Who is Klaus in the books?
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Julie Plec had this to say about Rose dropping Klaus’ name in the final moments of episode 208:
The mystery of Klaus and when we’ll see Klaus is going to be the same question of ‘When will we see Katherine?’ from last season. We’re gonna learn a lot about him and be hopefully very afraid of him before we ever lay eyes on him. That’s gonna be a nice, big, long healthy tease. It’s so funny, the way we dropped the bomb of his name last episode [Rose said The Originals, the oldest vampires, will be coming for Elena, and they'll be doing it for him, Klaus], Kevin and I were laughing. We’re like, the book fans are gonna lose their freakin’ minds in this moment, and the rest of America is gonna go, ‘Huh… Alright. Who’s that?’ [Laughs] But it’s one of those moments that you’re like, I don’t care because I know the million book fans are gonna be so excited that it’s worth it.”
And she was right! In the Vampire Diaries book series, Klaus is actually Katherine’s maker and, as is par for the course with the TV series, they’ve switched it up to keep book fans guessing. In the show, Katherine essentially makes herself, after tricking Rose into giving her blood; her history with Klaus is now much, much different. In the books, Klaus is the Big Bad of book 4, Dark Reunion, come to wreak merry havoc on Fell’s Church, Virginia (because he was apparently quite bored). Tall, Nordic-looking, powerful, charismatic, and creepy as hell, the Klaus of the books claims to be carrying a bronze ax in his earliest memories. He makes passing references to the fall of Rome, fighting with Alexander’s army, and being in the Trojan War, so you know he’s old. He also brags a lot, but what makes him scary is that his follow-through on said boasts is excellent. Also, he’s so insane he’s wrapped back ’round to sane again, if you can imagine that. (L.J. Smith once stated that she based the character on Rutger Hauer in The Hitcher, possibly one of the greatest horror movies of the eighties.) He also has a penchant for quoting poetry (Kipling, Auden, Housman, and Roethke) and has a soft spot for fifties music (see if you can ever listen to The Spaniels’ “Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight” the same way again after reading Dark Reunion).
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Julie Plec had this to say about Rose dropping Klaus’ name in the final moments of episode 208:
The mystery of Klaus and when we’ll see Klaus is going to be the same question of ‘When will we see Katherine?’ from last season. We’re gonna learn a lot about him and be hopefully very afraid of him before we ever lay eyes on him. That’s gonna be a nice, big, long healthy tease. It’s so funny, the way we dropped the bomb of his name last episode [Rose said The Originals, the oldest vampires, will be coming for Elena, and they'll be doing it for him, Klaus], Kevin and I were laughing. We’re like, the book fans are gonna lose their freakin’ minds in this moment, and the rest of America is gonna go, ‘Huh… Alright. Who’s that?’ [Laughs] But it’s one of those moments that you’re like, I don’t care because I know the million book fans are gonna be so excited that it’s worth it.”
And she was right! In the Vampire Diaries book series, Klaus is actually Katherine’s maker and, as is par for the course with the TV series, they’ve switched it up to keep book fans guessing. In the show, Katherine essentially makes herself, after tricking Rose into giving her blood; her history with Klaus is now much, much different. In the books, Klaus is the Big Bad of book 4, Dark Reunion, come to wreak merry havoc on Fell’s Church, Virginia (because he was apparently quite bored). Tall, Nordic-looking, powerful, charismatic, and creepy as hell, the Klaus of the books claims to be carrying a bronze ax in his earliest memories. He makes passing references to the fall of Rome, fighting with Alexander’s army, and being in the Trojan War, so you know he’s old. He also brags a lot, but what makes him scary is that his follow-through on said boasts is excellent. Also, he’s so insane he’s wrapped back ’round to sane again, if you can imagine that. (L.J. Smith once stated that she based the character on Rutger Hauer in The Hitcher, possibly one of the greatest horror movies of the eighties.) He also has a penchant for quoting poetry (Kipling, Auden, Housman, and Roethke) and has a soft spot for fifties music (see if you can ever listen to The Spaniels’ “Goodnight, Sweetheart, Goodnight” the same way again after reading Dark Reunion).
Elena and Bonnie were sitting outside the Grill, both having a lemonade, when both their phones rang.
“Bonnie” Bonnie said.
“Hello, Elena speaking” Elena said, trying not to give away anything and hoping Bonnie would be too caught up in her own conversation.
“It’s time” Damon said. “Meet me at the Boarding House. I’ll be in the car” He ended the conversation.
And so did Bonnie. “Elena, I’m so sorry, but I have to go” she apologized.
“Oh?” Elena said sheepish.
“Yeah, I’m having a date tonight” Bonnie blushed.
“Really? That’s great! Who’s the lucky one?” Elena fired her curiosity.
“Ehm, I rather not say. At least not until it’s official” Bonnie said.
“Of course, I get it” Elena said. Bonnie put some money on the table. “See you tomorrow?”
“Yeah, tell me all that happened” Elena waved as Bonnie walked away. The moment she was gone Elena jumped up and ran away as if she was being chased.
“Bonnie” Bonnie said.
“Hello, Elena speaking” Elena said, trying not to give away anything and hoping Bonnie would be too caught up in her own conversation.
“It’s time” Damon said. “Meet me at the Boarding House. I’ll be in the car” He ended the conversation.
And so did Bonnie. “Elena, I’m so sorry, but I have to go” she apologized.
“Oh?” Elena said sheepish.
“Yeah, I’m having a date tonight” Bonnie blushed.
“Really? That’s great! Who’s the lucky one?” Elena fired her curiosity.
“Ehm, I rather not say. At least not until it’s official” Bonnie said.
“Of course, I get it” Elena said. Bonnie put some money on the table. “See you tomorrow?”
“Yeah, tell me all that happened” Elena waved as Bonnie walked away. The moment she was gone Elena jumped up and ran away as if she was being chased.
Present Day
“She suggested to stay with her so we could catch up, but I already promised Keith to stay with him. But we spent more time together. When Mayor Lockwood died I returned, but you know that. You basically stalked me with your calls to get you out of trouble. How many nights did you spend in jail?” Kelsey chuckled. Then she sighed. “If I had foreseen this I would’ve enjoyed those little moments”
Amber didn’t react.
“Amber, sweetie, did you fall asleep?” Kelsey asked with a squeezed voice, knowing better. She pulled her sister up, taking her face in her hands. “Come on, it’s night. You’re a vampire, you should be awake” she said with a trembling voice.
But Amber still didn’t show any sign of life.
“Amber?” Kelsey sobbed, tears rolling over her cheeks and she held her little sister tightly in her arms. The moon slowly rose…
“She suggested to stay with her so we could catch up, but I already promised Keith to stay with him. But we spent more time together. When Mayor Lockwood died I returned, but you know that. You basically stalked me with your calls to get you out of trouble. How many nights did you spend in jail?” Kelsey chuckled. Then she sighed. “If I had foreseen this I would’ve enjoyed those little moments”
Amber didn’t react.
“Amber, sweetie, did you fall asleep?” Kelsey asked with a squeezed voice, knowing better. She pulled her sister up, taking her face in her hands. “Come on, it’s night. You’re a vampire, you should be awake” she said with a trembling voice.
But Amber still didn’t show any sign of life.
“Amber?” Kelsey sobbed, tears rolling over her cheeks and she held her little sister tightly in her arms. The moon slowly rose…