The White Oak Tree burning.
| “ | She called on the Sun for life and the ancient White Oak Tree, one of Nature's eternal objects, for immortality. | ” |
The White Oak Tree (Quercus alba) is one of Nature's eternal objects. Its wood is the only thing which can kill an Original Vampire. It comes from the genesis of the vampire race and is the source of their immortality.
History
Esther called upon the White Oak Tree in a spell to make her family immortal. As a consequence of the spell, the wood from the White Oak Tree could kill the Originals. Thus they burned it but Mikael managed to carve a stake from the tree before its destruction.
300 years after the Originals left the New World, the natives planted a new tree and around 1912, the tree was cut down by the Salvatore family so that its wood could be used to build Wickery Bridge.
Season Three
It was revealed by Rebekah that a new tree was regrown and worshiped 300 years after the Originals fled the New World and burnt down the original White Oak Tree. Rebekah discovered this after seeing the markings on the cave walls underneath the Lockwood Mansion, and she subsequently told Klaus about this.
In Break On Through, Damon finds out that the White Oak Tree was used to build Wickery Bridge. From this information Sage tells Rebekah and Rebekah burns down the bridge. However Damon finds a sign made from the White Oak Tree and gives it to Alaric to carve stakes from it.
Novels
- In Dark Reunion, Meredith's grandfather makes mention of White Ash Wood. It is revealed that Klaus can be hurt only with White Ash Wood, so Stefan made a spear from it to fight Klaus, but it is not confirmed whether Klaus can be killed with the ash because Elena defeats Klaus before the confirmation.
Gilbert Journal Entry
- "The wood from one tree and one tree alone, an ancient white oak would bring death to an Original Vampire. When the tree burnt, all hope was thought lost. But the ash from the tree was saved and Witches forged a dagger which the ash could be bonded. This alchemic bond provides the necessary poison. It must be brandished by Humans alone for it would bring death to all Demons who wield it. As long as the dagger stays in place, the Original for all intents and purposes is dead."
Trivia
- It is mentioned in the Gilbert Journals that a group of witches saved the ashes of the White Oak Tree and created the White Oak Ash Daggers to bond it with.
- According to the markings on the cave under the Lockwood Mansion, a sapling of the White Oak Tree was planted three centuries after the Originals burnt it down.
- In 1912, the Salvatore family cut down the sapling and used its wood to build Wickery Bridge.
- Despite being the source of the Originals' immortality, its destruction had not killed them in comparison to how Elena's death killed Alaric. It appears as if the White Oak Tree is truly an eternal object as its power transcends death itself even after its own.
- However, at every point in the history of the Originals, a fragment of the tree had always been present. Mikael had a stake carved out from the original tree that lasted until very recently. In 300 years, a sapling from the original tree was planted which ultimately yielded the wood for Wickery Bridge, subsequently ending up as 12 White Oak Stakes - one of which was made indestructible. So, in a way it is inconclusive whether or not somehow destroying the last piece of White Oak could lead to the deaths of the Originals and the vampire race.
- Quercus alba (the white oak) is actually very common in the eastern portion of North America; though the prevalence of it in the TVD universe is unknown.
- Presumably, the reason why another White Oak Tree appeared in history after the Originals destroyed the original White Oak tree was because of Nature needing to find balance, since it demands that everything dwelling in existence must have a mortal flaw, and that the Originals threatened to upset that balance without the existence of the one thing that could kill them, similar to how Doppelgänger are born.
Gallery
See also
Template:VD Objects