S02.E21: The Siege

[PinkRibbons]

NOTE: Reign airs on Wednesdays in Canada, meaning that the episodes are very often viewed a day before they have aired in the US. Therefore please be aware that this thread will almost definitely have spoilers for those who wish to wait until Thursday night to view the new episode.
 

Quote

Troops reach the castle in the wake of Conde's betrayal, leading Mary and Francis to unite and look past their differences. Meanwhile, Catherine teaches Narcisse not to be disloyal again; and Bash invites Delphine to the castle.

 

US Promo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya3o_0V16cI

 

Canadian Promo:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYPyrUEdUmw

[brisbydog]

Please tell me Condé dies next week. Or offs himself to save Mary.

Poor Narcisse. He is so trapped now.

What was that stuff with Delphine and the servant dude? I rewound twice and still was baffled

[dirtypop90]

^ I'm with you on being confused about delphine and wanting conde dead next ep. I can't believe they've let his s/l go on so long given the negative reaction and drop in ratings. But they must have the sense not to carry him into next season? I'm betting on Mary being the one to kill Conde given next episode's  synopsis. It would be the only good thing she's done ALL season.

 

This episode wasn't nearly as exciting as I felt it should've been. Loved Claude telling Mary this was all her fault and they all were thinking it. Lola/Narc still have good chemistry but I no longer find them root worthy. 

 

Overall, another BLAH episode, mainly because it's hard for me to take Conde seriously because of the poor acting. He doesn't feel like a real threat in the way that henry, narcisse, or even antoine did. I believe little princess claude could take him. 

Edited May 7, 2015 by dirtypop90

[PinkRibbons]

Well, this is Mary's last chance to redeem herself, or start. I'm actually a little surprised she didn't gut Conde right there when he drew close.

 

I obviously don't believe for a second that she's pregnant -- they've spent too much of the first half of the season emphasizing her fertility troubles, not to mention Francis's extremely strict warning about her getting pregnant with Conde's child when he gave his "permission".

 

Compared to last year's insanely awesome penultimate episode this one is so lacking. I love to see Francis in a fight; I love even more that vastly outnumbered he still makes Conde look like a weakling. That one-on-one, despite all Conde's threats still had Francis coming out looking like a badass, imo. And now that I think of last year's episode, this is the kid that wrestled Calais away from the English with like four guys. Beware yee who underestimate him.

 

The horse thing was gross but frankly I'm with Catherine. She's been cheated on too much and Narcisse should have left well enough alone. Nice misdirect with the poisoning -- OH! MAYBE SHE GAVE MARY SOME! I'm so hoping that Mary appearing in Conde's tent isn't a single-handed Hail-Mary (please forgive the pun.) Having Francis's support and Catherine's in it would be awesome.

 

And is anyone else expecting something ginormous to come running at Conde's army straight from Greer's whorehouse? Like maybe she's been entertaining a mercenary convention.

[dirtypop90]

Well, this is Mary's last chance to redeem herself, or start. I'm actually a little surprised she didn't gut Conde right there when he drew close.

 

Really wish they would let francis kill conde. I feel he deserves one win. But I know it's going to be mary so they can have mary quickly redeem herself before heading into season 3.

[Morrigan2575]

I thought Mary's pleas to Conde were legit. Not really sure what she gains otherwise. A stall tatic?

The "dinner" scene was interested. I cycled through several scenarios before figuring it out. She poisoned the food, the steak is really Lola, oh it's the horse. Kind of scary I thought of Lola before the horse.

I'm really curious about Bash and witchy woman. What was she doing? Trying to bind the poor guy to Bash so red shirt dies instead? Trying to get pregnant and pass it off as Bash's? Speaking if pregnant, why do I think Kenna is pregnant and this will keep Bash/Kenna together? He'll stay with her and claim the child as his own since Renaud is a dead man walking. Something about the radiant aura and then talking about Bash/Witchy kids...made me think Bash will have kids just not with her. Plus Kenna/Witchy have similar looks.

[dirtypop90]

^ so Mary can kill him from the inside. next week's synopsis says

mary risks everything to take down conde

 

I also thought Kenna was pregnant when delphine touched her and said she had this radiant energy inside of her or something like that.

Edited May 8, 2015 by dirtypop90

[Morrigan2575]

Oh thanks. That makes sense..certainly preferable to Mary betraying Francis.

[Artsda]

I love Narcisse with Lola, especially that kiss. Ugh  he's stuck with Katherine. Really hope he gets out and Lola gets him. She humanizes him.

 

I guess Mary is lying, but her going after and lying to Conde like that just days after being in love with him is nuts. All because Claude told her the truth, that it's all her fault? Wonder who Claude is seeing in the secret passages? 

 

When Francis was going on about how his brothers are too young to rule and his child is a bastard. I was wondering if Francis would somehow legitimize Bash, so if something did happen to Francis then Bash would be King. Which would have been hilarious since Kenna's requesting an annulment yet just after Bash gets the biggest title in their world.

 

Bash and the witch at the end was weird too and Kenna's taste in men is awful. 

[HunterHunted]

Is Bash's nunwitch the Lady Melisandre? Is she try to birth shadow children with Bash's face to assassinate Conde? If yes, then I vote she continue with her blood magic.

Out numbered and penned in and Francis still sounds like more of a boss than Conde.

I loved Claude putting Mary on blast. This entire mess is Mary's fault and they should remind her of it frequently.

Killing Narcisse's horse was desperate and Catherine is not desperate. I do love Lola and Narcisse.

[dirtypop90]

I guess Mary is lying, but her going after and lying to Conde like that just days after being in love with him is nuts. All because Claude told her the truth, that it's all her fault? Wonder who Claude is seeing in the secret passages?

 

the writers did a four week time jump. That's plenty of time for the Mary we know to fall out of love with someone. She's told three men she loved them in two seasons, which is impressive even for a teen show.

Edited May 8, 2015 by dirtypop90

[Andromeda]

The thing that sticks with me most this week is the "one on one meeting." One on one? That is so not a 16th century term. What's its entymology, basketball? Anyway, just one of the inanities in this ridiculous show. Yet I watch.

 

I thought Mary was serious, but I should have known better considering she's ostensibly the heroine. That would be a bridge too far, even for her, because she would have to lose her head if she were serious. (Hell, she should have already lost it.)

[ulkis]

I am totally here for Catherine and punk-style Elizabeth meeting. This is the kind of inaccuracy I can get behind, and honestly, I'm kinda surprised no movie or show has ever done it before (as far as I know).

The horse thing was gross but frankly I'm with Catherine. She's been cheated on too much and Narcisse should have left well enough alone. Nice misdirect with the poisoning -- OH! MAYBE SHE GAVE MARY SOME! I'm so hoping that Mary appearing in Conde's tent isn't a single-handed Hail-Mary (please forgive the pun.) Having Francis's support and Catherine's in it would be awesome.

I'm with her and I'm not. I kind of want her to not give a shit about Narcisse and send him packing, but on the other hand, I did like the, "hey, look, I took this shit from the king because he was a freaking king, but I'll be damned if I let anyone else shovel me shit" angle.

Edited May 10, 2015 by ulkis

[Eolivet]

I'm also very torn about this Catherine storyline. On one hand, I absolutely loved where she said her issues were important because they were hers (paraphrased). Too often, I think women's emotions get thrown into the "overreacting" column, and I liked a woman to say basically "I know I have issues, but I recognize that, and it doesn't make me feel any differently or make them less valid." (basically)

 

On the other hand, it does feel to me like she's punishing Narcisse because Henry isn't there to punish. Except that unlike Henry, Narcisse isn't bound to Catherine by marriage or otherwise -- he's her lover, but they've made no commitments to each other. It's not even like he's slept with Lola -- it's the cardinal sin of talking with her and now kissing her goodbye. It almost comes across almost as the modern day "you're disrespecting me." Narcisse seems more like a piece of property to Catherine than a person, and thus, the cycle begins again.

 

Rather than setting up Lola and Narcisse, I think this is setting up a nice triangle next season -- where Lola is pursued by another man, and Narcisse has to decide if he wants to risk Catherine's wrath or just keep quiet. I like this idea in theory, but I'd be equally as happy if Catherine dumped Narcisse and moved on.

 

Bash and Kenna strikes me as the writers meant to key the car of their relationship, but used a baseball bat. I get that happy couples are boring, and Bash and Kenna had a nice ready-made conflict in her wanting wealth and status, but the last couple eps feel like the writers realizing they went too far and now they're just making things up as they go. As in, I seriously doubt "Kenna gets it on with a knight, while Bash has the hots for a seer" is in the writer's bible from season 2.

 

It's almost the antithesis of Mary/Francis/Conde, which seemed to have a definite endpoint in mind, but had no idea how to get there. Now that we're at the endpoint (ish), it makes sense -- it was just impossible to see during the course of the season. Like, I'm sure there was a more direct way to this story, but they took a bunch of detours and odd shortcuts and completely lost the audience along the way. But Mary's lover teaming up with her rival, and it being unclear whether his power play is political or personal? I'm down with that. If the writers had just taken me from around episode 10 and dropped me off here, I'd be all kinds of good. It was just the middle that got muddled.

[ulkis]

I'm also very torn about this Catherine storyline. On one hand, I absolutely loved where she said her issues were important because they were hers (paraphrased). Too often, I think women's emotions get thrown into the "overreacting" column, and I liked a woman to say basically "I know I have issues, but I recognize that, and it doesn't make me feel any differently or make them less valid." (basically)

 

On the other hand, it does feel to me like she's punishing Narcisse because Henry isn't there to punish. Except that unlike Henry, Narcisse isn't bound to Catherine by marriage or otherwise -- he's her lover, but they've made no commitments to each other. It's not even like he's slept with Lola -- it's the cardinal sin of talking with her and now kissing her goodbye. 

 

I think she is, a little. Catherine has shades of grey but ultimately, she's not a nice person. She's forbidding him from touching anyone else because she can.

 

Rather than setting up Lola and Narcisse, I think this is setting up a nice triangle next season -- where Lola is pursued by another man, and Narcisse has to decide if he wants to risk Catherine's wrath or just keep quiet. I like this idea in theory, but I'd be equally as happy if Catherine dumped Narcisse and moved on.

 

 

I agree.

 

Bash and Kenna strikes me as the writers meant to key the car of their relationship, but used a baseball bat. I get that happy couples are boring, and Bash and Kenna had a nice ready-made conflict in her wanting wealth and status, but the last couple eps feel like the writers realizing they went too far and now they're just making things up as they go. As in, I seriously doubt "Kenna gets it on with a knight, while Bash has the hots for a seer" is in the writer's bible from season 2.

 

 

hee. I think where the writers messed up with Bash and Kenna is not that they slept with other people, but like they acted like it would be easy peasy to get an annulment. 

 

Re: Bash, I'm annoyed that the few times he and Catherine interact they are so relaxed with each other. There should be more tension now that Henry is dead, not less. And she killed his mom and all, it would have been interesting to see him find out and her being all, yeah, what are you gonna do about it? 

[Featherhat]

The fact that Show!Diane is dead should be a big deal, even if she was never as politically important as Real!Diane. Someone who was with a king for at least 25 years per the show is going to be missed at some point.

Bash/Kenna could have been an interesting relationship in S2 but it devolved into pettiness again. You might think that "you were my father's 2nd mistress who (as you thought) got my mother demoted (except not really) and I'm bastard would have gotten them through another season without the need for both to get another love interest, but they glossed over many of the more juicy issues (yes Reign the actually scandalous ones not the pedestrian cute boy love triangles. Not one scene of Diane and Kenna ever interacting even though they did get the actress back to die.

Less said about Mary/Conde/Francis the better. Terribly handled in all the ways. I asked last season for a proper Huguenot storyline instead of pagans, be careful what you wish for I guess. I'm not a fan of QE1's actress but I hope she takes them all down.

[algebra]

This is still on and Francis hasn't died yet?

Glad I didn't keep watching it!