Legacies Season 1 Episode 5 Review: Malivore
Paul Dailly
at
.
Updated at
.
If you seek the answers, all you have to do is ask.
Alaric learned that the easy way on Legacies Season 1 Episode 5 and it made for a nice change of pace.
The dryad was introduced as a villain, but by the end of the installment, it became clear she was a spiritual being who was being forced on a path of destruction thanks that pesky knife.
From the outset, I was scratching my head thinking the dryad was drastically different to the swamp monster-like creature that tried to kill Dorian at the end of Legacies Season 1 Episode 4.
I'm not a fan when something is omitted thanks to a time jump, but this villain who had to get close to the knife was of the talking variety.
The dryad was honorable, and I loved that both Alaric and Dorian manage to build a rapport with her of sorts ... even though they had her holed up in the middle of a magic circle.
I never thought I'd hear about a love story between a tree and a vampire in The Vampire Diaries Universe, but here we are, and it was pretty heartwarming the way the dryad was speaking of her one true love.
There had to be a reason why Oliver had no clue who this mystical being claiming to be the love of his life was. My best guess is that it has something to do with Malivore aka the place these creatures are being asked to knife.
Dorian: It's time to talk.
Dayad: Why would I talk to evil creatures who kill?
What's more, the revelation that the existence of mystical beings was erased from the minds of everyone several years ago was probably the best way to explain what the frack is going on.
I do think Alaric made a colossal blunder when he opened up about what he lost because that allowed whoever is pulling the strings to bring back his deceased ex-wife Jo.
It's is the second time Jo has resurrected. Alaric struggled with her loss so much that he found a way to bring her back from the dead on The Vampire Diaries Season 7.
But the person he brought back was not Jo. It was another soul taking up residence in her body. Bringing her back again in the form of a zombie is going to open old wounds, and cause confusion for Lizzie and Josie.
Tree: You deceived me.
Dorian: Rick, I got one that talks.
Jo may be their biological mother, but Caroline was the one who gave birth to them and helped raise them. The kids know a lot about where they came from, so they know how the whole siphoning thing works.
Wouldn't this be a perfect time for Candice King to return as Caroline? Why not kick the family drama up another few gears?
Let's talk about Landon and his true lineage. His mother is linked to Malivore. She even has a necklace with the symbol to boot, so we're starting to get somewhere regarding the truth about this kid who seemingly started the whole mess by stealing the knife.
The person pulling the strings must be inside the dimension and in need of the knife to escape into the big old world that is Earth.
Related: Legacies Season 1 Episode 4 Review: Hope Is Not The Goal
The tests on Landon were pretty ridiculous, and I did take issue with the kid being ruled a human. The compulsion not working on him has been a dead giveaway since Legacies Season 1 Episode 1.
That said, it was the right decision to make him leave the school. There's no telling how far Rafael will go to keep his foster brother safe. They've been through the mill together.
Landon: What are you doing here?
Hope: Dr. Saltzman wanted me to administer your tests, starting with some weird mystical blood analysis.
Landon: No.
Hope: Excuse me?
Landon: No. These tests determine whether or not I get to stay at the school, right? There is no way I am putting my future in your hands. You're biased.
Hope: I'm not biased. Besides, neither of us have a choice. Believe me, this is not how I would choose to spend my day either.
Hope: See? Biased.
There was no way Jed or Kaleb wouldn't have found a way to make Landon pay for everything. I thought Landon's true powers were going to come to the forefront after he got the beat down from Jed, but Legacies is all about the element of surprise.
The parting kiss between Landon and Hope was perfect. Hope had been on the fence about whether to let Landon back in because all signs were pointing to him being a villain.
Thanks to the mysterious ball that made sure he was telling the truth, Hope learned that there was still a lot to like about the guy.
Initially, I was pissed that Hope got on the council just to have a vote against Landon. That rubbed me the wrong way, but her reasons were perfectly valid, and they helped me get on board with her.
She voted with the aim of keeping Landon safe, and that's why they sent him to New Orleans. I would love to know to which "family friend" he's being sent to visit, but the only people in the French Quarter who fall into that category are Vincent and Declan.
There have been rumblings of late that we're taking a trip to New Orleans, so it will be good to check in with that location. It was a character of its own on The Originals.
As for Rafael, it seemed too easy for him to overtake Jed as the Alpha of the Wolfpack. I get that he was riled up because he knew it was do-or-die time for Landon, but it would have had a larger impact if he lost that fight and then wound up with Lizzie.
Related: CW Confirms Midseason Schedule: What's on the Move?
I'm not a fan of love triangles, and I know I'm going to be mad when Lizzie and Josie eventually come to blows over Rafael.
Rafael was furious with Josie, so I dare say having sex with her sister will give him the bragging rights he needs to make her feel crappy for playing a part in ousting Landon.
"Malivore" was the best episode of this series to date. Now that we're delving deeper into a mythology that hadn't yet heard about, it's making the purpose clearer.
Other tidbits from the episode:
- Penelope is one to watch. She knows how to manipulate any given situation, and she also proved that she still holds a torch for Josie.
- I'm still getting bad vibes from Emma Tig for some reason. She randomly pops up for a scene here and there as though she's just gathering information.
- That Bonnie Bennett name drop did not go unnoticed; I would love nothing more than to have Kat Graham appear on the show. Wouldn't she make the perfect new addition to the staff of the Salvatore School?
- MG needs to find a way to get rid of Kaleb. That kid on the council is only going to cause problems. It was just days before that he was trying to kill Matt Donovan. He didn't get the memo that no supernatural creature can kill Sheriff Donovan.
Okay, Legacies Fanatics!
What did you think of the episode?
Hit the comments below.
Remember you can watch Legacies online right here via TV Fanatic.
Legacies continues Thursdays on The CW.
Have a look at the teaser for Legacies Season 1 Episode 6 below.
Paul Dailly was an Associate Editor for TV Fanatic.Follow him on X.
