“ | You and Elijah have a choice.. from now on, it's either Klaus, or me. | ” |
When the Levee Breaks is the nineteenth episode of the second season of The Originals and the forty-first episode of the series overall.
Summary[]
WAYWARD WAYS — Setting the stage for a bloody showdown, Dahlia gives Klaus and Hayley a deadline to turn over baby Hope. Elijah attempts to convince Klaus that they need to work together in their fight against Dahlia, but Klaus forges ahead with his own dangerous plan, leaving everyone concerned about his next steps. Meanwhile, when Hayley realizes their chances of outrunning Dahlia are slim, she devises a risky plan and enlists Aiden's help. Elsewhere, Freya gives Rebekah and Elijah an ultimatum, and Marcel strategizes on how best to deal with Klaus' erratic behavior. Cami and Davina also appear.
Plot[]
Elijah wants to know Klaus' plan and where he put Mikael's ashes. Klaus is in a celebratory moon and figured Elijah and Rebekah would be too. Under normal circumstances, they'd be more jubilant at Mikael's death, but their new threat they're now facing has less chances of being defeated because Freya loves her father.
Josephine arrives at the compound, as Dahlia is (literally) speaking through her. She says they have until nightfall tomorrow, to give up Hope to her. Dahlia says the blame is entirely Esther's, and that she's only fulfilling a bargain. And since the bargain resulted in Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah's existence, they should be thanking Dahlia. Klaus swipes Josephine's head off.
Jackson and Hayley are safe in the jazz club, but he wants to get to the bayou. Hayley sees it's not a good idea, because Dahlia is drawn to Hope's magic and will use it to track them. She sighs and remarks about how Hope never asked for any of this, and realizes that if Hope's magic is suppressed, Dahlia won't find her. Aiden offers to do it, going to do Davina for help.
Rebekah visits Freya, who is mourning her father. She is very sorry for what Klaus did, but can't relate to Freya's feelings because she never knew the kind of father Freya remembered. Mikael had never shown to them the kind of affection he had for Freya, but Freya defends Mikael and says it isn't an excuse for Klaus killing Mikael. She gives Rebekah and Elijah an ultimatum—be on her side and not Klaus', or be on Klaus' side and against her.
Klaus is painting, to which Elijah remarks that he often strategizes doing artwork. He wants to know the plan, but Klaus thinks he'll just go to Dahlia and report everything. He tells Elijah that Freya only vanquished Finn after resurrecting him in the first place, so she probably had a hand in Eva regaining control of her body so that she can help them and Rebekah, gaining their trust. Elijah tells Klaus that if they can't trust each other, they can't work together.
Aiden hides the anti-magic chains in his coat, and Klaus comes up behind him. Aiden lies and says he only came to get Hope's bunny stuffed animal. Klaus warns him that his life will be worth less than the velveteen on the rabbit if he finds his faith in Aiden has been misplaced.
Aiden tells Davina that Hayley and Jackson are getting ready to run, and Davina transfers the magic of the chains into a bracelet.
At the jazz club, dahlias grow inside. Dahlia knows Hayley and Hope are there, and snaps the neck of the wolves surrounding the building. Hayley can't call anyone, as Dahlia has affected the cell towers.
Dahlia says it's most unfortunate for Hayley having been dragged into this situation, as Esther and her made the bargain a thousand years ago. Hayley tells Dahlia that she speaks like she has no choice, but it's her own doing and she doesn't have to take Hope. But Dahlia keeps her word, and expects others to do the same. She reminds Hayley that the time is coming to a close very soon, and Hope will be taken.
Marcel goes to Davina for the dagger Kol helped create with her, but Davina says only she will decide if it's to be used. She doesn't trust giving it away, when it was Kol's protection for her.
Elijah again tries to persuade Klaus, but Klaus gives him the same ultimatum Freya gave.
Aiden gives that bracelet to Jackson, but reveals to him that he's been working for Klaus. After punching Aiden, Jackson forgives Aiden because he didn't turn on the pack in the end. Aiden says he and Josh will be leaving, to start a new life.
Aiden meets Dahlia, who uses her magic to make it look like a vampire attack, and pulls his heart out via telekinesis. She wants to turn everyone against Klaus. She leaves Aiden's body in the alley. Davina and Josh find his body. Josh grieves, and Davina later gives Marcel the dagger.
Jackson, Hayley and the wolves are angry at Klaus. Klaus, though innocent of killing Aiden, lies and tells them that he indeed killed Aiden.
Hayley convinces Elijah to help her get away to the bayou.
Camille finds Klaus. He admits that he didn't kill Aiden, but he took the credit because Hayley would supposedly question the pack's loyalty to Hope and won't run away with her.
Elijah realizes Mikael's ashes are in the paint. He reveals that Hayley is gone, and Klaus attacks. But Elijah has the golden dagger, and Klaus slowly rots and falls unconscious before Rebekah and Freya's eyes.
Cast[]
Starring[] |
Guest Starring[]
Co-Starring[] |
Trivia[]
- Antagonist: Dahlia.
- Title meaning: the tensions in the Mikaelson family will finally come to a head.
- The phrase "When the levee breaks" refers to things being thrown out of balance. A levee is used in coastal regions, including southern Louisiana, in order to regulate water levels and protect the residents from the effects of hurricanes. When a levee breaks, the ocean water can flood the region it is meant to protect, as demonstrated by the effects of Hurricane Katrina on Louisiana and especially New Orleans in 2005.
- The Norse rune Freya carved into the stones for Mikael's memorial is called "gar", which is an adaptation of the Norse alphabet rune "gebu", and is analogous to the English letter "G". The rune can mean "gift" or "spear", and has been used to refer to Odin's spear Gungnir in Norse mythology. Gungnir was believed to have been given to Odin by Loki, and is known for always hitting its mark and always returning to the hand of its wielder.
- When this rune is used in divination, it can mean conflict, arguments, struggles, anger, confusion, hostility, and confrontations.
- Aiden is killed by Dahlia, who makes it appear that Klaus did it in order to turn the pack, Hayley, and the rest of Klaus' maternal half-siblings against him. Klaus takes the blame for Aiden's death to make Hayley doubt the pack's loyalty and to make the rest of the pack fear him, and tells only Camille the truth.
- Aiden is also the first werewolf who is killed by heart extraction via a witch's telekinesis in either series.
- Klaus is neutralized by the golden dagger when Elijah is convinced by Hayley that Klaus is too out of control to join everyone in protecting Hope.
- This episode proves that the golden dagger created by Kol and Davina in I Love You, Goodbye does indeed work on Klaus as they intended.
- This episode marks the very first time that Klaus is successfully daggered, not including when he was put down twice by Papa Tunde's Blade.
- Blooper: Hope can be seen crying right before Dahlia's plants grow, then again in the next shot, but the camera is angled to cover her mouth. All sound is cut out in both.
- It is confirmed by Rebekah that it has been a day since the events of Night Has A Thousand Eyes.
- This is one of only two episodes of the season not to feature Yusuf Gatewood, the first being the previous episode.
Body Count[]
- Josephine - Beheaded; killed by Klaus (though she was originally killed and subsequently reanimated by Dahlia to send a message in Night Has A Thousand Eyes)
- Aiden - Heart extraction; killed by Dahlia
Continuity[]
- Elijah, while talking to Klaus, mentions when Klaus broke his Hybrid Curse, after which Elijah almost killed him by ripping his heart out. This occurred in The Vampire Diaries Season Two episode The Sun Also Rises. This is the first mention of Elijah almost killing Klaus in either series since Elijah saved Klaus instead of ripping his heart out.
- Klaus mentions to Camille the first time he killed Mikael. This occurred in The Vampire Diaries Season Three episode Homecoming.
- Camille was last seen in Save My Soul.
- Freya holds a memorial for Mikael, which is visited by Rebekah and Elijah. Mikael was killed by Klaus in Night Has A Thousand Eyes.
- Davina mentions the golden dagger that can neutralize Klaus, which she made with Kol in I Love You, Goodbye. Davina also mentions Kol's death, which occurred in the same episode due to the death hex Finn cast on him in Sanctuary.
- Dahlia is the second witch in the series to use magic to extract a heart. The first was her nephew, Finn Mikaelson, who used it to kill a vampire in Sanctuary.
- Elijah being tortured by Esther was mentioned in this episode. This occurred from Red Door to Wheel Inside the Wheel.
- Finn was mentioned in this episode. His spirit was removed from Vincent's body and absorbed into Freya's Talisman by Freya herself in They All Asked For You.
- Esther was mentioned in this episode by Klaus and Dahlia. She was killed by Freya in Exquisite Corpse.
- Eva Sinclair was mentioned in this episode. Her spirit was destroyed by Rebekah in Exquisite Corpse.
- Klaus mentions to Elijah the following events in which Freya helped Finn.
- Freya finding Hope with a powerful locator spell in The Devil is Damned.
- Resurrecting Finn/Vincent in I Love You, Goodbye.
- Removing Finn's spirit from Vincent's body and absorbing it into her talisman in They All Asked For You.
Locations[]
Behind the Scenes[]
- Javier Carrasquillo previously played Jared in The Vampire Diaries Season One episodes You're Undead to Me and Lost Girls. He played a character named Kurt in this episode.
- This episode had about 1.30 million viewers in the USA.
Cultural References[]
- When the Levee Breaks is also the title of the penultimate episode of the fourth season of Supernatural.
- "When the Levee Breaks" is the 15th episode of the fifth season of the American TV show That '70s Show.
- "When the Levee Breaks" is also a blues song written and first recorded by husband and wife Kansas Joe McCoy and Memphis Minnie in 1929. The song is about the upheaval caused by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927.
- Led Zeppelin did a famous remake of Memphis Minnie's song in 1971.
Quotes[]
- Jackson: "Klaus!"
Multimedia[]
Soundtrack[]
"Here We Go" – New Birth Brass Band
"Maybe They Will Sing For Us Tomorrow" – Hammock
Videos[]
Pictures[]
References[]
See also[]
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