The Originals – “From a Cradle to a Grave” Season Finale Review. Now This Is A Finale!

Season 1, Episode 22

Air Date: Thursday, May 13, 2014, 8/7c on The CW

RATING: ★★★★★

“You will return to me.” – Klaus “Daddy” Mikaelson

You want an intense closing to a season, you got one. The Originals kicks it into high gear with a breath holding, nail biting, edge of your seat episode. “From a Cradle to a Grave” leaves no unraveling loose ends. A baby is born; bitches, I mean witches, die; feelings are exposed; and people return from the dead. So yeah, this season finale has it all and then some.

A Family Matter

Will we see a relationship develop between these two next season?

As “From a Cradle to a Grave” opens, a flashback of Hayley (Phoebe Tonkin) brings about the warm and fuzzies. I can almost see why she’s so attractive to the men in her life. She has a magnetism about her that sucks them in, leaving no way for them to resist. Well, all except Klaus (Joseph Morgan) because he’s been there, done that (pardon the pun). What more can be said about the momma wolf who’s hell-bent on raising her baby, falling for a guy who wants to keep his feelings hidden, and fighting with her stubborn baby daddy? She’s tough, that’s what. Hayley impresses the hell out of me here. Not only does she fight until her last breath, she reclaims it and comes back to kick even more ass. She doesn’t apologize for her actions, and I can’t say I blame her one bit. Hayley has taken the brunt of everyone’s abuse and badmouthing and come out on top. I’m glad the writers have kept her around. I’m sure you know I wasn’t too keen on her at first. But now, now I’m picking up what she’s putting down. Tonkin does a superb job as a mother on a mission. Her tears bring on my tears; her anger fuels my anger. She’s coming along in this role very nicely.

Man-Child

Klaus is as much a boy as he is a man. I notice how shy he seems when it comes to handling any situation regarding the baby—the way he hesitates to touch Hayley’s belly, holding his daughter for the first time. He doesn’t know how to be a father as he never had the father’s love he desired. Klaus can be bashful, sweet, and loving in the tenderest of moments. Why don’t we see more of this side of him? I like knowing he isn’t all fight and muss every minute of the day. He can be, for lack of a better term, human. How about that? The things revealed about Klaus during “From a Cradle to a Grave” are important. I hope you paid attention. Klaus is definitely not all he’s been shown to be. He’s more than the misfit. He’s someone who can love and who deserves to be loved.

A Man Scorned

Brothers with a unified purpose once more.

When Elijah (Daniel Gillies) breaks down, I about lost it. He’s always so poised and in control. Gillies doesn’t just express Elijah’s grief through words; his emotions speak loud and clear through the tears invading his eyes. If you thought Elijah didn’t have feelings, you thought wrong. He’s a man in love (yes, I really see it now) with his brother’s baby mama (‘cause that’s what she is) and doesn’t know what to do about it. How do you fall for someone who shouldn’t be yours when honor is something you hold near and dear to your heart? How do you go about your day to day seeing the one person you want, denying yourself because of a loyalty stronger than the test of time? Elijah wears honor like he does a suit—and we all know how well he wears a damn suit, people. The outburst of emotion is what was needed to make viewers fall even more in love with Elijah. Will the writers give him his much deserved happiness or will they leave him to suffer in agony forever?

Random Tidbits:

Do they not have Pampers® in New Orleans? I find it interesting to see baby Hope in a cloth diaper. Maybe the witches didn’t have time to run out and get the disposable kind.

Marcel (Charles Michael Davis) gets my respect. He admits defeat, and that he’s wrong. It takes a baby to make grown men see the error of their ways.

The witches all play their part and they play them well. Genevieve (guest star Elyse Levesque) starts something she isn’t equipped to finish. But there’s someone else who will. Did you guess who the two newcomers are? I’ll give you a hint: one is a powerful witch and the other, her doting son. I know they will wreak major havoc. I only hope the Original siblings are up to the task.

Mikael’s (Sebastian Roche) role in the events of “From a Cradle to a Grave” shocks me. I’m not sure what I was expecting from him, but he doesn’t get stuck with the role of baddie this time around. Oh yes, papa Mikaelson has a heart. Even if it has to be manipulated.

Memorable lines:

Elijah: “How?”

Klaus: “I was bested.”

Elijah: “You were bested. You … were bested? My invincible brother.”

“No, brother! This was our hope. This was our family’s hope, and now she is gone. Do you understand I … let this person in. I let her in; I don’t let people in. You knew this; you’ve taken her from me. I needed her and you’ve broken me.”

Not a dry eye should be left in the house after Elijah pours out his heart to Klaus.

Final Thoughts:

Somebody got dissed. Cami has found herself barking up the wrong tree.

This is, by far, the best episode of The Originals to date. It packs a major punch and does exactly what a good season finale is supposed to do. So much happens that I had to watch it twice just to be sure I saw what I thought I saw the first time around. I’m beyond excited for season two and cannot wait to see what the writers have in store for us. Told you Rebekah (Claire Holt) would be back! And Davina (Danielle Campbell) is just getting started. She’s the secret weapon everyone should be worried about. But that’s just what I think. Drop me a line in the comments below if you want to chat about The Originals’ first season finale, “From a Cradle to a Grave,” or hit me up on Twitter @ellemoe with your thoughts. I’d love to know what you think.

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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