Episode 1.06 - Fruit of the Poisoned Tree, or as I like to call it: The Sun and Stars Orbit Around Elijah
This is my first review for The Originals, and the first review I am posting on Spoiler TV. It figures that it should be for one of the most engaging, heart pounding and complicated episodes of the series so far. Deep breath, here we go.
On this week's episode of The Originals:
- Everyone tries to one-up each other in being evil
- Elijah steals everyone’s heart (at one point quite literally)
- The humans show their claws, then get immediately declawed by Klaus
- Davina opens the Gordian Knot and sets out to conquer the world
- The witches lose their leverage over the Originals, said leverage goes to Marcel
- Thierry comes back from being buried alive, and restores my favorite bromance
- Marcel and Rebekah finally stop dancing around each other and start…dancing
- Camille grows a spine, slaps Klaus, and gets away with it
- Rebekah tries to leave, but gets pulled back by the bungee cord tied to her tail
We start the episode with a typical scene of a vampire family sitting around a table, reading. There is food and refreshment on the table in the form of a lovely dead girl. This is why I love The Originals over all other vampire shows. The vampires are true vampires, not some version of prep school kids with serious skin conditions. They kill humans, drink their blood and are nonchalant about it. This is also the first glimpse we have of Elijah being something other than a noble gentleman, a reminder that no matter how many pregnant women he defends, and how many 16 year old witches he charms, he is still an ancient predator with urges and needs. And he doesn't care about the lives he wastes to nourish himself.
Meanwhile the witches brew an evil abortion spell and inject it into Sophie. Since she is bonded with Haley they hope it would transfer to her and kill the prophesied evil, hybrid baby. The spell doesn't ruffle Sophie at all, even though it is supposed to raise her blood temperature to dangerous levels. It wreaks havoc in Hayley though, giving the show runners an excuse to dunk her and Elijah in a swimming pool at night to provide fanservice in the form of wet and touching Hayley and Elijah.
I understand this relationship is popular among fans. Personally I could take it or leave it. Since the sun and stars orbit around Elijah it seems unfair for him to belong to only one woman. He should build a personal harem and invite all women who admire him to live there, so they could spend all day aah-ing and ooh-ing over him.
Still he proves he is not all rainbows and butterflies. Just as there were whispers among fans, about him being too soft for a vamp, he shows his dark side with a vengeance. First he goes to Davina, supposedly to fulfill his promise of giving her his mother’s grimoire. But in reality it is to coax her into breaking the link between Hayley and Sophie, which is what in the end saves the baby’s life.
We also get a glimpse of the human faction in this episode. Yes, they do exist, and some of the most powerful faces in New Orleans are among them, including the mayor and the police chief. This faction is led by Father Kieran. Klaus’ solution to Hayley’s problem is to terrorize these guys so they would find and hand over the witch who tortures her. It works, but in the end, Klaus gets upstaged by Elijah yet again, who walks in at the right moment and steals the show from him.
That is the most memorable scene in the episode, and it happens in the church where Klaus holds Agnes - the elderly leader of the witch clan - by the throat. Elijah walks in and you could almost hear fanfares and streamers go off, he looks so composed and regal. He tells Klaus to let the witch go because he gave his word to Sophie. Just as Klaus thinks Elijah’s chivalry needs some level adjustment Elijah surprises him – and anyone else who’s watching and still alive at the end – with a show of excessive brutality and badass-ness. He kills all of Agnes’ minions by ripping their hearts right out of their chests. Then, just as I thought he was going to spare Agnes because of what Sophie said, he kills her too. The smile on Kalus’ face when Elijah leaves, declaring that no one messes with his family and lives, is downright fanboyish.
Somewhere else Rebekah goes to Marcel to say goodbye because Elijah doesn’t need her anymore and she’s bored of New Orleans. As usual, the air sizzles so much between them I can’t hear a word they’re saying. Just as I thought we were headed for yet another bait and switch they finally fall all over each other. And IT IS HOT. This is a couple I can get behind. There’s too much chemistry and love/hate between them not to explode somewhere along the way and I’m sitting in the front row popcorn in hand.
In her struggle to stay relevant while knowing nothing and having no powers, Cami stands up to Klaus and provides much needed comic relief in an otherwise dark and bloody episode. I mean, really girl? You talk to Klaus like that? He just had a girl like you for breakfast at home with his brother. You really think you could threaten him? With what? The only reason you’re alive after that is because he likes you.
In the end Hayley (also known as Leverage) is saved by Davina, who manages to pass Elijah’s test and unlink Sophie and Hayley. However baby mama immediately gets kidnapped by Marcel because it’s her purpose on the show to keep the Originals on their toes. Rebekah gets as far as her cellphone’s reach before Mr. Sun and Stars calls her and asks about Ms. Leverage. So she has to come back and continue her dance with Marcel who thankfully lets Cami go (they didn't have much chemistry to begin with) and is now completely available for a beatdown by his old flame, as seen in the previews of next week’s episode. And thus the cycle of kidnapping, bloodletting, killing and blackmailing continues.
Let me know what you think in the comments.
Tessa
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Next Week: Elijah, Klaus and Rebekah go to a live taping of WWE.
