22 Episodes
Short on time? Here's the essentials:
Klaus Mikaelson, an ancient and powerful vampire, returns to New Orleans, the city his family built, to reclaim it from his former protégé, Marcel. Klaus wants to rule the city and protect his family, but his volatile nature often creates conflict. His siblings, Elijah and Rebekah, are also Originals, powerful vampires with their own agendas, often caught between Klaus's ambition and their desire for peace. A major complication arises when Elijah discovers Hayley, a werewolf, is pregnant with Klaus's child, a revelation that becomes central to the season's power struggles.
The core conflict revolves around Klaus's desire to control New Orleans and dismantle Marcel's vampire empire, while also dealing with the city's powerful witch community who seek to control supernatural events. Key turning points include Klaus daggers Elijah to confront Marcel alone, and the revelation of Davina, a witch with immense power who becomes a significant obstacle. The witches' Harvest ritual, intended to resurrect powerful witches, has devastating consequences, including the death of Tim, Davina's love interest, and the possession of Sabine by the spirit of Celeste. The season sees escalating violence and betrayals, with Sophie being killed by Monique, and Kieran dying after being turned into a vampire.
The season culminates in a brutal battle for control of New Orleans. After a series of devastating events, including Hayley being forced into premature labor and nearly all of Marcel's vampires succumbing to werewolf bites, Klaus and Elijah fight to rescue their newborn daughter, Hope. To protect her from their enemies, Klaus orchestrates a plan to fake the baby's death, entrusting her to Rebekah for safekeeping.
Season 1 of The Originals covers episodes 1-22. Here's everything that happened:
Season 1, Episode 1: Always and Forever - Klaus returns to New Orleans, the city his family built, to reclaim it from his former protégé, Marcel. Elijah discovers Hayley is pregnant with Klaus's child, a revelation that offers a glimmer of hope for redemption. Klaus ultimately daggers Elijah, choosing to confront Marcel alone, setting the stage for a power struggle.
Season 1, Episode 2: House of the Rising Son - Rebekah arrives in New Orleans and learns Klaus gave Elijah to Marcel as a peace offering. Klaus reveals his plan to dismantle Marcel's empire from within, while Rebekah discovers Marcel's secret weapon is Davina, a witch of immense power. Klaus, in a flashback, callously murders the Governor's son to prevent Rebekah from turning him. The episode concludes with Marcel enlisting Davina to find a way to kill an Original.
Season 1, Episode 3: Tangled Up in Blue - Klaus manipulates events to sow discord among Marcel's vampires, leading to the death of Thierry's girlfriend, Katie. Klaus saves Marcel from Katie, earning his trust and a promise to return Elijah. However, Davina refuses to release Elijah, vowing to find a way to kill an Original. The episode concludes with Hayley revealing to Klaus that they are expecting a girl.
Season 1, Episode 4: Girl in New Orleans - Klaus attempts to manipulate Davina and Cami, while Rebekah searches for Elijah. Hayley is attacked in the bayou but is mysteriously protected. The episode culminates with Klaus throwing Tim off a balcony, and Elijah awakening to confront Davina.
Season 1, Episode 5: Sinners and Saints - Klaus demands answers from Sophie about the witches' attack on Hayley, leading to revelations about the Harvest ritual. Davina, who was saved by Marcel during the ritual, reveals her power and her fear of the witches. Elijah brokers a deal with Davina, offering protection in exchange for her help against Klaus. The episode concludes with Marcel moving Davina to a new location, unaware that Elijah has been freed and has allied with her.
Season 1, Episode 6: Fruit of the Poisoned Tree - Agnes uses a dark talisman to curse Sophie, intending to cause Hayley to miscarry. Elijah, however, tricks Davina into performing an unlinking spell, saving Hayley and the baby. Agnes is killed by Elijah, and Marcel, discovering Klaus's deception, kidnaps Hayley.
Season 1, Episode 7: Bloodletting - Hayley is abducted by Tyler Lockwood, who uses her blood to create a new hybrid, Dwayne. Klaus, angered by Elijah's suspicion, inflicts a fatal werewolf bite on his brother. Rebekah is offered a choice between her family and Marcel, while Davina helps Josh break Klaus's compulsion. The episode concludes with Hayley discovering a family tree revealing her royal werewolf lineage.
Season 1, Episode 8: The River in Reverse - Rebekah and Marcel conspire against Klaus, leading to a confrontation where Klaus, in hybrid form, overpowers them. Elijah, suffering from a werewolf bite, hallucinates about his past love, Celeste, who Klaus murdered. Cami discovers a drawing is a code revealing Klaus and Marcel's past connection. The episode concludes with Marcel surrendering his kingdom to Klaus, making Klaus the undisputed ruler of the French Quarter.
Season 1, Episode 9: Reigning Pain in New Orleans - Klaus solidifies his rule over New Orleans by hosting a dinner for his vampire faction, where he reveals his intention to kill all werewolves to protect Hayley and the baby. Elijah and Rebekah intervene to save Hayley's family, discovering Eve, a werewolf who knows secrets about their lineage. Cami, after regaining her memories, is compelled by Klaus to leave town. The episode concludes with Klaus and Marcel eliminating the human faction leaders, leaving Kieran as the sole survivor, and Klaus asserting his dominance as the King of New Orleans.
Season 1, Episode 10: The Casket Girls - During the Casket Girls Festival, Davina works to remove Klaus's compulsion from Cami, while Hayley is tasked by Sophie to find Celeste's burial site for a ritual. Davina unleashes her full power, incapacitating Klaus, Elijah, and Marcel. However, Tim, Davina's love interest, dies after being poisoned by Klaus. Rebekah forms an alliance with Davina and Josh, ultimately leading to Davina's return to Marcel. The episode concludes with Sophie digging up Celeste's coffin, hinting at her resurrection.
Season 1, Episode 11: Après Moi, Le Déluge - Davina's immense power causes destructive natural phenomena across New Orleans as the Harvest ritual nears completion. Hayley confesses to Elijah her role in consecrating Celeste's bones, breaking his trust. Ultimately, Davina sacrifices herself to complete the Harvest, but the expected resurrection of the witches fails. The episode concludes with the reveal that Celeste's spirit has possessed Sabine, setting the stage for new conflict.
Season 1, Episode 12: Dance Back from the Grave - Papa Tunde, a powerful warlock, returns to New Orleans, seeking vengeance against Klaus. He sacrifices numerous vampires from Marcel's garden to fuel his magic, and later attempts to sacrifice Rebekah. Celeste ultimately kills Papa Tunde, absorbing his power. Marcel confesses to Rebekah that he brought Papa Tunde to New Orleans in the past, hoping to drive Klaus away. The episode concludes with Celeste possessing immense power, setting the stage for future conflict.
Season 1, Episode 13: Crescent City - The resurrection of Monique Devereaux throws the Quarter into chaos. Father Kieran is hexed by a witch, and Klaus attempts to use Monique as leverage. Sophie is killed by Monique, who then joins the other witches. Elijah is poisoned by Celeste, forcing him to choose between saving Hayley or his siblings. The episode ends with Klaus being stabbed by Sophie with Papa Tunde's blade.
Season 1, Episode 14: Long Way Back from Hell - Witches, led by Genevieve, seek revenge on Rebekah for past betrayals, trapping her in hallucinatory torment. Meanwhile, Elijah, Hayley, and Marcel race to find Klaus and Rebekah, uncovering secrets about Celeste's past lives. The episode culminates with Elijah stabbing Klaus to save Rebekah and Marcel, urging them to flee while he deals with his brother.
Season 1, Episode 15: Le Grand Guignol - Flashbacks reveal Klaus's painful past in 1919, detailing how Marcel and Rebekah's actions led to Mikael's destructive return to New Orleans. In the present, Klaus, recovering from a dagger wound, contemplates killing Rebekah. Celeste dies, allowing Davina to be resurrected. Elijah makes a difficult choice regarding Hayley's curse, and Klaus confronts Rebekah, ultimately deciding not to kill her.
Season 1, Episode 16: Farewell to Storyville - Trapped in the cemetery by a witch's spell, Klaus puts Rebekah on trial for her betrayals. Elijah intervenes, revealing family secrets and protecting Rebekah. Ultimately, Klaus lets Rebekah go free, warning her never to return, while Marcel is exiled from New Orleans by Elijah. Rebekah departs the city, embracing her newfound freedom.
Season 1, Episode 17: Moon Over Bourbon Street - Elijah attempts to broker peace among New Orleans' supernatural factions by hosting a party, while Klaus pursues a secret deal with Jackson to make werewolves hybrids. The Crescent wolf curse is broken, allowing them to return to human form, and Francesca is revealed to be manipulating events, positioning herself for power. The episode concludes with a fragile truce, but underlying tensions remain.
Season 1, Episode 18: The Big Uneasy - During a traditional witch feast day, tensions escalate between the various factions of New Orleans. Klaus makes a secret deal with the werewolves for moonlight rings, while Marcel rallies his vampires for a potential uprising. The episode culminates in a violent confrontation at the feast, leading to Thierry's death at Elijah's hands and a chilling demand from the witches: Klaus's unborn child must be sacrificed.
Season 1, Episode 19: An Unblinking Death - Cami's attempt to save Kieran with shock therapy backfires, leading to his violent demise. Meanwhile, a suicide bombing in the bayou escalates tensions between factions. Kieran dies, and Klaus is forced to kill Kieran after he transitions into a vampire and attacks Cami. The episode concludes with Oliver confessing to the bombings and killing Eve, solidifying his power grab within the werewolf pack.
Season 1, Episode 20: A Closer Walk with Thee - During Father Kieran's funeral, Hayley is attacked by Monique's voodoo, causing her to collapse. Klaus and Elijah discover Mikael is back from the dead and attempting to kill Hayley and the baby. Genevieve is forced by the ancestors to attempt to kill the unborn child, but ultimately breaks the spell. The episode concludes with Mikael revealing himself to Davina, offering to help her kill Klaus if she can bring him back to life.
Season 1, Episode 21: The Battle of New Orleans - A brutal conflict erupts as Marcel rallies vampires against Klaus, while Francesca reveals herself as a werewolf leader. Genevieve uses Klaus's blood for the moonlight rings, weakening him. Hayley is captured and forced into premature labor for a witch sacrifice, and Elijah is incapacitated by werewolf venom. The episode concludes with Klaus hearing Hayley's screams, unable to help, as nearly all the vampires in the Quarter succumb to werewolf bites.
Season 1, Episode 22: From a Cradle to a Grave - The witches, led by Monique, sacrifice Hayley, turning her into a hybrid, and steal the newborn baby, Hope. Klaus and Elijah fight to rescue her, while Davina attempts to resurrect Mikael. Ultimately, Marcel secures Hope, and Klaus entrusts her to Rebekah for safekeeping, faking the baby's death to protect her from their enemies.
