In The Originals season 3 finale, “The Bloody Crown,” Marcel uses his new-found power to launch a war against the Mikaelsons. He brings plenty of Klaus’ enemies to town and puts his former mentor on trial. Yet, the return of someone from Marcel’s past could change everything. Meanwhile, the Mikaelsons scramble to find a way to save their family before it’s too late and the prophecy is fulfilled.
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Marcel Seeks Revenge
As the episode begins, Marcel starts to come to in the river. He has memories of his time growing up with the Mikaelsons. He has memories of Elijah tutoring him and he remembers Klaus telling him that you can choose your family. Yet when he arises as a super-Original, he is clearly out to destroy these people he once loved.
On a lighter note, Elijah and Hayley wake up in bed together and Hayley teases him about watching her sleep. Hayley reminds him that even after all they’ve lost, they are still here and he’s not alone. They kiss and Hayley/Elijah fans knows that all this happiness can only mean something awful is about to happen.
Klaus is also having a quiet morning as he spends time with Hope. Elijah comes to see him and says that he knows not to ask for forgiveness. Elijah did what he had to do and that’s what they have always done for family. Klaus knows how heavy that burden is and Elijah wonders if maybe it’s too much to bear this time.
While her brothers spend their morning with their loved ones, Freya is working on a spell. She spent the whole night having trouble sleeping because she can feel that something is coming. She uses the map she created to trace Klaus’ enemies to see where they all are. Freya and Kol are both horrified to realize that all of Klaus’ enemies are headed for New Orleans.
Marcel stops by Davina’s grave and sees the chaos all around the cemetery. Vincent shows up and Marcel asks if this was all him. Vincent says he had help and Davina was the one who ultimately took down the Ancestors. Marcel knows it’s time for him to do his part, but Vincent questions if Marcel can really take down the people who used to be his family. Marcel reminds Vincent that one of his former family members murdered him in cold blood so he feels like they have earned the revenge that’s coming their way. Vincent knows Marcel is about to start a war with the Mikaelsons and he wants Marcel’s word that he will do right by the people of New Orleans. Marcel says that’s exactly what he plans to do.
Kol tells Klaus that Freya is tracking down the many members of Klaus’ former sire-line. Kol is looking forward to this, as he is in the mood for a fight. Elijah says they have the advantage because no one can enter their home while the deed is in Freya’s name. (Spoiler alert: Elijah is wrong.) Before Freya can finish the spell to track down Klaus’ sirelings — aka, the many vampires Klaus has made over the years — she is attacked. A random vampire shows up and scratches her. Yes, Freya has just been poisoned.
Marcel Vs. the Mikaelsons
Klaus and his family are shocked when vampires start pouring into the compound. (Apparently, it’s not that hard to have someone nullify a deed and foreclose on the property.) Soon enough, Marcel reveals himself and gives them another shock. Klaus is slightly relieved that Marcel is alive, but that relief does not last long once he realizes what Marcel has planned. Elijah tries to direct Marcel’s anger onto himself to spare his siblings, but Marcel knows that if he goes against one of them it means going against the whole family. Kol is angered that Marcel is doing this in Davina’s name. He loved her, too. Marcel points out that Kol is the one who killed her and things escalate from there. Marcel ends up biting Kol before Klaus and Elijah get into the fight. Thanks to his new super-strength, Marcel is able to best both brothers. He knocks Klaus away and then bites Elijah.
Hayley find Freya after she’s been poisoned. Once she fights off a vampire coming after her, Hayley gives Freya some of her blood. It cannot cure Freya, but it can give her some strength and help slow the poison. Freya says that even if they find a way to cure her, she doesn’t have enough power to stop Marcel. Luckily, Hayley thinks she knows of someone who might be able to talk Marcel down.
Hayley Brings Rebekah Back
As Marcel and the brothers continue to fight, Rebekah shows up and stops them. Marcel is clearly thrown by her presence. Rebekah tells Klaus to take their brothers and leave. Hayley has already taken Hope and Freya to safety, so Klaus does what Rebekah asks. Once her brothers leave, Rebekah demands an explanation from Marcel.
Rebekah, who is still hexed and only has a short time before said hex drives her to madness, begs Marcel to cure her brothers. Marcel tells her there is no cure and Kol and Elijah will be dead soon. He also promises to make Klaus follow in their footsteps. Rebekah lashes out and asks if she’s to be next. Marcel is shocked that she would think him capable of hurting her. She says the man she knew — the man she loved — never thought of himself as judge, jury and executioner. Marcel decides she is right and offers to bring Klaus to justice instead of simply killing him.
Meanwhile, Klaus and Elijah get Kol over to Lucien’s where Freya and Hayley were searching for the antidote for Freya. They were not able to find it and now they have bigger problems. Elijah is still mostly holding it together after being bitten, but Kol is already starting to lose it. While Freya tries to calm him down, Klaus and Elijah have a heart-to-heart.
Klaus is furious this happened and vows revenge against Marcel. Elijah tells him it’s not Marcel’s fault. Elijah believes he — and he alone — has brought this on their family. Klaus doesn’t think he can do this without his brother, but Elijah knows he can. He has to be strong for Hayley and Hope. Klaus promises that he will be and the brothers share a rare hug. (Did anyone else get choked up during this scene?) Despite everything these two put each other through, their love for one another is undeniable.
Klaus Steps Up for His Siblings
Rebekah calls Klaus and tells him that Marcel has agreed to a deal. He will put Klaus on trial for his many, many sins. Klaus has no interest in that, particularly since the jury will be made up of people who hate him, but Rebekah says the mob is out for blood and anyone in the way could be harmed. (Anyone, meaning Hayley and Hope.)
Klaus discusses his options with his siblings. Elijah says it’s suicide and Klaus should take Hayley and Hope out of the city as soon as possible. Kol is getting worse, but Freya thinks she has a way to save them all. Unfortunately, what she needs to make that happen is time and Klaus is the only one who can give that to them. Klaus agrees to go on trial if it means saving his siblings and Freya tells him that they will only survive if he finds a way to live through said trial.
Before Klaus heads for his trial, he goes to see Hope and leaves her a letter. Hayley wants to come with him, but Klaus will not let her. She’s not the one they want, after all. Klaus tells Hayley that he was wrong to take her away from Hope before and he knows now that he can trust her to take care of their daughter. It’s actually a lovely scene and shows how far these two have come since this time last season.
Klaus arrives at the compound and is welcomed by Rebekah. For Freya’s plan to work, he has to stay alive and she has to fight against the madness brought on by her hex. They walk into the trial hand-in-hand and Klaus faces his many enemies.
Klaus Goes on Trial
Klaus’ trial is quite the affair. Marcel puts Klaus on display and lists some of the many atrocities he has committed against the vampires in the room. (All of whom who were sired by Klaus.) Marcel wonders why Klaus made them all in his image and if it was just about his fear of being alone. In the end, it doesn’t matter. Klaus took away everything and everyone they loved, so he has to pay.
Before Marcel continues, Rebekah asks to speak her peace. She wants a chance to defend her brother and Marcel allows her to do so. Rebekah says Klaus has done horrible things but so have they all. They all fight for power, but in his heart, Klaus’ first instinct is to protect his family. She wonders if they would do any differently for the people they love. It’s a nice speech, but Marcel points out that Klaus has punished her, his sister, more than anyone else. Thanks to the hex, Rebekah gives in to her anger and decides to tell the truth about her brother. (Or does she? Rebekah might just be faking this whole rant against Klaus as part of their plan.)
She calls Klaus out on all the horrible things he has done to their family over the years. She says he destroys everything he touches and she envies all of his unsired vampires because they are now free of him but she never will be. Rebekah’s words incite the bloodlust of everyone gathered and Marcel decides it’s time to make a decision. But before they do, Klaus wants to speak for himself.
Klaus confronts Marcel about what happened to Davina and says maybe it was Marcel’s fault for not warning his sort-of daughter about what happens when one goes up against Klaus and his family. Klaus has no remorse for the things that he has done to his sirelings over the centuries. Because no matter what he has done, they are all alive because of him. He gave them all the gift of immortality and he owes them nothing. He says even if they kill him, he still wins because they will always remember him.
Rebekah speaks up and says that death is too good for Klaus. She then reminds Marcel that he has a way to really make Klaus suffer. Marcel decides that for all of his crimes, Klaus should face a fate worse than death. Instead of killing him, Marcel decides to use Papa Tunde’s blade on Klaus — the one that delivers unending pain and torment to its victim. Marcel steps up to Klaus and lists all the loved ones he’s lost because of his maker. (Did anyone else love the Thierry shout-out?) He saves himself for last and then plunges the blade into Klaus’ chest.
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Vincent Stands Up For His City
While the Mikaelsons are dealing with Marcel, Vincent is trying to handle things with the witches. They are none too pleased that their strength is diminished (they got much of their power from the Ancestors and now that connection is severed) just when a horde of vampires have flooded into town. Vincent asks them to trust him and that what happens next is up to them.
Will shows up to witness Vincent’s speech and says he needs Vincent to come with him. Will takes Vincent to a crime scene at the old church/Marcel’s fighting gym. As Vincent looks around in horror, we see the bodies of all of the remaining Strix members. Apparently, Marcel took them all out upon his resurrection. Alas, Marcel’s attack comes with consequences. He didn’t quite succeed in killing one of the Strix and the vampire attacks Will. Vincent kills the Strix and Will is still alive, but Vincent is not pleased that Will got hurt.
Vincent goes to see Marcel after Klaus’ trial and confronts him for his attack on the Strix. He says that Marcel went too far and that he is just as bad as the Mikaelsons. They all do what they want, regardless of the consequences. Vincent says he is taking the fighting gym back from Marcel and turning it into a church once again. It will serve as a sanctuary for anyone — human, witch or vampire — who is tired of the chaos Marcel and his like cause. Vincent makes it clear that if Marcel has a problem with that, Vincent will deal with him, no matter the consequences. (Have I mentioned how much I love Vincent? He has no time for any of this nonsense.)
Klaus Makes the Ultimate Sacrifice to Save His Family
Once the trial is over, Rebekah calls Hayley and tells her it worked. Klaus found a way to survive. Freya then gathers blood from all of her siblings to use in a linking spell. She puts them all in a deep sleep after tying their lives to Klaus.
Marcel is watching over Klaus’ body. He clearly feels something — regret or remorse or just sadness — for what he did to Klaus. Yet he still ends the episode by entombing Klaus in some unknown location, apparently set on leaving him that way until he decides to remove the blade and end Klaus’ torment.
The episode ends with a voice-over of Klaus’ letter to Hope. In the letter, he says he wants her to know that he loves her and that he sacrificed himself to save his family. Klaus says that his only regret is not being there for her. Yet he knows Hayley will protect her and find a way to unite their family once again. He ends the letter saying that she is their family’s legacy and she remains what she has always been — “our hope.”
During the final montage of Klaus’ voice-over, we see that Freya has created a special place that will allow the siblings — sans Klaus — to stay together while they sleep. By putting them in this coma-like sleep, they have given Hayley time to find cures to their many ailments. So the season ends as Hayley drives out of town with Hope and a truck full of coffins. The prophecy is fulfilled and all the Mikaelsons did, indeed, fall. Thankfully though, they are all still alive and we will have to see how they get out of this mess next season.
What did you think of the season 3 finale of The Originals? Are you surprised that Klaus accepted a fate he has always feared — being alone — to save his siblings? Were you happy to see Rebekah return? What do you think Marcel will do now that the Mikaelsons are out of his life? Will he realize they are still alive? Who will Hayley turn to for help in finding a cure to save her family? Will the show do a big time-dump when it returns next season? What do you think of the network’s decision to hold season 4 of The Originals until mid-season? What will you do to survive the extra-long hiatus? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.
(Image courtesy of The CW)
Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
