritual to Elijah, stake him and his temporary death will be enough to break the spell. Hayley may have just gotten her eternal Boo back, but when the time comes, she doesn’t hesitate to take him out.
Klaus and Marcel are impervious to the events unfolding around them. It’s as if they are being held in a quiet, blue cocoon. Klaus warns Marcel not to look into the blue light.
The spell appears to have worked. Hayley removes the stake, Klaus and Marcel are free and Hope wakes up and announces to her Auntie Freya that she and the other children aren’t cold anymore.
It’s Here!
The children are returned to their parents, and Hayley tells Marcel goodbye, hoping his control over the city brings him peace. He asks her to let Hope know that she never has to fear him.
Keelin and Freya reach a new understanding. Keelin’s best bet for survival is to commit to Team Mikaelson, so Freya removes her spell from the ring. Keelin can now reap all the benefits without being tethered by it like a leash.
Hayley asks Elijah what he would have done to those other kids if Vincent hadn’t found a loophole, and Elijah tells her the truth — whatever he had to. Hayley says it’s time for them to stop putting their family’s lives ahead of others. She doesn’t want that for herself or for Hope. They’ve got to do better.
Vincent isn’t convinced that the threat of the Hollow has ended, or is it just beginning? Vincent thinks it may have already gotten to Marcel and asks him what he saw while he was in the circle. Marcel says nothing. Vincent hopes he’s right because the funny thing about New Orleans is that nothing ever stays buried.
But it quickly becomes evident that both Marcel and Klaus didn’t return alone. The Hollow is here.
Can Keelin be trusted? Will Hope wind up battling her own father and Marcel? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
The Originals airs Fridays at 8/7c on The CW.
(Image Courtesy of The CW)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
Jennifer has worked as a freelance writer in the entertainment field since 2012. In addition to currently writing feature articles for Screen Rant, Jennifer has contributed content ranging from recaps to listicles to reviews for BuddyTV, PopMatters, TVRage, TVOvermind, and Tell-Tale TV. Links to some of Jennifer’s reviews can be found on Rotten Tomatoes.
