The Originals premiere recap: 'Where You Left Your Heart' 

 premiere recap: \'Where You Left Your Heart\'

Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Claire Holt

Vincent ends this hour by wondering how we could ever know if, at any given point in time, we’re at the end of the beginning or the beginning of the end. But for

fans, we know our fate: This episode is quite literally the beginning of the end. This season is the end of a story that began eight years ago, when Elijah Mikaelson — and his amazing hair — sauntered into that abandoned house and first laid eyes on Elena Gilbert, the latest Petrova doppelganger. Later that season on

, we’d go on to meet Elijah’s brother, Klaus, and from there, the story of the Original family was born. Now, after countless betrayals, deaths, and one very dramatic birth, we’ve reached the final story, and it all begins tonight.

The season premiere picks up seven years after the season 4 finale — which saw Rebekah, Kol, Elijah, and Klaus part ways in order to separate the Hollow’s magic and keep Hope safe. So far, it seems they’ve kept their vow to protect Hope, though it has taken its toll. There’s Klaus, who now goes by “Klaus the Mad” as he wanders through France ripping out hearts and traumatizing passersby.

Then there’s Hope, who’s living life at Caroline and Alaric’s Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted, and I’m not going to lie, just seeing the Salvatore house (and knowing that Stefan and Damon aren’t inside) made me tear up. Furthermore, seeing its hallways filled with teens in uniforms was…weird. (Imagine all the snarky comments Damon would have about that.)

Regardless, it’s now the school that Hope has called home for seven years. And it seems she’s made a friend. Oh wait, just kidding, she’s selling her blood to some werewolf named Henry so that he can kill himself and become a hybrid. So apparently we’re finding Hope in that rebellious teen stage. She asks Henry to be discreet, but when he jumps out of a window, she’s suspended, and that means one thing: Hope is going home to New Orleans.

Speaking of New Orleans, it’s currently living a peaceful existence. We find Vincent leading a mardi gras meeting with Hayley representing the wolves, Josh representing the vampires, and Freya representing the witches. Together, they’re making sure the celebration will once again go off without a hitch. At least that’s Vincent’s plan, but Josh’s phone keeps buzzing with texts from Marcel. The man might be miles away in New York, but he can never really let his city go. Vincent, however, doesn’t want Marcel anywhere near this city, because Marcel = Rebekah = Elijah and Kol = Klaus. And if even two of them are in the same place, the magic inside of them is essentially a ticking bomb. And that’s why they’re not together…that’s also why Hayley has found herself a new man.

With Elijah off in what Josh calls “amnesia land,” it seems Hayley’s been seeing a very cute, very human chef named Declan, and they’ve got a date tomorrow night. At least, that’s the plan before Hayley gets the call from Hope’s school.

Sitting in the hallway awaiting her meeting with Alaric, Hope runs into Roman, a very pretty classmate with pretty hair and a pretty face. And he seems rather impressed that Hope Marshall of all people got suspended. As he puts it, it’s “cool.” So yeah, meet the “bad boy” that Hope clearly has a crush on.

Henry then sits next to Hope and apologizes, and that’s when we learn that no one at school knows that Hope is Klaus’ daughter. The only reason Henry knows is because he’s a crescent, and seeing as how Hayley’s their alpha, it’s kind of hard to keep that secret. Henry asks, “Your dad’s not going to kill me for getting you suspended is he?” But Hope wouldn’t know because “he can’t bother to be a dad.”

Back in New Orleans, Freya is creating what’s essentially a magical FaceTime so that she can talk to Keelin, who we learn is in Lebanon. Keelin has a trip home in five days, but she’s trying to convince Freya to join her on her next six-month stint. After all, Freya doesn’t need to be in New Orleans to figure out a way to reunite her family, something she hasn’t been able to do in seven years. Keelin asks Freya to give her seven months in Lebanon — one month for every year she’s spent trying to reunite her family. Freya doesn’t agree immediately, but she’s certainly thinking about it.

However, Keelin and Freya aren’t the only couple that’s found happiness over the years. When we catch up with Marcel and Rebekah, he’s playing what he calls “four objects and a question,” which is what you’d typically call A PROPOSAL. The first object is a wedding dress that he saw Rebekah eyeing. The second is the drawing of the house he designed for them all those years ago. The third is her sword, because it was after their first duel that he told her he was going to marry her. And the fourth object? An engagement ring. And here’s where he presents his question: “Rebekah Mikaelson — delicate as lace, elegant as a fine home, tough as polished steel and love of all my lives — will you marry me?” I MEAN COME ON!!

At this point, Rebekah’s crying, but Marcel anticipated that. He’s prepared two envelopes — “If you say yes” and “If you say no.” All she has to do is pick one. But she can’t, not yet. Not with her family in the state it’s in.

And what state is that you ask? A really bad one, especially now that Klaus has decided that it’s a good idea to talk to Elijah. For the first time in seven years, Klaus sits down at Elijah’s piano for a conversation about his “geographically challenged” family. Klaus reveals that he hasn’t talked to Hope in five years, something that Elijah thinks “sounds like a recipe for regret.” Klaus responds, “Now you sound like my brother. He was my lone star.” And now I’m definitely crying. Klaus tells Elijah about his brother, saying, “He’s been away and I’ve only just realized how far he’s gone.” Just then, more flowers start to die, and all the way back in New York — where Rebekah is bathing and arguing with Marcel about how she hasn’t given him an answer — her bath water turns to blood. Rebekah quickly calls Klaus and tells him he has to leave…now.

In New Orleans, Hayley explains to Hope why she wasn’t supposed to draw attention to herself, and furthermore, why making Henry one of three hybrids in the world was a bad idea. And in all the drama, Hayley forgets to meet with up Declan, who runs into her on the sidewalk later and pretty much refuses to be dumped. She might not be comfortable calling him her boyfriend, but he’s not giving up until she dumps him formally: At a bar, with bourbon. She agrees to meet him later. For now, she has her hands full.

While Hayley heads to the bayou — where the crescents are concerned about Henry’s safety — Hope FaceTimes with Kol, who’s oddly her best uncle right now. It seems Kol is enjoying married life with Davina in Belize. He tells his favorite niece not to worry, some crisis or another always seems to bring the Mikaelsons back to New Orleans eventually.