REIGN on the CW seemed to start off a bit slow but as its first season progresses the buzz is getting really good and fans seem to be enjoying it. In tonight’s new episode called, “Higher Ground” Mary hires a mercenary to help her save Scotland. Meanwhile, Francis prepares France to wage war on England, and Leith becomes his ally in this endeavor; and Lola and Julien’s bond deepens, but she fears he will betray her.
On last week’s episode Mary’s uncle arrived at the castle and brang dire news about her mother, which forced Mary and Francis made a tough choice about priorities. Meanwhile, Henry devised a destructive plan; and Bash and Kenna grow closer as they strengthened their forced union. Did you watch last week’s episode? If you missed it we have a full and detailed recap, right here for you.
On tonight’s episode Mary gets blood on her hands to save Scotland- Mary (Adelaide Kane) enlists a mercenary to help her, which forces her to realize there are sacrifices and lives she is willing to risk to save her country. Francis (Toby Regbo) embraces his role as Dauphin to lead France in a brutal battle against England, and finds a new ally in Leith (guest star Jonathan Keltz). Meanwhile, as Lola (Anna Popplewell) grows closer to Lord Julien (guest star Giacomo Gianniotti), she gets increasingly suspicious that he is going to betray her. Torrance Coombs, Megan Follows, Alan Van Sprang, Caitlin Stasey and Celina Sinden also star.
Don’t forget to come back here tonight at 9 PM EST for your live recap of Reign season 1 episode 20 “Higher Ground.” 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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Francis looks at the dead bodies of their men. One of the leaders tells him the English routed them. Francis tells them they’re going to advance. He says the English are picking them off a little at a time. He says they must take the nearby castle to free up the road to Calais. There just a dozen of men there and then a rider says the English are on the way. He tells the rider to send word to the Duke to come as soon as he can. Francis yanks off his royal tabbard so he won’t be recognized as royalty and says he wil lead them.
Mary voices her complaints about Francis taking her army to Greer. They come upon a man with a scar and Mary says she wants to gouge his eyes out when she sees him. Then a messenger comes to tell her there is a message. Hortense and Roman – Catherine’s cousins – are there to visit. Hortense says she’s heard Henry is off in Paris with a mistress. Mary comes in and Catherine introduces them. Hortense says she remembers her as a too-talkative child. Catherine sends her cousins off.
Mary tells Catherine that she’s had a letter from her mother and says she has to escape. Mary says her mother needs money to escape. Catherine says she would help but all of the court’s money is tied up in the war with Calais. Mary tells her she knows she has a cache of money hidden for herself in case she ever has to escape. Mary tells her Catherine and Maria used to be friends. Catherine says there is no money. Mary begs her and Catherine tells her Queens never beg. She says it will make her look weak.
Mary comes back to her chambers and sends her people out. She knows there is someone there – John Preverre. He is an assassin in her uncle’s employ. She tells him she needs him to find Catherine’s secret stash of money. She says she hopes Catherine won’t even know it’s gone. He says he’ll have it in two days and she asks how he’ll do it. She tells him not to spill blood and he says then he may not do it. She qualifies it and says no innocent blood and he says he’ll do his best. He tells her to leave it to him then seemingly vanishes.
Catherine goes to confession and tells the priest she slapped a servant, took the Lord’s name in vain and ordered a dozen Scotsmen killed. She also tells him she loathes her cousin that has come to visit. She hears a clunk and comes out of the confessional. She sees the priest laid out on the floor. A gloved hand grabs her from behind. Catherine screams.
Bash drags Kenna out into the snow to break his black mood. He’s wishing he was off at war and is worried about Francis. Lola reassures him too. Kenna spots a ball and kicks it at him. They break into a game of soccer along with Lola’s husband. Lola gets a twinge of pain and they all run over. She tells them it’s just a cramp. They take her to go lie down.
Francis and the others are in the woods and face off against some English. Francis looks and sees the bloodshed around him and is inspired. He fights off his attacker and runs him through. Another lunges at him but is taken down. It was Leith that saved him. The men think Francis is good luck but he assures them he is not. They head off.
Catherine is chained and blindfolded. She says she knows this has nothing to do with the war. Preverre watches her amused as she says she knows he wants something. She asks if it’s information or money. She says he either works in the castle or is a mercenary. She thinks it’s the latter and that he was hired by someone close to her that needs funds. She theorizes that it’s Mary who hired him. She tells him he’s chosen his victim wisely and tells him she’ll double what he’s been paid if he brings her the head of the person responsible for this. She asks if they has a deal. He draws closer and pulls out a knife.
The midwife Agnes comes to check on Lola and reassures her that even though she’s spotting, the baby is fine. She tells Julian she just needs rest. He offers to sleep in his quarters to let her sleep better and she says that’s not necessary and says he’s a better husband than she deserves. She tells him he has made her truly happy and otherwise she would be in a nunnery.
She tells him she’s scared of giving birth. She asks if he would be at her side and he says she would be better with her ladies. He tells her he always wants to be there for her but he won’t come into the birth chamber. He says she doesn’t need him because she has a strength she doesn’t know.
Hortense comes to Mary and tells her that Catherine has been kidnapped. A ransom note was delivered to her. Hortense says since Mary is the last royal in the castle, it’s her decision. Hortense says that Medicis have a rule not to deal with people like this. She says this makes you always vulnerable. She says perhaps Henry will pay the ransom. Mary says there’s no time for that. A servant comes in and says this was left at the gate. It’s an ear with Catherine’s earring. Hortense says their position is clear and she won’t give in to the demands.
Francis tells the troops he’s seen those men before. He thinks the castle is undermanned and they are sending the same forces over and over to make them think there are more of them there. But then the castle blasts a cannon at them. They realize they can’t even make an escape. Francis says they stay and try to take the castle or die trying.
[9:52:28 PM] Rachel Rowan: Greer comes to see Lola who is still bedridden. She tells her she and the baby are both fine. Greer says she looks glum and she asks why. Lola tells her that the banker released the money to Julian and that he had been pressing for it. Lola says Julian married her before they had any feelings for each other. She says the only reason he married her was to get her money. Greer reminds her that she had her reasons to marry him too. She says as long as they get a happy ending, does it matter how it began.
Lola tells her she hopes Castleroy is her happy ending. She asks if she thinks of Leith and she says every day even though she’ll never set eyes on him again.
Leith and Francis are in the treeline. Francis has a plan to shoot an arrow to take the cannon and the men out. The men talk and Leith tells them they don’t care about Calais. He says they do it for money and the people they care about – their brothers in arms. Francis says he doesn’t see them as chess pieces and Leith says to prove it by getting them out of there alive. Francis says if they disburse and charge, the cannon can’t aim at them all.
Kenna asks Bash to probe into Julian’s background and situation and he refuses. He knows that Lola was pregnant by someone else when they married. Kenna says that Lola is in love with Julian and she just wants to help protect her friend’s heart. She asks again for his help.
Preverre meets with Mary and tells her Catherine is fine. He says he bought the ear from a gravedigger and put Catherine’s earring on it. She tells him the Medicis won’t pay the ransom and he says that’s just a distraction. He also tells her that Catherine thinks she’s responsible and offered him double pay. He says they will get the money from Catherine because he will turn over a scapegoat. He tells her to pick a name – someone this world would be better off without and he’ll bring their head to Catherine.
Mary tells Bash about her deal with the mercenary. She tells him she has to pin the crime on someone else and he’s shocked she would send an innocent to their death. She says one of Catherine’s men that killed her countrymen is a likely candidate. She says the man has a long scar on his face and burn marks on his hand. She tells him she knows he has experience choosing a sacrifice and killed someone in the woods. He says he killed a man who was going to kill another. He says he still questions it. She asks the answer and he says you have to be sure or your conscience won’t let you rest again.
Mary sees Hortense and approaches her. She sees her speaking to the scarred man and Hortense says he’s her guard not Catherine’s – says she just loaned her to her cousin. Mary says she wants to question him and Hortense asks if it’s about the whorehouse massacre. Hortense asks if Catherine put her up to this – she says she wants her out of court so she can’t tempt Henry.
Hortense tells her she had nothing to do with the slaughter that Catherine planned. Hortense threatens Mary and says she won’t let her tell Henry that she did it. She pretty much threatens to kill Mary if she gets in her way and says Catherine will also learn to stay out of her affairs if she makes it back to the castle.
Bash comes to tell Kenna that he’s been checking in on Julian. He says he’s planning a hunting trip with no dogs or other implements. They wonder if he might be planning to leave Lola tonight and not come back.
Preverre comes back and Catherine asks if he did what she wanted. He hands her a parcel. She asks if it’s the head of Mary. He says it’s the head of the person responsible for her kidnapping. She tells him if he lies she won’t give him the money. He demands to know where the gold is. He tells her if she lies next time he will come back and take her children. She tells him where it’s hidden in a church. He leaves and she takes off her blindfold and unties the parcel. Hortense’s head is in her lap!
Francis wraps cloth around the head of arrows. The men split apart and run for the castle. The cannon takes aim. Francis lights a small pot of flame and lights an arrow. He takes aim and fires. It comes down right into the blasting powder cache for the cannon and blows up the cannon, ammo and the men. His men all cheer and Francis asks where Leith is. One man says he was behind him. Francis calls out for him.
Kenna tells Lola about Julian’s questionable hunting trip. She’s also worried that he’s leaving her. Julian comes in and Kenna leaves. She starts to get up and tells him she wants to talk. She asks about the hunting trip and he says he may go if she’s well enough. She begs him not to go and says to stay with her. Then he makes an excuse that he’s going to play cards and says he’ll come later. She tells him that she doesn’t need elaborate things and that she truly has come to care for her. She tells him she wants him and says he can keep her for much less cost than he imagined. He says who could believe that of a girl like her and says she’s everything he ever dreamed of. He walks out.
Catherine is back at the castle and wants Hortense’s and Mary’s chamber searched for evidence of who really kidnapped her. Francis runs and finds Leith. He’s wounded. He orders the men to take the castle and send a rider to the Duke. Francis tries to pick up Leith but he says he can’t do it. Francis tells him there must be someone he would live for.
Leith says there’s a woman, but it would never work because she’s above his station. Francis tells him he could give him lands and titles so he could have her. Francis tells him he would do that for him. He tells Leith to live so he can go home and marry the woman he loves. Leith struggles to get up and they stagger off to find a doctor. They hear trumpets. The rest of the army is coming and the road to Calais is open.
[9:59:36 PM] Rachel Rowan: Julian walks out into the courtyard. He looks at his waiting carriage. He stops.
Catherine sits eating fruit when Roman comes into her chambers. He says he supervised the search of Hortense’s room and says her jewel box was empty and she was penniless. She says she thought she was left a fortune. Turns out she was being blackmailed by someone who thought she killed her husband. Roman asks if she did and she says that it wouldn’t surprise him. Roman says she held Catherine for ransom to help her finances.
Catherine tells him she had thought that Mary did this. Roman asks if she’s capable of it and Catherine says all of it except for the murder of Hortense so she doesn’t think she was the one plotting.
Julian comes into Lola’s chambers and admits he was going to leave her. He confesses that he has no money of his own, has fallen out with his family and says they are terrible people. He says he was going to live off her dowry. He says he is the son of a wealthy family. She asks if that’s why he didn’t care she was pregnant by someone else.
He says he loves her and was ashamed that they would have to live off her money. She tells him if he left her, she would be the one living in shame. He says that all he has to offer her is him. He says if she meant what she said about living a simpler life. She says she wants to be with him but wonders how she can trust him again. He says with time. He says over their lives he will prove himself to her. He promises no more lies and she takes him in her arms.
Mary meets with Preverre. He tells her he has all the money except for his cut. He says he took Hortense’s head quickly and hid her body well. Mary says that Hortense was going to murder Beatrice so she traded one life for another. He tells her it was a pleasure doing business for her. She tells him she wants him to lead a group of men to Scotland to take the gold and get her mother out.
He says finding men like him isn’t easy. She says she has taken care of it. She introduces him to Hortense’s men that she says now work for her. She tells them to pack their belongings to leave within the hour. Preverre reminds her that those men are monster that killed her countrymen. She says they are but now they are her monsters.