In typical Reign fashion, characters lives are drastically changed multiple times within a single episode. Leith and Claude are afforded some measure of happiness together, until it is cruelly taken from them. Can these two please just get more than two-minutes of happiness together in one single episode before they have their hearts broken! Then again, with scheming Narcisse in charge and heartbroken himself, there is no happiness he can allow.

Never any one-dimensional characters on the show, (except maybe the love-sick Queen Elizabeth portrayed here…) Don Carlos of Spain isn’t as meek and fragile as he appeared in the previous episode, but rather has turned into a greater threat to Mary’s rule than imagined. Certainly, there’s more plotting coming from Don Carlos now than from Queen Elizabeth.

I am truly unhappy with the representation of Queen Elizabeth in this show, which is nearly my only caveat about it. Elizabeth’s story line this episode was tragic, but all the same irrational and dangerous to her reign. She is far too out-of-character from the real Elizabeth to warrant my sympathy. I simply cannot believe she would risk her rule in that way, and I dislike the lack of political decisions she makes (or that we’re shown) and only see her love-sick actions for Robert. On a different note, I give huge commendations to Robert’s wife, Amy, for being the craziest character on this show to date, which is truly saying something for her level of sanity.

Well, there is one thing Elizabeth did do, and that was send a spy/ambassador to France, and Gideon seems to not be taking too well there. As I began to suspect last episode, Gideon will definitely be a bigger character on the show as it progresses. His true motivations have come to light, (at least I hope they’re real) and an eerie sort of truce/alliance with Queen Mary is forged. I can only hope he does not double-cross Mary now.

Mary is spectacular, as always, as she unravels a plot against her rule and promptly shuts it down in the nick of time. Mary’s progression from a hesitant young girl into a strong woman and ruler has been brilliantly played out through the seasons, and which shines bright in moments such as these. I hope that is something Elizabeth’s character will mirror, growing into the strong ruler she is known to be and not simply change drastically, as that would seem forced with the way she is portrayed now.

Mary unraveling the threat against her and Amy’s drastic decisions this episode to ensure Robert can never marry Elizabeth are what stand out this episode, and carry the most impact. But what this episode does well is progress side characters, foreshadowing their continued importance and outlining how they play into the show as a whole. With a great deal of changes occurring during this episode, and then being changed once again within this same episode, the angst felt was more than usual. Being emotionally invested in such a daring show is dangerous, but Reign has so many perfect dramatic and humorous factors (though not as humorous this episode) as a whole, that it’s worth it. I’m a massive fan of character development, so I give this episode 4.5 of Mary’s beautiful ballgowns out of 5.