This would progress things in potentially different ways. One it could potentially propel Tyler into being more involved in the season long arc involving Silas. He would become more isolated (sorry Tyler) and after Hayley betrays him and the hybrids get killed, Shane (and possibly Hayley) could appear telling him they know a way to bring them (and Carol) back. Tyler has no interest in the cure (other than giving it to Klaus possibly but that plan never made sense to me as it seems like a dead human Klaus would still kill everyone in his sireline including Tyler, but this could also be part of the plan) but he would have a huge desire to save his pack and make up for what he would perceive as his failure. This season is all about the crazy things people do because of grief and lost family, why not include Tyler in that and let him be seen even after he leaves town as he works for Team Shane. Because the show had a terrible habit of giving him a good storyline in the first half or so in the season and then having him disappear in the second half.

On the flip side, as this season was trying to push Klaus and Caroline together more, an actual legit breakup would help with that. And when Caroline isn't in on the plan with the hybrids, Klaus can cherry pick the things about what happened he actually tells her. (Manipulation is bad yes, but also in character.) On top of that it can develop the Stefan x Caroline x Klaus dynamic they set up but didn't fully utilize, the three of them all wanting the cure for Elena for different reasons. Caroline fully throwing herself into the plan to avoid her feelings about the breakup makes sense. We could see her going to Klaus to find out as much as she can about the sirebond (saw a post where someone suggested this recently and I agree they should have used the older vampires for info more), as well as trying to get more information about Silas. We could still see them deciphering the sword together, only their semi on the same team now. Maybe Caroline even gets to go to the island this time and be more involved in the story line as well. The two of them discussing the fact that she doesn’t want the cure for herself under better circumstances (aka where he hasn’t just bit her). Maybe when working together the lines begin to blur more, things are less black and white, and Stefan’s own blurry morals and complicated relationship with Klaus don't help things.

I don't know that any of this actually works with how they set things up for The Originals. But honestly, I don't think they set up a lot of things for the spin-off super well despite apparently knowing about it before they started writing the season. And for all the anti-magical baby plot people, perhaps this could fix that.

my top 5 caroline forbes ships/dynamics ♡

When Klaus first opened his eyes in the Forrest outside of Mystic Falls he was convinced that an afterlife of isolation and insanity was what awaited him.

He stands up, unaware of the fact that he is standing directly on top of the exact spot that Mikael drove a sword through his heart and ended his human life a thousand years ago.

“I figured this is where they’d send you” a male voice sounds from behind him and he turns around quickly, somehow still feeling the need for self preservation even though he is dead.

He is greeted by a friendly face, however.

“And what made you think that?”

“I woke up where my father shot me back in 1864. Seemed only logical you would wake up where yours killed you. Rebekah showed me this spot once.”

Klaus nods, unable to stop a smile from spreading across his face “hello, old friend”

Stefan also smiles, stepping forward the two men embrace each other.

“Why Mystic Falls?” He asks

Stefan shrugs “didn’t exactly get a welcome packet, but I’ve figured out a few things in the last decade”

Klaus raises his eyebrows, waiting for more information

“You wake up where you died. As you can imagine, a lot of people have become vampires in Mystic falls. Every now and then someone will wake up in town and then walk over the border and just disappear”

“So why haven’t you left?” Klaus asks “surely you can’t want to spend 2 eternities haunted by this little town”

“I can’t” he admits “When I walk to the border it’s like there’s a wall there”

“Trapped in Mystic Falls” Klaus sighs “how utterly ironic”

Stefan laughs despite himself, “don’t worry about me. I know why I’m here” he says cryptically and Klaus narrows his eyes a little

“Just waiting for Damon to pass on so you can be reunited with the love of your life?” Klaus asks

“Not Damon” Stefan says, tightening his jaw and holding Klaus’ gaze.

Klaus scoffs “I warned you once to let her go if you couldn’t put her above your brother. You couldn’t do it in life, why would you expect to manage in death?”

Stefan shakes his head, exhaling loudly “well that won’t be a problem here. No need to protect the dead”

“Still” Klaus says bitterly, remembering the look on Caroline’s face when she told him of Stefan’s demise. Remembering how he felt in that moment that he would never have even close to a chance with her in eternity because she would always be haunted by the man who left her

“You don’t know anything about me and Caroline” Stefan says tensely

“I know you broke her” Klaus spits “I know you left her alone” he causes “and I know that I loved her long before you ever did” Why should a dead man hide his truth

“Well you still couldn’t stay alive for her” Stefan shoots back, equally bitter about the situation “so don’t act all high and mighty with me. Life is complicated. Love is hard.”

Klaus grits his teeth. He wants to tell Stefan that if someone handed him a white oak stake and put him in front of Elijah and Caroline that his dead brother would be in the grave in a second. He wants to challenge Stefan to that same scenario. But he does not. He knows the answer. He knows what Stefan would choose. He is ready to say as much when a third voice interrupts their turf war

“Did I truly live a thousand years only to wake up back in this pathetic town”

“Brother” Klaus says, registering again the moments that precluded his death.

“No need for explanations. I heard your pissing match from a hundred feet away where I woke up” Elijah admonishes them both.

Klaus narrows his eyes, not prepared to accept chastising from the brother with more than a few secrets of his own “so bitter to wake up in Mystic Falls” he notes “where were you hoping to be? New Orleans, Perhaps?” He pauses “or maybe a little cottage in the English countryside”

“Will you truly deny me happiness even from beyond the grave, Niklaus?” Elijah asks,

“Be happy where you desire, brother” Klaus responds with a devilish grin “I’m just reminding you that you have to choose”

“Take me to the border” he responds immediately.

“You don’t want to have another tearse goodbye? I’m hurt, big brother” Klaus responds

“I am quite confident we will see each other again. Once everyone’s destiny has been sorted”

Klaus is unsure exactly what he means but nods none the less “it’s only a matter of time”

“Let’s go” Stefan breaks in, taking off at a vampire run

“I thought he died human?” Elijah asks

“I guess some powers haunt you” Klaus responds as he takes off after his friend.

Elijah sighs, thoroughly over everything to do with this town. He follows them nonetheless.

The three immortals turned corpses stare at the invisible line in front of them.

“Shall we cross it together?” Klaus asks, voice betraying the vulnerability he feels. Wanting his brother to accept his invitation into the unknown.

“We can certainly try” Elijah responds

“Despite everything, I do carry with me a sadness that this is not the time for us to reminisce, old friend” Klaus says earnestly to Stefan. Despite their rivalry they were once friends. Before all of this.

Stefan nods “I can’t say I’m upset you won’t be here, but I must agree that I hope there will come a time for us to cross paths again”

Klaus nods

Elijah looks to his brother as they prepare to step over the line. His brows furrow for a second “I do not have to choose” he says abruptly

Klaus gives him an incredulous stare

“This is the afterlife. This is it. Why should we all hold such a torch for monogamy? I do not want to choose between Hayley and Katerina. Were I forced to I would know my answer, but I do not believe I will be forced to”

“That is a picture I never needed in my head for eternity, Elijah” Klaus responds

“But it is a message I believe you will need to remember” he says.

Klaus looks at his brother in confusion. What is he talking about?

The answer becomes clear in the next moment

When the original brothers make to step across the border

But only one of them disappears from view.

The other hits a wall

“Oh for fuck sakes” Stefan says in exasperation from behind A very confused Klaus

“I wish I was more surprised” Stefan admits

“I don’t understand?” Klaus asks, turning to his friend

Stefan sighs “I was hoping to not be the one to explain this part to you” he pauses “I need a drink if we’re going to have this conversation”

An hour and 8 bourbon neat’s later Stefan finally relents “you wake up where you died. Then you leave to find your eternity with the one you loved most” he shakes his head, pouring himself another shot

Klaus creases his eyebrows “look, Stefan I know we were mates, but I would hardly say-“

“Get your head out of your ass for once in your life” Stefan grits irritably, still angry at the hand destiny seems to have dealt him “everyone in the known universe knows how utterly in love you are with her except for her and you”

“Caroline” Klaus says, dumbfounded “but why?” He continues, reaching for the bottle himself “I always knew that she was everything for me but... she wants you in her eternity” he says bitterly “she still wears your ring around her neck. You are her everything” he says, the words like acid on his tongue

“Apparently not” Stefan shrugs

“I don’t understand” Klaus says, still shocked “she wants you. I don’t want to be here. I don’t want to burden her with myself for eternity. Why can’t I leave her to be happy?” He asks, pain evident in his voice “just let me go. I will. I will go and you can both be happy. Caroline deserves that much” he says miserably

“You don’t get it” Stefan says, an edge of sympathy seeping into his clipped tone “no one is unhappy here. If she didn’t want you to be here you wouldn’t be. If she wanted only me, truly only me that is what she would have. You would be exiled. That’s the punishment. That’s the only punishment here. If you are unworthy of being loved you end up in isolation. Otherwise.... you will be with whoever you loved” he pauses “whoever loved you” he practically spits the last sentence.

Klaus is dumbfounded. He thought she was taking pitty on him. He never imagined for a moment that Caroline could truly... love him.

“I’m sorry” Klaus admits. And he is. He is sorry to cause his friend pain

“Don’t be. You’ll get your punishment and so will I”

Klaus looks at him in confusion

“Who knows how long it will take for Caroline to turn up. But I know that I love someone else. Your presence here confirmed everything. She will come when her time is up and so will the other man she loves”

“Elena” Klaus says, almost laughing “that is rich” he admits “to throw us all back into this town. What has death even changed at this point” his bitterness is evident

“Guilt” Stefan says slowly “Elena doesn’t have to feel guilty for loving Damon and me. I don’t have to feel guilty for loving Elena and Caroline. Caroline doesn’t have to feel guilty for loving me and you.”

Klaus scoffs “how ironic that I’m the only one who truly has eyes for only one woman”

Stefan looks up at him “that’s the only way I can make peace with you being here. Despite everything, you love her. Only her. She loves us both and we will deal with that. But you love her, and that is all that matters”

Klaus nods, “god only knows I’ll be punished for loving her” he shakes his head “in a few decades I’ll get to watch you and Damon fawn over Elena for who knows how long until she turns up” he shudders

“Maybe Caroline will die first. We lead dangerous supernatural lives” Stefan shrugs

“Don’t you dare say that” Klaus threatens “I don’t care how long I suffer. Caroline needs more time. Time with her daughters, time to see the world. She need more time. She’s barely begun”

Stefan nods “I couldn’t agree more. Why do you think I’m making peace with having to see your face every day for the rest of eternity”

Klaus smirks “So what do you propose we do for the next few centuries in this little town?”

I will love her forever, too.