This is the climax of The Serpent Queen. I give this show’s massive finale splash a six out of 10 rating since some shows do it better than others. At least three points are already accounted for by the fact that I enjoy seeing grand, dramatic coronation scenes. However, I could be getting ahead of myself.
This show truly emphasizes how bad some individuals are at scheming and plots compared to how good certain people are. I am the Antoine of my generation in terms of plotting. I keep thinking of how tedious that sounds and how I could be alphabetizing my books or watching a video of a cow playing with a huge rubber ball instead of doing plots. Why plot when you could just get a milkshake? Well. With the exception of her magician Ruggieri, who evidently knew every step far back when he first met Catherine, humanity is a kaleidoscope, and Catherine is four steps ahead of everyone else. “Wizards,” right?
We knew Rahima was somehow involved in Catherine’s scheme to prevent Mary from regaining the throne going into this episode, but we did not know how. Rahima, thankfully, gets to narrate an episode for the first time. I cherish Rahima. Rahima should play a bigger role in the second season if we get one, given that we’ve caught up to her story. We should get more of the uncommon breed of schemer who is also cheerful and endearing on our screens (and shout-out to Sennia Nanua for embodying that).
Rahima visits Ruggieri’s camp in the woods, where he offers her an imitation of Elizabeth I’s imperial seal. I assume that having something like this could result in your death. Back then, they killed people for much, much less. However, Rahima grabs it and gives it to Catherine since she knows she can use it for her own cunning. Rahima responds, “Sure, but how about I tell you,” to Catherine’s question about wanting to know how Catherine’s narrative ends. incredible power move adore it
After cajoling Montmorency and the Bourbon Boys into pretending to capture Francis in the woods, either Catherine decides to alter course after noticing Francis coughing up blood all over the carriage, or this was her original goal all along: She yells that the king has been attacked. As a result, everything goes wrong for Montmorency and the Bourbons since they no longer have the element of surprise. The Bourbon Boys continue to have a hold on my heart as Louis yells, “Fuck this,” and rides off.
Following the Bourbons on horseback, Catherine and Montmorency come across Antoine, who has obviously fallen from his mount. When Catherine stabs Montmorency, Antoine will undoubtedly tell Mary about their entire scheme, which is why Montmorency wants to kill him. I did not anticipate this. She orders Antoine to sprint to a nearby farm before pleading with Montmorency for mercy. It seems that whenever Catherine does something that causes someone to die or come dangerously close to dying, she quickly regrets it. I’m full with regrets! Don’t water down the decisions you made. If you had to stab Montmorency once more, you would do it, but the next time you would do it better because, oh no, he’s not dead, and now one of the Guises is also present. He learns from Catherine that Antoine stabbed Montmorency before fleeing. Yes, good. It takes a while before it becomes evident why she wants Antoine to be alive. Because of scheming (spoiler alert!)
Francis is currently dying, the Guises are competing for leadership, and the Bourbons are both hidden and imprisoned (Louis) (Antoine). By “vibing” in the background, I mean informing Mary she can only think of her kid and is unable to provide counsel more than perhaps a few tangential remarks about how Mary ought to be regent.
This is the kink in the real succession plan. They require a regent since, although Francis’s brother Charles is the next in line, he is only about 9 years old. Antoine has been designated as Charles’ regent, but he is both (1) hiding and (2) in serious danger for attempting to kidnap the monarch. They still want Antoine’s approval before installing a new regent despite the kidnapping incident. perhaps as a result of laws Unclear. I don’t know anything about French law from the sixteenth century. All I know is that because women couldn’t hold positions of power, France had a succession of forgettable rulers while England experienced a Golden Age.
Montmorency is wanted as regent by the Guises. Since he can reveal that Catherine was behind the scheme to kidnap Francis, she tries to convince Mathilde to kill him because she is shocked he is still alive. Mathilde objects, but when Catherine threatens to evict her if she doesn’t, Mathilde sets out to kill Montmorency while wearing a nun’s habit. She identifies herself as Sister Grace of the Sacred Order of the Diminutives when approached by a guard. You think I’d make that up, Mathilde responds when he asks if she’s joking. Classic. She stabs Montmorency, but he changes the situation, grabs the knife, and promises she can survive if she gets him out of there.
Okay, short question: Can somebody explain why Aabis is so determined to save this adolescent lad, Timothée Chalamet, who I only know from my notes? He is very annoying. She seems to take it very seriously, but I have no emotional stake in the boy’s life except from wanting to see a sequel to Dune, and even then, that’s really because of Florence Pugh. Although I am aware that he worked for Aabis, a lot of individuals, you know, work for a lot of people.
When Catherine pays Antoine a visit at the farmhouse, she demands that he sign a document abdicating his regency or else Louis will be put to death. Antoine calls her out, claiming he doesn’t know if Louis is really detained. It’s like witnessing Michael Scott ace that paper sale at Chili’s when you see Antoine make a good decision. In order to change her strategy, a dissatisfied Catherine heads to Ruggieri for an opiate that will either relieve Francis’ severe agony or kill him. That Catherine de’ Medici lady was difficult. Countless layers. A person who is a real onion. nonetheless, like a cunning onion.
The farmhouse and the signing over of the regency are at the heart of most of the drama in this story. Catherine tricks Mary into amputating Louis’ finger, which Catherine then shows Antoine as evidence that Louis is being held captive. She threatens to keep taking pieces away if he doesn’t declare her regent. When Antoine is about to sign, why do Montmorency and the Guises suddenly rush in brandishing weapons? The Guises want Montmorency to be made regent and believe they have control over him since they can threaten the girl he likes; yet, I am still unsure of how her relationship with him works. However, Montmorency CHANGES THE PLAN and has Antoine sign the document appointing Catherine regent after telling her that she is the only one who can save France from “any of these fucking morons.” So near! She only needs to persuade her dying son to sign. The stealthy power-grab effort of a 16th-century woman is never finished.
The exchange between Francis and Catherine on his deathbed is incredibly moving, and Samantha Morton does a wonderful job of capturing Catherine’s love for her son in the act of giving him the drug that would kill him while simultaneously pressing him to sign a document that will grant her the authority she seeks. He tells her in his last moments, “I will leave you to deal with your decisions,” which is a little pompous and snide, but it’s alright because he’s in a lot of pain and dying.
Louis’s head is almost severed, but unlike another Louis in the future, he is saved just in time. Mary is astonished since she genuinely wanted this execution to happen, but she is even more shocked to learn that Catherine, who recently assumed the role of regent, is the one who is reversing the decision. Elizabeth, Mary’s cousin, will undoubtedly assist her, she says she will write to her. Ahahahahahaha.
We then return to Rahima as she finishes the story by telling Catherine. Rahima claims that when Catherine saw her pleading for a job, she immediately recognized her as the ideal candidate to forward the “get Mary the fuck out of France” plot. You ask how? Mary first writes Elizabeth I a letter. JK, as Elizabeth never receives the letter in step two. Step 3: False Elizabeth’s signature and implicate Rahima so Mary believes she despises Catherine and Rahima helps steal Elizabeth’s (fake) response from Catherine. 4th Step: Gain.
Rahima sends Catherine a list of her terms, which include a title and property, and this is when the profiteering occurs (NICE). She also queries whether Catherine carried out the entire plan in order to gain power. Rahima replies it’s fine, let’s do it when Catherine confirms that it was in fact for freedom. Mary leaves for Scotland as soon as Rahima hands her the letter. She claims that Rahima will remember her in history, to which Guise, who is passing, responds, “I wouldn’t count on that.” adore it My favorite.
As Catherine’s son Charles gets about to be proclaimed king, Mary arrives in Scotland and learns she has been played for a very embarrassing joke. The scene is being set for season two with everyone present. The Guises are secretly furious; the Bourbons promise vengeance but will acquiesce in the interim; Catherine’s estranged entourage attends but very likely no longer wants anything to do with her. BUT. Who is actually wearing the throne? Serpent Queen, our. Rahima warns us, “Trust no one.” Season is over!
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