‘The Originals’: How Did Klaus Mikaelson Make His Money?
The Vampire Diaries introduced viewers to Klaus Mikaelson. But the spinoff series The Originals dived deeper into his life and relationships. Viewers learned he had a taste for not only blood but also opulence. And after seeing his lavish lifestyle, fans have wondered how Klaus made his money.
‘The Vampire Diaries’ introduces the Mikaelsons as the 1st vampires
As detailed in The Vampire Diaries and The Originals, Klaus Mikaelson (Joseph Morgan) and his siblings — Elijah (Daniel Gillies), Rebekah (Claire Holt), Freya (Riley Voelkel), Kol (Nathaniel Buzolic), and Finn (Casper Zafer) — are a supernatural family that’s been around for over a thousand years.
Thanks to a spell their witch mother cast, they are the first vampires (minus Freya, who’s also a witch). But because Klaus’ biological father was a werewolf, he is the first vampire/werewolf hybrid.
Both series show the family has accumulated significant wealth over the past few centuries. They are always dressed impeccably, live in lavish homes, and drive expensive cars.
And as Rebekah revealed in The Vampire Diaries Season 4 Episode 1, the Mikaelsons have amassed loads of valuable assets. “Here’s the thing, my family — we have money, castles, apartments, jewelry,” she said.
So, how did Klaus Mikaelson make his money?
In The Vampire Diaries and spinoffs The Originals and Legacies, Klaus is clearly wealthy. He had enough cash to renovate a mansion and then move out. And upon his death, he gave Caroline Forbes (Candace King) a significant sum to start and run the Salvatore School for supernatural students.
The shows don’t detail exactly how Klaus made his fortune. But some context clues help explain it.
For starters, he and his siblings have been around for 1,000 years. Over time, they have likely learned how to invest and make money.
And as highlighted in The Originals, the Mikaelsons built much of New Orleans. And they probably accumulated great wealth in doing so.
Plus, the siblings are murderous vampires who can compel mortals to do anything. So, Klaus and the rest of the Mikaelsons might have simply stolen what they wanted from the wealthy.
‘The Vampire Diaries’ and ‘The Originals’ fans speculate how the Mikaelsons got rich
The Vampire Diaries and The Originals show Klaus and the other Mikaelsons living on grand estates and driving Porsches and Bentleys. Some analytical fans have theorized how the vampire family got rich.
“You know how, statistically, a 50-year-old is more likely to be wealthy than a 20-year-old, based on the sheer fact they’ve been around longer, so they have been able to earn more money and save more money?” one Reddit fan speculated. “That, but scale it up to a 1,000-year-old. They’ve been earning, saving, and investing for centuries — the money just started to pile up after a while.”
Another viewer noted the family had infiltrated monarchies and courts in the past. And yet another fan chalked the Mikaelsons’ wealth up to compulsion.
“They can pretty much take whatever they want, and there isn’t anything anyone can do about it,” the Redditor wrote. “They can take all your money, then erase your memory or just kill you. They are immortal.”
