Reign on the CW continues tonight with an all new Thursday December 4, season 2 episode 9 called “Acts of War,” and we have your weekly recap below. Tonight, Mary [Adelaide Kane] proposes a marriage idea for Claude, but Claude has plans of her own. Meanwhile, Bash and Francis concoct a scheme to free Francis from following Narcisse’s [Craig Parker] demands; and Greer discovers she may be deeper in the Protestant movement than she realized.
On the last episode, Tensions escalated between Mary (Adelaide Kane) and Francis (Toby Regbo) when Vatican inquisitors performed barbaric acts on anyone suspected of being a Protestant. After a brave proclamation, Lord Condé (Sean Teale) was abducted, resulting in a precarious situation with a surprising group of assailants. Catherine (Megan Follows) experiences an annoying setback when she played matchmaker on behalf of a reluctant Claude (Rose Williams), while Narcisse (Craig Parker) offered a stranded Lola (Anna Popplewell) an innocent horse ride back to the castle, where a dark secret involving Francis was revealed. Torrance Coombs, Caitlin Stasey, Celina Sinden and Jonathan Keltz also star. Charles Binamé directed the episode written by Adele Lim and Melody Fox. Did you watch the last episode? If you missed it we have you covered with a full and detailed recap, right here for you.
On tonight’s episode as per the CW synopsis, “with a holiday celebration around the corner, Bash (Torrance Coombs) uncovers what could be the answer to Francis (Toby Regbo) finally escaping the oppressive thumb of Lord Narcisse (Craig Parker), and the two formulate a daring plan. Meanwhile, Mary proposes the radical idea of marrying the Protestant Lord Condé (Sean Teale) to the Catholic Claude (Rose Williams), a scheme that she believes a viable path forward to peace, but Claude has other plans in store. As preparations are made for the upcoming feast, Greer (Celina Sinden) discovers that she may be more involved with the Protestant movement than she originally thought. Megan Follows, Jonathan Keltz, Caitlin Stasey and Anna Popplewell also star.Fred Gerber directed the episode written by Laurie McCarthy and Nancy Wo.”
Don’t forget to come back here tonight at 9 PM EST for your live recap of Reign season 2 episode 9 “Acts of War.” In the meantime, be sure to hit up the comments section below and let us know what you’re most excited about for tonight’s episode.
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A man calls out for his goat and is knocked down. He sees a dead man in the field and is dragged away by a shackle fastened to his ankle. The man asks what his captor wants of him and he says – you’re going to change the face of France. Francis hands out food to poor Protestants and promises more help. They tell him their minister was beaten to death and Francis says the crown didn’t do that. Louis speaks up and says it will be better. Francis thanks him for coming along.
Bash sends a messenger for Francis to come back to the castle at once. The ladies have a dance lesson when Claude comes in and mocks them. Kenna says she would have invited her but she doesn’t respond to any of her invitations. She says she needs their help and asks about Narcisse. Mary comes in and Kenna says she kept his last wife in a cage. Mary says he’s unsuitable for her and Claude says that sounds perfect for a juicy affair that will ruin any chance of her mom making her a good marriage.
Mary finds Francis and asks about marrying Claude off to Conde to send a message about Protestant acceptance. She says he would exemplify tolerance but he says the nobles would rise against them. She says it would give the Protestants no real power. He says no and she says she expected that answer. Bash brings Francis to see Father Michael – the priest that Narcisse was hiding to testify against Mary and Catherine. It’s the guy that was dragged off at the beginning. Looks like it was Bash that got him.
He tells them Balfont is his only contact from Narcisse. He brought him food. Bash says if Balfont finds out the priest is missing, he’ll know he’s on to them. They wonder if Balfont is also bringing supplies to Montgomery in hiding. Francis says they should follow Balfont to see where he goes to Montgomery. Francis says he needs to prod Narcisse to action and then he chases Mary down and says he agrees to the marriage between Claude and Conde.
He tells her to go talk to them both and says he would rather they agree than him force the marriage on them. She agrees but says not to go back on his word. Mary goes first to talk to Louis Conde about the proposed marriage. She tells him he’s the most visible Protestant leader in France. He wants to know what she’s up to. She asks him to become a symbol for all of France and tells him about the marriage they’re offering. He asks if she’s serious.
He asks if Francis approves of this. She says he has and says it may smooth over the religious violence. He says she’s not his image of an ideal wife – he knows she’s a terror. He says his brother has been looking at a Protestant duchess he might marry. He says he didn’t agree to that either. She says she knows he’s asking to give something up but says it could change France and could possibly bring him happiness as well. He tells her she could sell water to the ocean but agrees.
He asks when he meets his future wife. She goes next to talk to Claude who complains about the marriage. Catherine shows up then and Mary rolls her eyes. Catherine says she won’t have a Protestant or a Bourbon marry into their family. Claude refuses the marriage and Catherine says it’s a miracle they can agree on it. Mary says if the king wants it, it will happen. Claude stomps out and Catherine says she needs Claude married off an away from court.
She threatens Mary if she toys with Claude’s future. Jacob and Hugo come to see Castleroy about a school they’re working on. Greer is surprised and Lily offers to tell her about some of their other projects. Greer asks Castleroy if he’s trying to convert her. He says he wants them to be together in all things. Claude checks out Conde and says he’s very nice looking. She asks if Mary sent him to woo her. She asks why he’s considering the marriage.
He says he’s rich and has plenty of holdings. She tells him she heard of his taste for marred women but he says he sent them back happy to their husbands. She asks if she could have lovers too and he says ideally no. He says he wouldn’t force her to sleep with him and she says that’s the only good thing about the marriage. He offers her the concept of freedom within the marriage.
Narcisse storms in to talk to Francis and says he heard about Claude’s impending marriage. Francis asks him to work with him. Francis says he was in the middle of the riot and says people are tearing apart the country. He says if his sister’s marriage isn’t enough he may have to reverse the edict. He says he can’t do this any more and freaks out. Narcisse says if he allows this marriage to go forward, he’ll remove him from the throne.
He says he can’t take this any more and says Mary will have to take care of herself. He acts crazy and says – or maybe we’re all doomed. He says he hasn’t slept in 20 days. He rants like his dad used to and tells Narcisse not to hiss in his ear. Bash listens and comes out after Narcisse leaves. Bash says it was so scary he’s not sure if he wants Francis to be his king any more. Francis says that’s good and means Narcisse will move to take his head.
Narcisse goes to talk to Claude and asks if she realizes what will happen if she marries Conde. He says she’s a test to be found out if a mixed union will result in one or both of them being assassinated. He offers to marry her himself – he says they can elope right now. He says if not, her brother will force her to marry Conde. He says if they marry they can forge a bond that only the Vatican can break. He lifts her skirt and strokes her. She says Conde is young and handsome.
He strokes her deeper and asks if she thinks he’s worth being assassinated for. She adjusts her skirts and says she’ll think about it. She pats his hand and tells him he can go. Claude goes to complain to Francis about this risky marriage and says Narcisse seems to care more about her than her own brother does. He tells her Narcisse doesn’t care about her and just wants to protect his own interests. He tells her he could order her to marry Conde but says he wants her to do it to serve her family.
He says this is her chance to be respected and to fulfill her duty as a Valois. He tells her to go to Narcisse and turn down his proposal. She goes and does as he asks and says if she dies, at least her family will cry at her funeral. Narcisse goes to Balfont and says to bring Montgomery to the castle today. He says he’s going to press regicide charges against Francis today and says Catherine will be named regent and he can deal with her.
Bash goes to get Francis and says Balfont is on the move. Bash says the stable hands are delaying Balfont. Francis wants to go along with him to get Montgomery. Bash says if they fail, he’ll get Mary exiled in anonymity. Francis goes to tell Mary he loves her then tells her has some things to take care of and he asks to look at her again. She turns and he looks at her. She asks if it’s enough and he says – not nearly. He leaves.
He and Bash ride after Balfont. At the feast that night, Greer and Castleroy are in attendance. Narcisse chats up Catherine and asks if the engagement will be announced tonight. He says he tried to stop it and she tells him to stay away from her daughter. He tells her she would have made a good king. Kenna tells Bash and Francis went into town. Lola says she’s surprised Bash approved the engagement and she says she’s proud of him.
Mary says it all seems to quiet and Kenna says it’s hard earned after the strife but Mary says it won’t last. Castleroy compliments his wife’s dancing and she says she trusts him and he asks if she’s considering converting. She says she thinks it’s better for their home and the children if they are united. He asks her to leave and go home to work on adding to their family.
Some Protestants kill a guard delivering food to steal his uniform. Conde asks Mary if they should wait for Francis to come back to announce the engagement. She says no and says she believes in Francis no matter what. She says the best marriages are based on certainty and faith in the other. Mary claps her hands to get attention. She says with the king’s blessing, she’s announcing the marriage of Francis’ beloved sister Claude to his good friend Louis Conde.
Catherine comes over and says that was short and sweet. She says people must be choking on the news. Louis looks unhappy and leaves the room after getting some congratulations. Bash and Francis confront and kill Balfont at a small house. Inside they find Lord Montgomery. He asks if he came to free him. He asks if Francis came to free him but Francis says he’s there to free himself.
The gate attendant at the castle asks where Renaud is and the fake guard says he’s back in the village with a woman. The Protestants hidden in the wagon are armed and one asks the other if he’s ready to kill a king. Francis and Bash give Montgomery some ink and parchment and have him write out a statement that he killed the king so that Francis can officially pardon him for the attack. Bash asks if he knows why he was kidnapped.
He says Narcisse told them they had talked. Francis says Montgomery knows and Montgomery says he hated Henry too. Bash grabs the guy and puts a knife in his chest killing him. Conde gives a note to his page to give to Mary after he leaves tomorrow. The fake guards get to Mary’s chamber and take her hostage. They ask where her husband is and she says she doesn’t know. They tell her if she doesn’t scream, she may live long enough to see her husband die for his crimes.
Bash tells Francis that he can tell Mary the truth since Narcisse has no leverage. He tells him to kill Narcisse for his treason. Mary tells the guards again that he isn’t in the castle at all. She says their mission has failed. She says if they leave now, she won’t have them killed. One of the invaders says they searched everywhere and he’s not there. They decide to kill Mary and one guy knocks her down.
Gerard flips her over to rape her and says he will show her what desecration means. He calls her a godless bitch and rapes her. She goes limp and just cries. He finished and lets go of her throat. One of the others tries to go for her and she pushes him off and runs for the door. She runs down the hall and right into Catherine with some guards. She orders the guards back to their post and takes Mary to her chambers. Catherine asks where Francis is.
Mary tells her they came for Francis and when they couldn’t find him they attacked her. Catherine asks what they did to her. She says the Protestants were going to kill Francis. Catherine asks her if she was raped. Mary cries and slumps to the floor. Catherine says she’s safe and says she is alive and will survive. She says she knows this because she survived it too. Catherine says no one can take your proud. She tells Mary they are going to change her clothes and fix her hair and erase all mark that it happened.
Catherine says they tried to diminish the king by degrading a queen but they won’t succeed because no one will never know. Catherine says she’ll walk out with pride and ignore that it happened. Catherine says she has to act now to make sure she’s not seen as a victim. She tells Mary to not let them win. She tells Mary to trust her and let her help. She holds out her hand and says she can get her though this. Catherine takes her hand.
Castleroy gets word of the Protestant attack on the castle. Greer asks who was hurt and then asks the man if they did this. He says it was a rogue faction and needs to run. Castleroy says he thinks he is accountable and says he thinks he was stealing his money that was meant for the school to use for the revolution. The man says he had no choice because they threatened his family. Castleroy asks if it was Fontaine.
Greer is horrified they may have funded an assassination on Francis. Narcisse gets word that Balfont isn’t back yet. Narcisse says after the attack, the engagement should be off. Narcisse says this attack should crush them and the man says they had little to lose. Mary comes into the throne room with Catherine. Mary takes the throne and Catherine stands at her side. Mary tells them that she and Francis are safe and the invaders have achieved nothing and will die for nothing.
She holds back tears and Catherine stands there to reassure her. Lola rocks the baby when a guard comes and says Narcisse wants to speak with her. She allows him in. He says he wanted to see if she was all right. She says the Protestants came as he warned. He says he takes no pleasure in being right. He says he may have been wrong about other issues. He says tonight was the act of a people who think they have nothing to lose.
He says robbing them of hope was the wrong thing to do and was his fault. He says France is burning and he may have lit the match. He says he was worried for her tonight and says he thinks about her still. Catherine tucks Mary in and she says she’s cold. Catherine tells her it’s shock. Francis comes in and Catherine asks if she should go. She tells Francis to give her time and space and she leaves. Francis says he heard she was untouched. She says she and Catherine lied.
She tells him she was raped. He walks over and she tells him not to come any closer. He says he loves her and this is his fault. She says she knows he was doing all he could to right things and says he can’t blame himself. She says it hurts to speak and she doesn’t want to talk about it or make sense of them. She tells him to find and kill the men who did this to her.
The End!
