The Originals Season 4 Episode 9 Review: Queen Death
Paul Dailly
at
.
Updated at
.
Will anyone be able to find a way to bring Elijah back into the land of the living?
That was one of the bigger questions after The Originals Season 4 Episode 9 in which The Hollow enacted her revenge on the family by killing off the suit-loving brother.
No TV trope that pisses me off more than the fake-out death. I mean, I get the need for drama, but I think we know this show and The Vampire Diaries have used the term death very loosely.
It is a supernatural show, but still, cut it the hell out. I suspected that Daniel Gillies was going to go the Claire Holt route and disappear as a series regular, but would the show be able to sustain viewer interest without Elijah?
Somehow, I don't think so.
Despite my reservations about the death, I loved that we got to see the side of Klaus that would do anything for his family. Klaus has done so many wicked things over the years and offering to sacrifice himself once again continued to show how much he has changed.
Yes, he and Elijah have had their fair share of feuds, but family rules, and Klaus seems to think so, too. I wish the episode would have killed Elijah, or just skipped the entire plot completely.
This waiting around for two weeks while The CW decides to put the series on another pointless break is not fun. It was bad enough waiting ten months for The Originals Season 4 debut.
Sigh.
At least we know we'll be partying with the Mikaelsons into The Originals Season 5 because it's been freaking renewed. It turns out there is still an audience for this veteran vampire drama.
We need to talk about Freya. I was not impressed with the way she was acting during her debate with Vincent about saving Elijah. Rewind five years and Freya was the one who let Davina die.
Davina did not get to live much of her life, while Elijah has lived, like, one thousand years. It proved that above all, Freya cares about her family and would not let anything destroy them.
I understood Vincent's frustration. How is Elijah's life worth more than Davina's? The thing I love about Vincent is that he knows BS when he hears it. He's become one of those characters who has zero tolerance for it, and that's why he's always dishing out the sass.
There's always a loophole. I have my mother's grimoires. I welcome you to study them with me.
Freya [To Vincent]
That said, I'm very worried about him. However, there was no other way for him to find a way to take down the villain once and for all. There was only so much he could do before returning to it.
Unfortunately, he's likely going to be one of the casualties as we approach the end of the season. Yusuf Gatewood is hands down one of the best actors on the show, so I hope his alter ego finds a way to stay safe while battling The Hollow.
Let's have a chat about Hope. I like that she is becoming an integral character to the plot strands, but using her magic to find loopholes is already starting to tire me.
Hope: Mom?
Hayley: Hope, I didn't see you there, sweetie.
Hope: Uncle Elijah's sick, isn't he?
Hayley: Uncle Elijah is very sick.
Hope: Well, can we help him?
Hayley: We're doing everything we can, I promise.
Hope: Maybe I can help aunt Freya do a spell to make him better.
Hayley: That's very brave of you.
We've witnessed it for the better part of two years with Freya, and I just don't know how much more of loopholes being found in the magic I can take. I know this show relies more on the magic than The Vampire Diaries did, but still, dial it back.
With The Hollow now taking on human form, she's going to be a much bigger threat in New Orleans. Will Vincent be able to get people out of town before it becomes deadlier?
"Queen of Death" was a solid episode with crazy developments, and I have no idea what to expect from the rest of the season.
Other tidbits from the episode:
- I was so glad Keelin sat out of the mission. I had a feeling at the top of the hour we would be losing her, because, well, she's in a relationship with Freya. No character on this show is allowed into a relationship without the obligatory death.
- Vincent's speech to Klaus about changing was awesome. Maybe Klaus is doing all of these crazy things because he likes the praise.
- Did anyone else think Klaus was going to crazy at Marcel, thinking he was the one who took Elijah? Klaus 2.0 is a pretty rational guy.
- We can probably expect Rebekah and Kol back on the next episode to help in the battle to save Elijah.
Remember you can watch The Originals online right here via TV Fanatic. Get caught up now.
Over to you, The Originals Fanatics, what did you think of the episode?
Sound off below.
Note: The Originals Season 4 Episode 10 airs June 2 on The CW.
Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
