As a spinoff of two predecessor shows with so much history, callbacks to the past.
As the Salvatore School has taken over the Salvatore Boarding House, location alone allows more references to The Vampire Diaries, as does Alaric's involvement, an original The Vampire Diaries character. While Legacies has referenced Klaus, Hayley, Damon, Elena, Stefan, Caroline, and Bonnie, none have actually appeared. Yet, Legacies found a way to keep the characters mentioned throughout its run.
Josie Lives With Elena And Damon
After everything that Josie went through with dark magic, she chose to leave the Salvatore Boarding School for the mortal Mystic Falls High. But, when Josie finds that she also has trouble living in the Salvatore School, Alaric and Caroline make arrangements with some old friends.
So, for a while, Josie moves in with Elena and Damon. But Josie doesn't just live with them anywhere; Elena and Damon had rebuilt Elena's old house that had burned down years before.
Original Characters Guest Star Or Are Referenced
Alaric Saltzman is not the only The Vampire Diaries character to appear in Legacies. Dorian, Alaric's assistant in season 8 of The Vampire Diaries, returns in Legacies but, he is not the only one. Matt Donovan is known for being the Sheriff in Mystic Falls and has made a few guest star appearances. In season 2, there is even a mention of him having become mayor. Hope references that while Matt was Sheriff, he put vervain in the water to protect the humans in Mystic Falls.
Jeremy Gilbert also returns in Legacies to help Alaric find and bring Rafael and Landon back to the Salvatore School. He acknowledged that Alaric had taken care of him when he was a teenager, and they seemed to still be on speaking . Jo returns as well, briefly brought back to life. Although Bonnie has not been seen on screen, she has been referenced multiple times, and her blood has been used for prison worlds.
Stefan Salvatore Memorial Library
Not only did Caroline and Alaric use the Salvatore Boarding House as the location for their school for the supernatural, but they also created a bigger tribute to Stefan.
The library is called the Stefan Salvatore Memorial Library, named after the man Caroline had married hours before sacrificing himself to save his brother and the town. The Originals showed some of Stefan's possessions remain there, including his diaries and picture of Katherine.
Klaus Mikaelson: The Great Evil
Klaus may have The Originals, but on The Vampire Diaries, he was one of the biggest villains Mystic Falls had to offer. He caused chaos to town, and when he initially showed up, Klaus had body-snatched Alaric to get closer to Elena.
Over the thousand years Klaus lived, he created hundreds of enemies. Klaus was willing to sacrifice almost anyone to get what he wanted. ing Klaus as The Great Evil is a remembrance of the person he was long before Hope was born.
The Merge
Josie and Lizzie have a miserable connection to The Vampire Diaries. As their mother was Jo Laughlin, originally Jo Parker, they are linked to the Gemini Coven. The Gemini was a powerful witch coven, but one of their biggest drawbacks was The Merge, a ritual where the more powerful twin would emerge the victor, leaving the other dead.
On The Vampire Diaries, Kai merged with his brother Luke instead of Jo. On Legacies, Dark Josie and Lizzie go through the Merge, but it is not truly completed as both survive the encounter.
The What If World
In a world where Hope never came to the Salvatore School but still existed, Klaus created his own school for the supernatural, the Mikaelson Institute. Josie and Lizzie attend Mystic Falls High School, and Alaric returns to his old teaching position. Josie references a girl named Stefanie Salvatore, who is meant to be Damon and Elena's daughter.
In the worst version of Lizzie's wish, Hope never existed at all. In this version, all supernatural creatures seemed to be at war with humans, and Klaus and Caroline were enemies of the state.
Kai Parker's Return
Kai Parker ended his time on The Vampire Diaries trapped by Bonnie in a new prison world. Josie and Lizzie discover the ascendent late in the first season, but it isn't until season 2 that they actually end up inside because of Alyssa Chang's revenge.
Kai's return immediately holds callbacks to The Vampire Diaries, including Kai and Alaric's dark past and mentions of Damon, Bonnie, and Katherine. When showing up at the Salvatore School, Kai introduces himself as Joshua, referencing his father's name.
Caroline's Voice Over
Although Caroline Forbes has yet to appear in Legacies, she did send a letter that held a voice-over in "Salvatore: The Musical!" Although initially excited to portray a younger Caroline, Lizzie found she was nervous because of the differences they had at the same age.
At the end of the episode, Caroline's voice came through reading the letter she had written to Lizzie, reminding Lizzie that nothing is wrong with her. Viewers had been hoping to see Caroline on screen again and were thrilled to hear her voice.
Hope's Dress
During the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant in Legacies, Lizzie initially planned to follow in her mother's footsteps and win. But, when Lizzie realizes she can no longer compete, Lizzie decides that Hope will win in her place.
To help Hope, Lizzie gives her a dress she knows belongs to Caroline but was not aware of its true significance. Josie later tells Lizzie that Caroline's dress had initially been a gift from Klaus Mikaelson.
Salvatore: The Musical!
"Salvatore: The Musical!" is all about ing the past and paying tribute to The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. However, most of the play focuses on Elena, Stefan, Damon, and Caroline, while Klaus has a smaller role. The song "Welcome To Mystic Falls" briefly explains what happened to Elena's parents the night they died and gives an extensive list of the many events in Mystic Falls, including the Decade Dance, Tree-Lighting Day, and Miss Mystic Falls.
The play also showcases the love triangle between Elena, Stefan, and Damon while not forgetting to include the sibling problems between Stefan and Damon. There were also references to Doppelgängers, Caroline's insecurity as a human teenager, and Elena's sleeping curse.