One of the major storylines that followed The Originals’ major character Elijah Michaelson throughout the show was his bond to his family. After centuries of being tied to the Mikaelson family’s vow of “Always and Forever,” Elijah was constantly weighed down by loyalty to his siblings, especially Klaus.
When he asked Marcel to erase his memories in Season 4, Episode 13, Elijah was apparently freed from the burdens of his and his family’s complicated past, allowing him to live without the guilt, trauma, and obligations that had dominated his existence.
Now, of course, it eventually led to Hayley Marshall’s tragic death while he stood there watching without even registering the slightest bit of emotion. Not the end the show’s most iconic romance (Yes, I’ll die on that hill) deserved, even by a bit. You cried, I cried, and it all ended up being one of the worst decisions on the part of our beloved Noble One.
Reason why Marcel erased Elijah Michaelson’s memories
It was actually Elijah who asked Marcel to erase his memories, and the storyline was tied to the Hollow and protecting Hope. To stop it, the siblings had to take its dark magic into themselves and then separate so the Hollow’s spirit couldn’t reunite.
The Hollow’s dark magic was so dangerous that it had to be divided among the four Mikaelson siblings—Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah and Kol. To prevent the Hollow’s spirit from reuniting and wreaking havoc, the family had to separate and live apart permanently.
Elijah, always the loyal brother and protector, feared that his loyalty to Klaus would eventually draw him back to his family and the others.
To ensure that he wouldn’t be tempted to break their separation and risk Hope’s safety, Elijah requested that Marcel erase all his memories of his family. This way, he wouldn’t remember his connection to Klaus, Rebekah, or Hope, and would have no reason to seek them out, thus preventing the Hollow’s influence from bringing them back together
And so, he remembered nothing of the “Always and Forever” vow that had been at the core of his identity for centuries. This was the only way to ensure he wouldn’t be tempted to reunite with them and potentially reignite the Hollow’s evil magic.
How Elijah’s memory wipe was responsible for Hayley’s tragic death
By erasing his memory, Elijah also erased all memories of his love for Hayley. It was a painful conclusion to what had been one of the most powerful romances in the series—and worse, the tragedy would eventually lead to Hayley Marshall’s heartbreaking death in Season 5, where she sacrificed her life to protect her daughter, Hope.
When Hayley called his name hoping for help, Elijah couldn’t grasp the urgency of the situation or recognize the woman who had meant everything to him. His inability to save Hayley became a cruel consequence of his lost love. She died, their love unrecalled, leaving her sacrifice even more devastating as Elijah couldn’t even register the gravity of what had just happened.
Elijah gets his memories back
Elijah’s memories were eventually restored in Season 5, and the emotional impact was immediate and devastating. When he finally remembered everything—his family, the vow of “Always and Forever,” and most painfully, his love for Hayley from the night he met her to their ever-burning love—he was all but overwhelmed with maddening guilt, enough to drive anyone, more so The Noble One, crazy.
The realization that Hayley had died because he did not help her saw him go almost insane. It was a scene that even Marcel couldn’t look at, Rebekah was crying and even Kol Michaelson had tears running down his cheek. It was one of those most raw and intense moments in the whole show, as our beloved Original Honorable fully grasped the reality of what he had done.
Consumed with regret, knowing that his decision to forget had cost him Hayley, the woman he loved, and had left the Michaelson daughter, Hope, without her mother. This brought Elijah, typically composed and dignified, to a breaking point where he had the realization of utterly having lost it all.
How was Marcel even able to erase Elijah’s memories when he is an Original?
Under normal circumstances, it shouldn’t have been possible for Marcel to compel Elijah, let alone erase his memories, since Elijah Michaelson is one of the Original vampires, making him incredibly powerful and immune to most forms of compulsion. However, Marcel had a unique advantage that allowed him to succeed. Yes, his transformation into an Enhanced Original.
In Season 3 of The Originals, Marcel ingests the serum created by Lucien which turned him into an Enhanced Original. This transformation gave him powers that surpassed even the Original vampires, including Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah. After becoming the strongest vampire, Marcel gained the ability to compel even Originals, something that wasn’t possible for any other vampire before him.
This is how Marcel was able to erase Elijah’s memories. His newfound strength and compulsion abilities allowed him to manipulate Elijah’s mind, despite Elijah being an Original Vampire.
However, it is also worth noting that had Elijah not allowed Marcel to enter his mind, it wouldn’t have been easy for Marcel to manage the feat. Marcel used this power at Elijah’s request to erase all memories of his family, as part of their plan to keep the Hollow at bay and protect Hope.
The Noble One believed he was doing what was necessary to protect his family from the Hollow. However, this act had far-reaching consequences, not only ending his romance with Hayley but also playing a part in her eventual death. And by the time his memories were restored, it was too late to fix what had been broken and we had lost Haylijah in the most tragic sense possible.
