Original Vampire

The **Original Vampires**, or simply **The Originals**, are a group of extremely powerful vampires that are known for being the first of their bloodlines and the first generation of vampires, which makes them the oldest, fastest, strongest, and most powerful vampires in the world. Their name is a term used to describe a progenitor in a vampire bloodline. The term was initially introduced when Rose revealed their existence to Elena, Stefan and Damon, and primarily refers to the Mikaelson Family, but has since expanded after Esther used the spell to turn Alaric into a vampire and Elena referred to him as an "Original," lacking another term to refer to the type of vampire Alaric became.

A number of characteristics differentiate an Original from the vampire bloodline that they begat, but the fundamental difference is that Originals became vampires through a spell, not by ingesting the blood of another immortal; and, unlike normal vampires, the Originals are indestructible and cannot be killed by anything on earth aside from the White Oak Stake. They also can only be temporarily neutralized by the White Oak Ash Dagger or one of the Cursed Stakes.

The vampires who have been called Originals are: Mikael, Finn, Elijah, Klaus, Kol, Rebekah and Alaric. The Originals are legendary throughout the supernatural world, especially amongst witches and vampires due to the fact that they have walked the Earth for over a thousand years.

The Originals were created around the turn of the 11th century, when Mikael, the father of the Originals, wanted to find a way through magic to make himself and his remaining children immortal, as well as to make them superior to werewolves in speed, strength, fangs of their own, and heightened senses. His motivation to undergo this transformation was a result of the death of his youngest son Henrik Mikaelson, who was killed by a member of their neighboring village's werewolf pack during a full moon. When Ayana, his families witch ally, refused to do the spell, Mikael convinced his wife Esther to do the spell instead in order to keep their children safe, ignoring the warnings of Ayana that doing so would unleash a plague upon the world.

## History of the Term

The term was first used on *The Vampire Diaries* series when Rose revealed the existence of a few ancient and immensely powerful vampires while she and her friend Trevor held Elena hostage in hopes of trading her to an Original named Elijah in exchange for their freedom. When this plan failed and Damon and Stefan had rescued Elena, she rejoined them at the boarding house and spoke with fear of the Original vampire known as Klaus, from whom she had been running for half a millennium. She then reluctantly agreed to help Damon get in contact with people who might know how to find him, though they were largely unsuccessful in this endeavor.

The legend surrounding the Original vampire named Klaus remained pieced together by hearsay and shrouded in mystery until Elijah agreed to tell his story to Elena after she removed the White Oak Ash Dagger from his heart. He eventually revealed that he and Klaus are half-brothers, and referred to his family as "the Original family," explaining that it is from them that all vampires were created.The rest of the Mikaelson family were introduced throughout the third season: Rebekah through flashbacks in the 1920's and in present day when Klaus undaggered her; Mikael and Esther as Rebekah recounted the vampire origin story to Elena; and Kol and Finn when Elijah undaggeredthem. When Rebekah told the story of how their family became vampires, she revealed that their mother, Esther, had performed the spell that made them immortal, and referred to her as the "Original witch."

This usage of the term "Original" makes it clear that it was initially only used as a self-referential way for the Original Vampire siblings to establish their status as a powerful, elite group - the foundation for all other vampires created from their blood. However, when Esther begins the process of turning Alaric into a vampire using magic, Elena uses the term "Original" to describe what Alaric would become should she succeed. Lacking another word to describe the head of a bloodline (or potential bloodline) of vampires, the term's use has extended to describe vampires created using the Immortality Spell rather than by the blood of another vampire.

## Powers and Abilities

As the first and oldest vampires in the world, the Original Vampire's powers and abilities are the most advanced and by far superior to any other species with the exception of Immortals in mental strength. Rebekah said herself that they are the strongest creatures in the world. It is unknown if the Original Vampires grow stronger with age like non-original Vampires. These are their standard powers and abilities as the first generation of vampires.

* **Super Strength:** Originals are considerably much stronger than immortals, supernatural hunters, non-Original vampires,werewolves, evolved werewolves, non-Original werewolf-vampir hybrids and humans. They are able to decapitate other species with a single chop of their bare hands, shatter windows and doors with small objects, and single-handedly tear out the hearts of younger vampires and other creatures with little to no effort. Their strength has been used to break necks and spines, and break and move heavy objects. Their impact can send anyone flying. Their strength is also enough to rival that of their own kind. While Original Vampires are more powerful than werewolves in either form, transformed werewolves still rival enough of their strength to take down an Original Vampire in small groups. This proves that the Originals are the strongest vampires in the world.
* **Super Speed:** Original vampires are much faster than immortals, supernatural hunters, non-Original vampires, werewolves, evolved werewolves, non-Original werewolf-vampire hybrids and humans. They are able to stop other supernatural species in their tracks, run miles in mere minutes and can easily catch up to any species of creature supernatural or not. Their reflexes are similarly heightened. It is unknown if they grow faster with time.
* **Super Agility:** Original vampires possess more superhuman agility, flexibility and dexterity than immortals, supernatural hunters, non-Original vampires, werewolves, evolved werewolves, non-Original werewolf-vampire hybrids and humans. They can move quickly, jump very high, climb and run incredibly fast without difficulty or exhaustion.
* **Super Senses:** Original vampires have extremely keen senses of hearing, sight and smell that far exceed those of immortals, supernatural hunters, non-Original vampires, werewolves, evolved werewolves, non-Original werewolf-vampire hybrids and humans.
* **Super Durability:** Original vampires can take far more trauma than immortals, supernatural hunters, non-original vampires, werewolves, evolved werewolves, non-original werewolf-vampire hybrids and humans can, without much discomfort or injury. No Original vampire has ever been dismembered throughout the series, implying that their durability may be close to invincibility. Wood seems to be ineffective at weakening them, though being stabbed in the heart with it will often knock them unconscious for several minutes until they recover. Ordinary bullets, knives and blunt objects can hurt an Original vampire.
* **Healing Factor:** The injuries of Original vampires heal faster than those of immortals, supernatural hunters, non-original vampires, werewolves, evolved werewolves, non-original werewolf-vampire hybrids and humans. Original vampires also seem to heal much more quickly when exposed to vervain or wood. They heal/recover/regenerate from any and all injuries in a matter of seconds. Even a werewolf bite is no threat to them, it is only painful to them, as they are not wholly immune to the bite, but it wears off. Vervain-laced liquid has also been shown to weaken them, though they recover from the effects much more quickly. Human blood has also known to make the healing process faster.
* **Immortality:** Original vampires are immortal. They do not physically age and are immune to all illnesses, toxins, poisons and human diseases or physical conditions. The only physical weapon that can bring permanent death to an Original is the White Oak Stake, and the only other substance being poisons from the advanced strain of werewolf toxin contained in the bite of an Upgraded Original Vampire, as well as the similar toxin from the enchanted thorns grown by The Hollow from an Upgraded Original's blood.
* **Enhanced Emotions:** Original Vampires experience emotions more powerfully than humans. Emotions like love, joy, and happiness are intensified for vampires allowing them to live life more intensely. This ability allows the original vampires to feel emotions at their peak regardless of their age. They have been shown
* experiencing emotions as powerfully today as they did 1,000 years ago.
* **Emotional Control:** Original vampires have a limited degree of control over their own emotions. It has been stated that Emotional Control fades over time. It is unknown if the Original vampires still possess the ability to "switch off" their emotions completely.
* **Mind Compulsion:** Original vampires can control and influence the thoughts, emotions, behavior, actions and memories of humans, non-original vampires and non-original werewolf-vampire hybrids. They cannot however compel witches, immortals, or werewolves/evolved werewolves.
* **Sire Bond:** Although rare among them, Sire Bonds can be formed when a human is turned with the blood of the vampire whom they had strong human feelings for.
* **Telepathy:** Original Vampires have the ability to enter the minds of others as long as theirs is stronger than them although, as the oldest vampires in the world, they have one of the strongest minds in the world. Normally, this ability works in a tactile fashion and the vampire requires physical contact in order for it to work successfully. However, they has been shown to mentally communicate with others from a short distance sending distress calls and mental images.
* **Dream Manipulation:** Original vampires can control dreams and subconscious. They can produce and modify dreams, bestow nightmares or lucid dreaming. Other effects of this ability is the ability to distort perceptions of reality and being able to trap someone in their dreams.
* **Illusions:** Original Vampires have the power to trick the minds of others into seeing/feeling things that aren't actually happening.
* **True Face:** An Original Vampire's true face is the appearance they are hiding under their normal human face. When an Original Vampire's true face is revealed, the sclera of their eyes turns blood-red, dark veins appear under their eyes as the blood pumps forcefully through them, and their canine teeth extend into razor-sharp fangs. An Original Vampire's true face can be revealed whenever they wish, but it will appear against their will whenever they are aroused by the scent of blood, or are feeling intense emotions such as anger, lust, sadness, etc. An Original Vampire's fangs are extremely sharp which gives them the ability to tear into almost any substance (including and especially flesh) and tear off limbs. With the fangs come the darkened veins under the eyes as well.

## **Weaknesses**

* Even though the Original Vampires are the oldest and strongest vampires in the world, they themselves still have weaknesses. However, these weaknesses are fewer compared to non-original vampires, and they recover faster from them. Original vampires are immune to most of the weakness of non-original vampires..
* **Broken Neck:** Breaking an Original vampire's neck will not kill them, but it will render them unconscious for several hours.
* **Desiccation:** Being completely drained of blood or the heart stopping will cause an Original vampire to desiccate like any other vampire, losing most of it's strength and any ability to move. The desiccated body of an Original vampire will appear as a corpse and can only start functioning again once they feed on blood. This process can be replicated artificially by a witch casting a desiccation spell. It's unknown if an Original vampire would desiccate if their heart was torn out; however, it seems that an Original vampire's body is indestructible, therefore it is possible their hearts cannot be extracted.
* **Magic:** It is said that a witch with enough power can kill/dangerously affect a being as powerful as an Original Vampire, but would likely kill the witch unless the Original vampire was in a weakened state. Its later revealed to have some sort of truth as both Bonnie and Davina while being empowered by extremely potent sources of magic (the violent deaths of 100 witches and the power of the Harvest) were able to cripple Klaus almost to the point of bringing him close to death. Julie Plec reveals that the White Oak Stake is the only physical weapon in existence that can kill an Original vampire, but an extremely empowered witch could kill one with magic. Bonnie would have succeeded in killing Klaus had Elijah not saved him. Dahlia may have the power to kill the Original vampires, as one of the strongest witches to exist, something Esther and Freya believe she can do. Dahlia could effortlessly desiccate Mikael and Klaus at the same time, nearly killing them both with a portion of her magic potential. Witches can also do spells that can seriously harm an original vampire. Minor spells have little effect. An example of a spell that can be used to effect an original is the spell with sage that can block a vampire's hearing. This is inclusive of mystical objects such as the Gilbert Device, Papa Tunde's Blade and Dark Objects. It is possible, but equally as unlikely that a Siphoner could siphon the magic from an original vampire.
* **Physical Trauma:** Minor physical injuries such as gunshots, stab wounds and broken bones will cause an Original Vampire pain and also slow them down. However, this is momentary as they will heal completely within seconds. It seems physical trauma can hurt them anywhere on the body (ex-eye gauging, drowning).
* **Vervain:** Vervain prevents Original vampires from compelling anyone who takes it and burns them on touch. Original vampires will heal very quickly from vervain wounds however.
* **Werewolf Bite:** While a werewolf bite can't kill Original vampires, it weakens them and causes hallucinations. The effects are temporary and only lasts for a few hours. This will not affect Klaus as he is a werewolf-vampire hybrid. Mikael overcame the pain of the venom and fought through the effects rather than suffer and hallucinate.
* **Wood:** A wooden stake through the heart will desiccate an Original vampire and the Original vampire will appear as if they were dead, but will revive within a few hours. Klaus cannot be neutralized by wooden stakes, due to being a werewolf-vampire hybrid.
* **White Oak Ash Daggers:**A group of enchanted silver daggers dipped in the ash of the white oak tree will neutralize an Original vampire when stabbed through the heart. If the dagger is removed, it must be dipped again in White Oak Ash to re-neutralize the Original vampire. Otherwise, it will have no effect and the Original vampire awaken within a few hours.
* **Cursed Stake:** There is a new weapon, a cursed stake, that can be used to neutralize an Original that even vampires can use, as Aya used it on Rebekah. An Original rvives immediately upon its removal unlike the White Oak Ash Daggers which can take hours. The one used on Rebekah caused her to eventually go insane upon it's removal when a skull shaped mark developed on her lower arm above her wrist. There is no known cure to the curse as the method Freya used to heal Rebekah was only temporary, as the mark and insane urges returned hours later.
* **White Oak Ash Dagger (Gold):** A weapon that was forged by witches and modified by Kol Mikaelson as a way to subdue Niklaus Mikaelson since Silver Daggers have no affect on him. If dipped into the White Oak Tree ashes and then stabbed into the heart of Klaus, he will become desiccated and will remain that way as long as the dagger stays in place.
* **White Oak Stake:** The only weapon on earth that can permanently kill an Original vampire, it comes from an ancient White Oak Tree that existed during the time of the genesis of The Original Vampires and was used as the source of their immortality. It was at first thought that the stake used to kill Mikael was the last White Oak wood that existed, but it was soon discovered by Rebekah and Klaus that there was a sapling of the original tree to replace the old; the wood of which was used to build the Wickery Bridge. Julie Plec later confirms this is the only thing in existence that can kill an original.
* **Animal Blood:** Animal blood weakens an Original's strength, but can ease their hunger better than no blood at all.