The Originals 2.12 “Sanctuary”

C’mon, Originals, not “(She Sells) Sanctuary?” That would have worked too. Because we spend most of this episode with “Rebekah” 2.0 in the witch asylum, where we finally meet the mysterious Freya. And that’s a pretty neat trick, as they scared us with Dalia already and gave us no idea that Freya too had survived, and might be the worst of all. Of course, this is a lot like how we went from worrying about Klaus to realizing that Mikael and Esther were the real monsters. So who knows, but it’s really quite a clever bait and switch that introduces new wild cards to a season in need of them.

It’s also nice to have Rebecca pass a test she didn’t know she was taking. Being entrusted to care for Hope is probably literally the best thing that has ever happened in her life, one that finally brought some satisfaction and a true symbol of intimacy and trust with her brothers. Well, Klaus and Elijah anyway. Kol and Finn were always separate, and are up to their own trouble in this time.

But even in the harsh prison, where self-scarring witches keep the others in line with violent punishments, and trapped in a new body by surprise, Rebecca is confident enough to rebel, to pursue a mystery of her own, and to try and befriend likely candidates for allies. She chooses poorly in the Harvest Girl once possessed by Esther, but does surprisingly well in feeling a sisterly bond with Freya (who was the inhabitant of the glass coffin in the attic … a very Dark Shadows detail, always an instant brownie point for this show). Freya may have been the hidden power behind its arcane rules for the last century. Which means she knows something of her brothers as well (as Kol somehow started it all, which is why he knew it would be a good bottleneck for Rebecca’s errant soul). A new all-powerful Mikaelson is always a good source of drama for the other insecure ones.

The principal of which is always Klaus, who spends the episode caught up in territorial pissings with Jackson. Rather than accept that he and Hayley are bonding in order to free the wolves from witch control (a cause Klaus ostensibly supports), he sees Jackson as a rival privy to his secrets, a potential threat to Hope, and a callous prince vying for more power all at once. Bad news for Jackson, who can’t access his wolven abilities at will like Klaus and Hayley, and has to settle for taunting Klaus while getting beaten to a pulp.

Hayley intercedes there (once she recovers from Klaus’ neck-snap) and lets him know that her word will have to be good enough for Jackson’s defense, and that having a weapon against the witches protects Hope rather than endangering her. Klaus ultimately backs down and tries to play it off as a test of Hayley’s resolve, and then tries to play THAT off with Elijah as giving her enough rope. No matter what’s happening, Klaus will always find a way to make himself the victim at the center (which Jackson and Hayley both rightfully threw in his face), but he’s usually the smartest one of all.

Also Finn is still taking out his anger on Kol and Marcel, but methinks Freya will have a strong opinion about that next week.