The Vampire Diaries‘ impending series finale is occupying a lot of our headspace right now — and rightfully so — but let’s not forget that just one week after TVD says farewell, The CW is blessing us with something even better: a new season of The Originals!

The Originals Season 4 Finale Photos

The network on Friday released a batch of new photos from the spinoff’s fourth season premiere — airing Friday, March 17 at 8/7c — which finds Klaus at Marcel’s mercy (though there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of mercy to go around).

For a taste of that merciless…ness, here’s the official synopsis for the premiere, titled “Gather Up the Killers”:

FIVE YEARS LATER — On the fifth anniversary of Klaus’ defeat, Marcel is king of the city and welcomes the un-sired vampires to New Orleans, only to find they pose an unexpected threat to his rule, leading him to seek counsel from an unlikely source. Meanwhile, as Hayley closes in on the cure that will allow her to revive Elijah and the slumbering Mikaelsons, she faces a final task that will force her to make a ruthless decision.

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Your hopes for Season 4? Browse our gallery of new photos — you can click here for direct access — then drop ’em in a comment below.