InThe Vampire Diaries, the best characters are frequently ethically ambiguous, andKlaus Mikaelsonis no exception. Throughout the entirety of his appearance in the series, he poses a threat toElena and the Salvatores. He first appears as a villain in the second season. However, Klaus continues to be a source of controversy among viewers, whether it be from his evil days onThe Vampire Diariesor the more morally dubious ones onThe Originals. While it may be argued that he finally turned into a hero, others think he is still a ruthless, unremorseful villain.
Updated August 25, 2025: If you think Klaus Mickaelson fromThe Originalsis an interesting and charismatic character, wait until you hear him speak. Here are some more of his best quotes on the show.
Klaus undergoes massive developmentwhen he raises his daughter and defends his siblings inThe Originals. The original hybrid is drastically different from his past self in the spin-off. By showing him transform his largely pointless animosity into actions to defend his daughter,The Originalsmade numerous attempts to redeem the character. Still, it didn’t eliminate his innate cruelty. All it takes is the character’s words to make it clear that he is ruthless. From an archive of quotes, here are 21 lines that sum Klaus Mikaelson up as a hero, a villain, a father, and a tyrannous king inThe Vampire Diariesfranchise.
26"The monster in me can only be checked by the monster in you."
Klaus reassures his brother Elijah in a stirring monologue from season 2, episode 7 ofThe Originalsthat the two possess the heroism necessary to vanquish their demons and protect their family from the forces of evil. In addition to assuring his brother they can overcome their inner darkness, Klaus also admits to the monster he is. The first step in tackling a problem is acknowledging that one has one, and in this case, Klaus' honesty is equivalent to his bravery.
Related:The Vampire Diaries Universe: Most Important Seasons
25"A warrior fights for what they believe in. A warrior fights for his family."
Klaus offers a provocative goal statement that demonstrates the nobleness of his quest, quoted fromThe Originalsseason 2, episode 1. Heroes and martyrs are prepared to die for a cause or conviction, and Klaus’s explanation is spot-on. To some, Klaus is an evil monster that must be defeated. But, according to hybrids, Klaus is a brave leader who will go above and beyond to protect his family and friends.
24"Family are not just people who coddle you, grant you your every whim — they are people who fight for you, who you fight for."
Here, Klaus expresses his thoughts on what he believes to be the core ofa real family. According to a recurring theme he raises, nothing is more important to risk one’s life than one’s family. As Klaus points out, by criticizing the parental habit of indulging and unhealthily smothering children, sacrifice can sometimes imply tough love. Even though he has somewhat distorted notions of family, he makes a point with this statement.
23"Either way a new day is coming whether we like it or not. The question is will you control it or will it control you."
In season 2, episode 15, we hear Klaus sharing one of his deep insights about life, as a closing line for the episode. As a character, Klaus is not just a bloodthirsty,power-craving villainwho is blinded by his own ego and desires. He is actually quite the opposite. After living for thousands of years, he has enough wisdom to acknowledge that life is just a constantly repeated 24 hours and that if you don’t seize the day and bring the best out of it, it might end up throwing traps for you and controlling you until you cede to its destructive patterns. Life, in Klaus’s eyes, is a regenerative fight that brings challenges every single day.
22"Tonight you’ll sleep, and you’ll dream of a world far better than this one. A world where there is no evil, no demons, and all people desire only to be good."
It’s always such a wonderful experience for the audience to relish the rare moments in whichKlaus reveals his romantic side. This quote is from a conversation that he had with Camille, a human he fell desperately in love with. In season 1, episode 4, Camille saw a great deal of terrifying supernatural suffering that Klaus wanted to compel her to forget. The fact that the most powerful vampire is able to tune in to the human’s idea of a perfect world and to desire to provide it, even if just in fantasy, shows an empathy that we don’t always see in the character. The quote documents a beautiful moment of mercy, connection, and emotional intimacy that makes the show even more iconic.
These are one of the most unforgettable lines delivered by Klaus to his queen Hailey. Whenever she is in distress or needs a comforter,Klaus finds the string of optimismon which to pull in order to restore her hope and joy in life. Because the greatly loved monster is such a family man, he is willing to put his dark side aside and be the bearer of the good news that when time’s hand passes through, all that’s going to remain is the vibrant and happy moments and that the pain will eventually be an insignificant and distant memory.
20"The pain may fade, but scars serve as a reminder of our suffering and make the bearer all the more resolved never to be wounded again."
If Klaus knows much about something, it must be pain. He’s lived for countless years in which he experienced loss, betrayal, and sadness. But for someone who suffered so much, it’s admirable that he still stands, with his cross on his back and his throne on his head as if completely untouched by it all. The secret simply is that he believes that what doesn’t kill him, makes him stronger. He uses his pain to forge a stronger personality resolved not to remake the same mistakes and pay the same prices. The quote is just another glimpse intoKlaus’s inherent heroisim.
19"We can cling to the past or embrace the inevitability of change and allow a brighter future to unfold before us."
Going through seasons requires passing by the awkward transitional phases of change. Klaus, in his mysterious omniscience, knows that. It wasn’t without difficulty that he embraced becoming a father, and slipping into the role of someone who has something to lose now, which Klaus wholeheartedly abhors, but he did it anyway. All along the series, he underwent many changes, self-inflicted and external. The idea behind this quote is that the new skin cannot grow unless you shed the old one.
Related:The Originals: 10 Times Klaus Mikaelson Was the Worst
18"We are the savage villains in fairytales told to children, but not for my child, not for Hope. In her story, we are the knights in shining armor."
Klaus' self-description as Hope’s valiant knight in shining armor, taken from the same protracted monologue in the previous quote, couldn’t be more accurate. Even while Klaus is aware of how despicable he is viewed by the so-called decent people and the general public, his loyalty to his family is no less admirable than how humans defend their own. And although he only truly loves a small number of individuals in this world, it is impossible to deny that those he loves will always be in his heart.
17"Every soul who wishes you harm will be struck down. Just as sure as my blood runs through your veins, you will return to me. I love you, Hope."
Klaus reiterates his promise to protect Hope by all means and brutally punish anyone who puts the finger on her in a tear-inducing confession. The remark, which almost seems biblical in its fire and brimstone imagery, refers to family, legacy, and the tremendous expense involved in sustaining both. The last half of the sentence is particularly moving because Klaus rarely expresses his genuine feelings and detests such cheesy sentimentality. As a result, Klaus' openness reveals his underlying humanity.
