During its final season, moved beyond Hope and Landon's romantic relationship, but it had already been stale for a long time and should have ended two seasons earlier. Legacies, the second spin-off in the Vampire Diaries universe, follows Hope Mikaelson and her friends at the Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted. Hope - a tribrid witch, werewolf, and vampire - begins a relationship early in the series with Landon - the son of the big bad mud monster Malivore. Their love continues through ups and downs, and many deaths and resurrections, over the show's four seasons.
Legacies season 2 ends with Landon dead and Hope in a coma. In the season 3 premiere, Landon refuses to be brought back to life in order to keep dark magic out of the hands of a powerful enemy, until his friend Rafael says, "[Hope's] waiting on you. If you don't come back, she doesn't come back." Hope doesn't wake up until Landon lets himself be resurrected and kisses her. Then, just a few episodes later, Hope and Landon have sex for the first time, after which Landon melts into mud. As the loophole that can defeat Malivore, Hope's blood is toxic to Landon, and she loses him yet again. Legacies again makes Hope unable to cope with Landon's absence - she refuses to leave the simulated world created by a therapy box because a simulated version of Landon is there. Later, in season 4, Hope kills Landon in order to defeat Malivore. Once again unable to cope, Hope switches off her humanity to avoid the pain of the loss.
Legacies' Ending For Klaus & The Mikaelsons Was Just Perfect
Hope and Landon's relationship was stuck repeating the same cycle - both in of plot and unhealthy relationship dynamics - for multiple seasons. The pair finally split for good in season 4 episode 17, but Legacies made a big mistake with this relationship and should have ended the romance much earlier than it did. Instead, the show just couldn't let go of the romance, and it suffered because of it, much like the couple who couldn't let go of each other–to their own detriment.
Why Legacies' Hope and Landon Should Have Broken Up Earlier
When the relationship ends in season 4, Hope is herself again, and the couple is briefly reunited in Limbo - the show's afterlife. Landon has discovered his path, helping others in Limbo on their quest for peace, which uplifts his selfless nature. Landon helps Hope learn that she has to let him go. It is a very fitting ending for the characters and the relationship, allowing them both to grow and be their best selves. However, Legacies failed Hope and Landon, because with only a few episodes left in the series, this character growth is far too late. This same ending could have happened at the beginning of season 3 - which has the same setup of Landon making the selfless choice to stay dead and Hope needing to learn to let him go. Instead, Legacies leaned into the worst instincts of the characters again and again, unnecessarily delaying their growth away from each other, and negatively impacting the show as a whole.
Legacies has been criticized for taking Hope, such a powerful and complex lead character, and consistently diminishing her to an angsty love interest. If the show had ended the Hope and Landon relationship at the beginning of season 3, it could have let Hope grow and thrive as an independent protagonist, which could have led to better reception of the show (or a longer run - Legacies was canceled with season 5 already being planned). Ending that romance earlier could have also left time for Hope to learn and grow in new ways through new romantic relationships - for example, the popular fan pairing of Hope with her friend Josie - instead of repeating old, unhealthy patterns over and over again until the end of the show. If Legacies - and Hope herself - had let go of this romance earlier, it could have been a much better show with a much better protagonist.