Reign, “Terror of the Faithful,” was written by the team of Adele Lim and Melody Fox and was directed by Charles Biname. Once again a senior writer for the show, Lim, is paired with a writer new to the show. Fox’s other credits include RL Stine’s The Haunting Hour, Flash Gordon and Dragon Tales. Biname’s other credits include The Listener, Being Human, and Flashpoint. The episode brings the religious turmoil to a boil.
The show is doing a good job of showing the horrors of the religious persecution of the time. The episode begins with the Catholic Inquisitors horrifically cutting the lips off of people to enforce Francis’ (Toby Regbo) edict. Meanwhile, Francis has written to the Pope to try to have the Inquisitors called back to Rome. The Protestants lead by Jacob Rivell (Mac Fyfe) kidnap Conde (Sean Teale) because they feel that Francis may be sympathetic to their cause after all based on the letter. Rivell asks Conde, as a Protestant close to the King, to bring their Minister (Douglas Nyback) forward at court to plead for rebuilding their church.
Mary (Adelaide Kane) is supportive of rebuilding the church as it will imply that the Protestants have some permission for their worship from the crown. She sees it as a way to calm the unrest. As it turns out, both Conde and Rivell are shocked when the Minister demands the Inquisitors be expelled from France within three days or they will detonate a hidden bomb, killing many Catholics.
Francis is determined to torture the information out of the minister. Both Mary and Bash (Torrance Coombs) counsel to keep the threat quiet, and Mary and Conde consider whether the Protestants are trying to make a martyr out of the Minister. Once again, Francis tries to protect Mary and prevent her from acting. I really liked the opening scene in which Mary vowed to Francis that she would never give up on France or leave. Bash counsels Francis that if he continues to push Mary away, he may never win her back.
I’m finding this story arc annoying. If Francis would only tell Mary what was going on, as both Bash and now Lola (Anna Popplewell) have counselled him to do, she could help him. She’s proven herself to be strong and resourceful. I’m really failing to see what the upside to keeping her in the dark is at this point – other than needless drama between Francis and Mary. Frankly, I’d rather see them work together to vanquish their enemies.
There really was a lot going on in this episode. Conde is left to try to find the bomb – which turns out to be sawdust. However, the words
Sangvis Flavat – blood will flow – are prophetic. Under torture, they learn that the Protestants lied to the Minister as well, but not before Francis has him gravely injured on the rack. Mary insists that Francis not make him a martyr, and once again, she has clearly seen what the ultimate plot is. Bash is shot while trying to take the Minister to the doctor at Epinee, and witnesses his own followers kill the Minister. Later his body is hung in the town square as if by the Inquisitors which starts a riot. Mary and Francis are barely whisked away by Conde. They end the episode even further apart than when the episode began.
Bash is particularly busy this episode and seems to have his finger in every plot. He helps with the Minister, he is the one to search Narcisse’s (Craig Parker) house, and he also appeals to Catherine (Megan Follows) on Claude’s (Rose Williams) behalf. I’m still not 100% sold on Williams and feel she is a bit too over the top in the scenes where she’s just supposed to be bratty, but she does some good work here in the more serious scenes with Follows.
Catherine has made a match with a Bavarian Count (Ron Lea) to have his son William (Taras Lesluk) marry Claude. Everyone seems to smell a rat. The Count has heard rumors about Claude’s virtue and insists on an examination to confirm it. Claude accuses Catherine of being punishing and cold. Bash advises Claude to submit to the examination and the marriage in the hopes that she can find happiness and love – which she is clearly never going to find from her mother at the French court. Yet Bash still goes to see Catherine to ask her not to force the marriage. He asks her why she’s forcing the marriage and points out that Catherine’s “motives are often concealed.”
Follows is excellent in this scene. I’m curious as to why she is suddenly hallucinating the twins. Is she going mad? Is it because of Henry’s loss? Is it the return of Claude? Regardless, as she talks to Bash, we see her eyes dart towards her bed – where she is seeing the twins. It’s made clear in the episode that the twins are threatening to do something to Clause if Catherine doesn’t send her away – though it remains unclear just what a ghost – or two – could actually do. Catherine tells Bash that she loves all her children and protecting them and keeping them safe is what drives her existence. We finally see the long list of all her children’s names in her Bible.
Bash clearly sees she is acting strangely, particularly when he turns to go and she is doing something on the bed. We see that she is tucking in the twins. The flashbacks would indicate that Claude killed the twins as babies by sticking roses off her dress down their throats because she was jealous of them. It was very interesting to see a young Catherine and compare how much she’s changed. We see her very happy with her twins and then really mourning the loss of her babies.
Catherine does relent towards Claude during the examination and take her hand. Williams reaction here is excellent as Claude is clearly confused by this gesture of affection from Catherine. She appeals one more time to avoid the marriage, but Catherine is adamant that she needs to marry and leave the castle. In the end, Claude breaks the engagement by sitting on Narcisse’s lap in full view of her future father-in-law.
I have to admit that I was a little disappointed to see the Lola/Narcisse storyline wrap up so quickly. He manages to make an indecent proposal to Lola by finding her alone in the woods. However, it’s clear that Lola is intrigued by the possibility of having something of her own. She looks both interested and flattered when Narcisse suggests they meet in secret. I loved Narcisse suggesting there might be a very big wolf in the forest – to encourage her to accept his ride – and Lola responding, “You’re the wolf!” And was that a red cloak she had on??
I was glad to see that Lola, at least, isn’t about to keep secrets. She goes to Francis and tells him she knows he killed Henry and urges him to tell Mary. It’s only when Francis tells her that Narcisse threatened their son that Lola tells Francis she really did plant the cypher. Of course, Narcisse has already removed it. After his house is searched, Narcisse comes to Lola to tell her he’s saddened that she choose Francis over him. Once again, he does seem sincere when he says that he would never hurt her baby – it was a bluff. But then he adds that her son will always be in danger anyway because of who his father is.
Narcisse goes on to say that Lola will regret her choice as someday she will want the protection his friendship would have given her. She tells him that he’s a dangerous man. Parker is doing a really excellent job with the character. He was super creepy in the woods and at the end of the episode with Claude – Heaven help the court if he decides to make her his next bride! At the same time, I find myself hoping that part of him is sincere and was really interested in Lola.
However, the last scene of the episode has Francis taking refuge and solace with the baby – and Lola by extension. Francis tells her that the baby is “the only pure and joyful thing in my life.” Lola tells him she understands what he did and why he did it and that he’s a good man. She also says what he’s done proves he loves his wife. I hope that they aren’t going to try to have Lola come between Mary and Francis. Lola has proven herself to be a very loyal friend up until now. However, they also seem to be pushing Mary and Conde together.
What did you think of the episode? Do you think it’s time that Francis comes clean with Mary? Is Francis doomed to be ruled by Narcisse? Do you think he was at all sincere with Lola? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
About the Author - Lisa Macklem
I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Forever, Defiance, Bitten, Glee, and a few others! Highlights of this past year include covering San Diego Comic Con as press and a set visit to Bitten. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.
