'Reign' Recap: Death Becomes Them
[Spoilers from episode 1 below]
"I want to be a different kind of queen. One my husband is proud of." -- Mary
The Black Death is sweeping the kingdom, and no one is safe (except those who are historically safe -- we can breathe easy for all of them). But first, let's recall Mary in the season pilot. She positively glowed and oohed and awed when she saw Francis in the courtyard. Her greatest concern was loving the man she was arranged to marry.
Now fast-forward to Queen Mary. Her youthful naivety is almost all gone. While she struggles between ruling with justice and ruling with cruelty, she is able to settle in her throne with a steely glare. The only sign that she's the hopeless romantic from way-back-when is her single glance at her husband's empty seat. She loves Francis, and we love them...or at least those of us who ship them together.
Let's get to the good, the great, and the brilliant moments of the season two premiere.
The Good: Francis holds his baby! The minute he cradles his son in his arms, his whole demeanor changes. He's practically shimmering. While it's easy to swoon, it's also easy to be a little hesitant. What does this mean for Lola and Mary? Will Francis actually try to have a relationship with the mother of his child? I don't know if the love between them is still there, but it's nice to see that the bond between father and son exists.
The Great: Leith and Greer have an awkward realization. He is dating the daughter of the man she's with. Hello, no. That is not cool. They've become my favorite non-existent couple. I'm rooting for them to reconnect, but while I wait, this is not only uncomfortable but slightly heartbreaking. And what's worse, I feel like my internal spells to cast off the redhead killed her. She didn't even survive the first episode. However, she didn't succumb to the plague but rather vengeance. Which brings us too...
The Brilliant: An entire house perishes. Mary had one choice to make: have a man executed or face the unknown. She chose the unknown and many more people died. Even so, Mary stood by her decision throughout each consequence and held her head high like a queen would. She wondered if Francis would be proud of her, and even though I'm no Francis, I would definitely give Mary a little pat on the back. It's not a "job well done" but it's a successful attempt at being human and keeping her morals.
Honorable Mention: Bash and Kenna come deathly close to the plague. We're still not one-hundred percent certain they're out of the woods yet (add Catherine to that list) but they've reunited after being "touched" or in contact with an infected person. Time will only tell what happens, but I'm going to be optimistic this time around.
Did you like the season premiere? Are you hoping Francis returns to Mary soon? Or do you want him to linger a little longer with Lola? And do you think Bash, Kenna, and Catherine are safe from the plague or are they on the chopping block? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
-- Becca Ritchie
