Mikael

Won

Mikael (also known in the supernatural world as The Hunter, and The Destroyer, because of his pursuit of his children, and the destruction he leaves in his wake), is one of the Original Vampires, the Original Vampire Hunter, and is the vampire who hunts vampires. He is the husband of the Original Witch Esther, and the father of a deceased unnamed son, Finn Mikaelson, Elijah Mikaelson, Kol Mikaelson, Rebekah Mikaelson, and Henrik Mikaelson. Mikael is also the step-father of the Original Hybrid Niklaus Mikaelson, making Hope Mikaelson his step-granddaughter. With both Silas and Amara cured and dead, Mikael, being the father of the Original Vampires, is the oldest, most feared, one of the most powerful, and one of the most dangerous and deadly vampires in the supernatural world, making him the oldest immortal being in the show.

Mikael first appearance was in a flashback from the 1920s in The End of The Affair, as someone Klaus and Rebekan were running from. His name was revealed by Rebekah in Disturbing Behavior. At some point in the 1990s a witch named Abby Bennett used a spell to desiccate him and entombed him in a cemetery in Charlotte, binding him in chains and locking him in an abandoned crypt. Twenty years later, he was released by Katerina Petrova and Jeremy Gilbert. After Mikael was released, he tracked down the Salvatore Brothers and told them that he would help them kill Klaus, however, while executing the plan he was killed by Klaus with his own weapon.

Over a year later after his death and the weak state of The Other Side, Mikael then began to conspire to kill Hope as he believes it would be better off dead as Klaus would only destroy it one way or the other, and he also conspired to find a way to come back to life. Mikael's ghost appeared before the young Witch Davina to get her to resurrect him and in return he would rid Klaus from her life and try and save her friend Josh. Davina succeeds in resurrecting Mikael, although she can control his actions due to a cursed object she used in bringing him back, wanting him as her personal secret weapon.

Mikael is a member and is the patriarch of the Mikaelson Family.

The Middle Ages
Mikael was born in an Eastern European village where he met the witch Esther, and the two fell in love. They married and were wealthy landowners when they started a family. After their first child was born, a plague hit Eastern Europe and killed their first born child. Desperate to escape, Esther turned to her witch friend, Ayana, who told her of a land beyond the seas where the natives were blessed with supernatural gifts and where they could live away from diseases. Mikael, Esther, Ayana and other settlers (possibly Viking) left Eastern Europe for the New World (later known as America) and settled in the area of what is present day Mystic Falls.

However, the New World wasn't as peaceful as the couple had expected, especially during the full moon: their neighbors were Werewolves. They lived in peace with their neighbours, hiding in caves during the transformations. It was during this time that Mikael and Esther had more children: Finn, Elijah, Niklaus , Kol ,  Rebekah , and Henrik.

Once, as kids, Elijah takes Niklaus into the woods, to teach him how to hunt. Elijah encourages his brother stating that his aim has been improving, when he misses a shot at a doe. But, Mikael intervenes and scolds Elijah for encouraging his brother and snatches the bow from Niklaus stating that he wasn't man enough to hold a weapon. Niklaus tries to apologize, but Mikael sees him as a weakling and starts kicking him, justifying that his punishments would make Niklaus stronger. Elijah tries to stop his father from hurting his brother but is scared off, by Mikael, stating that if Elijah intervened he would be next.

He once beat Niklaus half to death as a boy because he was so sure that Niklaus had taken his blades unaware that it was Rebekah who actually took them.

One day Mikael had caught Klaus making small wooden toys with his hunting knife and Mikael whiped and beat Klaus half to death, so bad that his siblings feared for Klaus' life. Elijah entered in and tried to stop his father, but he pushed Elijah away and continnued to punish Klaus until Rebekah entered with his sword and pointed it at him. Mikael got furious and grabbed his sword and left. Then one night, Rebekah who had enough of MIkael's abuse torwards Klaus and took a knife with intension of killing her father, but Elijah stopped her and took the knife from her and went back to sleep.

One day, while Elijah and Klaus were sparring, Mikael watched them; when they were done, he came to Elijah for his sword and then attacked Klaus, defeated and humiliated him. He wondered how Klaus was able to remain alive due to his impulsive behavior. Curious about the werewolves transformations, Klaus and Henrik went to spy on them. They were discovered and Henrik was mauled and killed by a werewolf. After the witch Ayana refused to help, he begged his wife Esther to do something, using her powers as a Witch. His wife performed a spell that made him and their children stronger, faster than the werewolves, and immortal. Esther performed The Immortality Spell by binding the power of the sun (for life) and the immortality of the ancient white oak tree.

He then offered his children wine laced with Tatia's blood (as revealed in Bringing Out The Dead) and killed them soon thereafter. The spirits, in vengeance toward these "abominations", turned nature against them; the sun became their enemy, the flowers that grew at the base of the white oak tree, vervain, brought pain and prevented compulsion, and the oak tree that granted them immortality became the one thing on earth that could take it away. Mikael and his family later burned down the white oak tree to prevent it ever being used against them, but not before Mikael had secretly carved a stake.

But they soon learned with all this power came terrible hunger and none felt it more then Niklaus, once Klaus had killed a human, Mikael and the rest of the family found at what he truly were and Mikael says when he sees Klaus turning into a Hybrid. ''"He's a beast. He's an abomination". '' After Mikael had found out that his wife was unfaithful to him and that Niklaus is not his son, he convinced her to cast a spell to keep Klaus's werewolf side dormant. When Esther did the spell Mikael was tying Klaus up in chains and asked for Elijah's help and then screamed at him to help, Elijah then helped his father tying Klaus up. Mikael then later went out, hunted down and killed Klaus' father and his entire family, not realizing that he was igniting an inter-species war that rages on until this day.

According to Elijah, Mikael burned down half of Europe in his hunt for his family.

1919, New Orleans
In the year 1919, six months after Rebekah and Marcel used Genevieve to summon him, Mikael appeared in the streets of New Orleans and watching at the newspaper he got from Genevieve. Mikael later appeared at Rousseau's and was watching Marcel and Rebekah. Later, shortly after Rebekah left him at the bar, Marcel went for a drink, and Mikael, who also had drink approached him, he talks of how lucky Marcel really is and tells him that his girlfriend, she looks like his wife. Mikael then revealed himself and told him he observed him and knows Marcel Gerard would do anything to get away from Klaus' wing even if it meant calling the one man on earth who hates Klaus the most, who is called "The Destroyer". Mikael admits he has burned countless other cities like New Orleans hunting his children. Mikael promises to leave Rebekah unharmed as she was always his favorite, but he wants his sons' exact location.

Later, Mikael goes to see Elijah, and tells him he just wants to talk to him, with Elijah being shocked, who tells him that he hunted him and his siblings for centuries, even burning half of Europe. Mikael corrects him that he only ever hunted Klaus and not his own children. Mikael is requesting his aid, though the meeting quickly becomes violent once Elijah refuses. Elijah tells his father, he is a fool if he thinks Elijah would betray his brother for anyone even for his father, Mikael then reminds him of how his mothers affair led to Klaus' existence, Mikael's shame. He tells his son. "Niklaus is an abomination. You do not talk to an abominations, You do not reason with them. Do not try to change them, you ERASE THEM!"  Mikael then shows him The White Oak Stake, Elijah then tries to stop him, but Mikael overpowers Elijah and tells him, he either stands with him or he could fall with Klaus. After Elijah chooses to stand with Klaus, Mikael stakes him, having him incapacitated, before making his way to the Opera Theatre.

Walking in behind Klaus, he points the White Oak Stake to Klaus' heart, while Klaus clearly sensed his presence from his horrified expression. Mikael mocks Klaus when he calls Mikael father, telling him that his Werewolf father would be embarassed of Klaus like Mikael was before he knew the truth of Klaus. Mikael is revealing that he means to humiliate Klaus first, and then, once Klaus is dead, he will kill everyone who know's Klaus' name, removing his memory from the city and the world. Revealing that he killed Klaus' werewolf lover, friends, and imprisoned Marcel on the stage, all the while compelling the entire audience to view it as a comedy, Mikael laughed as Klaus looked on in terror. Klaus moved to help Marcel, only to be stopped by Mikael. He then threw Klaus away and Rebekah then intervened when Klaus was down, trying to save Marcel, only for her to be staked and incapacitated. Recovering from his own incapacitation, Elijah arrived to help his siblings flee, leaving Marcel, as Mikael was feeding off him and had his hand clutching Marcel's heart, trapped on the stage. Mikael burned down the Opera house with everyone in it out of spite. As Mikael hunted after his children, he told them to come forward and that they should finish the last act of their Le Grand Guignol story, what he calls their tale of sorrows. He told them to stop running as it would be pointless because he would find them no matter what. Elijah told his brother and sister to run while he played interference, promising that he would find them. Mikael went on to burn the city down and slaughtered the other vampires in the city, leaving Marcel as one of the only vampires to survive Mikael's wrath.

1922, Chicago
In the 1920's three years after the New Orleans massacre, Mikael had found them in Chicago and had sent police officers to shoot at Gloria's bar to spook Klaus, and when Mikael came, Klaus and Rebekah had already vanished. Mikael was then searching for Klaus and Rebekah in Gloria's bar and asked Stefan if he knew either of them and where they might be, but under Klaus's compulsion, Stefan said that he had never seen them in his life. During that time, Mikael posed as a member of the Chicago Police Department. Mikael knew that Stefan had been compelled and told the other officers that they were done here and he continued to hunt for Klaus.

1990's
70 years later in the late 1990s, Mikael came to Mystic Falls, his home from the past. Mikael was in search of the 4th Petrova Doppelgänger  (Elena Gilbert), presumably to either kill her (and prevent Klaus from breaking the curse), or to draw Klaus out. To protect her best friend's daughter, the witch Abby Bennett Wilson lured him outside of town and entombed Mikael in an abandoned mausoleum at a cemetery, where he lay dormant for almost 20 years. Katherine Pierce had heard tales about Mikael centuries before from her best friend Pearl and would eventually become the one to track him down and release him.

Throughout The Originals Series

 * -|Season One=


 * -|Season Two=

Human
Mikael was hostile, cold, calculating, meticulous, aggressive, bad tempered and prideful - which Hayley described as "being a dick". As a human, Mikael is characterized by his pride, valor, and devotion to the family. However, he also used fear to control people particularly his children.

It's possible that deep down, Mikael knew that Klaus wasn't his own son, and that was what fueled his hatred and contempt for him in the first place, even before Klaus triggered his werewolf side. He tends to degrade his worth and often referred to Klaus as "boy" rather than his given name.

Mikael physically assaulted Klaus even as a child for no apparent reason, and try to justified it by saying that he was trying to make him stronger.

Despite his anger and attitude towards Klaus, he still cared about him enough to save his life by turning him along with his siblings into vampires, proving he did care for Klaus before realizing Klaus was not his true son.

Original Vampire
After being turned into a vampire, the valor becomes anger, and pride in obsession. Mikael didn't initially want to kill Klaus, as even after discovering him to be an "abomination" and a child fathered by someone else, he did not kill him, but had his wife curse Klaus to make his werewolf side dormant, making him just like the rest of his siblings, an Original Vampire. Possibly indicating that he still considered Klaus to be a part of the family, at least for his children and wife's sake, however, once Klaus murdered Esther and blamed Mikael for it, only then did he pursue his step-son with the intent to kill him.

For a thousand years, Mikael tried to destroy Klaus, but during this time, still loved his biological family, telling Rebekah that she and the others were never who he was after. Mikael is willing to kill and harm others, though, in his hunt for Klaus, threatening to and possibly nearly going through with tearing out Damon's heart when Stefan wouldn't tell him where Klaus was. However, Mikael later says this was simply just to "rile" Stefan up so that he could push past Klaus' compulsion, something Mikael says was a loophole.

Mikael seems to genuinely regret the consequences of having brought the Vampire race into existence, which is what motivated him into feeding exclusively upon other Vampires instead. This implies that in spite of everything he is and everything he became, Mikael still retained a sense of virtue about him, however he his more than willing to kill humans for his own agendas and to torment Klaus.

However, Mikael has shown multiple sadistic traits, mostly when it comes to the target of his hatred, Klaus. He wasn't content to kill Klaus until he has humiliated and psychologically tortured him, and then promised to undo everyone's memory of him, turning Klaus into nothing more than a ghost, utterly alone.

Ghost
It seems that even death won't stop Mikael from tormenting and wanting to kill Klaus. As he has been seen conspiring his resurrection with a young Witch and has manipulated the young witch if she does resurrect him, he would help her save her friend and get rid of Klaus for good.

Physical Appearance
Mikael is middle-aged, tall, short dark blond hair, and blue eyes. Like the other Originals, Mikael used to dress in an aristocratic manner, most reflecting his son, Elijah's attire. He wore dark suits over dress shirts.

Powers and Abilities
As the oldest of the Original Vampires, Mikael possesses all the standard powers and abilities of an Original Vampire, but possibly to a slightly higher degree due to his diet of Vampire blood. As an Original Vampire, Mikael is stronger and faster than any non-original vampires and is one of the most powerful supernatural beings in the TVD/TO universe, possibly with the exception of Klaus, this may be due to the latter being an Original Hybrid. Mikael has overpowered three of his children in a fight, while facing all three simultaneously, a feat no other being has ever managed to accomplish. On top of his physical strength, he is a deadly fighter, having been the one to teach the other Original vampires how to fight. He is also noted to be one of two people in history that have ever made Klaus genuinely fear for his life, the other being Mikael's wife, and Klaus' mother; Esther.

Relationships

 * Mikael and Esther (Husband and Wife)
 * Mikael and Klaus (Step-Father and Step-Son/Enemies)
 * Elijah and Mikael (Father and Son/Enemies)
 * Mikael and Rebekah (Father and Daughter/Enemies)
 * Hayley and Mikael (Enemies)
 * Mikael and Katherine (Enemies)
 * Mikael and Davina (forced Allies)
 * Mikael and Finn (Father and Son)
 * Kol and Mikael (Father and Son)
 * Mikael and Damon (former Allies)
 * Mikael and Stefan (Enemies)
 * Mikael and Elena (former Allies)
 * Mikael and Marcel (Unknown relationship; Mikael helped Marcel to simulate his death.)

Name

 * Scandinavian form of "Michael ", from the Hebrew מִיכָאֵל (Mikha'el) meaning "Who is like God". Saint Michael is one of the seven Archangels, and the only one mentioned in the Bible. He is the leader of heaven's armies, and for this is the patron saint of soldiers.

Quotes
The Vampire Diaries (Season Three)


 * To Stefan: Get Klaus back to Mystic Falls, and I will gladly drive a stake through his heart, fail, I'll drive it through yours!


 * To Stefan and Damon: You see, Damon, I've been a vampire hunter longer than you've been alive. It's why I found you here. It's why I'm going to find Niklaus. Careful Stefan, one move and his hearts gone. Now where is Klaus? Come on, what's the trick question Stefan? One twist and he's dead, unless you don't care of course. Really? His link to Klaus is so strong he would let his own brother die? Hmm no ideas? Think Stefan. I guess you're right. He's a dead end, and so are you Damon. And there is our loophole, just had to rile him up a bit.


 * To Klaus (flashback): So, why don't you teach me that trick young warrior. We fight for our survival, and you find time for fun!? I want to have fun, teach me, come on! You are foolish and impulsive my boy! What? No more laughter!? Some days, it's a miracle your still alive, boy.


 * -- Ordinary People


 * To Damon: I had a hand in creating vampires but bloodlust was never my intention. Over the centuries I learned to feed from the predator, not the innocent.


 * To Klaus: The big bad wolf. You haven't changed, still hiding behind your playthings like a coward.


 * To Klaus: Nobody cares about you anymore boy! Who do you have, other than those whose loyalty you forced? No one...No one.


 * To Klaus: Your impulse, Niklaus. It has and will forever be the one thing, that keeps you from truly being great. 


 * -- Homecoming.

The Originals (Season One)


 * The final act of the Grand Guignol is upon us! Where are my players? Enough running children! Step out of the shadows so we may finish this tale of sorrows!


 * To Marcel: Let me tell you what I learned about you this afternoon, Marcel Gerard. You chaff under the control of my son, Niklaus, and would do just about anything to get rid of him, even call the one man on this earth who hates him more than you do. But I couldn't understand what you hoped to gain. Rule of this city? As I said New Orleans has it's charms, but to call me? The one they call the Destroyer, the one who has burnt cities far more charming to the ground in pursuit of his children? But now I see, you did it for love, for the love of my daughter. So I'm going to make you a promise, I won't hurt Rebekah, truth be told she was always my favorite. And this city, you can have it, but first you must tell me where to find my sons.


 * To Elijah (flashback): I'll forgive you your sentimental affections for the thing you call brother, but you need to realize as I did when I learned his mother had lain with a beast to beget him. Niklaus is an abomination. You do not talk to abominations, you do not reason with them, or try to change them. You erase them! So yes I am asking you to help me kill your brother.


 * To Klaus (flashback): I would advise against trying to flee boy. I could drive this through your heart before you can even think of getting to your feet. And I don't want you to die...yet. Father? Still clinging to that word after all these years? A bastard desperate for a daddy? I wonder if your real father would have been as embarrassed as I was of you before I learned you were not mine? Most likely. Ah ah. Easy now boy, don't worry death will come but first we need to have a little chat before you shuffle off your immortal coil. On contraire Niklaus, some things remain unsaid. For instance you were right to be proud of all that you have achieved here. As I walked the streets your name was spoken in revered tones by the cities finest.


 * To Klaus: After I kill you I will remain in New Orleans until every last person who remembers you is dead. The deeds of the mighty Klaus will be remembered by no one! And you boy, will simply never have existed.


 * -- Le Grand Guignol


 * To Davina: Your friend Timothy has moved on Davina. I am truly sorry for what my son did to him.


 * -- A Closer Walk With Thee


 * To Davina: I am the only man in history who's been able to drive him off, to bring him fear and pain. If your friend needs Klaus' blood to survive, I've been known to spill a fair share of it. I do have personal reasons for wanting Niklaus to suffer but yes, I'd like nothing more than to help you. A small price to pay to cure your friend, and live a life free of a monster. Think Davina, there still exists a weapon that can kill Klaus. Bring back the one being who has the strength to use it.


 * -- The Battle of New Orleans


 * To Davina: Ha Ha. Ah yes. My wife Esther always did love to dress things up a bit. It's fancy witch speak. Nexus Vorti, a rare occurrence, something so infrequent it's almost a miracle. Like an astrological event or...(miracle baby). Voila.


 * -- From a Cradle to a Grave

Trivia

 * Mikael is the fourth Original Vampire to appear in the series.
 * Mikael is the first of many parents to be turned in to vampires, followed by Pearl, Katerina (Katherine), Isobel, Jenna (she is considered a parent), Bill Forbes, Abby, and Alaric.
 * Mikael was the one that caused the 1000+ blood feud between vampires and werewolves after he not only killed Klaus' father and his family, but destroyed half of a village filled with the creatures too.
 * He was originally named Erik, but his name was changed to avoid similarities to True Blood. (Because a character named Bill also appeared).
 * The reason that Mikael hunted Klaus for 1,000 years was due to Klaus' murder of Esther [1]
 * Mikael was the first to show that Original Vampires could compel a hybrid due to them still being part vampire.
 * Mikael was the only Original Vampire that wasn't neutralized by Klaus.
 * Mikael is the first vampire shown to drink other vampires' blood in the series, and does not feed on living things, but from the predators themselves. In the novels Katherine and Klaus also drained vampires of their blood.
 * Mikael has killed more werewolves than anyone else in the entire show. Like Klaus, all of his kills were shown off screen. He fiercely hates them. He considers their bloodlines as filth.
 * Mikael seems to be the only person whom Klaus greatly fears. The mere mention of Mikael's name caused Klaus to flee in The Reckoning.
 * Originally, in the episode The Reckoning, there is a deleted scene where Katherine bites Jeremy's hand and feeds Mikael his blood, however it was later changed.
 * Mikael is the first Original Vampire to be destroyed by a White Oak Stake.
 * Interestingly, Mikael is a hint of Count Dracula. Both were placed in coffins and placed in the vicinity of an old cemetery, as well as body position when they were found.
 * Of all the Original Vampires, Mikael can be considered the most threatening and proud.
 * Mikael was the first vampire to be seen holding a White Oak Stake.
 * Due to Klaus and his half-siblings being afraid of Mikael and fleeing when he was ever near, it's highly likely that Elena daggering Mikael was the first and only time he'd ever been neutralized by one of the daggers.
 * Esther took note of her husband when she was turning Alaric into an Original Vampire, saying how he would be a true hunter like Mikael.
 * As Esther is called the Original Witch, and Klaus the Original Hybrid, Mikael can be considered the Original Vampire Hunter.
 * In Jewish tradition, the Archangel Michael is linked to the biblical Esther.
 * Mikael's title has three meanings to it. It refers to him as a Hunter of Original Vampires, as well as being the first vampire hunter to exist, as well as identifying he is an Orginal Vampire, who hunts other vampires.
 * He is also known as The Destroyer as he has burnt many cities to the ground hunting his children, including half of Europe over 1,000 years according to Elijah. He is known as The Hunter of Vampires, or the vampire that hunts vampires.
 * It is entirely possible that, due to centuries after centuries of drinking Vampire blood, Mikael was stronger than the other Original Vampires. As drinking Vampire blood allowed Jesse, a newborn, to match and overpower Damon, who was near 200 years old unless the Ripper Virus itself gave increased strength. Then its highly possible esther made him stronger than their kids.
 * This seems to be supported by the fight between Elijah and Mikael, as Mikael easily overpowered Elijah, who has been shown to be on par with Klaus, (however it should be noted that, Klaus' werewolf side was dormant at the time), and he had to use all of his strength to simply hold Mikael's arm back when he held the White Oak Stake threateningly towards him.
 * If true, then Mikael would indeed be one of the most powerful supernatural creatures in the series. As he would be stronger than the other Original Vampires. It is unknown if he was stronger, weaker, or equal to the Enhanced Original, Alaric Saltzman, and the Original Hybrid Klaus. Julie Plec had stated that Alaric was physically the strongest Vampire on the show. Mikael's strength was close to if not equal to Alaric's as he overpowered his children's strength, capable of easily tossing Elijah and Klaus very far and hard (however it should be noted that, Klaus' werewolf side was dormant at the time).
 * Mikael sees Werewolves and Hybrids as abominations. Like when he sees Klaus transform, he calls him a beast and an abomination.
 * According to Klaus New Orleans have been burned up twice, the second time by Mikael himself.
 * Attempted to kill Klaus in his 1919 arrival to New Orleans.
 * In Le Grand Guignol, it took six months after Genevieve's summoning spell before Mikael could arrive.
 * In Le Grand Guignol, he compelled a whole theater audience into watching a gory, sadistic display he had created and enjoying it, just to spite Klaus.
 * According to Elijah, Mikael has laid waste to half of Europe over the centuries hunting his children.
 * Mikael says people call him The Destroyer, for destroying countless cities hunting his children over 1,000 years.
 * In Le Grand Guignol, it is revealed he favors Rebekah over the rest of his children. It is also shown that he is proud to call Elijah his son, which is the complete opposite of how he views Klaus.
 * In Le Grand Guignol is revealed that Mikael promised to Marcel that he will permit him be with Rebekah and will make him a leader of the city (in thanks for calling him to New Orleans). It can mean that Mikael and Marcel simulated Marcel's death to horrify Klaus.
 * It was revealed in Farewell to Storyville, that Mikael was physically abusive to Klaus, and to his other childern if they tried to help him.
 * In A Closer Walk With Thee, Mikael's spirit haunts Klaus and Elijah through their dreams, then tries to kill Hayley and the baby when Hayley temporarily dies from a hex.
 * Mikael enlists Davina to resurrect him and says he will kill Klaus, though she does not realize Marcel and Josh will die with Klaus' bloodline if Mikael is successful.
 * Mikael is characterized as proud, his greatness weakness, which directly helped lead to his death as he on multiple occasions did not kill Klaus when he should have, wanting to show his superiority, giving Klaus the opportunity to catch Mikael off-guard and kill him.
 * Not everyone knows Mikael is an Original, many thinking he is an ancient vampire that hunts vampires. The Mystic Falls gang did not realize they awoke the Original Father when asking for his help to kill Klaus. Not even Katherine knew his true identity and she was an expert on the Originals from running from them over 500 years.
 * In Le Grand Guignol, Marcel describes Mikael as "The worst of them all," in regards to the threats he has faced and survived. Similarly Klaus states the Mikael was the monster that monsters were afraid of."
 * He is resurrected by Davina in From a Cradle to a Grave. Davina uses the birth of Hope, Nexus Vorti, to resurrect Mikael.
 * He is technically the first Original Vampire in history to be fully resurrected in both body and spirit, his body having been burnt to ashes with the White Oak Stake, is restored with his spirit, with Klaus' body not burning fully in Season 3, as well as his spirit not being in his body, was able to return his spirit to his body without harm. Alaric is the second Original to be fully resurrected in both body and spirit.
 * Mikael's characterization in the flashbacks of his children is somewhat different from the characterization he has when people are dealing with him directly. This may be because all of his appearance in flashbacks have been narrated by his children, who have a strong bias against him. Mikael was hard and strict on his children, especially Klaus, try to justifying his abusive behavior of Klaus as necessary to make him stronger to survive before it became a habit he seemed to enjoy. Upon learning Klaus was not his true son, and after Esther's murder, Mikael lost whatever feeling he may have had to his once son, desiring vengeance for 1,000 years, something he has not shown to other characters except his children, enforcing their bias.
 * According to Sebastian Roche, the emotion and focus that he has to summon to play Mikael is actually somewhat exhausting, though in a good way.

Tropes

 * To guarantee the survival of his kids, he felt he did what he had to do.
 * To turn his children immortal seemed like a good idea at the time.
 * What have I done? -  All he wanted was not to see his children die anymore. But what he created were monsters.
 * He decided it was all his fault, and was determined to put things right by killing his children.
 * He was the only one who could potentially kill Klaus and was the only thing in the worldKlaus feared.
 * He was the archetypical Archnemesis Dad - hunting down his own offspring.
 * He had the weapons and the determination to kill his own children for what they had become. (Or maybe only Klaus)
 * Klaus eventually got the upper hand (and the White Oak Stake) and committed Patricide.
 * He also regretted what he had become, and forfeit drinking from living creatures.
 * Was a very distant father to his children, specially Klaus. Nothing they did elicited a compliment - just more critics.
 * He was an abusive parent.