TV Review: Reign 1×21 “Long Live The King”

 

Will the real Lord Julian please stand up? Oh wait, he can’t; he’s dead. Lord Julian actually died in a fire and his servant, Remini, took his identity and his fortune. Lady Lola stepped into the picture, and he planned to get all her funds and run away, except he truly fell in love with her and stayed. It was all going so well at their new home, until Lord Julian’s uncle came looking for him. This was an unexpected twist that completely caught me off guard. I knew that Julian had secrets to hide about his family, but I never expected that it was a complete different identity that was being hidden.

I actually like Remini, I mean after he spilled the complete truth. He genuinely did seem like a good guy. It’s too bad that Julian’s uncle connected the dots about what Remini had done and accidentally stabs himself to his death in the firewood. This leaves Remini and Lola in quite a predicament. The only way to solve it is to burn the house down making it all look as an accident as Remini makes a run for it. This way, Lola and her baby can keep the prestige of Lord Julian’s title and reputation. It’s so unfortunate because those two were really falling deeply in love. Julian prompts Lola to return to French court and if the father of the baby is a good man to inform him.

This whole thing is just bugging me because suddenly Lola is left alone with her baby making it the perfect moment to cause Francis and Mary even more chaos. Everything could’ve been so great with Lola and Remini. But of course, this is the CW and drama must always be in abundance. It was too good to be true. RIP Lola and Julian/Remini’s romance. I’m going to miss Remini’s lovely face. Sigh.

Lola’s baby daddy drama rising up once again is perfect timing for the upcoming finale; I’m sure that Francis will probably find out the truth.

As if Mary and Francis didn’t need any more marital problems. At least, Francis has returned safely from the war, as France has conquered Calais from England.

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But this victory has only awakened the ambition in King Henry even more so, who knew that was even possible? He wants to declare full-fledged war on England as Mary claims the throne. But a mad king at war with a nation would be an utter disaster.

Francis is convinced he can help Henry gain his sanity back. We have to give Francis props; he truly did get to Henry’s heart. We got to see the Henry who is a father and that is caring—A.K.A. not an enraged lunatic. It was refreshing, and Alan Van Sprang is truly mastering the art of portraying Henry’s inner struggle with himself. It’s no wonder that King Henry is going mad. At only seven years old, he was traded as a hostage alongside his brother as an exchange for his father’s freedom. Henry’s own father orchestrated the whole exchange; he did not bat an eye when he cast away his sons in a foreign country as prisoners. Tough childhood indeed.

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As Francis is trying to save his father, his wife and mother are plotting on how to kill King Henry. French court never fails to surprise us. Mary and Katherine decide that killing the King is the best way to save thousands of lives that could be lost because of Henry’s reckless decisions for war. But the only way to poison him is when he’s taking his communion. Francis is enraged when he finds out what they’ve plotted to do as they didn’t give him enough time.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen Francis this disappointed in Mary; he’s truly in shock at the person she’s becoming. This is a major moment because as madly in love as he is with her, his eyes have been opened at the change that Mary has had while he was at war. This is the marking of a deep rift within them, not as rulers, but as husband and wife. Francis changed all of his ways when he fell in love with Mary; he truly respected and admired the integrity and heart Mary ruled with. Now, all he sees is a reflection of his mother, not something one wants in a wife when your mother is Queen Katherine.

However, Mary only agreed to this plan with Katherine because she truly thought there was no other option. Katherine and Mary at Francis’s urgency agree to abort the mission. However, as King Henry is taking his communion, an assassin goes into the prayer room to kill him. Henry catches a glimpse of him through the reflection of his wine cup and kills the man.

Which means that someone knew about Mary and Katherine’s plan and tried to frame their plan in order to create paranoia in the King. It’s none other than Duke of Guise, who has backstabbed his own niece in order to land in good graces with the King and guarantee a position in French court. Sneaky move! Katherine was right, they let in the devil himself, and she warned Mary.

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And now, Mary and Katherine must pray that Henry doesn’t suspect they were responsible.

This episode was thrilling for the twist of events with Lord Julian. It was also a good set up, politically speaking to set up the background information for the upcoming finale of the season. The war that King Henry wants is a major factor that’s causing all the chaos in the castle.

The most important part about all of this is the paranoia that has risen inside of Henry. Paranoia combined with his hunger for power is causing Henry to believe that the only solution is to kill his son and marry his wife, Queen Mary. Yeah, Henry has officially lost it. Mary is a powerful chess piece in all of this as only she can claim the throne to England that Henry so desperately wants. He sees that Francis is too weak and caring for others and believes he isn’t fit to lead the way to victory.

I’m hoping this season finale can truly deliver and connect many loose ends of the whole season. The season’s finale is sure to mark Mary’s final transformation into a different kind of ruler, and person of course. She’s no longer a girl that’s easy to kill; she’s a woman ready to defend her country at any cost.

Loose ends that need to be tied up in this season finale: Lola and the true identity of her baby daddy, Leith returning to court, Olivia and Nostradamus’s vision of her dying in the castle—her return, the darkness and Bash.

Hoping I won’t be disappointed this Thursday!

Comment on what you’re hoping to see in this season’s finale!

Gif Credit:

Reign Daily 

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