The Originals Review: The Tale of Two Wolves (Season 5 Episode 12)

On The Originals Season 5 Episode 12, “The Tale of Two Wolves,” Klaus, Elijah, and Hope return to Mystic Falls. Klaus turns to Caroline for her help in saving his daughter from the Hollow.

The solution to save Hope Mikaelson turns out to be so simple and obvious, we’re left scratching our heads wondering how we missed it for so long. It also raises the question if this was Klaus’s plan B all along. The only thing holding him back from executing it was the possibility of a last-minute Hail Mary.

Klaus is repeatedly two steps ahead of both his friends and his foes, refusing to let them in on his schemes because he fears they’ll bring his house of cards tumbling down.

So when The Originals’ series finale airs, will Klaus be dead? It sure looks that way. Despite Elijah’s valiant efforts to sacrifice himself to save his brother, Klaus sees saving Hope as his responsibility. It’s the final stop on Klaus’s road to redemption that began in the series’ premiere.

It appears that The Originals Season 5 Episode 13, “When the Saints Go Marching In,” will tie up loose ends for all of the main characters — which includes saying goodbye to Klaus. Expect faces from the past and present to interact with Klaus after he’s passed on, since he doesn’t have much time for prolonged farewells. Klaus must stake himself before the Hollow overtakes him completely.

Will Klaus, who has spent 1,000 years destroying and ending lives, find peace? It’s hard to believe this is the same character who killed Jenna Sommers, Elena (brought back by John Gilbert’s death), Carol Lockwood, his biological father, his mother, his stepfather (twice), and thousands of others, both deserving and undeserving.

The beauty of The Originals is the show’s ability to examine the good and bad that resides within its characters, all of whom exist under extraordinary circumstances. The Mikaelson siblings never asked to be vampires, and they’ve each suffered untold pain and consequences as a result.

Like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and The Vampire Diaries, The Originals is an allegory. The series explores the complexities of familial relationships in all of their dysfunctional glory from the perspective of a family that cannot escape each other for eternity. That’s why we give the Mikaelsons and those closest to them a pass, continuing to root for them to find everlasting peace and happiness.

Klaus’s “always and forever” conviction aside, he should probably end up in some hell dimension alongside Katherine Pierce. But his unconditional love for his daughter will likely serve as his salvation.

Josh is off canoodling with Aiden, Hayley is hanging with the deceased members of the Crescent pack, waiting for Elijah… but who or what is waiting for Klaus?

Cami and Mikael return for the finale, but it feels like it will be Klaus who will keep the home fires burning for those he loves: Elijah, Rebekah, Marcel, Kol, and Hope.

Never rule out a loophole or twist that spares Klaus. Who isn’t feeling frustrated that Klaus and Caroline didn’t get one last kiss, or annoyed by the prospect of Elijah’s interminable wait to finally get the girl?

Even if we might not see each of our favorite characters get the endings we want, they will undoubtedly get whatever they deserve.

What did you think of this episode of The Originals? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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The Originals airs Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW.

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