We have you covered in case you feel a little rusty. Consider this your short and dead-parent-filled guide to ‘Legacies’, ‘The Vampire Diaries’, and ‘The Originals’ big ties.
Without coping with a plethora of supernatural powers, high school is already challenging enough. That’s the war that the CW’s most recent drama examines. Set in a special boarding school for witches, vampires, werewolves, and all sorts of hybrids, in a delightfully fun way, ‘Legacies’ is like ‘Gossip Girl’ meeting ‘Harry Potter’. Yet there’s a long tradition associated with ‘Legacies’, true to its namesake. A spin-off of both ‘The Vampire Diaries’ and ‘The Originals’, two more mature series featuring nervous supernatural beings, is the newest series produced by Julie Plec.
Highlights —
- ‘The Vampire Diaries’, ‘The Originals’, and ‘Legacies’ timeline
- ‘The Originals’ set in ‘The Vampire Diaries’ timeline
- Legacies’ set in ‘The Vampire Diaries’ timeline
The biggest thing about ‘Legacies’ is that they can be as thick as you want them to be. If you’re just a football-playing werewolf there, fine. But if you want to delve into the lore of ‘The Vampire Diaries’ for almost a decade, that’s right there, too.
‘The Vampire Diaries’, ‘The Originals’, and ‘Legacies’ timeline
The success of ‘The Vampire Diaries’ led to the spin-offs, ‘The Originals’ and ‘Legacies’, which have timelines set before and after the events of the eight seasons of ‘The Vampire Diaries’. The artistic mind behind all three dramas, Julie Plec, faced the daunting task of introducing two new shows whose original tales of characters are rooted in ‘The Vampire Diaries’. Although introducing new plots meant that the spin-offs could thrive on their own merits, the authors had to intertwine ongoing storylines.
The first season of ‘The Vampire Diaries’ takes place in 2009. Elena falls for a mysterious, hot new man, Stefan Salvatore, who happens to be a 162-year-old vampire, on the first day of her junior year. Stefan and his older brother Damon open the eyes of Elena to the mysterious past surrounding the mid-1800s town of Mystic Falls (Katherine turned Damon and Stefan in 1864).

In season 2 of ‘The Vampire Diaries’, Klaus and Elijah Mikaelson, two members of the family known as ‘The Originals’, the world’s oldest living vampires (over 1,000 years old), first appear. Klaus travels to New Orleans during season 4’s episode and encounters the impregnated werewolf Hayley Marshall, which sets the premise for ‘The Originals’. After season 4, Klaus leaves Mystic Falls, making a short appearance at the gang’s high school graduation.
‘The Originals’ set in ‘The Vampire Diaries’ timeline
Hayley gives birth to Hope during the penultimate episode of season 1 of ‘The Originals’, which continues to become a core character in ‘Legacies’. The first two seasons of ‘The Originals’ take place at the same time as the events of seasons 5 and 6 of ‘The Vampire Diaries’, during which the fictional Whitmore College is attended by many key characters.
Season 7 of ‘The Vampire Diaries’ involves a three-year time leap, and the birth of Josie and Lizzie Saltzman, the twin daughters of Jo and Alaric. The girls are siphoners and Gemini coven members, and they are the inspiration for the Young and Gifted Salvatore School. There is a brief crossover of the series’ timelines during season 3 of ‘The Originals’, which aired concurrently with season 7 of ‘The Vampire Diaries’. The former drama student, Caroline, is the mother of two young girls and a television producer. She arrives looking for Klaus in New Orleans and finds that no one has seen him in three years.
The finale of ‘The Vampire Diaries’ series shows Alaric and Caroline getting ready to open the Salvatore Academy. In the meantime, season 4 of ‘The Originals’ picks up five years after its season 3 finale. Hayley and Hope reunite with Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah, Kol, and Freya, after spending years apart. The season focuses on 8-year-old Hope, who scarcely has a chance to get to know her father because of “The Hollow”. During the finale, Hayley, at the urging of Alaric, enrolls Hope in the Salvatore School to protect her from the enemies of her family and to monitor the emerging powers of her tribrid daughter.
‘Legacies’ set in ‘The Vampire Diaries’ timeline
‘The Originals’ fifth and final season begins with a 7-year time leap, bringing a teenage Hope to fans. The show offers satisfactory send-offs to all the core characters and has audiences emotionally invested in optimism beyond the boundaries of her home.
Season 1 of ‘Legacies’ picks up two years after the deaths of Klaus and Hayley, making her junior Hope 17-years-old and Lizzie and Josie two years old. Since Hope’s birth date is 2012, and Lizzie and Josie’s is 2014, this poses a major continuity problem. This discrepancy becomes less of a concern if audiences consider ‘Legacies’ a new beginning for the franchise and set in the present day. In comparison to the success of ‘The Vampire Diaries’ and ‘The Originals’, ‘Legacies’’ attraction lies in the next wave of supernatural beings.
We think we have got you covered!! What are you waiting for? Go and start enjoying the show and get ready to witness the romantic vampire fun!!
