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The premiere of Legacies on The CW saw the return of characters who originated back on The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. As the latest spinoff in the franchise, Legacies follows a new generation of young adults with supernatural powers, led by Hope Mikaelson of The Originals. Given how important the Mikaelsons were on The Originals, a big question now is whether any members of that legendary family other than Hope will appear on Legacies. Danielle Rose Russell, who plays Hope, said this when asked about more Mikaelsons on Legacies:
It's more Easter eggs photographs like in episode two. Obviously, she is still very much a Mikaelson with her personality and she speaks about her family a lot and still wears her necklace. So you have those Easter eggs in this universe, but it really is such a new show that I think it's important to create a new identity outside of Hope and her family. She is creating her own identity for the first time and you see that on Legacies. [Fans will] probably, maybe, maybe not [see her family members in future episodes]. It depends on whoever wants to come back and revisit their character.
Going by Danielle Rose Russell's comments, fans of The Originals shouldn't hold their breath for any of the Mikaelsons other than Hope to appear in the flesh on Legacies, at least for the foreseeable future. For one thing, many of the Mikaelsons were dead by the end of The Originals, including Klaus, so there is a limited supply of the family that even could turn up again. Fans can apparently count on Easter egg nods to the original series, but not much more for the time being.
The majority of the Mikaelsons remaining absent doesn't have to be a bad thing, even if Originals lovers would be happy to see their favorites back after that series ended earlier this year. If Legacies is going to stand on its own as a spinoff, it's probably for the best that it finds its own legs without relying on familiar faces to start. Would it really be able to last if all it had going for it was ties to the previous series?
Hope still feels connected to her family, as we'll see her talk about the other Mikaelsons and wear the necklace, so it's not like Legacies is erasing her... well, legacy. That said, Danielle Rose Russell's comments to ET do give some reason for fans to hope for some bonus Mikaelsons on Legacies. She notably said that the presence of Mikaelsons "depends on whoever wants to come back" to reprise their role.
If members of the Originals (and perhaps Vampire Diaries) are interested in returning to the universe, perhaps Julie Plec and Co. could find a way to write them into the action. Whether scenes would be flashbacks or set in the present, fans would surely be happy to see them. At this point, the actor from previous shows who would make the most sense to reprise their role isn't a Mikaelson at all, but rather Candice King as Caroline.
Caroline is conspicuously absent so far in Legacies, with her daughters attending the Salvatore School. The show hasn't yet revealed what she's up to, but she will be mentioned as the episodes pass. Unfortunately for Klaroline shippers, Caroline isn't a member of the Mikaelson family. Still, she would arguably make the most sense as an alum of the previous shows to turn up on Legacies.
Tune in to The CW on Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET to catch new episodes of Legacies in the fall TV lineup.