The Vampire Diariesintroduced several characters throughout its eight seasons, and the Mikaelson family members were some of the show’s best. The Mikaelsons, also known as the Originals, first appeared inThe Vampire Diariesin season 2of the fantasy series. Due to how popular the Mikaelsons were, a spinoff show focused on them, calledThe Originals, debuted in 2013.The Originalsran for five seasons and concluded in 2018. The most feared characters inThe Vampire Diariesuniverse,the Mikaelsons were the first vampires in the world, hence being called the Originals.
The family not only included the first witch but also the first hybrid, which is a combination of a werewolf and vampire, and a tribrid, a mixture of a witch, hybrid, and werewolf. Given how powerful the Mikaelsons are, it’s not surprising that they became some of the most belovedsupernatural creatures inThe Vampire Diariesfranchise. While the Originals are a popular family, there are certain characters who grew as the show went on, who were more powerful than others, and who audiences rooted for; thus, those rank higher.
10Henrik Mikaelson
Played By Devon Allowitz
Henrik Mikaelson wasEsther and Mikael’s youngest child. Unlike the rest of the Mikaelsons, Henrik doesn’t become a recurring character inThe Vampire Diaries. This is because he was killed by werewolves before his family turned into immortal beings. Despite not getting a lot of screen time, Henrik is one of the most important characters inThe Vampire Diariesbecause his death is what prompted Esther to create the Originals.
Henrik’s death is also what started therivalry between vampires and werewolves inThe Vampire Diaries. After he died, Mikael, who already hated werewolves because of Esther’s affair with Ansel, began despising the supernatural creatures even more. So, while he could only be seen in flashbacks, Henrik had a great impact on the horror TV show.
9Finn Mikaelson
Played By Casper Zafer
Finn joinedThe Vampire Diaries’ cast in the show’s second season. Like Esther, Finn was a powerful witch, but he lost his ability to channel magic after he transitioned into an Original. A few years after the Originals came to be, Klaus daggered and kept his eldest brother locked in a coffin for 900 years, so he doesn’t heavily feature in flashbacks.
However, he does appear briefly inThe Vampire Diariesand then later inThe Originals. In both instances,Finn was hellbent on killing his siblings because of the havoc and violence they had brought upon the world. Finn didn’t like being a vampire and could at times be a little self-righteous, which made him annoying. But his somewhat pure heart and good sense of right and wrong made him stand out from the rest of the Originals.
8Mikael Mikaelson
Played By Sebastian Roché
The characters inThe Vampire Diariesfaced a lot of antagonists throughout the show’s eight seasons, but none were as formidable as Mikael Mikaelson.Mikael was a vampire who didn’t feed on humans but on vampire blood instead. This distinct ability made him an extremely powerful original. Mikael hated his children, especially Klaus, whom he despised because he was a result of Esther and Ansel’s affair.
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What makes Mikael such a great character isn’t only that he is a rare and powerful vampire, but also because he is the only one the Original children really feared. The few times Mikael appears inThe Vampire DiariesandThe Originals, his deadpan manner, complex relationship with his children, and vampire-hunting abilities make him a joy to watch.
7Esther Mikaelson
Played By Alice Evans
The Vampire Diarieslore explains how the nocturnal creatures came to be. A thousand years before Elena, a powerful witch used an immortal spell to create the Originals. That witch was Esther, and she turned her children into the first vampires to protect them from werewolves. However, Esther didn’t know that the immortal beings she was unleashing upon the world would be unable to control their lust for human blood.
Her skills as a witch, cunning, and never-give-up spirit made her a force to be reckoned with in The Vampire Diaries universe.
So when she returned from the dead, she sought to kill all her children. While there are several witches inThe Vampire Diaries, none are as powerful as Esther.Esther created the Originals, wrote most of the grimoires that witches who came after her used, and wove complicated spells. Her skills as a witch, cunning, and never-give-up spirit made her a force to be reckoned with inThe Vampire Diariesuniverse.
6Kol Mikaelson
Played By Nathaniel Buzolic
Kol Mikaelson was introduced inThe Vampire Diariesas a minor antagonist in the show.Like Finn,Kol was a witch before he transitioned into a vampire. Although he was a powerful witch, Kol had a tough time controlling his bloodlust and missed practicing witchcraft. But he is probably the only Original who had the most character growth inThe Vampire Diariesuniverse.
Kol spent most of his life hating his siblings. However, he came to eventually forgive them for what they had done and even had a good relationship with Klaus and Rebekah. At the end ofThe Originals, Kol and Davina got married and lived happily together. While he has his flaws, Kol is undoubtedly one of the best Mikalesons. His charm, cheek, and innovativeness made him a great character inThe Vampire Diaries.
5Freya Mikaelson
Played By Riley Voelkel
When the Mikaelsons were introduced inThe Vampire Diaries,Freya wasn’t one of them, she instead joined her family inThe Vampire Diariesspinoff,The Originals. Freya was a powerful witch who was raised by her mother’s sister, hence why she doesn’t appear inThe Vampire Diaries. Like her siblings, Freya loved her family and was willing to do anything, including dying to save them.
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Although she joinedThe Vampire Diariesa little later,Freya was a breath of fresh air. Her straightforwardness, toughness, and loyalty made her one of the best characters and Mikaelsons inThe Vampire Diariesfranchise. Her witchcraft skills made her fit in perfectly with her family, and the lengths she went to save them proved that she too took the always and forever promise seriously.
4Hope Mikaelson
Played By Danielle Rose Russell & Summer Fontana
For a thousand years, all the Mikaelsons siblings had were each other until Hope was born. Hope wasKlaus’ only daughter, and her miraculous birth provided the Mikaelsons a chance to become better. From the time she was born, Hope became a target for those who sought to destroy her father and saw her life as a curse.
But through it all, she preserved. The first tribrid inThe Vampire Diariesuniverse,Hope had incredible magical strength. She played an instrumental role in helping Klaus do better, even when he didn’t want to. Hope’s fierceness, loyalty, and power set her apart from the Mikaelson family.
3Rebekah Mikaelson
Played By Claire Holt
Like most of her siblings, Rebekah had a love-hate relationship with Klaus.All Rebekah ever wanted was to be human, since her biggest dream was to be a mother. Unfortunately, Klaus daggered her anytime she went against his wishes, but she still loved him. While Rebekah could at times be overlooked by her family, she showed on countless occasions that she wasn’t one to be trifled with.
She not only held her own in any fight but also stood up to Klaus when the moment called for it. Despite having one of the saddest storylines inThe Vampire Diaries, Rebekah stayed true to who she was. She had great affection for her brothers, who didn’t always deserve her love. AlthoughRebekah wasn’t always featured inThe Vampire Diariesuniverse, she is one of the most memorable Mikaelsons.
2Elijah Mikaelson
Played By Daniel Gillies
The other half of one of the best duos on TV, Elijah Mikaelson, wasa force to be reckoned with. Although he was elegant and fair, Elijah could be ruthless when it came to protecting his family. For most ofThe Vampire DiariesandThe Originals, the Mikaelson brother tried to save Klaus and put his needs second.
Of all the Mikaelsons, Elijah was the most loyal. He stuck with his family no matter what they did and was there whenever they needed him. Elijah truly believed in always and forever, so the fact that he died with Klaus didn’t come as a shock. Given everything he had been through, Elijah should have at least gotten to be with Hayley in the end. But he died the way he lived: protecting his family.
1Klaus Mikaelson
Played By Joseph Morgan
The best Mikaelson inThe Vampire Diariesis undoubtedly Klaus. Niklaus joined the show as an antagonist and, in a way, continued to be one until his death. Klaus was the most feared Original and spent his entire life being a villain. WhenThe Originalswas created, it seemed like Klaus would leave his villainhood behind since he was going to be a father. However, the opposite happened.
His love for power, ruthlessness, and affection for his family make Klaus the very best of the Original family.
While the first hybrid inThe Vampire Diarieschanged in some ways, he was still the bad guy that audiences rooted for. His love for power, ruthlessness, and affection for his family make Klaus the very best of the Original family. Although it’s sad thatKlaus died in the end, he got a fitting conclusion to his story. He sacrificed himself, so his daughter could live and proved that he did, after all, have a heart underneath his charm and swagger.
The Vampire Diaries
Cast
Based on the novels by L.J. Smith, The Vampire Diaries is a story about the developing love triangle between Elena Gilbert and two vampiric brothers, Stefan and Damon Salvatore. Set in the town of Mystic Falls, Virginia, the show follows the trio from high school through college as they battle for one another’s affection.
