The entirety of the Original family is one of the most compelling and terrifying elements of a whole. Despite the fact that they were only on the scene for a few seasons towards the beginning of the show, they had an unforgettable impact on the series, and it feels like Klaus and Elijah Mikaelson had the biggest impact at all.
vacillating between enemies and beloved brothers, and their saga had a huge impact on the story at large. But out of the two of them, who was the scariest Original?
Klaus: Because He's Ridiculously Petty
Out of every member of the Original family, it seems obvious that Klaus is the sibling who makes enemies the easiest. he will punish them as harshly as he possibly can.
He's also insanely entitled, so even if someone resists something incredibly obvious like not dying in his service, he'll see it as an act that's worthy of his revenge.
Elijah: Because He Was The Original Original
It's hard to say which villains in The Vampire Diaries were the best because there were quite a few good ones, but the Originals are undoubtedly near the top, and Elijah was the first Original that the audience got a glimpse of.
When Elijah first came on the scene it wasn't even clear exactly what he was, and it appeared that he was almost impossible to defeat. He really laid the groundwork for what all of the Originals became.
Klaus: Because He Doesn't Stop
On top of essentially being a thousand year old Dudley Dursley, Klaus is not someone who gives up on grudges very easily. Or gives up on them at all.
There isn't really a reason why he needs to given that he literally has all the time in the world, but he's such a terrifying adversary specifically because he won't stop coming for someone until he's destroyed them.
Elijah: Because He'll Do Anything For His Family
In any sane world, caring for family more than anything should be a positive personality trait and not a negative one. However, if that family is an indestructible squad of serial killers, it's not great.
Elijah is terrifying because he will do whatever he has to do to protect his family, even if it goes against his morals, which makes him harder to predict.
Klaus: Because He Has Grand Plans
Elijah tends to focus on the people he cares about much more than he focuses on his own wants and needs, but the same cannot be said for Klaus.
Klaus is so intimidating because his goal isn't just survival or protecting his loved ones, he wants to completely redesign the supernatural world and make himself the king of it, and he's dangerously capable of doing that.
Elijah: Because He Hides Behind A Veneer Of Honor
Klaus is the type of person who really revels in being a villain, but Elijah is the type of person who doesn't see himself as a villain at all, and many people don't see him as a villain either.
He projects an image of fairness, respectability, and honor, which means that when he betrays any of those ideals the people who become the targets of his wrath don't usually see it coming.
Klaus: Because He's Impulsive
One thing that can always be said in Elijah's favor is that he knows how to be measured and keep himself under control, and Klaus is often times the opposite.
Klaus does come up with lots of plans and ideas, but he is also incredibly impulsive. One wrong move with Klaus can be someone's last move in life, and that makes him an incredibly frightening and intimidating antagonist.
Elijah: Because He's Impossible To Read
On paper, it seems like Elijah is by far the most mature and put together Original, and it's very hard to rattle him or make him act out of character unless he decides to do so.
However, the fact that he is so controlled means that it's very difficult for his potential victims to even recognize that they're in danger before Elijah destroys them.
Klaus: Because He's The Ultimate Mastermind
Klaus is the most terrifying Original because he is so much more than an Original. He's also a hybrid, and he's also a man who always comes into every situation with a plan.
Elijah isn't someone with any particular goals or aims beyond his and his family's safety, but Klaus not only has enormous ideas, he comes up with elaborate and very difficult to beat plans to make them a reality.
Elijah: Because He's Unpredictable
Elijah is a very dangerous person specifically because he doesn't have any particular aims or goals, so it's all the more difficult to know exactly what he's going to do.
Pretty much every time someone is hurt or killed by Elijah, they don't even know that he's coming for them, and that seems to make him the most predatory and intimidating member of the Original family.