The Vampire Diaries spin-off series The Originals became a force to be reckoned with on its own. Of course, it took notes from its predecessor and included various supernatural creatures and beings, including witches. The Mikaelsons returned to their New Orleans home to find factions among vampires, werewolves and witches, all divided.
Throughout the series, many witches went up against the Original family of vampires while others befriended them. Some were related to the Mikaelsons, and some wanted them out of their city. Here are 10 of the most powerful witches in The Originals.
Sophie Deveraux
Sophie started as a carefree witch who didn't practice the craft. She regarded the ritual sacrifice of the Harvest Girls as a barbaric tradition among her coven and wanted no part in that life. But when her niece, Monique, became of the Harvest Girls, she stepped in to fight back.
She failed and Monique died without resurrection. Sophie went on to become an Elder so she could complete the ritual and bring her niece back to life. Unfortunately, her resurrected niece considered her a traitor and killed her.
Celeste Dubois
Celeste was so powerful a witch that she continued to exist as a spirit beyond the death of her earthly body back in the 19th century. She romanced Elijah in the past and used her dark witch powers to resurrect herself in the present.
She first possessed a woman named Clara in the 1900s and worked as a nurse during the 1919 influenza outbreak. Later in the 1990s, she befriended Marcel disguised as Brynne Deveraux and cursed the Crescent wolf pack for him. Eventually, it's revealed that Sabine, a member of the French Quarter Coven, is Celeste.
Papa Tunde
The former leader of the French Quarter Coven in the early 20th century and murdered by Klaus, Papa Tunde is resurrected by Celeste disguised as Sabine. His thirst for vengeance made him a formidable enemy. His practice of Sacrificial Magic made him stronger than most witches of the time and in that coven.
Every time he sacrificed a supernatural creature, he gained the power to destroy his enemies. But once Klaus learned the source of his power beyond sacrifice, Tunde's twin sons, he killed them and then Papa Tunde.
Davina Claire
Davina started as a Harvest Girl who Marcel rescued from sacrifice. But cutting the ritual short meant that Davina absorbed the powers of her fellow witches who were already killed, turning her into a ticking timebomb. Marcel kept her hidden and used her as his magic detector.
After she's finally sacrificed and resurrected for the ritual, she grows tired of being used. She becomes the Regent of the Nine Covens of New Orleans to use magic for her purposes. But she soon falls out of favor and is shunned by her community.
Esther Mikaelson
The Mikaelson siblings' mother returns to New Orleans using the body of another witch in an attempt to convince her children to give up their immortality. As the creator of the original vampires, Esther is one of the most powerful witches in the history of the TVD universe.
Her magic brought vampirism into existence and created Klaus, the original hybrid. Her magic's ability to remain after Klaus triggered his werewolf curse proves that she was powerful enough to defy the order of nature. But in the end, she chose death.
Vincent Griffith
Vincent first appeared as the host to Finn, Esther's resurrected, witch son. He was reluctant to return to his life as a witch. Before being possessed by Finn, he'd left due to the circumstances with his wife Eva Sinclair. But when the Nine Covens desperately needed powerful leadership, he stepped up and became the Regent after Davina was shunned.
He fell from grace as well though and aligned himself with the Mikaelsons to stop the Ancestors' rule of the covens for good. No matter his powers, he was always seen as a leader.
Dahlia
Long lost older sister to Esther, Dahlia cut ties with Esther when she married Mikael. But when Esther loses a child, she seeks Dahlia for help to have the power to protect her children. Dahlia agrees on the condition that Esther leaves her eldest daughter Freya with her.
Binding her life to Freya's, Dahlia is able to increase her power and put them under a sleeping spell that allows them to feign immortality. She reveals that the first-born of every generation is always the most powerful, herself included.
Hope Mikaelson
Being a tribrid, a combination of a witch, werewolf and vampire, Hope is the first and only one of her kind. As the first-born child of Hayley and Klaus, she is gifted with incredible power. She starts manifesting powers as an infant, in a scene where she stops the car Cami is driving and saves them from getting blown up.
She is so powerful that as a child The Hollow chooses her as its host to return to Earth. Hope proves how powerful she is before birth, as she is a loophole of nature.
The Hollow
Born as Inadu to a Native American tribe of New Orleans that originated the Labonair line, Hayley's family, The Hollow grew too powerful for her family to control, so they killed her. But in death, she became an even more powerful entity and her soul had to be divided into four pieces.
When Vincent inadvertently summons her, she takes over his wife Eva. The Hollow returns after Hope is born and tries to take over her next. She is considered even more powerful than the Ancestors.
Freya Mikaelson
Once tied to her aunt Dahlia and forced to sleep through centuries, Freya is freed by her siblings and becomes a proper Mikaelson. She rescues Rebekah, trapped in Eva Sinclair's body, from the mental institution they've both been placed in.
Time and time again she comes to the rescue for Klaus, Elijah and Rebekah. When The Hollow is on the verge of taking over everything, it is Freya, with Vincent's help, who casts the spell to remove her from Hope's body and split her spirit into four pieces taken on by the Mikaelson siblings.