Legacies Recap: The Truth Hurts — Plus, What Did We Learn From Freya's Visit?

Andy Swift

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The truth came out — in so many ways — on Thursday’s Legacies, arguably the strongest episode of the CW drama’s sophomore season thus far.

But let’s begin with the most exciting part of this week’s episode: the appearance of Freya Mikaelson! Hope’s aunt received an unexpected visit from Josie, who required some assistance in reverse engineering an “ancient Japanese black magic purge spell.” You know, casual witch stuff. Freya initially scoffed at the request, correctly pointing out that Josie was dabbling in some seriously dark forces, but she changed her tune when Josie asked if she felt like she was forgetting someone important.

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Freya agreed to help, though she warned Josie that if she cast the spell without conviction, it could permanently erase everyone’s memories of Hope, rather than restoring them. And how did Josie thank her? By refusing to tell her who Hope really is, then knocking her unconscious with a spell, of course. (Listen, I get that Willow Josie is going through a Dark Willow dark phase, but that is not how we treat beloved guest stars in this house!)

Back in Mystic Falls, Hope & Co. had their hands full trying to combat both a zombie and a Croatoan, a spooky gentleman that feeds on secrets. Naturally, the gossipy beast went straight for Lizzie, who was still keeping Hope’s true identity from the people closest to her. During a moment of sheer panic, she nearly came clean to Landon, but Hope swooped in and literally shut her mouth in the nick of time. Of course, Hope’s silencing spell merely delayed the inevitable; Josie returned to Mystic Falls at the end of the hour and used the spell to restore everyone’s memory.

It’s also worth noting that Josie wasn’t sure what she was going to do with the spell — that is, until she called Caroline. “I talked to mom, and she said that people deserve to know the truth so they can make their own choices, even if they hurt,” she told Lizzie. “What choice do you think Landon’s going to make?” (From where I sit, Landon’s “I need some time” response was… not super encouraging.)

Fortunately, the episode had a lovely ending, as Freya surprised Hope at the Commonwealth Day festival with a big hug and lots of tears. Sure, the real ending of the episode involved one of the Evil Robed Guys™ using the zombie’s detached eyeball to spy on MG, but I’ll sleep much more soundly tonight if I choose to focus on the Freya/Hope reunion.

Since this week’s episode was all about dropping truth bombs, let’s dive into some other things we learned…

* I got emotional enough at the mere mention of Freya and Keelin wanting to send their son to the Salvatore School someday, but when she revealed that his name is Nick — presumably short for Niklaus, her late brother! — I just about lost it. There’s so much history built into this franchise, and Legacies has consistently done a wonderful job of honoring it organically.

* Speaking of history, Matt Donovan is now the mayor of Mystic Falls?!

* Hope admitted to having a crush on Josie for a week when she was 14, adding yet another layer of complication to the Hope-Landon-Josie triangle. It’s now been confirmed that Josie and Hope both had crushes on each other, while Landon is currently having feelings for both of them, as they are for him. Am I crazy for thinking these three should just become a throuple? Lizzie seems to think so, considering this was her response to Hope’s crush: “Read my lips, the two of you are never happening!”

* Arguably more shocking: Lizzie admitted that she thinks Hope is cool! She also admitted to killing Hope’s hamster and cheating off of her in school, but let’s just focus on the positives for now.

* We also learned a bit more about Sebastian’s history, which includes a surprising connection to the lost colony of Roanoke, Va. It was there that he fell in love with a witch named Cassandra, who summoned the Croatoan to punish the hypocrites who harshly judged the supernatural. Sebastian tried to stop her, fearing that her decision to keep his secret would also make her a target for the secret-seeking monster, which is why she desiccated him. She did it for his safety, though it also meant he was unable to stop the Croatoan from ripping her to pieces. (Something tells me we’ll be seeing a ghostly version of this Cassandra person in the near future.)

* Alaric tried to turn Sheriff Mac into his new Sheriff Forbes — or even his new Sheriff Donovan — but it didn’t exactly pan out. She made it clear that she wouldn’t turn a blind eye to the supernatural goings-on in Mystic Falls, prompting Kaleb to compel her to forget everything Alaric told her about the existence of otherworldly creatures. Where their relationship goes from here is anybody’s guess.

* I didn’t really know where else to talk about this, so I’ll just put it here: Did Rafael not completely break your heart this week? “I have to own up to the fact that I’ve always had feelings for you,” he told Hope. “Now that I remember them, we can’t be around each other anymore. I’m sorry.” I understand that Landon and Hope feel like their romance is written in the stars, but the fact that Rafael was so drawn to her — even when he didn’t fully remember her — tells me that he also loves her. And watching him lose hope/Hope wasn’t any easier the second time around.

OK, let’s discuss this week’s episode: Did you squeal when Freya name-dropped her son? Which girl are you hoping Landon will choose? And did you vote for Mayor Matt Donovan? Whatever’s on your mind, drop it in a comment below.

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