The King Bites Back. Review: The Originals – “The River in Reverse”

Season 1, Episode 8

RATING: ★★★★★

“Bless me, Father for I have sinned.” – Rebekah

The Originals provides another solid episode with heart-stopping action, suspense, and a plethora of unexpected events in “The River in Reverse.” While I’m not too keen on the declining werewolf population, I am waiting for the big payoff of lingering in the bayou. The witches have faded from view; the vampires are under new leadership; somebody has to step up to the plate and prove to be a formidable adversary for the Originals. But I don’t think we’ll get that story just yet.

Observations and thoughts:

The King of Nothing

I’m digging Marcel’s (Charles Michael Davis) swagger. He walks like he owns the streets (since he technically does) and won’t ever bow down to anyone. Sure fooled me. His love for the fair Rebekah (Claire Holt)—and the vampires of New Orleans—is his true weakness. And you know how that turns out. With their fate in his hand, Marcel has to make decisions that will keep his loyal subjects alive because shit just got serious. I think Marcel is a fair ruler; he has a system in place and expects obeisance. He’s a king with a heart of gold who’s lost his kingdom. I’ve come to find Marcel isn’t all bad. It’s only when he’s pushed to the extreme that he shows how devious he can be. (I hope Rebekah never finds this out.) You cross him, you get punished. But when you cross Klaus (Joseph Morgan), you get dead. If you’ve never seen Klaus at his fiercest, “The River in Reverse” showcases how badass the ultimate hybrid gets when his back is against the wall. I got chills watching him in action and may have feared for quite a few characters’ lives. You can’t tell me Klaus isn’t the end all-be all. Who (or what) is able to take him down? Will it be love, the greatest of all emotions, or a vampire worth his salt? My vote is on a little hybrid unborn that will have daddy wrapped around her precious little fingers.

An Awakening

“This is my time. You steal it from me!” I’m so glad to see Cami (Leah Pipes) again. She seems to bring out the best in Klaus. Seriously. She makes him think about what he’s doing and Klaus rarely second guesses himself. I’m curious if Cami and Klaus will ever develop a friendship since she knows what he’s doing/done to her. Will she be able to forgive him and see the side of him that isn’t pure asshole? Pipes plays the role of a confused but intelligent and strong woman to a tee. She doesn’t allow Cami to appear weak even when she’s at her lowest. I applaud the writers for producing such a strong female character. Cami might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back. And by camel, I mean Klaus. He does have a fondness for blondes.

Pleasant Surprise

Joshua (Steven Kreuger) is an interesting character. I wasn’t sure he’d last very long before but now, I think he might be around for a while—even if it’s just for the sake of comic relief. He’s funny without trying to be and has a sweet innocence about him you don’t get from many baby vamps. He hasn’t quite taken to the vampire lifestyle and is siding with whoever has the most power. I only hope he doesn’t make too many missteps. I’m not concerned with what Marcel will do; I’m more afraid of Klaus and his maniacal machinations.

Random thoughts:

Ok, Tyler (Michael Trevino) has done his time, stirred up trouble, and pissed me off. He needs to go away now. I don’t like seeing Trevino in this same alpha douche-canoe role when we know he can do more. Tyler used to be the asshat of all asshats but grew into a leader. Now he’s just a pain in the butt who won’t go away. I’m not feeling it anymore.

“There are consequences for those that care.” Elijah (Daniel Gillies) continues to push Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) away. She thinks he doesn’t want her around because of his fever dreams. I think it’s more than that. He doesn’t want to hurt her. There is something brewing between the two and his thoughts of another love may turn her away.

Speaking of Elijah: kudos to Gillies for keeping his character’s personality intact throughout his raging fever attack. If I thought Elijah was the most polished vampire on TV before, I know it for a fact now. He’s as polite as ever while suffering and in pain. His vulnerabilities shine through and I think we’ve learned something important about Elijah.

I wonder how Rebekah lives with her constant betrayal. She never hesitates to go against Klaus, siding with Elijah when it suits her needs. She maneuvers and manipulates with ease.

Memorable and funny lines:

Rebekah to Klaus: “There is something fundamentally wrong with you.”

Father Kiernan: “Yes, how ironic it is to discuss free will with a mind-controlling vampire.”

Marcel to Klaus: “I hereby pledge my allegiance to you. There. You have the keys to my kingdom. It’s yours.”

More drama waits as Klaus uses his newfound power for evil. I didn’t expect anything less from him but I was hoping for something more. Marcel’s words on loyalty struck a chord with Klaus and I’m waiting to see what blooms from the seeds Marcel has planted. But a werewolf war, I’m not looking forward to. Drop me a line in the comments below if you wanna chat, or hit me up on Twitter @ellemoe to discuss the show.

Tune in to The Originals Tuesdays at 8/7c on The CW. For more on the show, visit the official site.

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Elle

Writer, mother, realist, cloud lover, daydreamer, dessert enthusiast, sweet tea addict, perfectionist, and lover of life and Christ, but not in that order. http://www.fanfiction.net/~vikingloverelle