If you’re scouring old episodes of The Vampire Diaries looking for a guy named Ryan Clarke, you can stop. Honestly, you’re not going to find him there. He never shared a drink with Damon at the Grill, and he definitely didn't get caught in one of Katherine Pierce’s schemes. It’s a bit of a common mix-up because the fandoms bleed together so much, but Ryan Clarke is actually a staple of Legacies, the third series in the TVDU franchise.
He's a complicated dude.
Most people just see him as the suit-and-tie villain from Triad Industries who caused headaches for Hope Mikaelson. But there is so much more to his story than just being a corporate shill for a monster-eating pit. Ryan Clarke is, at his core, a golem. He was the "first draft" of what his father, Malivore, wanted in a son. Unfortunately for Ryan, being the first draft usually means you’re full of bugs and destined for the trash heap.
The Tragic Origin of Ryan Clarke
Let's look at the facts. Ryan wasn't born; he was molded.
Malivore, the giant mud puddle of despair, wanted an heir. He created Ryan out of his own essence—magical mud and ancient darkness. But Ryan was "flawed" in his father's eyes because he couldn't procreate. He was immortal, sure, but he was a biological dead end. This rejection defined every single thing Ryan did for centuries. Imagine being hundreds of years old and still trying to get "Daddy" to notice you. It’s pathetic, but also kinda heartbreaking when you think about it.
He spent decades working for Triad Industries.
That’s the secret organization dedicated to keeping the supernatural world suppressed. He wasn't there because he hated vampires or werewolves. He was there to find a way to bring his father back to the physical world. He was the ultimate company man, but the company was basically a cult for a mud monster.
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Is he actually a Phoenix like Landon?
This is a huge point of debate in the fandom. Landon Kirby, Ryan’s half-brother, is a Phoenix. He dies, he burns, he comes back. Ryan, on the other hand, is just a golem. When he "dies," he doesn't have the flashy fire show. In Season 1, when Landon killed him in the Malivore pit, Ryan didn't just poof back into existence immediately. He’s durable, and he’s hard to kill, but he lacks the specific avian-rebirth genetics that made Landon the "perfect" son.
Basically, Ryan is the beta version. Landon is the 2.0 release.
Why the Ryan Clarke and Hope Dynamic Actually Worked
One of the most surprising things about the show was the chemistry between Nick Fink (who plays Ryan) and Danielle Rose Russell (Hope).
On paper, it shouldn’t work. He’s an older, manipulative golem who tried to kill her. She’s the Tribrid who stands for everything he was supposed to destroy. But fans really latched onto their "frenemy" vibe. There was a level of mutual understanding there. Both felt like outcasts. Both were carrying the heavy weight of their fathers' legacies—even if Klaus Mikaelson was a way better dad than Malivore, which is saying a lot.
- They were trapped in Malivore together.
- He eventually betrayed his father to help her.
- He even pretended to be Professor Vardemus to stay close to the action.
The "Holarke" shippers (yes, that’s a real thing) loved the snarky banter. Ryan Clarke brought a level of wit that the show sometimes lacked. He wasn't just a growling monster of the week. He was a guy who used a tailored suit and a silver tongue to get what he wanted.
The Redemption Nobody Expected
By the time we got into the later seasons of Legacies, Ryan's arc took a weird turn.
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He actually tried to be "human."
He moved to a small town, changed his name, and tried to live a normal life. This is where the character really shone for a lot of viewers. Seeing a former secondary antagonist try to understand the mundane struggle of a 9-to-5 job was legitimately funny. It also showed a level of growth we rarely see in the TVD universe. Usually, villains either die or become part of the main squad after a few murders. Ryan just wanted to be left alone.
But, as it always goes in Mystic Falls and its surrounding areas, you can’t escape the mud.
He ended up getting pulled back into the fight against Malivore. His "death" and subsequent transformations kept the plot moving, but it was his desire for a simple, quiet existence that made him more relatable than a lot of the actual humans on the show. He was a creature of magic who just wanted to stop being a pawn.
Common Misconceptions About the Character
Let’s clear some things up because the internet is a mess of fan fiction and old Wiki entries.
First, Ryan Clarke is NOT a vampire. I see this asked all the time. People think because he's in the TVD universe, he must drink blood. Nope. He’s mud. Pure, magical, sentient mud. He doesn't have a heartbeat, he doesn't need to eat, and he definitely doesn't sparkle.
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Second, he is much older than he looks. Nick Fink plays him with a youthful energy, but Ryan has been around for a long time. He isn't a teenager. He’s a centuries-old entity with a massive chip on his shoulder.
Third, his relationship with Landon is... complicated. It's not a "let's play catch in the yard" kind of brotherhood. It’s a "you’re the favorite son and I hate you for it" vibe. But deep down, Ryan did seem to have a shred of affection for the kid. Or at least, he preferred Landon over their dad.
What You Can Do Now
If you're looking to revisit Ryan's best moments, here is what you should do:
1. Watch the Season 1 Finale again.
Pay close attention to the way he interacts with the Malivore pit. It’s the first time we see the crack in his corporate armor.
2. Check out the Season 2 "Vardemus" arc.
Nick Fink’s performance as the posh, slightly arrogant professor is arguably his best work on the show. It’s hilarious and a great showcase of his range.
3. Look for the "Holarke" scenes in Season 3.
The chemistry is undeniable, regardless of whether you ship them or not.
Ryan Clarke might not have been an Original vampire or a member of the Gemini Coven, but he was one of the most consistent and well-written antagonists the franchise ever produced. He proved that even a "flawed" creation could find a way to define himself on his own terms.