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 season finale called, “Slaughter of Innocence”, Mary and Francis take drastic action in response to Henry’s madness. Meanwhile, a terror in the woods puts everyone in peril; and Mary makes a bold choice when she discovers Lola is in the midst of a life-threatening labor.
On last week’s episode Mary (Adelaide Kane) and Catherine (Megan Follows) formed an unlikely alliance when deciding how to deal with the increasingly manic King Henry (Alan Van Sprang), which put Francis (Toby Regbo) in jeopardy. Bash (Torrance Coombs) found a boy who lived to tell about his encounter with the Darkness, which made Bash determined to end it for good at any cost. Lord Julien (guest star Giacomo Gianniotti) revealed the truth about his motives, and Lola (Anna Popplewell), blinded by love, found herself in a dire situation after she attempted to protect him. Caitlin Stasey and Celina Sinden also starred. Did you watch last week’s episode? If you missed it we have you covered with a full and detailed recap, right here for you.
On tonight’s episode When the King’s (Alan Van Sprang) madness and cruelty reaches a fevered pitch, Mary (Adelaide Kane) and Francis (Toby Regbo) take action. Their choices could change the course of history, but an unforeseen terror brewing in the woods could cost them, and their friends, everything. Mary makes a drastic decision when she learns Lola (Anna Popplewell) is going through a life-threatening labor at a location outside of the castle. Megan Follows, Torrance Coombs, Caitlin Stasey and Celina Sinden also star. David Frazee directed the episode written by Laurie McCarthy and Doris Egan.
Don’t forget to come back here tonight at 9 PM EST for your live recap of Reign season 1 episode 22 “Slaughter of Innocence”, the finale. 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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The castle is an uproar and everyone is summoned to the courtyard. Henry comes out and says that one or more of them tried to kill them. He says he has taken steps to create a model Praetorian guard. He says tonight God told him how to reveal the killer. He draws his sword and says it won’t be sheathed until it kills someone. He says morning light will cast a shadow on the guilty party.
But then his young self hallucination is there and tells him not now. He says God wants to let the person confess and do penance. Henry asks who made confession yesterday and a man speaks up. Henry asks if he fronicated last night or took the Lord’s name in vain and he says no. Henry runs him through with a sword.
He tells the others to go put on their finery so they can celebrate the victory at Calais. He tells someone else to clean up the bloody mess and then he strides out. Francis tells Mary that he was wrong about his father and says he is lost. Back in their chamber, Francis tells Mary that he always thought his father was the greatest man in France.
They talk with Catherine and they realize it’s too late to assassinate him and they wonder if a coup if possible. Mary says some of the generals he fired before Calais may rally under Francis. Catherine asks what happens to Henry if he wins. Francis says they will imprison him and treat him until he dies.
At their new home, Pascal tells Kenna he had a nightmare. He says he saw him outside the window staring at them. Kenna pulls back the drapes and says it’s just the shadows of the guards Bash sent. She says they are safe and tells him that Bash will find the darkenss and make sure it never threatens him or anyone else again.
Leith comes to the throne room and says he found the deed to the property Francis left for him. Francis is glad to see his wounds have healed. He tells Leith he saved his life and he only regrets he can’t give him a title yet. Francis wishes him luck with the girl he told him about and says she’s be a fool not to marry him now.
One of the King’s new guard is getting aggressive with a woman and calls her a rich tart. Leith approaches her to defend her and the guard leaves. The guard leaves and the girl asks him to have a drink with her and tell her about the army and he says he’s looking for someone.
One of the guard tells Henry that he has arranged the poison for Francis’ plate at the feast that night. Henry tells him not to worry about the sin and instructs him to be sure that Francis’ plate is piled high with meat so it will look like he choked. Henry tells the guy to leave up the garlands because he’s planning a wedding for the hall in the near future. He walks off, full of mad purpose.
Henry finds Francis and Mary and asks her to come see the spectacle – he tells her she’s the guest of honor and says two ships will be in mock combat plus a joust. Henry tells her that he may have been too judgmental about her and says that he was pushing too hard on her about an heir and says that now that seems to be part of God’s plan.
Francis says he has to go check on some of the wounded soldiers and can’t be there for the events, but Henry insists that he be back in time for the feast. The Dauphin heads off and Henry offers his arm to Mary and says – shall we. She looks at Catherine and they are both concerned but she has no choice but to take the offered arm.
There’s a knock on Greer’s door and she calls out for the person to put the tray in the table. It’s Leith and he asks if he should go find one. She says she heard he was alive and is thrilled to see her. He shows her the paper from Francis and says he saved Francis’ life and he’s rewarded him. Greer tells him it’s wonderful but says she’s engaged to Castleroy. She tells him that what he has been given wouldn’t allow her to take care of her sisters and her father’s debt.
He says they could live with them and Greer cries and says that her father would never let it happen. She cries and begs him to understand. He says he has to go and be part of the naval spectacle. Greer says she doesn’t want to part like that. Leith says she has to stop piling all her problems on herself and says she needs to trust love, fate and him. He leaves.
On the way back to the castle, Lola is in labor. The coach stops at a cottage but the woman doesn’t want to help. She’s afraid she’ll die in her home and she’ll be blamed but Lola comes in and lies down in pain.
Henry, Mary and Catherine are introduced. The spectacle is starting. Henry excitedly tells Mary what’s going to happen and tells her about the fireworks and says the ships are full of soldiers back from Calais. He calls her my dear and asks if he can get her anything and offers mulled wine. She thanks him but says no. Greer tells Castleroy that Leith came to see her and she told him she was staying with him. Castleroy is relieved.
Henry gives Mary a lap blanket to keep herself warm. He puts his hand under the blanket and touches her but she stares until he moves his hand away. The spectacle was supposed to be play, but the ships are firing live cannon rounds. Greer is concerned and tells Castleroy that Leith is on one of them. One of the ships is struck and explodes horribly. Greer says she hopes he wasn’t on that one and Catherine is alarmed and says they won’t survive.
Henry says he told them to fire with care and Mary asks if he told them to live fire. She’s upset and he tells her that this is all for her that he did it all for her. He says they’ll have another chance tomorrow and Catherine is alarmed. He says they will do it all again tomorrow and do it properly. He marches away agitated.
[9:55:00 PM] Rachel Rowan: Mary and Catherine meet to talk. Mary says 100 men are dead and that she feels like she’s losing her mind. Catherine tells her that Henry asks her for an annulment and she thinks he intends to try and marry her. Catherine says when he had his hands on Mary, he had his hands on England. Catherine says he wants to impregnate her.
Mary says she and Francis would never agree to an annulment and the women realize he is planning to kill Francis. Catherine says they have to have a successful coup. She says if Francis comes back without an army, they are all doomed. Francis comes upon wounded men and sees they are mostly dead. He asks what happened and they tell him that Henry did it and says they survived Calais for this.
They tell him it’s going to happen again tomorrow and Francis says it won’t happen a second time. They tell him it should never have happened a second time. They also tell him that at least the ones that died quickly have it better than the ones marching off to England. Francis has no clue and they till him 3,000 soldiers are leaving tomorrow for England.
Mary goes to see her uncle Guise and tells him that Henry is falling apart. He says they don’t have a leader ready to take over. Guise says Francis won’t work because he’s tainted by his father’s madness. Guise says it has to be her and she can be the most powerful person in France. Guise tells her to take France even though that would make her more powerful than her husband.
Nostradamus and Bash come to an old village and they wonder why the darkness would bring people here. They find a room that reeks of death and there’s a body that’s a few days fresh. Nostradamus says the pictures scrawled on the walls have been there for decades. They depict disasters that have happened in the area. They are predictions that have all come true.
One shows stars falling from the sky and Nostradamus says this is the only one that hasn’t yet come true. Then Bash sees a pagan rhyme written out on the wall that he had heard Pascal reciting. It ends with “for I am the darkness.”
Kenna hears Pascal saying the rhyme and asks if he’s scared. He tells her it’s too quiet and asks where the guards are. Kenna checks the window and then sees a man peering in. She screams and grabs Pascal to run and hide when a robed shadowy figure breaks through the window and comes after them. They run and she bars the doors into another room.
She calls for the guards and the voice speaks and tells her that she will soon be dead but the boy will live. She tells him to leave and he says he cannot because he is the darkness and must offer her to the Gods. He says he cannot feed them forever. He tells Pascal to offer her blood to the Gods and appease their hunger. He begins to beat down the door.
Greer searches the bodies but then Leith is there and he’s alive. She hugs him, relieved that he survived. Catherine says that people love a good joust because it’s nobles being knocked on their asses. Lord Montgomery triumphs. Henry asks where the people are and why so many seem down. Catherine tells him many lost loved ones in his mock battle that morning.
A trumpet sounds and a carriage pulls up and a crier announces – hail Queen Mary. She ascends from her carriage and she’s wearing the English coat of arms. The crowd goes wild with applause and Catherine tells Henry that she’s all but declaring herself the Queen of England. Aside, she says quietly to Guise that who knew all it took was a statement to have her get France’s people in the palm of her hands. Guise says she’s the future.
Mary takes a seat beside Henry and he stands then tells her they dream the same dreams and he strokes her face. The crowd calls out her name and Henry says they’ve lost control of themselves and have forgotten who their king is. He says he will remind them and announces that he is gong to personally joust. Some of the English contingent are leaving and she tells Guise to ride after them to make sure they reveal nothing.
Catherine tells her that she’s reaching for more power but Mary says she is trying to give people hoep for the future. Catherine says she’s cunning and how she has changed much since she came back to them from the convent. She tells Mary that she misses the girl she was and Mary says many will since that girl was easier to kill.
Leith and Greer are in bed but they haven’t consummated. He tells her they don’t have to stop and says he wants to marry her. She says she thought he was dead and he tells her she can’t let him go for money or her family. She says nothing has changed and that she only felt grief because she thought he was gone for good. He begs her to marry him and she insists she cannot.
He tells her when she is alone and miserable, she should remember this is the moment she threw her happiness away. He says he will remember this is the moment she told him he was not enough. He says he will rise and rise until he is everything she thinks she wants but he will never be hers again. He leaves her crying.
Henry is in armor and on horseback ready to joust. He’s facing off against Lord Montgomery. The crowd applauds and they charge. Henry breaks a lance tip on him and Catherine says he’ll have to take the blows becaseu you can’t outshine your boss. They joust a asecond time and the tip of Montgomery’s lance smashes into Henry’s helmet. Catherine sends men to check and we see a several inches long piece of lance is embedded in his eye.
Francis staggers into a tent pulling off his helmet and armor. We see that he has knocked out Lord Montgomery and it was him that rode against his father and struck the blow.
There’s a creak at the door and Kenna is terrified. Bash bursts into the room to check on them. Kenna tells him to watch out and he battles with the “darkness.” He pushes him back and then Nostradamus stabs the guy in his back. Bash yells for Kenna to take Pascal and get away. The guy says Pascal must take over for him. He tells them that if they don’t assuage the gods, the black death will come.
Nostradamus tells Bash that’s what he was seeing in his vision – death come to the castle and bodies lined up everywhere. The darkness says that’s what will happen if his work is not done. Bash tells Nostradamus to go take care of Kenna and Pascal. He leaves. Bash unmasks the guy and he tells Bash that he knows he was pagan born and that he knows the power of the gods.
The guy says he took his people into the blood wood and showed them how to feed the gods to keep the plague away. He tells him to bring Pascal to him so he can continue the work. Bash says the slaughter of innocents ends here. The guy goes for a weapon and Bash puts an axe in his head.
Catherine tells France and Mary that the lance is embedded in his brain and that he’s not long for this world. Mary and Catherine agree that this is best since he will be gone and the blood is not on their hands. Francis says nothing as he knows that he is not innocent in this. Catherine says they must go to him to say their goodbyes.
Catherine tells Henry she has always tried to do what was best for their children and for him and France. Henry tells her he has no regrets and in his way has always loved her. Catherine tells him he was the love of her life. He says that Diane will be unprotected once he’s gone. He tells her to go to her and says that way neither of them will never be alone.
He asks her to please reach out to Diane and be her friend. Catherine says she will reach out to her and tells him to rest. He asks for Francis. She walks away from the bedside and then leaves the room. Francis is alone with his father and he asks what he has to say to him. Francis says he’s not sure what he means and Henry tells him that he named him after his older brother who was meant to be king.
He says Francis reminds him of his brother and says he thought him weak and knew he would be a better king. He says it was a competition all along and says we play games against those we love most of all. He tells Francis he poisoned his brother’s water and he died in a tennis game. Francis says he knows now why he warned him against Bash.
Henry says betraying someone you love is a weight you carry all of your days. Ah. This makes sense. The young boy that I thought was Henry’s younger self is Henry’s dead brother Francis that he murdered. That’s why the guy has been carrying around a racket. Clarity!! His ghost brother reaches out his hand for Henry and he tells his son that he has to go now. He breathes his last. Francis cries and holds his father’s hand and says – God forgive me.
Francis marches out of the chamber to cries of, the king is dead, long live the king. The echoes of this go through the halls. Bash is there and he drops to his knees. Francis pulls him up and embraces him. They hold on tight to each other.
Leith finds the gorgeous redhead that had flirted with him earlier. He smiles at her and she says she’s Yvette. He says a new government is forming and he says they should have that drink. She asks what has changed and he says he wasn’t thirsty then but is now. She says she is the one who has to go now. She goes to Castleroy and he kisses her head. She’s Castleroy’s daughter and she tells him she has had a lovely evening.
Lola is laboring and says that the baby should have come by now. The midwife is still not there either. The woman asks if she has any words in case she doesn’t make it. Lola drafts a letter to Mary and says she no longer has to keep their secret for any reason. She begs her to send help and begs her to care for her baby with Francis as if it was her own. The woman realizes her friend is Queen Mary and she begs her to hurry the note to the castle.
Kenna tells Bash that she’s sorry about his father. He’s worried she won’t want him now that his dad is dead but she tells him that he’s enough for her. He says he loves her and she says she does too. Kenna points out a shooting star and then another and another. Bash says it’s the last sign of the prophecy before the plague will come.
Francis comes in exhausted after a night of nobles talking to him. Francis says he’s king but didn’t want to lose his father but he was mad at the end. He says he slaughtered those men and that he saw the way Henry touched her face. Francis tries to confess what he did but Mary interrupts and says that she’s been changing and not for the better in the decisions she’s had to make for her country and his.
Mary says she thinks she’s becoming harder and someone he won’t love. He says to unburden herself to him and says they can share their darkest truths so they can always have each other. A woman comes in with the urgent letter from Lola. Mary reads it and tells Francis that Lola is giving birth and that Julian is dead and she’s all alone.
Mary tells Francis he should go and she tells him he’s the father of the child and she’s wanted to tell him for months but Lola just gave her permission. She tells him to go and be there when his child is born. She says she will join him there as soon as she can and tells him to go. He rushes out. Mary goes out and says she needs a doctor. Catherine says no one is leaving or entering the castle. Nostradamus says the plague is already spreading to the villages.
Mary runs and tries to stop Francis. He says he will go and get her and bring the baby and Lola back. Mary says he can’t go because he will bring back people that are infected. He says it his child and may be his only child. She doesn’t like the reference to her infertility. He tells her not to be hard and to open his heart. He rides off and Mary orders them to lower the gates. He looks back at Mary beyond the closed gates and rides off.
THE END!!
