The Originals Season 5 Episode 3 Review: Ne Me Quitte Pas
Paul Dailly
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Elijah does not want to wallow in the past.
We took a trip to the past on The Originals Season 5 Episode 3 to fill in the blanks on what happened to Elijah after Marcel compelled him to forget, and it was an eye-opening hour that changed everything.
In his later years, Elijah became something of a moral compass for Klaus. They were inseparable, so it goes without saying that part of the reason Klaus has been delving back into his old ways of late is that his brother is no longer part of his life.
Elijah was put on a bus out of New Orleans with a blank slate. He had no idea he was a vampire until his thirst for blood kicked in and he killed the man in Sunnyvale. How does one get to grips with that?
Now, I'm going to get this out of the way right now: I wasn't a fan of Jaime Murray when she appeared in both Dexter and Once Upon a Time. By the end of the hour, I was almost shouting, "If Antoinette dies, we riot."
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It's rare to like a character in such a small amount of time, but Antoinette was a breath of fresh air. She was different from the other vampires, and that's what made her so intriguing.
A part of me wondered whether she was going to emerge as a villain, but it looks more like she's going to be another one of Elijah's ones that got away.
The proposal was beautiful, but it was only a matter of time before Klaus appeared. The hybrid was downright awful to Antoinette. What gave him the right to tell her to get out of Elijah's life when he had a genuine connection with her?
Driver: Know where you're going, hon?
Elijah: I... I need food.
Driver: Chicken and waffles, two miles up the road. Good luck to you.
It's difficult to understand Klaus' motives because he's always liked to have power over his siblings and thinks he's superior to them. Hell, he daggered them and undaggered them every time he needed their Netflix passwords.
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That part about Netflix was a joke, but it sounds like something Klaus would do. I'm on the fence about whether he wanted Elijah to find Hayley and get back together with her or help in the mission to find her.
Klaus begging for Elijah's help was deeply satisfying. It showed a more vulnerable side to Klaus, and the fact that he never outright murdered Antoinette was good, too.
It did seem a little out of place that Klaus showed up like that urging his brother to return to New Orleans. It's not like the family can miraculously get back together.
Antoinette: You're an amnesiac with zero life experiences. You really think you ought to be planning surprises?
Elijah: Consider it a thank you for taking me under your wing these past few weeks.
Unless Freya's found a way to allow her siblings in town together, it was a little bit pointless.
In all honesty, this new Elijah is much more exciting than the old one. It was difficult to watch him suffer at first, but he no longer has the burden of the memories.
Yes, he garnered a Ph.D. in all things Elijah Mikaelson, but knowing is not even a fraction as bad as having the memories haunting him.
I'm not sure what Elijah's long-term plan was when he took off the ring to let the sunshine in so he could set himself on fire. Does he expect to burn his skin cells and be reborn without the burden of his family?
It was ambiguous for sure, but we'll need to tune into future installments to find out if Elijah was genuinely trying to kill himself, be reborn, or if he just wanted to set himself on fire to see what all the fuss was about.
There will come the point in time in which Elijah will get his memories back, but hopefully, he can keep the memories he had with Antoinette.
Antoinette: What the hell do you want from me?
Elijah: Are there more of us? Where do you come from? What are we?
Antoinette: Whatever game you're playing, I'm not interested.
Elijah: Please. I need you to help me.
There's still time for Antoinette to be revealed as a villain, but for now, I'd like to see her by Elijah's side when he inevitably returns to New Orleans.
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There's no telling what Klaus will do next, but given that he's phoned home and lied that Elijah is long gone, it sounds like he's headed back to the French Quarter empty-handed.
"Ne Me Quitte Pas" was a perfect episode of this soon-to-conclude CW drama series. It was an excellent example of how to focus successfully on one character.
What did you think of it, The Originals Fanatics? What do you believe Elijah's long-term plan was when he allowed himself to burn?
What are your thoughts on Antoinette?
Hit the comments below.
Remember you can watch The Originals online right here via TV Fanatic. Get caught up with all the latest family drama right now.
The Originals airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW.
Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
