Since When Do You Speak Japanese?

He's a demon hunter? Looking for an oni, which is like a demon- ghost-monster kind of a thing. [...] Then the oni's probably wherever Landon is. Uh, he said he followed his sword here, and it glows around Jintsu-riki? Oh, oh, supernaturals. [...] He said that we wouldn't know if the oni was here or not. It possesses people, and it could be anywhere. In anyone.

”

— Josie Saltzman

Since When Do You Speak Japanese?^[2] is the fourth episode of the second season of Legacies and the twentieth episode of the series overall.

Summary[]

THE LOST SAMURAI — When a samurai shows up in Mystic Falls looking for a demon that possesses its victims, Josie leads the charge to defend her friends from the demon's wrath. Meanwhile, as Landon and Rafael head to Mystic Falls High in hopes of learning more about the mysterious Hope, MG is conflicted by a secret he's uncovered about Lizzie's new vampire friend Sebastian. Finally, just as Alaric lets his guard down around the town's new sheriff, a confrontation with a demon forces him to reevaluate his priorities.^[3]

Plot[]

A flashback to Mutsu Province, Japan, 1308 shows Malivore approach Kurutta, a samurai demon hunter. He attacks Malivore, but is unable to inflict any damage and is eventually absorbed by him, erasing him from the world. Kurutta awakens in Mystic Falls, present day and demands to know who touched him, whilst the man who woke him walks away with glowing red eyes.

Alaric calls Hope to his office, asking what she revealed to Landon as he left a note with him. She tells him that the monsters are after him but she cannot reveal herself to him, given that they have a history together and were in love — a fact that Alaric was unaware of. She also reveals that Landon and Josie are together now. Alaric suggests that Hope should transfer to the Salvatore school to protect Landon, as Malivore is after him and it would be easier to protect him. Hope leaves, and Sheriff Mac arrives, handing Alaric a restraining order filed by Professor Vardemus; this surprises Alaric.

Meanwhile, Josie is in her room looking at her arm, which has been adversely affected by the spell she cast on the football field. Professor Vardemus arrives, telling her that he has something to fix her arm, however she refuses, telling him that she will no longer use dark magic. Vardemus suggests that Alaric had his reasons for not wanting the twins and students at the school to realize their full potential, asking that Josie never limit herself or take dark magic off the table.

At Mystic Falls High School, Landon is furious that Alaric is ignoring his calls as he and Rafael head to his office to confront him. Rafael doesn't talk much — which Landon picks up on — but notices a man following the two; the man who had discovered Kurutta following his ejection from Malivore. In the hall, Landon laughs when he realizes that the only reason Rafael came with him to the school is to see Hope again. A footballer bumps into Rafael in the hall, causing him to act aggressively towards Landon, however Hope is able to step in, shutting Rafael behind a gate and saving Landon.

At the gates of the Salvatore School, Dorian has trouble understanding Kurutta as he does not speak Japanese. Josie arrives not long after and is able to translate Kurutta, who reveals that he is a demon hunter and is after an oni, a supernatural creature that possesses people. He tells Josie and Dorian that the oni could be anywhere or possessing anyone, with his sword navigating him to supernatural creatures. A fact that explains how he ended up at the Salvatore school. Josie realizes that the oni is after Landon and goes to ask for Lizzie's help with Kurutta, but Lizzie confronts Josie over the dark magic she has been using. Josie promises not to do it again, and Lizzie agrees to help, but quickly retracts her offer when she realizes that her mental health could be at risk.

Hope and Landon have Rafael in the back of a truck, where they reveal the situation to Alaric. Hope asks Landon what he and Rafael were doing at the high school to which Landon replies he was looking for answers - and also her. Josie and Kurutta arrive not long after, and Josie reveals that Kurutta is here to protect Landon from the oni. Kurutta questions what Hope is doing in Mystic Falls, confusing Josie but providing evidence that she and Kurutta have perhaps previously encountered one another. Josie tells her father that Hope should not be able to help just because she is supernatural , however Alaric insists, asking Kurutta everything he knows. Kurutta explains that he had previously tracked the oni but could not bring himself to kill a child when the oni possessed her, instead, he took the oni into himself and attempted to kill himself, but the oni would not let him. Instead, he promised never to touch anyone again, and was shortly after absorbed by Malivore. Not long after he was released by Malivore through a portal. At that moment, Rafael wakes and escapes from Kurutta, fleeing from the school.

At the Salvatore School, MG asks Wade for recording equipment, which he hopes to use to show Lizzie that Sebastian may not be real. Wade hands him an old recorder, and MG asks if there is nothing better, but Wade tells him that he is using it. When MG plays the tape, he finds it already contains a recording, which Wade tells him to overwrite. Unbeknownst to him, the camera he has been given is the one Malachai Parker used to send a message to Bonnie Bennett I'm Thinking Of You All The While.

Back at Mystic Falls High, Hope and Alaric try to find Rafael, and are soon alerted by Sheriff Mac that Rafael needs their help. In the changing room, Hope tries to comfort Rafael. Meanwhile, in Alaric's office, Josie forms a boundary spell to keep Landon safe. Landon suggests that they let the oni possess him and then kill him as he will resurrect but the oni will be dead. Josie touches Kurutta's sword, but is shocked to find that it is spelled with dark magic and a lot of it. Josie leaves the office, Asking Alaric and Hope if they found the oni, which they reveal they have not.

By the lake, Lizzie and Sebastian are on a date. Sebastian tells Lizzie that he wishes for them to be closer, and asks if she has access to human blood. The two are disturbed by MG in the distance who stumbles, alerting Lizzie to his presence. Lizzie tells MG to leave, however he shows her the recording, revealing to her that Sebastian doesn't exist to anyone but her. This breaks her heart and she begins to cry before telling MG that the two aren't friends and he doesn't exist to her.

Hope talks with Landon in Alaric's office. She tells him that perhaps if the sword can kill an oni it could also kill a phoenix. Hope reveals to Landon that the monsters being back from Malivore is not his fault, but actually hers, as she went into Malivore to save Landon. She further tells him that the two were in love, which surprises Landon. Hope tells him that they need to find another solution to save him, but he tells her it is too late and throws her into the filing cabinet, revealing himself to be possessed. Alaric and Josie arrive and Josie asks where Landon is, furious that Hope has allowed him to get away. It is revealed that Landon, possessed by the oni, killed Kurutta and fled. Alaric suggests that they do a locator spell and picks up what he thinks to be Josie's bag but is actually Sheriff Mac's. He opens the bag to find case files on himself detailing his criminal record. Hope and Josie use a love note from Landon to do the locator spell. Hope notices this but Josie snatches it back from her hand saying that it wasn't for her.

In the Town Square, Lizzie is drowning her sorrows in ice cream, when Landon walks past carrying the sword. When he fails to respond as she questions him on the sword, she realizes that he must be possessed by the oni and stabs him with the sword, before a pain in her head overcomes her. Hope and Josie arrive shortly after to find Lizzie chained to a tree, possessed by the oni.

In his office, Alaric questions Sheriff Mac over the case files. She admits that she wanted to see if he is a good guy and a good dad as she wanted to ask him out. She apologizes and says that it will not happen again. Alaric walks the Sheriff to her car, and she asks if Alaric wants to grab a drink later and a clean slate.

Josie questions how Lizzie is able to talk if she is possessed by the oni, but Lizzie is unable to answer and passes in and out of control over her body. Hope admits that Kurutta fought the oni for years and Lizzie is strong enough to do the same, however she breaks down and admits that Sebastian is not real. This breaks Josie's heart as Lizzie begs for Josie to kill her with the sword, however both Josie and Hope refuse. Josie begins to siphon the magic from the sword, directing it at Lizzie in an effort to pull the oni from her. She is successful and is able to send the oni back to Malivore before both pass out.

In the woods, Landon comes back from the dead, realizing that Hope is the one he sees each time he dies. He questions Hope on this, however she deflects him, telling him to get back to Josie.

Josie goes to Professor Vardemus, revealing that she did dark magic but feels quite sick. She asks for a solution to the pain she feels, and he reveals that she can withhold the effects of dark magic within a mora miserium indefinitely, as long as the hourglass does not shatter. She obliges, transferring the effects to the hourglass and instantly feeling better.

MG hands back the camera to Wade, citing creative differences as an excuse for the projects. He is about to walk off when he bumps into Sebastian, who questions what he told Lizzie, as he can no longer reach her. During their conversation, Wade asks who MG is talking to, and Sebastian admits that he is real but only MG can now see him.

Alaric and Hope bury Kurutta with Alaric saying that he was distracted from what really matters and thanking Hope for being there for his daughters. Hope replies that they are stronger than he thinks. Alaric asks Hope about Landon. She says she isn't going back to the Salvatore school and admits that she is afraid that even if she tells him the truth that he will still want to be with Josie. Alaric then asks if she wants to live the rest of her life without finding out. Hope reveals she found the portal to Malivore and intends to finish what she started at the pit - this time, she's going to get it right.

In Landon's room, he is playing his guitar when Josie walks in. She reveals that she used black magic to save Lizzie which worries him but she says she used it for the powers of good. He thanks her for saving him but she replies it was Lizzie, she just got the assist. They start to kiss on his bed and Josie is about to undress until Landon stops her. He tells her "not now, but soon."

Sheriff Mac waits at Mystic Tap for Alaric, however leaves after he does not show. Meanwhile in the Town Square, two hooded figures loom over the portal to Malivore. While asleep, Lizzie has visions of the time she spent with Hope, possibly hinting at the fact that she has regained her memories due to Josie blasting her with black magic, as she awakens and proclaims Hope's real name, Hope Andrea Mikaelson.

Cast[]

Starring[]

Guest Starring[]

Co-Starring[]

Trivia[]

Antagonist: Malivore (flashback and indirectly), Oni, Rupert Vardemus/Ryan Clarke
The flashback to 1308 Mutsu Province, Japan is the first in the TVD universe not be set in a European country or somewhere in the United States, like Mystic Falls or New Orleans.
Rafael continues to struggle with his lunar psychosis and the time being stuck in wolf-form and transitioning back into his human form.
Sebastian is not one of Lizzie's mental delusions. Despite not seeing him before, he appears to MG asking for his help, only for Wade to be unable to see him.
There are at least two mysterious hooded-figures.
Josie learned to speak Japanese because Lizzie's old therapist was next to a Japanese language school.
It was revealed that Alaric was unaware of Josie's relationship with Landon.
Wade gives MG the video camera from the 1994 prison world, briefly playing a portion of Kai's video message to the Mystic Falls Gang, and tells him to record over what's already on the tape. MG uses the camera to record Lizzie and Sebastian to "prove" that he isn't real as only when he plays the recording back for Lizzie, she is the only person shown.
A short time later after being "blasted [...] with enough black magic to exorcise an army out of her head," Lizzie remembers Hope.
There appears to be another continuity error with the timeline and how it aligns with Alaric's age. Sheriff Machado hands him a restraining order with his age stated as 46, however, given his birth is February 4, 1976 — which is also shown later in the episode — his age would be 52.
- This does not account for the further continuity error that Alaric died in The Departed therefore is actually only 50.

Body Count[]

Kurutta - Slit Throat; killed by Oni (possessing Landon)
Landon Kirby - Stabbed; killed by Lizzie Saltzman, but resurrected

Continuity[]

Lizzie Saltzman mentions Commonwealth Day, which is an event that will occur in That's Nothing I Had to Remember.
The events Lizzie mentions all occurred during the first three episodes of the first season.
- Josie doing dark magic with Hope in This is the Part Where You Run.
- Lizzie being affected by Josie's use of dark magic was mentioned in Some People Just Want To Watch The World Burn.
- Josie being affected after Lizzie was paralyzed by the Gargoyle in We're Being Punked, Pedro.
Kai Parker appears in a video footage from I'm Thinking Of You All The While and he was last seen in It's Been a Hell of a Ride on The Vampire Diaries.

Locations[]

Mystic Falls, Virginia
- Salvatore Boarding School for the Young & Gifted
  - Josie and Lizzie's dorm room
  - Vardemus' Office
  - Rafael and Landon's dorm room
- Mystic Falls High School
  - Alaric's Office
  - Gym and locker room
- Town Square
  - Mystic Grill
  - Mystic Tap
- Woods

Behind the Scenes[]

This episode's title was a line used by Dorian.
The cut on Soji Ari's neck was created using the same mold used for Camille O'Connell's death in The Originals.^[4]

Cultural References[]

Quotes[]

Josie: "He's a demon hunter, looking for a ghost/monster kind of thing."

Josie: "It possesses people and it could be..anywhere...in anyone"

Josie: "You gave me that black magic spell and because of it I broke that kid's arm. And mines not doing too hot either."

Professor Vardemus: "What did your father have to say about this?"

Josie: "I haven't had the chance to ask him yet."

Professor Vardemus: "That's understandable. He was busy starting brawls."

Josie: "Pretty sure that was your fault too!"

Professor Vardemus: "I may have something that can help that rash of yours."

Josie: "I've had enough of your help. I cast that spell and I'm gonna deal with the consequences. But I'm never doing black magic again!"

Professor Vardemus: "I would urge you not to limit yourself. Black magic has its place in our craft."

Josie: "My dad always said the exact opposite."

Professor Vardemus: "Well of course. I cannot think of a single reason he would want to limit your exceptional abilities. If you ever have a need to talk, my door is always open."

Lizzie: "I spent a lot of time bettering myself over the summer and I need you all to rise to my level. Now."

MG: "How's it going?"

Lizzie: "Terrible. I mean, I'm great, but everyone else? Terrible. Except for you, you really tried to help me with Sebastian, thanks!"

MG: "Yeah, about that actually um, I know you're all-in with this guy but I think it might be best for you to keep your relationship status on the DL for a while."

Lizzie: "Why would I do that?"

MG: "It's all so new, I'm worried you might be seeing things through rose-colored glasses..I mean."

Lizzie: "MG I am in the best emotional shape of my life, I need to carpe the diem, seize the lay, (MG: "oh wow") besides friends should support each other. If I'm happy, you're happy. Don't overthink it."