Banshees are a rare supernatural species that were thought to not even exist until one appeared on the tenth episode of the third season of Legacies. The unnamed banshee possessed Kaelan upon her death, circa 1014, and eventually met and was consumed by Malivore. It remains to be seen if others of their species still exist, having been consumed by Malivore or if she was the last of their kind.
History[]
Virtually nothing is known about the history of banshees. They are harbingers of death and wherever they appear, death is not far behind. Legend says that a banshee is a demon drawn to inconsolable grief. They seek out women who've died of a broken heart and possess them.
Throughout Legacies Series[]
Season Three[]
In All's Well That Ends Well, the banshee is released from Malivore and seeks out Cleo Sowande, who's being guarded by Hope Mikaelson. She approaches the two girls, releasing a haunting wail as the sky darkens. She approaches Cleo from behind, but the two girls are quick to react and Hope casts a spell to ensnare her in roots that creep up to her waist. She's immobilized, but believes them to be foolish. She lets out another haunting wail and Cleo and Hope grab their heads to cover their ears to try and block out some of the pain. As the scream continues, Cleo manages to cast her own spell to physically sew her mouth shut.
Unable to scream, she's taken back to the Salvatore School and contained in a boundary spell. Landon and Alaric join Cleo and Hope to help identify what she is. Given the opportunity to speak when Cleo releases a candle flame, she wails once more in an attempt to gain her freedom, but with the demonstration complete, Cleo magically ignites the candle again, preventing her from speaking. Alaric and Landon immediately know she's a banshee and go about trying to figure out a wait to communicate with her.
Still confined to the boundary spell, Jed appears with Cleo, having figured out to get her to talk. They want to use the spell "Alias Vocem", which allows one to speak through another as a conduit, meaning she wouldn't be able to burst their eardrums. Landon has the idea for Jed to take Blue Calamus to prevent her from lying. Alaric signs off on the spell and Hope casts the spell, using her necklace. The spell is successful. Her voice now in Jed's body, she commends Hope for being clever, as this body cannot scream. Hope believes now they can have a civilized conversation and the banshee wonders if she's sure she wants to hear what she has to say. Alaric begins the questions, asking why she was sent here. The banshee freely admits that Malivore promised her freedom from the darkness in exchange for bringing him the girl, Cleo. Alaric wants to know why Malivore wants her, but despite being forced to tell the truth, that doesn't mean she has to give an answer. However, she knows that Hope has another question, and tells her to ask what she really wants to know. Hope wants to know who's going to die. The banshee explains that there are many possible roads, but one is clearer than the others. If Cleo stays, then Landon will die.
Alaric makes a second attempt to get answers from her. He knows about the legends and how her humanself was possessed by the banshee. He appeals to the human still residing within her and asks why Malivore wants Cleo. They will find a way to free her. She tells Alaric that the human women won't listen to him, that she won't believe him. She explains that after her child was taken, no one could tell her what happened to it. No one could heal the hole in her heart. She was abandoned and left to her grief. That's when she found her and possessed her. Alaric, however, is running out of time. The full moon is rising and Jed will turn with her still within his head. Hope appears and reveals that Cleo has left. Alaric wants to unlink them, but Hope has one final question for the banshee. With Cleo now gone, she wants to know if Landon is safe. The banshee explains that she wasn't sent to take Cleo but to drive her away from Hope's protection. With another path clear and another darkening, the banshee tells Hope that Cleo will die, too.
Learning her name from Jed, Alaric approaches her again. He knows who the woman was before she died. Her name is Kaelan. Her necklace is from the Clan Klinelarty from 1014. She commends him for his knowledge, but he is too late. Cleo's spell that prevents her from screaming breaks and she releases another wail, crippling Alaric. Doubled over in pain, he shouts to her that he knows what happened to her son. Kaelan stops the banshee's scream and wants to know more about Drystan. She attempts to dissuade Kaelan from listening, that he's lying to her, but Kaelan wants to know more. Alaric explains that there was a recorded census 50 years following when her son was taken. Drystan survived the battle and went on to have children and grandchildren and showed her the Doomsday Book, breaking the boundary spell. Kaelan is overcome with tears and joy about the family that her son went on to have. Alaric comforts Kaelan as she expels the banshee from her.
Psychological Characteristics[]
Little is known about the psychology of banshees; however, legend says that the demons are drawn to inconsolable grief and they seek out women who've died of a broken heart to possess them.
Physiology[]
Banshee take on the form of the women they possess, leaving their true form unknown.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Death Wail: The ability to generate a high-pitched, supernatural wail that is believed to cause death by, at least according to Landon, melting the brain.
- Divination: The banshee possesses some form of limited divination that allows them to see possible paths that lead to people's demise. Some are clearer than others, and depending on choices that are made, new paths can be revealed as others darken.
Weaknesses[]
- Witchcraft: Banshees are still susceptible to the powers of witchcraft. Both Hope and Cleo performed various spells to entrap her and prevent her from screaming.
Appearances[]
|
Known Banshees[]
| Banshees | Description | Status |
|---|---|---|
 |
Around 1014, Kaelan's son was taken from her. Stricken with inconsolable grief, she died and the demon was drawn to her and possessed her. She was eventually found and consumed by Malivore until he released her to take Cleo. After Alaric appealed to Kaelan' spirit, she learned of what happened to her son and forced the demon from her, allowing her to find peace. | Unknown (Host Rejected Possession) |
Trivia[]
Gallery[]
