Reign – To The Death

By: Stacy Miller

A tragedy from Elizabeth’s (Rachel Skarsten) past caused her relationship with Lola to grow while Mary (Adelaide Kane) sought to help Greer (Celina Sinden). And Narcisse (Craig Parker) proved he’s a warrior at heart for good of France.

What do you do when you’re a queen and need money? You hit Career Builder for a job befitting a royal. No. Do you pray to win the lottery? No. You ask the Bank of the Catholics a/k/a/ the Church for funds. Mary needs money for an army to help Scotland. Catherine (Megan Follows) needs it to help with The Red Knights. Archbishop Ridolfi (Juan Chioran) is not interested in helping Catherine, as he holds a grudge against her for making an arrangement with Elizabeth so Gideon (Ben Geurens) could go back to England. However, he will help Mary because as any viewer of “Reign” knows, Catherine tends to rub people the wrong way and Mary’s the more likeable queen. Now that she has the money, Mary needs the army.

Meanwhile, in another kingdom in a land far, far away (okay, in England), Elizabeth is preparing for the Silver Jubilee to honor her father Henry VIII. Elizabeth had a nightmare about the beheading of her mother, Anne Boleyn, and tells Lola (Anna Popplewell) the horrible tale about how her mother was executed on her father’s orders for having an incestuous affair with her brother. It was Anne’s best friend, Beatrice Somerset gave the damaging testimony that led to her conviction. So, to avenge her mother’s death, Elizabeth wants Lola to plant her pearls on Beatrice Somerset so she’ll be accused of theft.

Mary visits Greer and offers to help her pregnant friend give her unborn child a name and father by arranging to spring Greer’s husband Lord Castleroy (Michael Therriault) from prison. Bash (Torrance Coombs) accompanies Mary when she goes to seek out men to help free Lord Castleroy. This ruthless lot will also serve as her new army. The best thing about Mary and Bash’s army searching together is they get to spend time together talking about the good old days when they were romantically involved. I was a die-hard Mary and Bash fan and admit there hasn’t been a “Reign” coupling that I enjoyed more.

Back at King Henry VIII Silver Jubilee, Lola attempts to plant Elizabeth’s pearls in Beatrice Somerset’s bag, but she somehow gets tangled in the strand which hangs out of Somerset’s purse. This makes it look like Lola is stealing from her! A guard recognizes the Queen’s pearls and having no choice, Elizabeth has the guards arrest Beatrice Somerset AND Lola! In adjoining cells, Lola lies to Beatrice that a man paid her to plant the pearls. Beatrice tells Lola about testifying about Anne’s unnatural relationship with her brother because of threats Henry made. Apparently, King Henry VIII wanted a son and decided to get rid of his wife. So, an unnatural affair was the perfect way to get rid of a wife he deemed useless. Although Anne’s chambermaid was the actual witness, testimony from a noble and Anne’s best friend carried more weight. In exchange for her testimony, King Henry VII rewarded Beatrice with the Boleyn lands. While Lola and Beatrice are talking, a guard is listening.

Lord Castleroy is brought before Mary and Bash looking like death warmed over, which is natural after spending time in prison. After he cleans up, Lord Castleroy finally is reunited with his wife, but tells Greer he can’t be with her. Mary reminds Lord Castleroy of the love he once felt for Greer and Greer tells him how she grew to love him, too. Mary gives the couple papers so they can start a new life away from France. Bash admits to Mary that he still cares for her and will be there for her for whatever awaits her in Scotland.

Elizabeth questions her mother’s old chambermaid about the lie that led to Anne’s beheading. The woman tells the queen about Anne’s desperation to give King Henry VIII a son and the horrible decision Anne made, which was turning to the only man she trusted, her brother, for help. But she couldn’t go through with it. It as King Henry VIII’s cruelty caused Elizabeth’s mother’s death. Later, Elizabeth has Lola released from jail and tells her she also pardoned Beatrice Somerset on the condition she return the Boleyn lands back to her. Elizabeth thanks Lola for her loyalty in not revealing to Beatrice that the stolen necklace was Elizabeth’s plan by letting Lola see her son.

Catherine enlists ex-lover Narcisse’s (Craig Parker) help in getting the money she needs to pay her soldiers. This leads Narcisse and Charles to a 16th Century version of a casino where the young king used to go to gamble. Charles wins big then loses bigger. So, Narcisse enters the casino’s version of fight club and ends up defeating the champion. Apparently, Narcisse is both a lover and a fighter!

Ater that evening, Catherine and Charles throw a dinner party for the generals in which they announce that they will be paying them. Catherine receives word of a special gift awaiting her in her chambers so she takes her leave. When Catherine opens the box, she finds the Red Knights mask. No receipt? I’d definitely return it! But the mask comes with a note that reads “History repeats itself.” Catherine sprints back to the dining room, fearing for Charles. She finds her son crying over the bodies of the dead generals. They’ve been poisoned! Catherine realizes that she and her son were spared so they would be blamed and the peasants will rise up against them. “We will burn!” Catherine exclaims.