5 big misconceptions about the Mikaelson siblings in The Originals

The Mikaelson siblings, first seen in The Vampire Diaries, quickly became central figures in its spinoff, The Originals. Across centuries of flashbacks, alliances, betrayals, and battles, the shows painted a complex portrait of this powerful family. However, over time, several assumptions about their history, powers, and family ties have persisted among fans.

Some of these beliefs arise from how the story was told; certain facts were revealed much later, sometimes in brief moments of dialogue or single-episode flashbacks. Other misconceptions stem from the way the siblings were introduced in The Vampire Diaries, where their full backstory was still being kept hidden.

The truth often turns out to be more complicated than it first appeared, involving centuries-old bargains, magical conditions, and events that predate their existence. By looking at the evidence presented across both series, it becomes clear that many widely held ideas about the Mikaelsons do not hold up.

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Five of the most common misconceptions about the Mikaelson siblings in The Originals

1. “Born human” isn’t the full story

Many viewers assume the siblings were entirely human before becoming vampires. In fact, they were all born with magical potential. Kol reveals that every Mikaelson was a witch at birth. Not all of them activated or used their powers. Before they became vampires, these abilities were dormant in some siblings.

The magic was removed permanently during the transformation spell performed by Esther. Klaus and Elijah’s references to themselves as “human” in their youth are technically misleading but understandable; witches without active powers were still considered human in their society. This means they were supernatural from birth, long before vampirism entered their lives.

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2. “Every Mikaelson was turned,” except they weren’t

The family’s reputation as the “Original” vampires makes it easy to think all siblings were turned. In reality, only five of the seven became vampires: Finn, Elijah, Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah.

Henrik, the youngest, died in a werewolf attack before he could be turned, and Freya was never turned at all. She had been secretly given to her aunt Dahlia as a child, as part of a magical bargain, and was trained as a witch.

The Mikaelson bloodline thus includes two members who never shared the vampiric condition, an important distinction in their family history.

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3. The first vampires, but not the first immortals

The Mikaelsons’ thousand-year history in The Originals often leads to the belief that they were the oldest supernatural beings. While they were the first vampires, other immortals predated them by centuries.

Silas and Amara achieved immortality over a millennium earlier by drinking an elixir created by the witch Qetsiyah. They also became the first doppelgängers. Silas’s betrayal of Qetsiyah led her to seal him in a tomb and bind Amara as the anchor to The Other Side.

This shows that the Mikaelsons entered a world where magic and immortality already had deep roots.

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4. Klaus didn’t keep the “strongest” title forever

Klaus’s hybrid nature (part vampire, part werewolf) made him uniquely powerful. He could sire hybrids, heal from most injuries, and have biological children. For centuries, this gave him an unmatched edge among the Originals.

That changed when Marcel, raised by the Mikaelsons, drank a potion created by Lucien Castle in season 3 of The Originals. This made him an “Upgraded Original,” with speed, strength, and a lethal bite surpassing Klaus’s abilities. At that point, Marcel was the most dangerous being among them.

This shift from The Originals proves that Klaus’s reign as the strongest sibling had a clear endpoint.

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5. Magic was in the family before vampirism

It’s often assumed that the Mikaelsons’ link to magic began with Esther’s transformation spell. In truth, their family’s existence was rooted in magic from the beginning.

Before having children, Esther discovered she could not conceive. She turned to her sister Dahlia, who cured her infertility using magic in exchange for the firstborn child of every Mikaelson generation. Freya was taken as part of this deal.

This agreement shaped the family’s fate for centuries, eventually extending to Klaus’s daughter Hope, proof that magic influenced the Mikaelsons long before they became vampires.

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The Mikaelsons’ story in The Originals is more layered than early appearances suggested. From being born witches to living in a world shaped by centuries-old magical bargains, the siblings’ history shows they were never simply “humans who became vampires.” The reality is far richer and far more complicated than the myths.