The River in Reverse

The Originals

Season 1, Episode 8 (8)

Air date

November 26, 2013

Written by

Directed by

Episode Guide
(Transcript)
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Bloodletting	Reigning Pain in New Orleans

“	Eternity is an awfully long time. How long, do you think, Marcel will stay in power? What if one of you lot were to release me, knowing I will be eternally in your debt? Oh, I would pity those of you who dared to cross me. I can assure you, your ends would be spectacular. To borrow a trick from an old friend--- Whoever picks up this coin gets to live. Now, which of you magnificent bastards wants to join me?	”
	— Klaus

The River in Reverse is the eighth episode of the first season of The Originals and the eighth episode of the series overall.

Summary

The_Originals_1x08_"The_River_in_Reverse"_Promo — The Originals 1x08 "The River in Reverse" Promo

Promo

THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE WAR — Rebekah, Facing a difficult decision, turns to Father Kieran for guidance. Elijah struggles with the consequences of a recent fallout with Klaus. Hayley remains by his side, but is soon drawn away by a mysterious figure who sheds some light on her past. Meanwhile, a frustrated Camille struggles to make sense of a cryptic message she came across. Finally, when an unsuspecting Marcel uncovers some upsetting information involving Klaus, a confrontation ends in a surprising twist.

Plot

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Cast

Main Cast

Joseph Morgan as Niklaus Mikaelson
Daniel Gillies as Elijah Mikaelson
Claire Holt as Rebekah Mikaelson
Phoebe Tonkin as Hayley Marshall
Charles Michael Davis as Marcel Gerard
Daniella Pineda as Sophie Deveraux (credit only)
Leah Pipes as Camille O'Connell
Danielle Campbell as Davina Claire (credit only)

Special Guest Star

Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood

Recurring Cast

Co-Starring

Raney Branch as Celeste (flashback)
Tasha Ames as Eve

Trivia

Antagonists: Marcel and Rebekah.
Narrator: Rebekah Mikaelson.
Klaus tells Rebekah that he would never bite her, as his preferred method of punishment for her is the dagger.
Klaus spoke in French for the first time in this episode during his duel.
Marcel talked to Klaus about loyalty, which caused Klaus to reflect on his own actions.
Elijah meets Eve for the first time when she stakes him in the back to stop him from choking Hayley while under the effects of his hybrid bite.
Eve informs Hayley that they are related and tells Hayley to keep her birthmark covered for her own safety.
- It is also revealed that Eve burned off her Crescent birthmark to keep her from being cursed or otherwise punished by the witches and the vampires.
Eve tells Hayley that Marcel had a witch cast a curse on the Crescent Wolf Clan, which kept them in their wolf form full-time except for the handful of hours that the full moon was in the sky each month, when they returned to their human forms.
- It was later revealed in Long Way Back From Hell that the witch who cast the spell was Céleste Dubois, who was possessing the body of Brynne Deveraux in the 1990s.
Elijah hallucinates about his time with Céleste in the 1820s. It is revealed that Klaus was indirectly responsible for her death.
Camille uses a secret code that she learned from her brother, Sean O'Connell, to get around her compulsion to lead herself to discover a newspaper from the late 1910s with a photo of Marcel and Klaus on the cover. This allows her, once out of Klaus' presence, when his compulsion to forget about their activities and the supernatural world, to discover that he is a vampire.
- It was revealed in A Closer Walk With Thee that the code she used was taught to her brother Sean by her uncle, Kieran O'Connell, who was preparing him to take over for him as leader of the Human Faction.
Klaus no longer has any of daggers after this episode. It was assumed that Rebekah or Elijah has hidden or otherwise disposed of the last dagger.
- The rest of the daggers are in Rebekah's possession after they were given to her by Hayley in House of the Rising Son, with the exception of one, of which Kol revealed he has been in possession since at least 1914 in Chasing the Devil’s Tail.
Klaus has left Elijah's house and moved back into the Abattoir compound, taking Hayley with him.
Marcel's plan to capture and imprison Klaus fails, as he underestimated Klaus' strength. In order to stop Klaus' assault on his followers and prevent most of their deaths, he surrenders and gives him back the control of New Orleans.
Rebekah snaps Tyler's neck and has him thrown in the Garden to keep him from interfering with their plans and hurting Hayley or the baby.
- Tyler was released from the Garden by Rebekah sometime between Après Moi, Le Déluge and Dance Back from the Grave as a present to Matt Donovan. He returns to Template:The Vampire Diaries in the 100th episode.
Rebekah says that Klaus can talk his way out of hell. Although Klaus wasn't around to hear this, he quoted her on it in The Bloody Crown.
This is the final episode of the first chapter of Season One, The Return Chapter.

Continuity

This episode marks the second appearance of Michael Trevino on The Originals.
Davina and Sophie do not appear in this episode.
- This is the first episode in which Davina does not appear.
This is also the first episode to involve Josh but not Davina.
Camille and Kieran were last seen in Fruit of the Poisoned Tree.
Diego was last seen in Girl in New Orleans.
This is the second appearance of Eve, after a silent cameo in Bloodletting.
This is the second appearance of Céleste, after a short cameo in House of the Rising Son.

Locations

New Orleans

Behind the Scenes

This episode was filmed during the week of October 15, 2013.^[1]
This episode had about 2.38 million viewers in USA, which was 0.02 million less than the previous episode.

Cultural References

The River in Reverse is a 2006 collaboration between Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint. It received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Vocal Album.
Camille makes a banal and vague comparison of Klaus to Ernest Hemingway.

Quotes

Klaus: "They have all forsaken me. My siblings are as deceitful in disease just as my parents ever were. Accusing me of using my baby for my own gain, trusting others before their own blood.--"

Cami: "--Would a laptop kill you?"

Klaus: "That typewriter was good enough for Hemingway. "

Cami: "I see the resemblance. Booze and random acts of violence. "

Klaus: "Have you spoken to our good friend Marcel today?"

Rebekah: "No, should I have?"

Klaus: "He's been mysteriously silent-- avoiding me, some might say. I thought perhaps he may have whispered reasons into your ear, along with all of those sweet nothings."

Rebekah: "If I see him, I'll be sure to ask if he's still sore at you."

Klaus: "Let me give a voice to that look in your eyes. (He mocks her) 'My saintly noble brother lies writhing in agony in the Bayou, victim of my bastard brother's bite, when just one or two drops of his blood would ease his pain.'"

Rebekah: "On the contrary, Nik, I am simply enjoying my breaky, waiting for Elijah's healthy return."

Klaus: "Oh, come on Rebekah, you've been giving me the devil's eye all morning. Out with it!"

Rebekah: "Perhaps I'm concerned that if I voice my opinion about what you did to Elijah, I will end up on the wrong side of your toxic hybrid teeth."

Klaus: "Poppycock! I would never bite you. Elijah made some very offensive accusations about my intentions towards my child. He deserves a day or two of discomfort. Besides, you know my preferred method of punishment for your indiscretions is the dagger."

Rebekah: "My brothers and I are the first vampires in history, the Originals. Three hundred years ago, we called New Orleans home. I was happy here... for a time. Now, we've returned, only to find a miracle. And with it, a new responsibility. But, our family has many enemies. These threats should have united us. Instead, Klaus has driven us apart. My brother expects my loyalty, as he has for 1,000 years. But now, perhaps, it's time to make a different choice."

Klaus: "And now my child-- my blood-- will grow up to call you father."

Rebekah: "Is that what it is? You are once again worried that you will be left behind? Has history taught you nothing? We don't abandon you, Nik. You drive us away!"

Klaus: "In the one moment when you two could have chosen to stand by me, to believe in me-- believe my intentions for my own child were pure-- you chose to stand against me. To side with my enemies. I wanted our home back, and now I have it. So, I'm going to live there. And the two of you can stay together here and rot."

Hayley: "Why are you trying to put your family together when it's so clear that one part of it is broken?"

Rebekah: "I should never have come back here. This is the town where I fell in love, and where love failed us. I assume you know who I'm talking about?"

Kieran: "You should know Marcel and I are not on the best of terms right now."

Rebekah: "But you are an active priest, are you not? Ready and able to hear my confession?"

Kieran: "Usually the word "willing" falls somewhere in that sentence. Are you even Catholic?"

Rebekah: "I've been on this Earth for a thousand years. I can't say for certain that I believe in anything like a God, but I need absolution. From someone. Anyone. So will you hear my confession or not?"

(Kieran nods)

Rebekah: "Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I am a liar, a betrayer. I have conspired against my own blood, and I doubt even your God could save me."

Multimedia

Soundtrack

"Lonesome Road" – Junior Kimbrough
"Gamblin' Man" – Banzai Republic
"Out Of The Blue" – Prides
"Bartholomew" – The Silent Comedy
"Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child" – Dr. Michael White