Summary

• The Legacies finale disappointed fans by not giving Klaus and Caroline the epic reunion they deserved after years of chemistry and potential romance.
• Throughout The Originals and The Vampire Diaries, Klaus and Caroline's relationship evolved, showing moments of connection, chemistry, and growth.
• Despite their ups and downs, Klaus and Caroline's interactions showcased both characters' vulnerabilities and strengths, highlighting their complex and compelling dynamic.

The Legacies series finale featured two much-anticipated cameos, as Klaus Mikaelson and Caroline Forbes made an appearance in the show for the very first time, reminding the audience of all the great Klaus and Caroline episodes of the franchise. Even though they were never officially together, the two of them had a lot of chemistry, and a big part of The Vampire Diaries fandom was rooting for them to the very end. So it was almost cruel that the finale didn't give Klaus and Caroline the epic reunion fans wanted.

Their relationship had a lot of ups and downs as they were usually on opposite sides of Mystic Falls' supernatural conflict. However, that didn't stop them from developing feelings for each other, and fans still rooted for them to get together. Although they never really went beyond their will-they-won't-they dynamic, the scenes and episodes they had together were always iconic. Klaus and Caroline episodes of The Vampire Diaries tend to be episodes full of character development and chemistry.

“I Was Feeling Epic”

The Vampire Diaries Season 8, Episode 16

The series finale of The Vampire Diaries isn’t strictly a Caroline and Klaus episode. It serves to wrap up a lot of storylines for the show though, and leaves the door open for more in The Vampire Diaries universe. In this episode, Caroline embraces her life as a mom, putting her children first instead of putting herself in danger while Mystic Falls is about to be wiped off the map. She gets closure following the loss of Stefan, and she’s able to move on and live her life, opening the Salvatore School that serves as the setting for Legacies.

While Klaus doesn’t physically appear in the episode, his potential future with Karoline is teased in one of the epilogue moments. Karoline reads letters from donors who helped open the school, and one of those letters is from Klaus. He writes:

Dearest Caroline

I have often imagined the paths your life might take, but your chosen future is more noble than I ever fathomed. Please accept this contribution to your virtuous cause. I do look forward to thanking you in person, someday . . . however long it takes.

Yours, Klaus

“The Tale Of Two Wolves”

The Originals Season 5, Episode 12

Caroline only appears in The Originals a handful of times. When she does, her appearances are usually linked to either her children or to Klaus’ daughter, Hope, as is the case here. Klaus appeals to Caroline and Alaric for help when he comes up with a plan to save Hope from The Originals villain, the Hollow.

While Alaric doesn’t want to allow their daughters to help Klaus, Caroline understands that Klaus is willing to make the ultimate sacrifice to protect Hope. She gets to see that while Klaus might never be a saint, he’s not evil either. She also gets the chance to confront her feelings for him, which she has continually pushed away since before he left Mystic Falls for New Orleans, and she realizes how tragic losing him will really be.

“The Tale of Two Wolves” is a sad episode for Klaus and Caroline fans, but also one that allows fans to see that Caroline accepts him for who he is, even if it’s a little too late.

“When The Saints Go Marching In”

The Originals Season 5, Episode 13

Right after Klaus pays a visit to Mystic Falls to ask Caroline and Alaric for their daughters’ help, Caroline decides to go to New Orleans to see Klaus. She knows that this is likely her last chance to spend time with him, so she decides to cash in on his promise to give her a tour of the place he’s considered his hometown for over a century. It’s not a romantic visit, even if Caroline does it that a few hundred years of him pursuing her could lead to them ending up together.

Instead, this episode is about closure for Caroline. Nearly all of Caroline’s relationship in The Vampire Diaries end in death or violence. She and Klaus never really pursue their romance, but the connection is always there. Her taking the time to visit him, to tell him she would have eventually chosen him, and to say goodbye, is all meant to give Caroline (and fans) closure for them. Caroline even talks Klaus into saying goodbye to Hope instead of sacrificing himself without telling her anything. It’s a bittersweet episode for fans.

“Growing Pains”

(The Vampire Diaries Season 4, Episode 1

The season four premiere of The Vampire Diaries isn’t exactly known for being a Klaus and Caroline episode. The focus is primarily on Elena’s transition to become a vampire. Klaus and Caroline only have a brief sequence together, and Caroline initially believes Klaus is Tyler because he’s stuck in Tyler’s body at the time. Caroline tries to initiate an intimate moment with Tyler because she’s so happy he isn’t dead, only to discover by his gently turning her down with, “Easy, love. Wrong time. Wrong place. Wrong equipment” that he’s actually Klaus.

Though Klaus has made his feelings for Caroline very clear by this point, and he’s never been above manipulating events to his advantage in dark ways, he doesn’t manipulate Caroline or let her get physical with him. He’s caused her pain in the past and even tried to kill her and her friends, but this episode is something of a turning point for him when it comes to Caroline.

He doesn’t want her to do something with him that she’ll regret, and he doesn’t want her to distrust him, so he tells her the truth. That’s a big step for him.

“Do Not Go Gentle”

(The Vampire Diaries Season 3, Episode 20

There are a lot of parties in the small town of Mystic Falls. When Klaus is in town, he and Caroline usually end up getting in at least one dance that is as chemistry-laden as it is awkward. “Do Not Go Gentle” is one of those episodes as Klaus fully intends to leave Mystic Falls at the top of the hour only for him to be manipulated by his mother (possessing the body of his sister) into staying just by mentioning Caroline to him.

Klaus ends up roped into the latest Mystic Falls drama, this time caused by his own mother, simply because he wants the chance to say goodbye to Caroline. It’s one of the times that shows how much he cares about her, despite his antagonistic nature and his propensity for violence with everyone else.

“Let’s Just Finish The Dance”

Legacies Season 1, Episode 14

Caroline and Klaus do not even appear in this Legacies episode. Though they both have cameos in the show at different times, this season 1 episode doesn’t feature the two of them, but it does feature a nod to their past when they were both living in Mystic Falls and Klaus was repeatedly making romantic overtures that Caroline refused.

In this episode, Josie, Lizzie, and Hope all decide to carry on the tradition of competing in the Miss Mystic Falls pageant that Elena and Caroline competed in on the flagship show. When they do, Lizzie offers up Hope one of Caroline’s old dresses to wear for the event, not realizing the emotional significance of the dress itself, despite Josie knowing the story behind it.

The dress is the very same one Klaus gave to Caroline to wear for a Founder’s Day celebration. In the nearly two decades since he gave it to her, she hasn’t parted with it. Hope, who hasn’t yet mourned her father’s sacrifice, is devastated to find out this information, but it likely warms the hearts of Klaus and Karoline fans.

“Because The Night”

The Vampire Diaries Season 4, Episode 17

In “Because The Night,” Klaus and Caroline spend most of the episode helping Stefan figure out what Silas is up to. They spend a large part of the episode bickering while they work together, and despite Caroline’s insistence that she can’t stand Klaus because of his threat to Tyler, she continually places herself at his side, leaving Stefan to investigate on his own.

While on their search, Klaus and Caroline have a conversation about the attraction that comes from someone who continually does dark deeds having a soft spot for a single person. While the conversation is poised as a hypothetical discussion about darkness, it’s clearly about Klaus and Caroline.

Caroline tells Klaus that some people’s darkness simply can’t be fixed, and for some fans, it might have seemed to put a nail in the coffin of their relationship, but their final scenes in the episode with Klaus refusing to comfort Caroline after she kills 12 people demonstrate that there’s a pull between them when Caroline wants him to help her, but he’s still too hurt by her earlier comments.

“Moonlight On The Bayou”

The Vampire Diaries Season 7, Episode 14

Though Klaus and Caroline don’t actually have physical scenes together in the episode, they do have an emotionally charged phone call when Stefan travels to New Orleans to lure a vampire hunter away from Mystic Falls for this crossover with The Originals. The phone call involves them trading parenting stories as Caroline is a new mom, which is sweet, but it’s the rest of the episode that speaks to their connection.

He’s willing to help Stefan because Caroline loves Stefan

When Caroline calls Stefan, it’s Klaus who answers his phone, and he promises her that he’ll keep Stefan safe. It’s the opposite of the conversation he has moments earlier with Stefan in which he threatens him and wants him to leave New Orleans. All of Klaus’ actions in the episode are motivated by his promise to Caroline. Despite the two not having a relationship at this point in the show, he’s willing to help Stefan because Caroline loves Stefan, and that’s enough for him. It’s one of Klaus’ rare moments of selflessness.

"Before Sunset"

The Vampire Diaries Season 3, Episode 21

At the beginning of this episode, Klaus was dead-set on leaving Mystic Falls to avoid Alaric who was turned into a vampire by Esther with the intention of hunting down the originals. But when Alaric kidnapped Caroline and Elena to use them as bait, he changed his mind about leaving. Caroline being in danger is enough to stop him from simply saving himself.

Instead, he ed forces with Damon and Stefan Salvatore and came up with a rescue plan. Although Klaus and Caroline's relationship is not the central theme of the episode, their scenes together were swoon-worthy as he saved her and made sure she felt safe with him. The tension between them was thick at this point in the series, since Caroline alternated between antagonizing him and being attracted to him, unwilling to it any feelings.

“Where You Left Your Heart”

The Originals Season 5, Episode 1

The final season of The Originals is largely about the Mikaelson family finding a way to protect the next generation. Hope is their next generation. Klaus’ daughter has the power of a vampire, a werewolf, and a witch. She should be impossible, especially since vampires can’t typically have children. Klaus is singularly-minded in season 5, doing anything he can to protect her. When he has to stay away from Hope for her own safety, that instinct leads to him going on a killing spree.

While his family sees it as him reverting to his old ways, that’s not entirely the case. They call in someone they believe can get through to Klaus for help: Caroline. Caroline makes the journey to come see him because she knows that even when Klaus is at his darkest point, there’s still good somewhere inside. He’s proven that by saving her before. What she finds, however, is that Klaus is well aware of his actions. He hasn’t reverted to his old ways, but is instead, using his massacres as a way to protect Hope.

His plan is a little convoluted, but it leads to him and Caroline having a discussion about his relationship with Hope. The episode allows Caroline to see the paternal side of Klaus, one of the few times she does.