13 Episodes
Short on time? Here's the essentials:
Five years after his defeat, Klaus Mikaelson, the original hybrid, remains imprisoned while his siblings are magically slumbering. Hayley Marshall, a powerful werewolf and mother to Klaus’s daughter Hope, races against time to find a cure to awaken the Mikaelsons. Meanwhile, Marcel Gerard, a powerful vampire and Klaus's former protégé, rules New Orleans, but a new, ancient evil begins to stir, threatening the city and its supernatural inhabitants.
Once revived, the Mikaelson family quickly discovers the true nature of the emerging threat: The Hollow, a malevolent and ancient spirit that targets children, specifically Klaus and Hayley’s daughter, Hope. The Hollow seeks to be reborn into a physical form, drawing power from sacrifices and ancient artifacts. The Mikaelsons, along with Marcel and the powerful witch Vincent, unite to fight this formidable foe. The conflict escalates as The Hollow is reborn, and its dark influence causes chaos, leading to Elijah Mikaelson's death when his soul is shattered. The family desperately tries to stop The Hollow, but it ultimately succeeds in fully possessing Hope, a devastating blow to the Mikaelsons.
To save Hope from The Hollow's control, Vincent devises a perilous plan: split The Hollow's essence among the four Original siblings. This drastic measure forces the Mikaelsons to separate forever, ending their sacred "always and forever" vow, but ultimately frees Hope from the ancient evil.
Season 4 of The Originals covers episodes 1-13. Here's everything that happened:
Season 4, Episode 1: Gather Up the Killers - Five years after Klaus' defeat, Marcel rules New Orleans, but faces a threat from newly arrived unsired vampires. Hayley races to find a cure for the slumbering Mikaelsons, facing a ruthless decision to secure the final ingredient. Klaus, imprisoned, manipulates Marcel into allowing an attack by Alistair, leading to Alistair's death at Klaus' hands and the revival of the Mikaelson siblings by Hayley's efforts.
Season 4, Episode 2: No Quarter - The Mikaelson siblings, now awake, unite with Hayley to rescue Klaus from Marcel's captivity. Klaus grapples with his inner demons, manifesting as visions of Camille, while Vincent investigates a sinister haunting. Marcel ultimately releases Klaus and his family, recognizing he doesn't need to become like them to defeat them, but the Mikaelsons' reunion is short-lived as they face new, darker threats.
Season 4, Episode 3: Haunter of Ruins - Vincent and Marcel investigate a dark magic ritual involving child sacrifices, which targets Hope. Klaus attempts to bond with his daughter, while Hayley and Elijah rekindle their romance. Elijah is killed by the Hollow's acolytes, but Freya later resurrects him. The episode concludes with the Hollow being reborn as Inadu, a powerful physical entity.
Season 4, Episode 4: Keepers of the House - Desperate to save Hope, Hayley seeks Marcel's help against a mysterious force targeting New Orleans' children. Elijah and Vincent hunt this threat, leading to a dangerous confrontation. Klaus and Marcel become trapped in a fiery dimension, and Vincent suggests sacrificing a child to break the curse binding them to the ritual. The episode concludes with Hope sensing the Hollow's imminent arrival.
Season 4, Episode 5: I Hear You Knocking - The Hollow's dark magic forces Klaus and Marcel into a violent confrontation, each experiencing malevolent hauntings. Hayley and Elijah investigate a link between the magic and her wolf pack. Freya works to cure Klaus, while Keelin grapples with her oath. The episode concludes with Klaus refusing to kill Marcel, defying The Hollow's ultimate goal of a blood sacrifice.
Season 4, Episode 6: Bag of Cobras - Klaus and Elijah host a party to draw out the Hollow's servant, while Hayley uses Freya's magic to relive her parents' murder, discovering they died protecting an object the Hollow seeks. Elijah kills Dominic, the Hollow's high priest, but this only fuels the followers' desperation. The episode concludes with the revelation that the Hollow needs four objects to be reborn, and Hayley possesses one.
Season 4, Episode 7: High Water and a Devil's Daughter - Freya casts a protection spell on the compound, trapping Klaus, Hayley, and Hope inside while Elijah seeks Vincent's help for a dangerous ritual. Dominic, the Hollow's servant, is revealed to be alive and targeting the Mikaelsons. In a desperate move, Freya uses Josh as a decoy, leading to Dominic's death at Klaus's hands. However, the episode ends with a shocking twist: Davina's skull is stolen by Dominic's unseen accomplice, setting the stage for a dire future.
Season 4, Episode 8: Voodoo in My Blood - Hayley and Klaus consult Davina in the ancestral world, learning The Hollow's origin and that Hayley's blood can harm it. Elijah and Marcel form an uneasy alliance with Alaric to retrieve a bone artifact. Davina reveals Klaus must be sacrificed to defeat The Hollow, but Hope intervenes, showcasing her power. The episode concludes with the discovery that Tyler Lockwood's bloodline guarded one of the bones, necessitating a trip to Mystic Falls.
Season 4, Episode 9: Queen Death - The Hollow targets Elijah, intending to use his death as a sacrifice for her resurrection. Freya attempts to save Elijah's soul by transferring it to a pendant, but Elijah dies as the pendant shatters. Klaus offers himself as a sacrifice, but the plan is thwarted. Ultimately, The Hollow regains her original body, leaving New Orleans in peril.
Season 4, Episode 10: Phantomesque - Freya works to restore Elijah's fractured mind, which requires Hayley to enter his subconscious, confronting his savage past. Meanwhile, Rebekah retrieves the last of the Hollow's death-dealing thorns, but ultimately gives one to Marcel to save Sofya. Kol makes a dangerous pact with the Hollow to protect Davina, and Elijah is finally returned to his body, though still mentally unstable.
Season 4, Episode 11: A Spirit Here That Won't Be Broken - Freya, Rebekah, and Klaus work to destroy a magical totem fueling The Hollow's power. Hayley is forced to confront a vision of Jackson, ultimately ripping his heart out. Kol, manipulated by The Hollow, is revealed to be guarding the totem. The episode concludes with Kol and Davina escaping together after the totem's destruction, and Freya working to release Elijah from his pendant prison.
Season 4, Episode 12: Voodoo Child - The Hollow, now possessing Hope, targets the Mikaelsons. Klaus attempts to reason with his possessed daughter, while Vincent tries to trap the entity in a book. The Hollow successfully destroys the book and fully possesses Hope, leaving the family in despair. Marcel revives Sofya, who confirms the Hollow is still alive. The episode concludes with the Mikaelsons facing the grim reality that Hope is now permanently under The Hollow's control.
Season 4, Episode 13: The Feast of All Sinners - To save Hope from The Hollow, Vincent devises a plan to split the entity among the four Original siblings, forcing them to separate forever. Elijah asks Marcel to compel him to forget his family, and Klaus shares a final goodbye with Hope. The Mikaelsons succeed in defeating The Hollow, but must now live apart, ending their "always and forever" vow.
