Okay, so Legacies season 2 has officially begun, and we got a few glimpses at Rafael Waithe in his wolf form in the premiere, and it got me thinking…

Now that Hope is back in the land of the living, she is present and accounted for to turn Rafael back from his wolf form. The only problem is, she doesn’t know he’s used that special ring she gave him before she plunged herself into Malivore, so she has no idea he needs her help.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Raf will be back in his human form before the end of episode 3, but the big rescue could very well go down in Legacies season 2, episode 2. There were some glimpses of Hope in the forest at the very beginning of the trailer, and our last known whereabouts of Rafael were in those very same woods.

But can Hope recognize Raf in his wolf form on sight? I’m guessing possibly not? So, she may have to hear about his condition before she’ll know to save him. Honestly, I don’t know why she doesn’t just saunter up to the Salvatore School and show her witch abilities and enroll as a new student until she can figure out how to restore her presence to everyone’s memories. If magic can erase her from their memories, magic must have a way to restore those memories, too.

But I digress, let’s get back to Rafael. Since he’s wearing the ring she gave him in order to be able to transform into his wolf form without the full moon, the insignia must be visible somewhere on his skin or in his fur. Hopefully, all it will take is getting these two into the same place for longer than a minute, and Hope will realize who she’s seeing.

I’d also be okay with her overhearing someone talking about poor Raf being stuck in his wolf form while she’s wandering around the Salvatore School campus trying to figure out what her next step should be. You know, after she helps deal with the troll situation (or whatever the heck creature pushed her bus over at the end of the Legacies season 2 premiere).

And here’s why Raf can’t stay in wolf form for long. He HAS to remember her. Otherwise, what was the purpose of the writers trapping him in his wolf form when Hope went into Malivore? They could have manipulated timelines to get to a full moon for him to help in the fight against Triad, but they needed him to be a wolf when Hope entered the pit, because, as a wolf, Rafael will be immune to the memory wipe. It just HAS to be. Hope needs an ally to push her to fight for her place in this world, especially after seeing Landon and Josie together moments after she escaped Malivore.

Having an advocate for her, someone else who can vouch for her existence, is invaluable to her cause. There’s a huge difference between being alone and having even just one ally. If left to her own devices, Hope Mikaelson would probably convince herself the world is better off without her, but that is so not the case. Hopefully Raf will give her the kick she needs to fight for her place in the world.

And the moment Hope brings him back to his human form, I can’t wait to see him embrace Hope. And I know she will be just as desperate to hug him. To feel that love and connection with someone is definitely something she needs right now.

She needs an ally who didn’t forget her. Literally everyone else, from her mentor to her family, has forgotten she ever existed, even if she hasn’t proven it by putting herself in front of Aunt Freya or Uncle Kol yet. BUT if Raf is there for her, I just know that Hope Mikaelson will take on the challenge of bringing everyone’s memories back. She just needs to know that someone believes in her.

So, I’m really excited to see how Rafael’s transformation unfolds. It’s just going to take Hope and Rafael getting into the same place at the same time. And I think “This Year Will be Different” is going to be the episode. I have hope. What magic giveth, magic taketh away, so the opposite must be true, too.