Legacies keeps finding creative ways to keep Caroline Forbes-Salvatore in the story without ever showing her.
The CW's joint spinoff of The Vampire Diaries and The Originals has already name-dropped the twins' mother a couple of times, and it happened again in the January 24 midseason premiere episode. Alaric told Hope that both of the twins were in Europe visiting their mother Caroline. Also, the synopsis for the February 7 episode starts with Lizzie Saltzman (Jenny Boyd) coming back home from a visit to see Caroline:
Following a stay in Europe with her mother, Lizzie (Jenny Boyd) returns to Mystic Falls and comes face to face with someone who could make all her wishes come true – including making Hope Mikaelson (Danielle Rose Russell) disappear.
Skipping over the Lizzie/Hope rivalry for a moment, that's an interesting way to keep Caroline connected to one of her daughters -- the one who most takes after her.
The first time Caroline was addressed on Legacies was when Josie Saltzman (Kaylee Bryant) said Lizzie was acting up because she missed their mother, Caroline. Lizzie takes after Caroline, the way that Josie takes after their other mother Jo, who recently did appear on the show despite being killed back on The Vampire Diaries.
At this point, Josie and Lizzie think Caroline is off recruiting for the Salvatore school. Their father, headmaster Alaric Saltzman (Matt Davis), knows better and he recently clued in fans.
Episode 6 started with Alaric on the phone with Caroline, upset that she wouldn't be there for the twins' Sweet 16 birthday. He added, "I can't exactly tell them what you're really involved in." Later in the episode, the undead Jo asked Alaric if the girls knew what would happen when they turned 22, clearly referring to the Gemini Coven Merge for twins. Alaric said no, they don't know. However, he said that's what Caroline was really doing, she was out following a lead.
Executive Producer Julie Plec had said that Caroline would be mentioned quite a lot on Legacies, with her absence attached to a long-term mystery they would slowly unravel. We finally got the update that it connects to The Merge, a ritual that held significance for Jo and her brother Kai Parker on The Vampire Diaries.
Kai Parker is someone that both Julie Plec and Josie actress Kaylee Bryant have singled out as a character they would also love to see return for Legacies. Bryant said they have an open door policy with actors on The Vampire Diaries and The Originals. Everyone understands if the actors want to take a break and try new things, but they are welcome to return to Mystic Falls if they choose.
Candice King played Caroline on The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, but she branched out in different directions after the shows ended in 2017 and 2018, respectively. King recently guest starred as an alien on The Orville, and she has a podcast with a fellow TVD alum. It's awkward that Caroline has become the elephant -- or vampire mom -- in the room, but the set-up of Legacies is so directly tied to Caroline in every direction.
Legacies airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on The CW. Next we have "What Was Hope Doing in Your Dreams?" on January 31. And then there's Episode 10, "There's A World Where Your Dreams Came True," which is the February 7 episode where Lizzie apparently returns to Mystic Falls from a trip to see Caroline in Europe.
So a least Lizzie and Josie will get a chance to spend time with their mom, and maybe we'll get another update on what Caroline has been up to. See what else is airing with our midseason 2019 schedule.
