Did The Originals finale do justice to the Mikaelsons, or was the emotional cost too high? A closer look at the ending

The Originals finale, titled “When the Saints Go Marching In,” is still one of the hottest debated endings in supernatural television. The Originals built its identity on the tortured, destructive, and intensely loyal Mikaelson family, delivering five seasons of betrayal, redemption, and sacrifice.

But when The Originals finale aired, it left fans asking a harsh question: did the finale serve justice to the Mikaelsons’ legacy, or did it simply crush viewers under the weight of unnecessary tragedy?

In its final hour, The Originals closed the Mikaelson saga with dual deaths: Klaus and Elijah ending their lives together to rid the world of an ancient evil known as the Hollow. This conclusion was narratively sound according to creator Julie Plec and lead actor Joseph Morgan, but many fans felt it leaned too far into tragedy, wiping out character growth in favor of a bleak, brutal ending.

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The Originals finale: Why Klaus and Elijah’s deaths were written as inevitable

Throughout The Originals, Klaus Mikaelson’s arc was centered on his desperation for redemption. By season 5, this redemption was portrayed through Klaus’s relationship with his daughter, Hope Mikaelson.

The storyline involving the Hollow, a malevolent force first introduced in season 4, episode 8, reached its climax in season 5 when Hope accidentally triggered the Hollow’s powers within herself (S5E3).

By season 5, episode 11, “Til the Day I Die,” Klaus chooses to absorb the Hollow into himself to save Hope. The threat is clearly established throughout the season: the Hollow causes uncontrollable bloodlust and madness (S5E12). Klaus’s death is framed not only as a sacrifice but as the completion of his redemption arc, putting his daughter’s future before his own survival (S5E13).

Elijah Mikaelson’s death is portrayed as an extension of this sacrifice. After centuries of acting as Klaus’s moral guide, Elijah spends season 5 initially detached from his family, even going as far as erasing his memories (S5E1-S5E7).

However, after regaining his memories, Elijah chooses to die alongside Klaus, upholding the family vow of “always and forever” (S5E13). His death is shown as a final act of loyalty and atonement, tying the Mikaelson family’s story to themes of sacrifice and the unbreakable bond between siblings.

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The price of “Always and Forever”

The Originals finale didn’t just kill off Klaus and Elijah; it dismantled the Mikaelson family’s future in its entirety. Earlier in season 5, Hope’s mother, Hayley Marshall, is brutally murdered by Greta Sienna in episode 6, “What, Will, I, Have, Left.” Hayley’s death, with her throat slashed while protecting Hope, was an early indicator that season 5 was heading towards maximum tragedy.

Hope, only a teenager, is orphaned by both parents by the end (S5E13). This storyline directly feeds into Legacies, where Hope’s trauma is a key plot driver (Legacies, S1E1). As Legacies co-creator Brett Matthews confirmed in interviews, Hope’s grief and loneliness were central to her character because of the events in The Originals finale.

Meanwhile, Rebekah Mikaelson receives the Cure to vampirism in the final episode (S5E13), a storyline building since her first appearance in The Vampire Diaries (TVD, S3E8). Klaus granting her humanity is positioned as a final gift, but it comes with profound survivor’s guilt, a common thread among the remaining Mikaelsons.

Kol Mikaelson, despite being alive and in love with Davina, remains weighed down by loss. His storyline is truncated, with his scenes mostly reduced to final goodbyes (S5E13). Freya, who built a future with Keelin, is shown wanting to have a child via Vincent Griffith, but her family’s collapse casts a shadow over her future (S5E12-S5E13).

The city of New Orleans, a significant character throughout The Originals, ends the series' political and supernatural reset. Marcel Gerard, once at odds with the Mikaelsons, remains behind to rule the supernatural community (S5E13). This shift leaves fans wondering if the cost of the Mikaelsons’ sacrifice truly brought peace.

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Was The Originals finale a thematic payoff or a narrative misstep?

Julie Plec has repeatedly argued that The Originals ending was a deliberate subversion of typical “happily ever after” tropes. However, significant fan pushback suggested the finale could have honored the same themes without resorting to mutual suicide.

The Originals spent five seasons building nuanced character development. Klaus evolved from an irredeemable villain in The Vampire Diaries into a deeply flawed but devoted father. Elijah’s journey explored detachment, atonement, and personal autonomy.

Yet in the finale, many fans argued these arcs were undone. Hope, a representation of the family’s future, is left to grieve without guidance. Fan forums like Reddit’s r/TheOriginals and Twitter discussions consistently highlight this imbalance: the sacrifice restored balance to the world but robbed characters and audiences of watching these characters grow beyond their demons.

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Alternate endings: What The Originals could have done differently

While The Originals finale was built on sacrifice and redemption, several alternative paths could have offered narrative closure and emotional payoff without relying entirely on death.

One widely discussed option among fans was Klaus surviving but remaining estranged from Hope. This would have allowed Klaus to deal with the Hollow’s possession through exile, removing himself from her life to protect her while continuing his journey of redemption elsewhere.

The Originals set a precedent for characters being isolated for the greater good, like Elijah’s memory wipe earlier in season 5 (S5E1); so a version where Klaus stayed alive but distant could have worked within established canon.

Another possibility could have been Elijah choosing to live and build a life beyond Klaus. Elijah’s season 5 arc had been about autonomy, seen in episodes like “Ne Me Quitte Pas” (S5E7), where he explored life without family obligation.

Instead of choosing death, Elijah could have been forced to confront what “always and forever” meant in the absence of Klaus, giving him a chance at real personal growth.

Rebekah’s story also had room for expansion. Instead of receiving the Cure as a parting gift, an alternate ending could have involved Rebekah actively fighting for her human life; potentially playing a larger role in saving Hope or leading the family into a more hopeful future.

Rebekah’s desire for mortality had been central since The Vampire Diaries (TVD, S3E8), and seeing her earn it through action rather than inheritance would have felt more earned.

Hope’s story, too, could have pivoted. Rather than ending the series as a newly orphaned teenager, The Originals could have depicted a future where Hope rebuilt the Mikaelson legacy alongside her surviving family, Kol, Rebekah, and Freya, offering a more balanced vision of loss and resilience.

Finally, the finale could have embraced ambiguity. A departure from The Originals’ definitive tone, this route would have allowed characters to disperse with uncertain futures, leaving viewers to imagine their individual paths. The Vampire Diaries used this strategy effectively in its finale (TVD, S8E16), combining death, survival, and implied peace.

These alternate scenarios reflect a different thematic conclusion, one where survival is a burden but also an opportunity for growth. While the existing finale provided finality, these options could have delivered an ending where pain coexisted with recovery, honoring the complexities The Originals was known for.

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The Originals finale delivered a high-stakes, high-tragedy conclusion that stayed true to its central theme of redemption through sacrifice. But in doing so, it demanded a steep emotional toll, one that continues to divide fans between those who saw it as a poetic end and those who felt it erased hope in favor of finality.