THE ORIGINALS‘ SAVIOR RECAP
The mid-season finale of The Originals, “Savior,” left us on quite a tragic cliffhanger as “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” played in the background with Klaus crying over the lifeless body of Camille. You knew something was going to happen – as Klaus was just too happy when the two recognized their love for each other and shared a kiss. But let’s face it, part of the beauty of appreciating a Byronic Hero is seeing how they react when they actually lose the object of their love. The next new episode (not until January 29th) should be entertaining on that front.
In fact, what I love about The Originals is how incredibly literary it is. I know it’s not the most popular show or even a critical darling, but what does any of that mean anyway? I love how witty the dialogue is and how completely steeped in classic literature the show is. Most shows focus on “ships,” explicit content merely for ratings and shock factor as well as surprising deaths with no thematic purpose. Whereas a show like The Originals isn’t afraid to use elements of “original” archetypes and classic storytelling techniques and is all the stronger for it.
Besides Cami’s death, Rebekah returns with a nasty curse, the Strix attempt to assassinate Freya, Jackson and Hayley mend their relationship for Christmas, and Vincent becomes Regent of the witches.
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REBEKAH’S CURSE – ONE BY FAMILY?
Rebekah makes it back in time for Christmas, only to discover that the dagger left her marked with a curse. This curse drives Rebekah mad which leads her to later attack Hayley in a moment of pure insanity. You have to give Claire Holt props for her performance. She let out a lot of rage!
Meanwhile, Freya works with the help of everyone (including Jackson who earlier rescued her from an assassination attempt) to break the curse. They seem to succeed in breaking the curse in time for the Mikaelson family to have a big, happy Christmas.
Rebekah, however, soon after decides to leaves town so Lucien, Aurora and Tristan won’t know she’s actually been rescued from the bottom of the ocean.
And while it seemed like Rebekah would be traveling for a while, Elijah later meets her in an alley where she reveals the unfortunate truth. The curse has returned and she is once again going mad. She then pleads to Elijah to dagger her and hide her body. Elijah refuses with tears in his eyes, yet he knows Rebekah has a point. Cursed, she’ll be dangerous to all of them including Hope. If daggered by Elijah, they’ll not only be protected from her madness but they will fulfill part of the prophecy.
Rebekah would fall due to family – Elijah – and he will no longer have to worry about mistrusting anyone in the family from this point forward. So with tears in his eyes and Rebekah shoving the dagger in his face, Elijah daggers Rebekah.
Before she goes to “sleep,” she also asks Elijah not to tell anyone else because she wants Klaus to have a little bit of happiness.
Something tells me this part of the prophecy, however, may still not actually be fulfilled. But we shall see.
HAYLEY AND JACKSON’S MERRY CHRISTMAS
Hayley goes out to the Bayou to surprise Jackson. He is still hesitant because of her feelings for Elijah. And while she doesn’t deny them, she reminds Jackson that she chose him and that she wants to spend Christmas with him and Hope. Happily, he returns home. And while they both get caught up in Mikaelson drama once again, he seems to be warming up to them. He rescued Freya on instinct because he felt like a member of his pack was in danger. So it seems Jackson is also becoming a member of the Mikaelson clan. And it also seems like the Hayley and Jackson marriage isn’t going to end anytime soon.
MARCEL AND VINCENT
While the Strix have their own plans for the new Witch Regent, Marcel works elsewhere to convince Vincent to step up instead. And with Vincent filled with pent up magic ready to be released, it doesn’t take him a whole lot of convincing. Unfortunately, the Strix get ahold of Finn (Freya’s necklace) and hold it over Vincent. Basically, if Vincent doesn’t do their bidding, they will have Finn become regent instead and have him lead the witches. Well, that can’t be good.
KLAUS, CAMI AND THE STANDOUT ROMANTIC MOMENT
Camille learns from Vincent that Detective Kinney has not been doing well since Lucien compelled him. So Cami goes to pay him a visit with Klaus tagging along. After the events of last week’s episode, Klaus isn’t letting Cami out of his sight. At Kinney’s house, they find him about to kill himself. Klaus, in a noble moment, compels Will to stop and gives him back his life. This act brings Cami and Klaus closer together.
In fact, Klaus and Cami share many longing stares throughout “Savior,” as she begins to realize just how much she actually “loves” Klaus. He, of course, is already aware – but his feelings are now becoming nearly impossible to fight.
With a nudge from Rebekah to run toward love, Klaus and Cami have an intimate conversation after the family Christmas party. He reveals just how connected he feels to her. That what’s important to her is important to him. That what makes her happy makes him want to keep her happy. What scares her he wants to tear apart. He then admits that he doesn’t wish to watch her from “behind glass.”
So she asks him what he wishes. And after a smoldering (yes, I love this word) stare, he kisses Cami. She kisses him back.
It’s a romantic kiss rather than a lustful one which is significant in describing their relationship. She the light to his darkness.
As they go back to his room, they continue to kiss. And what could have become a sex scene (which is where I thought the scene was going) instead becomes a moment of kindred spirits recognizing their love for each other. After passionately kissing for a moment, they simply stop. It’s a conscious choice on the part of the writers. Instead of sleeping together, the two share soulful looks into each other’s eyes. It’s all the more compelling; all the more emotional. Cami even touches his heart. They literally fall asleep staring into each other’s souls. I can’t think of a more romantic moment than that.
Personally, I’m glad that for this episode (I’m not saying this means there will never be a sex scene between them) the writers chose to focus on “romantic love,” as it makes the Klaus and Cami relationship much stronger.
Sadly, their happiness is short-lived. Klaus wakes up to find his hands covered in Camille’s blood. Klaus leans over to find Cami’s throat slit. He trembles as he lifts her lifeless body to hold. He cries and then screams out in agony. It’s a gorgeous and darkly romantic shot that will be remembered for a long time to come.
[Stay tuned this Saturday when we go MUCH more in-depth on the Klaus and Cami kiss in our Romantic Moment of the Week Column.]FAVORITE QUOTES
Elijah: Hello, sister.
Rebekah: Tell me I didn’t miss Christmas.
Klaus: There is beauty in the courage of the fragile fighter, those who persevere despite all they’ve been through, those who still believe there is good in the world. Us dark things often find we need that light the most.
Cami: I’ve lost count of the amount of times you’ve been there for me and everyone you care about, but today you saved someone who doesn’t mean a thing to you. Why?
Klaus: Because you wished it.What’s important to you is important to me. What makes you happy makes me want to keep you so. What scares you I want to tear apart. I do not wish to watch you from behind glass, Camille.
Cami: What do you wish?
[Klaus then kisses Cami to show her what he wishes for.]THEORIES, THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS
Could the writers be splitting the Wuthering Heights story between the Hayley/Elijah/Jackson triangle and Cami and Klaus? Think about it. Hayley plays the actual Cathy character in her romantic triangle. Hayley, like Cathy, remains torn between two men and refuses to ultimately give one up. Jackson is rather similar to Linton as he continually asks Hayley to make a choice. And while she claims to, her heart obviously keeps returning to Elijah. Will this indecisiveness of her heart lead to a later tragedy?
Could this quote from Wuthering Heights not relate to Hayley’s inner struggle?
“My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I’m well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He’s always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being.”
Then there’s Klaus and Cami, the other half of the story. Klaus IS Heathcliff – well, the same type of Byronic Hero anyway. While Elijah and Klaus are both Byronic Heroes, Klaus (while sharing some real similarities to Rochester and the Jane Eyre story) is much more akin to the villainous Heathcliff in personality. And now that Cami is dead (whether or not she will return in some capacity remains to be seen), his response will likely resemble Heathcliff’s vengeful reaction to Cathy’s death.
Could this quote not describe the emotion we see on Klaus’s face in the moment he realizes Cami has left him through death?
“Be with me always – take any form – drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!”
And speaking of any form…what do you think will become of Camille? I have a few theories.
- Cami is dead and is not returning. Perhaps Leah Pipes will appear to “haunt” Klaus for an episode and then leave. And then at the end of the series, the two will reunite in death.
- Cami will return as a ghost. We already have vampires, witches and wolves…That would be very Being Human Maybe she’ll receive a ring that will help her remain solid.
- Aurora compelled Cami to kill herself and already has blood in her system. Perhaps Aurora wants Klaus to suffer for a day not knowing that Cami would come back to life as a vampire. Maybe she wants to prove that Cami is “dark” and that as a vampire she won’t be as “pure” as Klaus imagines her to be – which would then destroy their love (at least this is what could be what Aurora thinks will happen).
- Klaus gave Cami blood after Aurora’s attack and it was still in her system when she died.
- Vincent will find a way to bring Cami back through magic.
Those are the most likely theories I have at this point anyway! Though I will argue that even if Cami becomes a vampire I don’t think she will become a dark character. During an interview with EW, while discussing the mid-season finale, Michael Narducci recalled the moment from season one when Cami visited her brother’s grave that pointed out the biblical scripture John 1:5: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” Narducci says that light “is a core aspect of who [Cami] is, and it’s something to keep in mind.”
Besides what happens to Cami, I do have a couple other unanswered questions:
- How did Tristan get Freya’s necklace?
- Was Cami compelled to slit her own throat? Or is someone in the compound secretly working with Tristan, Aurora, and the Strix, either unknowingly through compulsion and/or blackmail or willingly?
Well, what did you think of “Savior,” the mid-season finale of The Originals? What are your own theories? Did you love the Klaus and Cami kiss? Let me know in the comments.
Till next time…
Photos: CW
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