This 'Originals' Relationship Is A Bad Idea

So far, being devoid of relationships has worked in The Originals' favor. But a good thing can never last on The CW and now we've got a Hayley love triangle that we're desperate to see end. Earlier this season, the werewolf mother-to-be and Original vampire Elijah held an ongoing flirtation that was all "will they, won't they" every week, but now that werewolf and kind of stalker Jackson is involved, that great chemistry is over. And for the worst reasons ever — The Originals has put Hayley in the middle of a love triangle.

On the last episode before the hit vampire series took a painfully long hiatus, we saw Jackson and Elijah go head-to-head over Hayley for the first time. Obviously Elijah is right for her — we all know that — but Jackson's got a mystical werewolf bond to her because of their alleged arranged marriage. Which is really problematic, considering Hayley's strong bond to the idea of having a family that she's spent her whole life longing for. And, for some reason, Hayley's constantly on her guard thinking that Elijah is trying to pull one over on her — we all know that can only be because she's being manipulated by her werewolf "family", right?

Nathan Parsons, who plays the offending Jackson, opened up to TVLine about what's up with his character's relationship with Hayley and why it's complicated. Hint: Jackson doesn't exactly embrace this baby and there's more politics involved in their relationship than anything else. Basically, if Hayley chooses him, she's going to be making a HUGE mistake and here's why:

He Needs Her More Than She Needs Him

And not in a good way. Parsons told TVLine about balancing the emotions and politics:

There’s a way, I think, to achieve both. You want the pack to be strong and you want Hayley to be the queen, but she also has a relationship with the vampires. I think Jackson will use that relationship to get back into the good graces of the original vampires. It’s a tough line to walk; you want the personal relationship, but you also need the political relationship.

So, really, he needs this relationship for the politics more than anything else. And Jackson's going to use that relationship to get in with the vampires. Hayley doesn't need Jackson to be powerful in the supernatural community — she's got her connection to Elijah and she showed up in the Bayou and immediately took over — the girl needs no one to help her politically. Parsons said himself, Jackson wants a personal relationship but what he needs is the politics. So, politics trumps romance, which just sounds like he's using her and her emotions as a means to an end. And that's just bullshit.

An Arranged Marriage Isn't A Good Enough Reason

Jackson's been "watching over" or — as we like to look at it — stalking Hayley for the better part of his life. And the first thing he chose to do when the curse broke was dump on her that they have an arranged marriage. Which, by the way, is REALLY not a good reason to be in a relationship with someone. This isn't medieval times and there's no reason why Hayley needs to honor an arranged marriage set up by her long-gone parents that she never even met. I know she's desperate for a family and for a connection to the one she's never known, but really, she doesn't even like him.

He's Not Down With The Hybrid Baby

I mean, it is an unnatural sort of situation, but werewolves are pretty damn unnatural in their own right. Apparently, the fact that Hayley's pregnant with Klaus' baby is really throwing a wrench into things for Jackson. Parsons said, "the reality is starting to set in for Jackson: Hayley is pregnant with Klaus’ child. Nothing ever goes the way you plan it." If he really loved her, it would be a non-issue that she's having a baby with a sociopathic hybrid Original vampire that she never even had feelings for. Klaus is the farthest thing from a threat, so we know for sure that Jackson's problem is with this baby and that's not something you want in a relationship.

Oh, And He Hates Vampires

It's the werewolves' instinct to want to rip the throat out of every vampire they see, even if it's a part-vampire like the hybrid baby or Klaus. So that's going to work out really well — not. According to Parsons, its in both supernatural races' natures to dislike the other but he did have some kind words to say about Elijah. Which he followed up with an assertion that its his gut instinct to want to kill him — whether it's because he and Hayley have a thing or not. How could she be with someone that instinctively hates part of her baby? She can't.

She Really Loves Elijah

Last but not least, we all know it and we've been laboriously watching The Originals in hopes that they'll go there. I know, it's complicated because Klaus is the father of her baby and we all know how Klaus hates when people are happy at his expense. But the truth of the matter is that Hayley and Elijah are in love, in spite of themselves, and no arranged werewolf marriage is going to change that. GET OVER IT, JACKSON.

I mean, really, look at the intensity in that look.

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