THE ORIGINALS 1.19 "An Unblinking Death" Recap: The Bell Jar

Tonight’s episode followed two riveting plots and the fallout of each: Father Kieran’s deterioration under the witches’ curse and a lethal attack on the werewolves’ camp in the Bayou. As a result, we were rewarded to Klaus making one giant, authentic leap forward in his character development, Marcel proving that he is not above devious scheming, and Hayley being undermined by an untrustworthy growler. Oh, and two deaths.

When the episode opens, Kieran is in the midst of a hallucination with guest appearances from bitch witch Bastiana and his dead nephew, Sean, but a seizure snaps him out of it. Cami realizes shock therapy might save her uncle. Josh fetches a doctor and, after some comical compulsion, a call to Klaus, and Kieran biting off his own thumb to slip through his restraints, the treatment results in heart failure. Klaus punches his fist through Kieran’s chest so he can massage his heart (CPR is too good for Originals?) but Cami wants Klaus to give her uncle his blood, knowing full-well that becoming a vampire isn’t what Kieran would want but Klaus obliges anyway just so Cami can say goodbye.

When Kieran awakens, all believe the hex has been lifted but Genevieve reveals that they aren’t so lucky. Kieran says goodbye to Cami and orders her to find a mysterious key, a family heirloom, before going to pray in his final moments, having refused to feed and complete his transition. But the curse returns, Bastiana and Sean reappear, and Kieran attacks Cami in the church. Cami leaps from the balcony to escape her uncle but he catches her before Klaus finally drives a stake through his heart. Kieran’s dead and Cami, lost in pain from her injuries and grief, asks for Marcel – to whom Klaus gives a twenty-four hour reprieve so he can comfort Cami in her time of need.

Elsewhere, a shady dude on a wolfsbane-laced motorbike rides into the Bayou and goes kaboom, injuring members of Hayley’s pack. Hayley suspects Marcel is behind it and races off to confront him while Elijah helps Jackson care for the injured wolves – and then a second round of bombs blow. Among the wounded is Eve, the nice blonde woman who it turns out never triggered the curse and can’t heal from her injuries. Unfortunately for Eve, she figures out that dirty-blonde Oliver is behind the attack, having made an alliance with an unknown group, and that this is his play for power because he doesn’t think the wolves can trust Hayley or Jackson. Oliver kills Eve to keep his secret and then holds a pep rally around a campfire.

When Hayley confronts Marcel about the attack, he reveals to her that he knew her parents and that she comes from vicious werewolves who took control of the French Quarter, not caring who was killed along the way. Marcel had her pack cursed to save innocent lives and told her that her parents were killed by someone they thought they could trust. Marcel was the one who gave Hayley to Father Kieran after their deaths.

But it looks like not everyone can trust Marcel after all. He planted Josh with Cami so Josh could get the mysterious key from around Kieran’s neck. Josh hands the key over to Marcel, who believes Cami isn’t ready for whatever it unlocks when war is brewing in New Orleans.

The episode ends with Elijah realizing that the Quarter is not just divided by supernatural species but by families as well and he gives Klaus back their mother’s grimoire. Looks like the brothers are on the same side once more.

Not gonna lie: I was - and remain - confident that Elijah’s behind the bombing, using it to turn the wolves against Klaus and sway them to his side. It’s especially suspicious that Hayley was conveniently out of the camp when the second, extensive round of explosions went off.

Leah Pipes and Todd Stashwick gave marvelous, heartbreaking performances and Phoebe Tonkin was especially on point tonight. I feel the real highlight, though, was Klaus letting Marcel be the one to comfort Cami in her time of need. Talk about organic character growth! It also goes without saying that Josh needs to be a regular next season for the comedic relief alone and it was nice to see him have substantial scenes without Davina, proving his value amongst an immensely talented cast.

This was a fantastic, gut-wrenching, and plot-advancing episode from start to finish and I loved every second. I definitely give it an A.

What did you think of tonight’s episode? Who do you think is behind the Bayou bombing? What do you think Kieran’s key unlocks? Who should Cami choose: Marcel or Klaus or herself? And what brutal death do you think awaits Oliver by season’s end?