In “God’s Gonna Trouble the Water”, Klaus and the NOLA community help Hope say goodbye to Hayley. We also learn what the Hollow’s dark magic is escalating towards… we review the latest The Originals.
I have to say that when we first met Hayley Marshall in The Vampire Diaries, I didn’t like her at all. I mean, I appreciated her trying to help various hybrids, including Tyler, break their sire bonds to Klaus, but Hayley just seemed to messy… involved with Katherine, trying to come between Caroline and Tyler as well as my beloved Klaroline. When Hayley peaced out from Mystic Falls after sleeping with Klaus, I wasn’t at all sad to see her go.
Of course, she showed up in NOLA and kickstarted the entire premise of The Originals. Yet, even in the pilot, you could tell that Hayley had changed. Perhaps it was the prospect of being a mother, or even being back in New Orleans and learning family ties, but Hayley approached the world with more gravitas and wasn’t at all afraid to tell Klaus to stick it where the sun don’t shine. Over these seasons, we watched Hayley Marshall slip into her role as a leader like a duck takes to water. Yes, Hayley might have been a hybrid, but she was a proud werewolf, helping to rebuild her community, while also pushing for peace between all supernatural creatures. Hayley was a loving mother, teaching Hope to have faith in herself and keeping Klaus’s love alive for their daughter, even in his absence. And, to me, Hayley was 100% part of “Always & Forever,” as a sister to Rebekah and Freya, Baby-Mama+ to Klaus, and the love of Elijah Mikaelson’s life.
It’s in fulfillment of all these things, that Hayley sacrificed herself at the end of “What, Will, I, Have, Left“. Certainly, saving Hope is at the forefront of her mind, but if Hayley could give her friends a fighting chance against the Nazi Vampires by taking out Greta, she’d do it. And she did. But how do we say goodbye to Hayley Marshall?
In fact, this is the question motivating “God’s Gonna Trouble the Water”, as Klaus and the NOLA community try to help Hope bid farewell to her mother.
The episode opens with the devastating scene of Hope passed out on that floor and hearing the lead-up to Hayley’s death unfolding in the background. Hope suddenly wakes up and calls for her mother, knowing something has gone wrong. But she’s back in her room in Mystic Falls and only Freya is there to help break the news of Hayley’s death. It’s totally gut-wrenching to watch the realization hit Hope.
In NOLA, Klaus attempts to make the path smooth for Hope before she returns for Hayley’s funeral. Condolences pour in, including a heartfelt letter from Caroline. All four factions have agreed to a truce in order to allow for Hayley’s funeral procession (Second line parade) and burial. Klaus knows he can’t be in town because of the Hollow dark magic, so Freya arranges for Ivy to project Klaus into the city. This frustrates Klaus because he wants to be by Hope’s side, holding her hand. However, the more and more the Mikaelsons have been in proximity, the corruption of nature has been escalating. The danger to NOLA is great.
They’re no strangers to heartbreak. Stream the latest episode on The CW App: https://t.co/u3JhDzW05z pic.twitter.com/sqvg5xQFc5
— The Originals (@cworiginals) June 9, 2018
Klaus has even more on his plate, because Elijah and Antoinette arrive in New Orleans. At first, Elijah and Antoinette join Greta’s followers (led by a zealous vampire named Emmett) to celebrate her life. Antoinette does speak against the Nazi Vampire “philosophy”, but the group seems determined to claim NOLA for themselves. Klaus interrupts to remove Elijah and Antoinette from the city and imprison them. However, Klaus makes sure to inflict a deadly bite on Antoinette… so Elijah will have to watch her die. Klaus seems to think this is just retribution for Hayley’s death. It’s clear that Klaus feels a lot of guilt for Hayley’s death, even in terms of Hayley having to experience the let-down of calling for Elijah to help rescue her from Greta, and having him look right through her. When Elijah calls Klaus and begs for Antoinette’s life, Elijah promises to restore his memories. Klaus declines the offer; but Marcel and Vincent are interested. If Elijah is awake, he can go back to France and take the Nazi Vampires with him.
See what happens when you turn your back on family. Stream #TheOriginals now: https://t.co/u3JhDzW05z pic.twitter.com/EWBgQ8oGoV
— The Originals (@cworiginals) June 11, 2018
By the time Hope and Freya arrive in NOLA for the Second Line, Klaus has left and awaits Ivy to help with the astral projection. But Hope grows increasingly frustrated when she sees that few of her mother’s true friends are there. No one has even told Irish Declan about Hayley’s death. She only sees strangers who almost seem to be using Hayley’s funeral as an opportunity to party. Klaus arrives and tries to reach Hope’s side, but the procession is interrupted by Emmett and his people in vans. They demand that Elijah and Antoinette be returned or they will attack. Hope releases her rage, causing one of the vans to implode. Josh is able to save Hope before the remaining Nazi Vampires fire their weapons at her.
Klaus returns to his body and tries to return to the city, but Ivy won’t let him. In very interesting news, Ivy has been doing her research… an ancient grimoire has revealed that the dark magic that occurs when the Mikaelsons are together portends the destruction of NOLA’s supernatural community–water turning into blood (check!); vipers/snakes from the rivers (check!); larvae from the soil (check!); ice rain/hail from the skies (check!); fire across the water; monsoons from the sea; the death of all firstborns.
Note how these follow many of the ten plagues that GOD rained down on Egypt when Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go! MIND BLOWN!!!!!!!!! So, if things continue to escalate when the Mikaelsons get together, it will lead to the deaths of the firstborn children, like Hope and Freya. YIKES!
When Ivy projects Klaus back to Hope, she’s in so much pain. Hope wants her father there and feels so betrayed by his absence. Klaus tries to convey that his proximity could kill her, but at this point, Hope believes maybe she should just die. She doesn’t want to live like this anymore. *WEEPING* In the woods, as Klaus carves Hayley’s name into the tree bearing Jackson’s and Mary’s names, he promises his Little Wolf that he’ll do better by Hope, so that she can live and love.
Marcel and Vincent meet with Elijah, the promise to cure Antoinette, but first they’ll need to recover Elijah’s memories. Vincent begins the spell and we see Elijah return to his mind palace, approaching the ever present Red Door. Marcel demands Elijah open that door and remember, but he can’t; the pain is too much, and Elijah soon passes out. (In fact, when Freya tells Klaus that Vincent and Marcel are with Elijah for this purpose, Klaus reveals that he declines Elijah’s offer for this very reason; that the pain of reclaiming memories of what he’s done would overwhelm him.)
In the end, Hope, Freya, and the wolves convene in the bayou to give Hayley her send off. Marcel, Vincent, and Josh arrive, followed by Keelin. (Come to me FREELIN reunion!) Hope promises to save “Always & Forever” and Freya agrees to help her. Freya gives a heartfelt eulogy about how Hayley was an irreplaceable part of their family and community. In her honor, they must love one another, as Hayley would have wanted. “Too Close” by Arctic Lake plays in the background as Hope says goodbye to her mother… “I keep hope too close…”
Klaus arrives and stands by his daughter’s side, just for a moment, to support Hope in this painful moment. This is the last time they can be together, but Klaus promises to be better about being in touch. Hope promises to fix this for them… and then the lake catches on fire (check!). Klaus tells Hope he loves her and then leaves.
But he’s soon attacked by some magic and trapped in a magical plane… with Elijah!
The Originals airs Wednesdays at 9:00pm ET|PT on The CW.
