Reign: 1x09 “For King and Country”

Francis: “Long may you reign”

Talk about a comeback! Absolutely stunning hour! Masks were torn off. Secret plots were revealed. There were so many unexpected turns of events that I was at the edge of my seat the entire time. Reign is getting better and better!

It has been more than a week since we last saw our beloved characters. Mary and Bash on their way to Scotland couldn’t even reach Calais. Guards, sent by King Henry, after a week of chasing and searching every outbound ship, finally got lucky and picked up the trail. Bash was arrested for treason and brought back to the castle. Mary, being Mary, returned to protect him. I wish the whole pursuit lasted longer than 8 minutes. I know they have been on the run for a week, but that is a week we didn't see. I wouldn't mind if we had more scenes between Mary and Bash, before they returned to the court. 

                                                 

There were almost no secrets left at French court, so much was revealed. All of it we knew, but finally all the other characters got the news. Henry now knows about Diane’s attempt to legitimize Bash, Francis learned about the prophecy, Catherine told Mary of her plan to get rid off Diane and kill Kenna etc., etc., etc. I suspected that Catherine would not be able to hold on to the information of Diane scheming behind King’s back, and I was right. But Mary coming clean to Francis about Nostradamus’ visions was totally unexpected. Francis doesn’t believe in this madness. Mary, who has proof of Nostradamus’ visions coming to life, can’t risk it. But how far is she willing to go? A little bit too far, as we learn in this episode.

First Henry backed Mary into a corner by making her choose “wed Francis” or “watch Bash executed”. Was he bluffing? Was he really gonna kill his favorite son? Does he want England that bad? Yes, but I don't believe he would kill Bash. He was betting on Mary's heart and certainly didn’t take her too seriously writing off too much to her being too young. And he shouldn’t have. Mary turned the tables by offering a third option: “make Bash the next king of France”. Was she bluffing? I don't think so. She made a proposal that she could live with, forcing Henry to make the ultimate decision - whether or not he was ready to rattle the succession line for a country he may very well never get? Speaking of political moves, that was a bloody brilliant one. Not only it allowed Mary to secure the alliance with France and do what her mother wants and her country needs, she was also able to save the life of a man she loves and a life of a man she cares about.

Catherine on the other hand had a very bad week. Every plot she came up with was a failure. For a woman like Catherine de Medici power is everything. On the verge of loosing it all she went ahead with a plan to kill Bash and Mary. Unfortunately for her, King Henry and Francis know her better than she’d like to think. Henry anticipated her move and she lost on all accounts. Megan Follows is such a delight as Queen Catherine, I was glad her exile turned into imprisonment in the castle. Whether it was a mistake or not to keep her that close is another discussion. We’ll see. 

Clarissa spent almost the entire hour behind bars before she was able to escape leaving us with a cliffhanger. Did she kill Nostradamus? The way she cut him it certainly looked as if she cut the carotid artery. They shouldn’t kill him off that quickly, right? I honestly don’t know what to expect. And I like it.

So, as soon as Henry comes back from Rome with permission to annul his marriage to Catherine and to legitimize Bash there will be a wedding season – Mary and Bash, Henry and Diane. Or a wedding week, since Henry wants to wrap it up before Queen of England dies. Do you think they will go there? I actually equally want them to go there and not to go there. I think eventually Mary will wed Francis, but that could be season 4 [one can hope!]. Meanwhile they could do tons to these characters, especially with such a capable cast.

For the first time I was grateful they don’t follow history to the letter, because the creative approach they take and freedom they have to turn events as they see fit makes it for a fantastic viewing experience.

Historical bits

Henry: “Because I know your next plan is to kill me. To remove the largest obstacle and hasten things along. A stray arrow, a hunting accident.”

I wish they'd thrown in the actual fact, but it was close enough. Henry II was hit in the head by a lance of Gabriel, Count de Montgomery in a  tournament.

Some observations  

Mary and Bash jumping off the cliff, hand in hand - how awesome was that?!

[How Mary was able to get out of the water in that dress is a mystery that I’m happily willing to overlook]

Mary and Bash almost spent a night together. Not really "together" together, but.... Part of me wished the guards waited until morning.

Francis: “You will wed the next King of France or he'll lose any chance of England.”

I can’t shake off the feeling that it was Francis who gave this whole 'marrying Bash' idea to Mary.

“What about me?” Kenna’s reaction to a possibility of Diane becoming the Queen of France was spot on characterization of who she is.

Hats off to Toby Regbo for a stunning performance. He broke my heart.

Memorable Quotes:

Guard: “This man is a French subject and he's a criminal.”

Mary: “And what crime has he committed beyond ensuring my safety?”

Guard: “Weren't you engaged to his brother? I suppose that's why I heard the word "treason" bandied about.”

Francis: “You left me over a prophecy?"

Mary: “All her crimes against me were because she loves you. Does she deserve to burn for that?”

She is too kind to Catherine, if you ask me.

Henry: “And I'd have to convince the Pope to annul our marriage. Are you not acquainted with my very determined wife?”

Mary: “Perhaps you're wife will agree. Because at her core she is more selfless than you think.”

Brilliant! 

Catherine: “You end up with a king, and three kingdoms under your rule, and I lose everything?!"

Yep, young queen pretty much outplayed you.

Bash: “I never wanted my brother's crown. No matter my mother's plans.

Mary: “But will you take it, to save his life?”

Bash: “Can I have more than a heartbeat to think about it?!”

Henry: “Now you think you'll simply pick Bash off, once my guard is down, or before they pop out an heir, and the throne will revert to Francis.”

Catherine: “Aren't you ahead of me? It's as if we had one mind.”

Francis: “I see a future for us quite clearly. We would be happy. I would give anything to spend my life, however long, at your side. But you see a future without me, and that's the one you choose.”

Poor Francis....

Francis: “And you, my brother... I envied you for so long, and look at us now. You have what's mine, and I have your freedom. Well, I... I plan to take full advantage of it.”

That didn’t sound good.

Catherine: “A word of advice for the next Queen of France. Remember, no matter how many countries you rule, or palaces you own, power is always fleeting. It can be taken away by the stroke of a pen or the blade of an axe.”

It would’ve made for a great season finale. The fact that they could produce that kind of amazing hour in the middle of freshman year gives me hope for chances of series renewal.

Sol’s rating: 5 out of 5.