Klaus Mikaelson was undebatably one of the most loved villains on television, and fans bade a teary goodbye to him in Legacies recently. His brand of villainy was unique, and he lit up screens in both The Vampire Diaries, and his own spin-off The Originals.

He was a complex man, and not just because he was both vampire and werewolf at once. Klaus was evil incarnate when he wanted to be, but the writers also humanized him a lot, especially when it came to his daughter and romantic partners. These quotes capture who the formidable Klaus was during his time in the TVD Universe.

"We Are The Savage Villains In Fairy Tales Told To Children..."

The Originals - Season 2, Episode 7

Klaus Mikaelson in hybrid form on TVD

Before anything else, Klaus was a ruthless villain. He was the first vampire to walk the earth with his siblings, which meant that he was quite literally the original villains that fairytales and fables spoke of with fright.

He was an all-powerful vampire, who chose to terrorize Elena and her young friends so that he could break the curse to unleash his werewolf to become more powerful than ever. He made hybrid armies and hurt people, which made him a certified villain.

"I'm A Thousand Years Old. Call It Boredom."

The Vampire Diaries - Season 4, Episode 13

Klaus saves Caroline in The Vampire Diaries.

There were times when it seemed like Klaus had gotten better, but that didn't last too long. The hybrid often gave in to his darkest urges, and sometimes for no reason other than to alleviate his boredom. Killing Carol Lockwood was one of these cruel activities that Klaus indulged in.

Even Caroline couldn't keep him from sparing Carol - revenge on Tyler was a lot more important to Klaus, who was feeling a bit stir-crazy in his unnaturally long lifetime, as this quote suggests.

"He's Your First Love. I Intend To Be Your Last."

The Vampire Diaries - Season 4, Episode 23

Klaus holding Caroline by the shoulders in The Originals.

Klaus and Caroline are considered the best ship on The Vampire Diaries, and there's good reason for that. The two of them shared scintillating chemistry, and Klaus did care for Caroline a lot more than he did for others.

He was patient with her, which was a rarity. He waited for Caroline to realize that she loved Klaus too, and while they couldn't spend much time together, he did have a sweet reunion with Caroline before he sacrificed himself. Klaus may have been terrifying, but he was a sucker for love.

"Human Life Is Just A Means To An End. Our Means To Our End."

The Vampire Diaries - Season 3, Episode 10

Elena Gilbert sacrificing herself to Klaus on The Vampire Diaries

By virtue of being stronger, faster, and longer-lasting than mortal beings, Klaus held himself in high esteem. He cared little for human life, which was one of his worst traits.

Whether it was Elena's human life (with some doppelganger magic) or the kids at Mystic Falls High School, Klaus did not care for their worlds, and only considered them blood bags, or distractions that could be killed off at any point.

"In The End We're Left Infinitely And Utterly Alone."

The Vampire Diaries - Season 4, Episode 9

It was no secret that despite his massive powers and might, Klaus had had a tragic childhood. He had been abused by Mikael for not being his son, which was not his fault, and terrorized by him even after they became vampires.

This turned Klaus into a defensive and harsh vampire, and he ill-treated his family with impunity for a while, which led them to abandon him too. He sincerely believed that he was truly alone in the world, which was what he preached to Stefan, too.

"Art Taught Me That One's Vision Can Be Achieved With Sheer Force Of Will."

The Vampire Diaries - Season 4, Episode 16

Klaus's drawing of Caroline in The Vampire Diaries.

The wisest thing that Klaus ever said were his words on the importance of art, and how it taught him how to stay disciplined in life. Painting and drawing were a big part of Klaus' life, and he expressed his emotions, as well as found ambition through it.

He was a strong-willed man who thought that if he believed in something, he would make it happen, just like a paintbrush and a few colors on a canvas could create something spectacular.

"Always And Forever Is Not Just Something You Weasel Out Of, Brother."

The Originals - Season 2, Episode 14

What held Klaus and the Mikaelson siblings together was the vow of "forever and always." It wasn't a restriction either, because the Original hybrid truly believed that family should stick together, through thick and thin.

He had a temper and many quarrels with Rebekah, Elijah, Kol, Freya, and Finn, but the bottomline was that when any of them were in danger, Klaus would go above and beyond to save them.

"If I Tell You Who I Really Am And You Refuse To Believe Me Then I Can Hardly Be Blamed..."

The Originals - Season 2, Episode 19

Klaus and Cami at dinner together

The dichotomy that surrounded Klaus was that he was a redeemable bad guy. He never made bones of who he was - cruelty and anger came to him naturally, but many people thought that he could be saved.

This savior complex often led to those closest to Klaus, like Elijah and Camille, being disappointed when he did something treacherous. However, Klaus never hid who he was and what he was capable of, so their lack of belief in his awfulness ceased to be his problem.

"This Family Makes Me Want To Murder People."

The Originals - Season 2, Episode 13

The Originals Klaus, Freya, Rebekah, Kol, and Elijah

Even though Klaus loved his family more than anything, a group of angry vampires with centuries of grudges only meant one thing: violence. There were betrayals and crossed lines galore, which meant that the strongest of them all, Klaus, reacted in the worst way.

While true death was hard for Originals, Klaus got his fill by daggering his siblings and keeping them locked away till he missed them enough. He had a lot to deal with the Mikaelsons, and they, too, were quite sick of his ways.

"You Are And Always Will Be Our Hope.”

The Originals - Season 3, Episode 22

Klaus stands with child Hope

The long sought after salvation of Klaus Mikaelson came with the birth of his daughter Hope. If it had not been for her, he would have continued down his destructive path in life. The full quote explains Klaus' feelings about his daughter: "My dearest Hope... Please remember that you are the legacy this family has always desired. The promise we fought to protect. You are and always will be our hope."

Hope was the reason why Klaus turned over a new leaf, became gentler in his ways, and eventually found a reason to end his long, long life. He would do anything for her, and Hope's presence was the biggest gift for Klaus, whose family healed because of her.

NEXT: 10 Ways The Vampire Diaries' Damon Got Better & Better