As a scholar with a penchant for the intricate tapestry of history, I must say that this narrative is as captivating as a cat chasing its own tail! The audacity and cunning displayed by Catherine de Medici are reminiscent of a grand game of chess, where each move is calculated with such precision that it leaves one questioning the very nature of humanity.
Admittedly, I was anticipating a scene where a character inquires about the day, only to reveal it as St. Bartholomew’s Day, setting up a moment of contrived dramatic irony. I didn’t mind if it seemed like poor writing, but instead, the title of the episode, “All Saints Day,” is confusing and seems to miss an opportunity to reference the significant event Catherine de’ Medici is infamous for – the St. Bartholomew’s Day massacre! It’s hard to believe they wouldn’t capitalize on such a well-known historical moment.
To learn about St. Bartholomew, his image as depicted by Rubens, and the intriguing fact that he was martyred in Azerbaijan, you can find a less flattering depiction of him on Wikipedia. The “Legend of the Fire-Red-Haired Virgin Girl Savior” is associated with his martyrdom site, making it worth delving into. However, be aware that St. Bartholomew plays no role in our season finale, so let’s focus on other topics instead.
In this episode, there were so many significant events that it needed to be extended by fifteen minutes compared to others. The story kicks off with Margot darting into her chamber, shrieking and wrecking items due to Catherine’s insistence on making her wed Henry, the son of Jeanne of Navarre. Yet, Margot yearns for nothing more than to be with François de Guise. Charles, who you might recall harbors unusual affections for Margot, assures her she won’t have to marry Henry. Oh, Charles! Your vows will prove fruitless!
Imagine having a mother like Catherine, one who always seems to have anticipated your life’s decisions several steps ahead, leaving you feeling rather frustrated because it feels as if you have no control over your own destiny, such as being set up to marry the future king of a place called Navarre, regardless of your own plans. For someone like me, who is not familiar with where Navarre is located, this could certainly add to the frustration.
The buzz surrounding Margot’s upcoming marriage is immense, as marrying Henry is believed to mollify Edith, the Protestant Leader, and prevent her from causing widespread destruction in France. Yet, this union could shift power away from the Catholics, enraging the Catholic League, and Antoinette de Guise in particular. She instructs François to seduce Margot, ruining her reputation, so he can marry her instead of Henry. “She’ll be an outcast,” Antoinette explains, “but she’ll have more time for her books.” It seems this was a common strategy back then to gain more reading time? François is reluctant to carry out these actions, but Antoinette threatens to involve his brother, the Protestant convert cardinal, with the Catholic League if he doesn’t comply.
The common misunderstanding is that Catherine isn’t aware of their plans, providing an enjoyable misconception for the audience. Someone else holds the reins, and we’re privy to this secret! Yet, despite your attempts to play the manipulative hand, Catherine has a powerful countermeasure prepared. (Analogizing card games as best I can.)
In this intrigue-filled story, François and Margot become intimate, with Margot being rather thrilled about the development. However, Catherine reveals their secret to Charles, leading him to unexpectedly walk in on them. This sets the stage for Charles to force Margot into marrying Henry. But there’s a complication – Jeanne of Navarre disapproves of the union and demands a thorough examination of Margot to confirm her virginity. Although this concept is questionable, they proceed with the examination. Catherine agrees to Jeanne’s request but secretly sends Angelica into town to kill Jeanne using poisoned gloves that appear to be glued on. This was quite a gruesome end, reminiscent of a scene straight out of a Fear Street novel.
Currently, Jeanne has passed away, and although both the Bourbon brothers claim that Catherine was responsible, she escapes punishment and invites Edith to her upcoming wedding. This invitation is particularly appealing for Edith since Catherine plans to transfer the regency to her, a decision that I find confusing but irrelevant to this story. Charles also needs to approve this change, which Catherine assures him he will do following the ceremony. It’s worth noting that Catherine extends invitations to those who have wronged her in the past, hinting at potential conflicts – and by “those,” I mean Alessandro.
Alessandro and Rahima are prepared to flee to Florida together (agreed). However, Rahima expresses apprehension, which Alessandro dismisses, something one should never disregard. Leia warned this before, and it turned out they were in the midst of a colossal spaceworm. This ‘murder banquet’ is your space worm, Alessandro! Yet, he remains unheedful because they seldom listen. Rahima also mentions she has something to disclose, but fails to do so, making it clear she’s pregnant. Oh dear, Rahima. I had hoped for a more engaging storyline for you than “spending the entire season on the sidelines and then pregnant with the child of a man whose aim is to relocate to Florida.”
The Bourbons harbor suspicions about this matter; they lean slightly towards trusting themselves over it. In other words, they don’t take any action, but they both seem to have that “hmm, yes, something doesn’t quite add up” vibe. At the same time, they’re occupied with dispensing marriage advice to Henry about topics such as women being untrustworthy and using their alluring charms to deceive. Eventually, Henry confides in his father that he himself is emotionally detached, which is quite an optimistic perspective, Henry.
In a turn of events, the wedding takes place; Henry deceives Margot about consummating their marriage as a means of protection, an act that Margot acknowledges gratefully. This action seems inconsistent with his “not really feeling things” persona, unless I’ve misinterpreted this trait. Montmorency proposes a wild scheme to Catherine, suggesting they flee together, which borders on the delusional. In response, Catherine asks him to meet her in the courtyard following the feast.
At this grand feast, we sense some impending chaos, though we’re unsure of the specifics. It has a strong Red Wedding-like atmosphere. Angelica confines Rahima to her chambers, keeping her away from the action. Anjou and his companions, armed, are on standby until the stroke of ten. Catherine, Charles, and Edith oversee the festivities, as the newlyweds choose to boycott due to Margot’s anger towards everyone for forcing her wedding. Fairly so, one might say. Intriguingly, after Edith inquires about the regency passing to Catherine, she replies with a cryptic statement, “It’s time for you to claim what you came here for.” This could sound rather vague, like saying, “You will receive your due,” but Catherine then makes an unexpected move by reaching for what appears to be the least threatening knife in the palace and nonchalantly slitting Edith’s throat. She then calmly exits the room as Anjou and his men burst in.
The event unfolded swiftly and subtly, leaving many in the room unaware it had occurred. However, the presence of a band of masked men wielding swords gave them pause, causing widespread panic. As the masked men, along with Rahima’s attendants, began to attack, one woman’s expression seemed to say, “Oh dear, did we start?” before she swiftly turned on her companion. To put it mildly, if there’s a sympathetic killer in this scene, she’s the one. The assailants called out, “Greetings from the House of Guise,” as they took lives, with Ruggieri being the only exception who stabbed Alessandro and declared it a gift from his queen. Catherine, you sly fox! In the meantime, Montmorency was waiting in the courtyard and, predictably, was wounded by Angelica.
In a different turn of phrase: Anjou and his troops aim to slay Henry, but Margot manages to halt them. She expresses her wish for Henry’s survival to Catherine, who agrees reluctantly, yet alerts Margot that Henry appears more astute than one might think. Charles (surprisingly still alive!) is taken aback by the happenings, and Catherine advises him of a critical choice. If Edith’s supporters regain consciousness, they will raid the palace, resulting in the deaths of everyone there. Alternatively, Charles may opt for plan B, which he chooses – leading to widespread death among Parisian Protestants that very morning.
1. During a meeting with Rahima, there’s some discussion about how Rahima will inform her child about Catherine’s actions, and so forth. This sort of behavior is beneath you, Rahima. Nevertheless, Catherine spares her life since she genuinely appreciates Rahima. The monarchy’s safety is ensured due to Catherine’s efforts in circulating rumors that the Guises collaborated with the Catholic League to dethrone the king and massacre Protestants. Consequently, the Catholic League has also been removed from power.
We end with Rahima swearing revenge on Catherine, the cardinal swearing revenge on Catherine, the Bourbons magically still being alive (!!), and foreshadowing of an Anjou reign in the next season. Are we getting a next season?? What will they even do now that The Big Event is over? What if they continue with their departure from historical fact and just go completely off the rails, like Catherine has France invade Russia and they somehow win and she becomes the Serpent Empress? Just a thought.
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2024-08-31 06:54