Who is the Oldest Original Vampire?
At over 1,000 years old, Mikael stands as the oldest and most powerful original vampire across the entire Vampire Diaries Universe. As father of the Originals, he holds a special status – and infamy.
As a fellow gaming fan immersed in TVD lore, I’ve dug deep on Mikael’s backstory and origins as the original Original. Here’s an in-depth look at his legacy.
The Origins of Mikael
Mikael was once a wealthy landowner and fearsome Viking warrior. He lived in Europe during the 10th century AD with his wife Esther, step-son Niklaus, and several other children. After losing a son to werewolf attacks, Esther’s witch magic turned Mikael and his offspring into a new breed of immortal – vampire warriors, faster and stronger than werewolves with heightened senses and healing.
As the first to transition, Mikael became the Original family patriarch. He gained:
- Immense strength
- Accelerated healing
- Enhanced speed
- Compulsion abilities
- A sensitivity to sunlight slowly building to lethality
As the Absolute First Sire, Mikael’s blood also took on special properties – it could turn werewolves into vampire-werewolf hybrids, while also curing werewolf venom.
This made him a key weapon for Esther, who wanted the new family to defend itself from werewolves without revealing her affair and illegitimacy of Klaus.
Mikael vs Other Originals – Power and Abilities
While later Originals exceeded Mikael as a fighter, as the Original Father his powers and abilities stand apart:
| Mikael | Other Originals |
|---|---|
| Absolute First Sired | Later Sired |
| Hybrid Siring Blood | No Hyrbid Siring Ability |
| Resistance to Compulsion | Can Be Compelled |
| Progenitor of Bloodline | Descendants Only |
Additionally, Mikael has exhibited strength enough to fight Klaus when enraged and heal rapidly from bites of even the Beast. His legacy affords him extra might.
Over 1,000 Years of Vampirism
As the first original, Mikael has enjoyed over a millennium as a vampire while honing his capacities as a hunter and killer. Experience and skill make him lethal despite any limits on raw power. He remains the oldest and most knowledgeable original in manipulating vampirism.
The Mikaelson Family Legacy
As patriarch, Mikael founded the Mikaelsons as a clan. While Esther turned them, his teachings on fighting and family honor – enforced through violence and temper – defined their early decades as they fought werewolves. Always at war and on the run, Mikael bred a merciless killer instinct into his children.
We see this in flashbacks, where a young Klaus showed brutality under Mikael’s mentorship. Over centuries when the Originals scattered, their concern over awakening their father kept them isolated and wary of each other.
His Mark as a Villain
Cruel, abusive, power-hungry and warped by grief, Mikael stands as one of the TVD universe’s greatest villains. His parenting traumatized his children for centuries, making him an ongoing threat they can never fully shake. Some key misdeeds:
- Mercilessly hunting Klaus due to prejudice over his illegitimate birth
- Stabbing Rebekah to use her to lure Klaus
- Manipulating entire communities to aid his vendettas against Klaus
- Forcibly turning werewolves like Ray Sutton into vampires to track Klaus’ location
- Threatening mass murder of innocents to find Klaus’ whereabouts
Both Klaus and Elijah admit much of their own violence stems from Mikael’s example. His bloodlust and fanaticism poisoned generations, making him a legendary nightmare tale.
Vampires Sired After Mikael
While the Mikaelsons form his direct sireline, Mikael is not the oldest vampire across the board:
| Vampire | Age | Sire |
|---|---|---|
| Silas | Over 2,000 years old | Immortal Witch Qetsiyah |
| Lily Salvatore | 1858 AD | Used Esther‘s altered immortality spell |
However, most fans view Mikael and his direct descendants as the Originals who define vampire culture and politics. No others share the same purity of bloodline or legacy.
Conclusion: The Enduring Infamy of Mikael Mikaelson
As the man who invented vampire slaying of vampires, Mikael stands alone in legend. His blended ferocity as an ancient Viking warrior and eternally savage patriarch lend him frightening gravitas.
Many villains offer simple evil. Mikael delivers complex darkness – rendering even Klaus sympathetic by contrast at times! Fascinating depth combined with merciless power cement him as my pick for Most Terrifying Original.
For those discovering TVD lore, Mikael makes the perfect starting point to trace the Mikaelsons back through time. And as the progenitor of the vampire species, horror fans can thank him for birthing an iconic legacy!
Over to you – who stands as your personal scariest Mikaelson? Let me know in the comments!
