Who is Elijah Mikaelson once he has forgotten himself and the meaning of always and forever? Find out in this recap of Wednesday’s episode of The Originals.
This week’s episode of The Originals was all about one thing, well person, Elijah. The hour explored what life was like for the oldest living Mikaelson brother as he adapted to life without his family and memories. Turns out the Elijah really is better off forgetting always and forever.
It all starts with a newly compelled Elijah getting off a bus seven years ago. He has no idea where he is, who he is and why he is so hungry. Amnesiac Elijah is probably also wondering why he is wearing a full suit, on a bus, in the middle of nowhere.
Really, there is only one thing on his mind, his hunger. Seeing as Elijah can’t remember he is a vampire, he breaks a vending machine. Of course, the chips don’t help. A bus station worker arrives, and Elijah learns that he is a vampire by killing him, finally satisfying the hunger. Elijah steals the guy’s truck and clothes (say goodbye to suit wearing Elijah) and heads to New York City.
A week later, Elijah is out feeding when he hears a female vampire compelling her victim. Elijah finds her and is excited because he thought he was the only vampire. Once the woman realizes Elijah real has no clue about anything, she takes him to a diner and gives him a crash course in vampires.
Her name is Antoinette and she retrains Elijah — who is now going simply as E seeing as the only clue he has to what his name is — and Elijah soon learns control again. As well as how to wear jeans rather than suits.
Eventually, Elijah discovers that there of course a lot more vampires in New York City. He takes Antoinette to a vampire night club where everybody feeds on the dance floor. But, Antoinette freaks out and leaves.
Turns out, she is on the outs with mainstream vampires in New York City because she refuses to wear a day light ring. Did I miss something? Aren’t daylight rings supposed to be rare? How did they become so common in New York City.
Anyway, during a stroll through the park, Antoinette explains that she used to do the whole wear a daylight ring and pass for human thing. But, she wanted to fully embrace her vampire nature, and live by the strict rules her family had when she was first turned.
This is when Elijah and Antoinette happen upon a random piano that says play me. Elijah discovers he may not know who he is, but he can play the piano. Seeing as this is The Originals, Elijah’s happy new life is interrupted by Marcel.
Rebekah is about to join him in New York and that means Elijah must leave town or else blood starts raining down from the sky. Of course none of Marcel’s yelling about getting out of town or death threats mean anything to Elijah. He just knows he met a man who can tell him who he is and whose face he vaguely recognizes.
Elijah is determined to find Marcel and learn more about himself. But, the death threats make Antoinette flee New York for France. Meanwhile, Elijah stays in New York trying to find answers.
One night, Marcel tracks down Elijah again in the vampire club after Elijah kills everyone. Marcel explains that Elijah needs to get out of New York. He may not remember why, but it is to save a little girl he loves. Marcel tells Elijah he was responsible for the note in his suit saying “Don’t look back.” And Elijah asked for his memories to be erased.
This encounter with Marcel gets Elijah to move on from his past and go to France to be with Antoinette. She is playing piano at the bar we saw Elijah at in The Originals season 4 finale and season 5 premiere.
Cut to the present and Elijah is happy and in love. He is even about to propose to Antoinette. But, when she goes to get champagne to celebrate with, Klaus is waiting for her. He is there to take his brother home. Klaus compels her to leave Elijah forever.
But Antoinette is on vervain, so she is able to warn Elijah that his past has come back. Klaus pleads with his brother to come back with him to New Orleans. He needs Elijah’s help to find Hayley. Elijah insists that his life is now in France and he is not going back.
After Marcel said his full name during their second chat, Elijah learned everything he could about himself and the other originals. He learned that for a thousand years, he put his family, mostly Klaus, above his own happiness. No more. Elijah is happy in France with Antoinette and that is where he will stay. Elijah Mikaelson is dead.
Once Klaus recovers from Elijah snapping his neck, he calls Freya to let her know that Elijah is gone. All while on a floor covered in maggots, as that is this week’s more than one Mikaelson in the same place consequence.
As for Elijah, he goes back to his home with Antoinette to explain why they don’t have to run from Klaus. He may not have his memories, but Elijah has done enough research on the originals to learn that he is what kept his brother going for 1000 years. Klaus hearing that Elijah wants nothing to do with him or the rest of the family has broken Klaus.
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Elijah quickly gets over the fact that Antoinette knew he was since the moment they met. He vows that Hayley means nothing to who he is now. Elijah wants to spend the rest of his life with Antoinette, proposing and then removing his daylight ring.
To further emphasize that Elijah Mikaelson is dead, Elijah stands in front of a window without his daylight ring. Burning away his old life and a box of stuff from that life, including his daylight ring.