Legacies 4×19, “This Can Only End in Blood,” is a jam-packed penultimate episode that begins the bittersweet farewell to the TVD Universe and showcases how much untapped potential this show still has. Unfortunately, this young-adult drama is running out of time to wrap things up. That pressure is undeniable from the first minute of this episode.
This episode’s pacing, tone, and the number of plot twists align with some of the TVD Universe‘s biggest mid-season finales, penultimate episodes, and season finales. Who can forget The Vampire Diaries Season 1 finale and everything it entailed?
Even Alaric Saltzman feels like his old self at the beginning, which dwindles again by the end. Nevertheless, he’s almost recognizable again, making the finality of this ending all the more undeniable.
The downside of “This Can Only End in Blood” being the second to last episode of a franchise that began 13 years ago is that most of its plot twists aren’t setting up future storylines because they can’t. So instead, this episode must rush to catch up with where it would’ve gone in Season 5 and beyond.
That necessity underscores the expediency at which certain mythological revelations occur — like Cleo discovering more about being a Fury from Jen in a single scene. There is a lot left for Legacies to reveal about Cleo’s powerset, the history of the Furies, and how they fold into the larger supernatural universe — separate from the gods.
On a smaller scale, Legacies still hasn’t had the chance to delve into MG and Kaleb’s backstories, specifically about how they turned. That unfortunate missed opportunity is one of the reasons why it’s tough to let go of this show. There are stories left to be told, and we’ll never experience them.
As a fan of this franchise since its inception, that’s a hard pill to swallow.
Alternatively, Legacies works against itself when trying to strike an emotional chord while killing off most of its characters throughout the episode. Jed is the first main character to go and his death stings. It’s a shock, but not because of its eventual impermanence. Instead, it feels like a twist of a knife because of Zane Phillips‘ performance as Ben.
Ben’s reaction grounds that scene to where it’s almost easy to forget that Ben used to be a half-god and Jed was a werewolf. All of that falls away because he’s a man standing over the body of the man he loves.
It’s excruciating, and though the timing doesn’t afford it, it’s strange for Ben and, most importantly, Jed not to harbor even the slightest ill will towards Ric for killing Jed. Jed is kind to understand Ric’s motives, but Ric is skilled with that crossbow. We see that throughout the franchise. Couldn’t he have aimed for Jed’s leg — or multiple of Jed’s legs?
Either way, Jed’s death is a jaw-dropping twist that gives this final battle stakes for a moment. More likely than ever, permanent death is possible in Legacies and this penultimate episode, specifically. However, the timing of MG’s death undercuts the effectiveness of Jed’s death because MG succeeds Kaleb finding Landon in limbo.
Kaleb and Landon’s reunion confirms that Legacies plans to stick with its tried and true method of death impermanence, which is more than fine when this episode takes out many characters in close succession. However, once that realization sinks in, it’s easy to give way to the emotions that arise when Aurora sacrifices herself for Hope and dies because of it. Out of everyone, her death is the end of a character’s journey.
Aurora’s death is a supremely saddening yet hopeful ending to this character that has existed in The Vampire Diaries Universe since 2015. Legacies recontextualizes Aurora within the span of this season, and that’s no small feat considering the stereotypes the franchise previously saddled her with on The Originals.
Though her physical fight with Hope is underwhelming from the lack of supernatural flair (Hope is the tribrid, after all!), their final scene is a beautiful bow to their contentious relationship this season. In addition, Rebecca Breeds is fantastic in the scene where Aurora finally reveals her motives.
It’s moving to hear Aurora tell Hope that Klaus changed for Hope, and all she ever wanted was for Klaus to change for her.
“This Can Only End in Blood” mentions Klaus Mikaelson a lot, which is understandable since he is such a sore spot for Hope. Though, even if no one explicitly states it, there is a lot of Hayley Marshall in Hope, too. She expresses her father’s and mother’s qualities in that final fight.
Maybe Legacies could have explored Hope’s ties to werewolf royalty in the future now that the Super Squad’s god problem is out of the way.
Yes, Ken has always been a Super Squad problem, even though Ken acutely focuses on Hope the entire time. “This Can Only End in Blood” dials up the “super” in their name by having them receive their very own Avengers: Endgame “Portals” moment when Kaleb, MG, and Jed appear behind Lizzie and Hope when they need their team. That sequence pairs with Hope and Ken preparing to collide in the air in epic superhero/villain fashion.
Also, the Hope and Lizzie scenes are excellent from start to finish. They exemplify how far Hizzie has come since the first episode of Legacies — and even before. Lizzie used to wish Hope dead, and now she tells Hope, “Our sire bond may be gone, Hope Andrea Mikaelson, but you and I are bonded for life.” Hope and Lizzie are in it together till the bitter end. It’s a rewarding series-long journey for them.
This penultimate episode puts the Super Squad through the wringer, but they still manage to pull off all the epic heroics this group of “children,” as Ken calls them, are known for now. Legacies has always been about the younger generation proving they can be the ones to save the world, and they do that — again — by working together.
“This Can Only End in Blood” wraps up the season-long conflict so Legacies can take the time to say goodbye and tease what the future looks like for the Super Squad next week. So it’s fitting that Jed tells Ben he has to pay it forward to Landon by living his best life when Elena Gilbert shared a similar sentiment about Stefan Salvatore after his sacrifice.
Salvatore Stallions, we can’t avoid it anymore; this ending is happening. But just like the Super Squad, we will get through this together — always and forever.
Other Spelltacular Moments:
- Jen being impressed by Hope
- Ben test the Armory’s weapons with Hope
- Aurora WOULD have a dramatic entrance!
- Maya Machado! Did anyone tell her about Ethan?
- “And I am my father’s daughter.”
- This episode has vampire speed, a desecrated vampire body, a near-wrist bite, and so many other TVD elements that have been missing!
- Kaleb’s dragon powers are underused and underrated.
- The Viking funeral is a nice callback.
- Did I read into the JedBen scene cutting to MG memorializing Ethan? Yes!
- I’m sure I’ll have more Methan feels next week, depending on how things go with Ethan in limbo.
What did you think of Legacies 4×19, “This Can Only End in Blood?” Let us know in the comments below!
Legacies airs Thursdays at 9/8c on The CW.
