Hope, Hayley, and Hard Choices

Sophie Bennett

Alright, I think it's fair to say if anyone's still listening to this podcast, you probably adore Hayley Marshall as much as we do. So, let's start with the basics. Hayley—she was a werewolf-turned-hybrid, quite the mouthful, right? But that's just scratching the surface with her in The Originals. I mean, she starts off searching for her family and gets swept up in, well, everything supernatural in New Orleans.

David hosh

Yeah, totally. She's not just another character in the ensemble—she’s like the heartbeat of the whole show at points. Remember, she’s the mum to Hope Mikaelson, which, I mean, big deal in a town full of, you know, vampires and ancient witches. But what I always loved is how she was kinda thrown in with the big bad family, but never lost that thing that made her, well, Hayley.

Sophie Bennett

Exactly! Her whole arc, honestly, it’s massive. She evolves from a lone wolf—literally and figuratively—to a leader. And not just of her pack, but sometimes of the entire community. And let’s not forget, she risks everything over and over—for Hope, for her people, for anyone who needed her. I reckon that transformation, that bravery... it really sets her apart from the crowd in the show.

David hosh

Yeah, and, um, thinking about, like, specific moments—she always finds a way to push through, no matter what’s thrown at her. Even when she was, like, totally out of her depth, she'd somehow dig deep and pull everyone along with her. Not every character on TV really grows like that.

Sophie Bennett

Oh, my favourite Hayley moment—easy. It's got to be that scene when she stands in front of everyone, refusing to back down for Hope’s sake. There’s just this thread—hope—running through everything she does. She always believed things could be better, for her daughter, for her friends, even when it was just so bleak. I think that consistency, that stubborn hope? It’s what made people root for her so fiercely, don't you think?

David hosh

Yeah, actually—hope is such a massive thing for Hayley, right? Not just in her name, with her daughter, Hope, but in, like, every single big decision she makes. You see how that idea sort of pushes her to be better and to fight harder. She’s got so much on her plate—war between vampires, threats to the wolves, all these crazy betrayals. But she keeps making choices based on what could go right, instead of letting fear win.

Sophie Bennett

It changes everything, doesn’t it? Her relationships, especially with Hope, are all about not letting the darkness swallow them whole. Like, she will literally risk her life over and over just to keep Hope safe or to give her a chance at a good life. And it doesn't just stop with her kid. Even the supernatural community—people follow her, they trust her vision, because she offers them what so many in New Orleans are missing: real hope that things might improve.

David hosh

There's that, and... uh, sometimes I see little flashes of myself in her, actually. As a dad, you know? There are times when, like, everything feels like it's just falling apart. But you keep going, you keep hoping because, well, that’s what your kid needs. Maybe not the perfect analogy, but you get what I mean...

Sophie Bennett

I think it’s brilliant! And if you think about it, Hayley’s hope isn’t just for the big speeches. Remember those scenes where her confidence literally turns the tide? Like, when other characters are ready to just throw it all away, and Hayley steps up—she’s the one saying, “We don’t give up, not now.” You see it change people. Her perspective gives others that bit of courage to try again, which can mean the difference between saving the day or total disaster.

David hosh

Yeah, it’s funny—sometimes just that little bit of faith, that hope, is all you really need, even in real life. I think that’s why she sticks with people so much. It’s not just powers or cool fight scenes, it’s... it’s how she makes you want to believe, too.

Sophie Bennett

Alright, let’s get to the big question—the one that kind of breaks every fan: should Hayley have died? That episode, I mean, honestly, it wrecked me. She dies saving Hope, which on one hand... it's the most Hayley thing ever. But on the other, you’ve just got to wonder: did it really serve the story, or was it just shock value?

David hosh

That’s, like, the eternal debate, isn’t it? Fans were so divided—some people felt it was the brave end Hayley deserved, you know, dying on her own terms to protect the thing she cared about most. But others were, well, pretty angry, to put it mildly. There was all that stuff online, loads of folks saying it didn’t feel earned, or that it kinda robbed the show of, I dunno, some of its heart?

Sophie Bennett

Yeah, and there are good points on both sides, really. I mean, in terms of pure storytelling, her death raises the stakes for the rest of the cast. It pushes Hope in huge ways—this sort of legacy she has to live up to. But then you think, could there have been a better way? What if Hayley lived and actually led the supernatural community, or finally got some peace?

David hosh

Right? Like, imagine an alternate season where Hayley’s there, helping Hope through all the messy bits of being a hybrid, Mom advice and all. Or—this is probably me being sentimental—but maybe she could’ve had more time to fight for real change in New Orleans. Did the writers just not want to deal with a strong, hopeful character long-term or what?

Sophie Bennett

It does feel like there was so much more story to tell. But maybe, in a sense, her death did what Hayley always did: made everyone else stronger, gave them a reason to hope on, even when it hurt the most. Not that it makes it easier to accept, but... maybe that’s what legacy’s about?

David hosh