| The Darkness | |
| Season 1, Episode 15 | |
 | |
| Air date | March 20, 2014 |
| Written by | Charlie Craig |
| Directed by | Steve DiMarco |
| <font-family:Trajan Pro;font color="white">Episode Guide | |
| previous Dirty Laundry |
next Monsters |
- "It's a different world you must live in. So many romantic and glorious battles. Castle folk like to believe all their money and armies can conquer any foe. Otherwise, why fight so hard over nonsense like titles and marriages? People like us have to fight life's true enemies - starvation, cold. And the things that come hunting for men at night."
- —Rowan
Synopsis[]
Bash Witnesses the Darkness of the Woods
The castle is abuzz with First Light, where the women of the castle mingle with potential suitors. Much to Mary's dismay, Lola is reluctant to participate in the tradition. After another violent incident with the increasingly erratic King Henry, Kenna fears for her safety and confides in Queen Catherine, while Bash experiences the terrors of the woods and vows to uncover the truth behind the Darkness.
Plot[]
New rules
Kenna is called to the King's room. Since Henry hurt her the last time she was there, Kenna is hesitant to carry on with his sexual escapades, but Henry reminds her of their agreement and promises to introduce her to eligible suitors if she indulges him. He then brings out Anna, a prostitute who "cost a fortune", and asks Anna and Kenna to entertain him. They begin drinking wine and making out, and it isn't long before Kenna falls into a delirious sleep.
Mary is strolling with Lola and tells her all about the upcoming First Light Banquette. She makes sure to emphasize on Lola finding a suitor, which prompts Lola to reluctantly agree to attend the event.
Meanwhile, Greer and Leith are making out in her room. Leith has to get back to work but before he does, he tells Greer that Lord Castleroy is back at court and is hoping to catch her eye at the upcoming banquet. Before he goes, he gives Greer a letter from her parents.
New day...
Nostradamus yet again asks Olivia if she could talk about what happened to her. After little persuasion, she tells him the tale of how she fled the castle when it was taken by Count Vincent. On her way, she ran into a girl with a mask over her face. After running for hours, she was captured by hunters and held for days while being fed on by a creature called The Darkness. One day, when she had lost so much weight that the bonds became loose, she escaped and ran for her life again.
Sebastian is getting ready to leave Rowan's house. He is resolved to leave France and although Rowan attempts to talk him out of it, he doesn't budge. However, when they walk out of the door, they notice blood on the wall. It means that Rowan's family was chosen and will be sacrificed to the Darkness. Bash decides to stay and help Rowan fight the Darkness.
What now?
Kenna wakes up in Henry's bed and promptly notices Anna laying beside her. However, upon closer inspection, she realises that Anna is dead and screams in horror. Kenna quickly finds Queen Catherine at the First Light banquet and tells her the news, after which they're seen brainstorming what to do with the body. They come up with a cover story that the prostitute left the king's chamber and got paid well, sharing her new wealth with a relative far away.
Go make that man marry you!
Lola and Mary arrive at the banquet and Mary points Lola to Philipe Nardin, a suitor Mary met while she and Francis were on their honeymoon. While watching them, a server offers Mary a pomegranate tart, claiming that her sister was with child after eating ten of them a day for a month. Mary is clearly uncomfortable but thankfully, Francis comes over and diffuses the situation. He comments on Lola's suitor, which sparks Mary's attention, but then asks his wife to dance with him.
Take my candle
Meanwhile, Lola and Nardin are strolling and discussing life outside the castle walls. Soon enough, Nardin cuts to the chase: he likes Lola, but needs to marry quickly in order to keep his inheritance. But that doesn't mean they can't be the "amusing companions" he would like them to be. He then gives Lola his candle and Lola tells him to look for it in her window later.
- "It's become apparent that the security of my position demands a wife and an heir."
- —Philipe Nardin
In a secluded hall, Lord Castleroy and Greer are enjoying Castleroy's planned dinner-for-two while Leith serves them. Much to Greer's surprise, there is no pepper on her plate in any way, shape or form. Castleroy wanted to show her that there is more to him than what occupies his personal life. As Castleroy begins professing his feelings, his sleeve catches on fire. Using his quick-wit, Leith grabs a blanket and puts out his arm. After making sure Lord Castleroy is okay, Greer tends to Leith. Castleroy is impressed and grateful, but Leith downplays it, saying he would've done it for anyone.
Whatever you're doing, stop it!
Catherine walks in on Henry muttering to himself and looking at a map of Europe in his office. He appears drunk and angry as he curses Mary Tudor out for not dying yet. Catherine brings his attention to the dead girl in his chambers, as well as to the fact that his water has run black, and asks him to see Nostradamus. Henry dismisses the idea completely and argues that kings do not get ill, as the country would descend into madness if the people believed they did. As such, he makes Catherine swear to keep his condition a secret.
The following day, Nostradamus wakes Olivia up with food and new clothes, as he believes it's time for her to rejoin society. However, Olivia doesn't want anything more to do with French court. She wants to stay there with him and live out the rest of her days away from other people, as she believes that the Darkness knew that she was a bad person and filled her with evil during her time in its lair.
- "I judge my actions, and they were wrong. I came here to betray people. I abandoned them when they needed me most."
- —Olivia D'Amencourt
Meanwhile, Francis questions Lola's choice to court Nardin, as he believes it a waste of time. He doesn't think Nardin is courting her out of love at all, but Lola wants to get to know the count before passing any kind of judgement.
Bash boards up Rowan's home and creates a murder hole with the intention of trapping the Darkness and getting a look at what has caused such chaos in the woods. Rowan and her family claim that they cannot leave even if they wanted to, as there are other families in the woods that will be moved on to if the Darkness is forced to pass them up. While taking a break, Rowan slips something in Bash's tea that makes him pass out.
Get it!
Leith excitedly bursts into Greer's room and tells her that Lord Castleroy offered him an apprenticeship at one of his spice houses in Spain for saving him from the fire. Greer encourages him to take it and assures him that things are ending hopefully rather than bitterly.
Francis and Mary discuss Lola's marital situation and he confesses that his reticence about Count Nardin comes from the count being gay. He then admits to having slept with Lola in Paris, which Mary shrugs off, surprising Francis.
However, Mary then immediately bursts into Lola's room and confronts her about having to lie to Francis. Mary warns Lola that she'll resent her if word of the pregnancy comes out and Francis no longer trusts her. In order to make things right, Mary believes Lola has to wed Phillipe and leave France. Lola then learns about Philipe preferring men, but Mary believes that her friend already had her shot at happiness and that all that matters is keeping her own marriage in tact rather than forcing Lola to wed someone who could never fulfill her. Since Lola made a mistake and must fix it, Mary says that she must either wed Philipe or face Francis finding out the truth about her pregnancy.
Giving his wife a candle
Mary goes into her bedroom to find it lit up with candles and when Francis tries to get intimate with her, she pulls away, telling him that there are days when she cannot get pregnant. However, he explains that he doesn't make love to her to have a baby, he wants a baby because he loves her, a sentiment which changes her mind and the two make love accordingly.
- "What was I thinking not giving my new bride a First Light candle?"
- —Prince Francis
Greer joins Lord Castleroy on the balcony and while she thanks him for his generosity in giving Leith the apprenticeship when she asked, she can no longer accept kindness from him and rejects his advances once again.
Meanwhile, Bash wakes up with his hands tied in the middle of Rowan's cabin with the family crouching in the corner and a young goat tied to a post in the room. The Darkness enters and slaughters the goat. Bash makes a noise which prompts Rowan to look at him, her eye contact dooming her to be taken by the Darkness.
Let me help you!
Nostradamus takes Olivia to a nearby pond and baptizes her, telling her that evil is a choice and that all that matters is what she chooses to be. He encourages her to hang on to who she thinks she is, for it will be her salvation, and she claims that she feels anew.
Elsewhere, Bash and Carrick are searching for Rowan when Bash gets the idea to go to the castle for extra help in tracking the Darkness. Bash vows not to rest until the Darkness is defeated.
Mary and Lola make up from their earlier fight, though Mary still has doubts as to how long the affair between Lola and Francis was going on. Lola reminds her friend that she wants nothing to do with Francis like that and that he is not his father, while Mary encourages her friend to save herself and not rely on a man to do so.
Later, Greer meets Lola on the balcony and explains that she received a letter two days ago from her parents that said they arranged a marriage for her, with her suitor pulling up to the castle as they speak.
Ahem!
While walking in the hallway, Henry walks up to Kenna and begins flirting with her. He is then cut off by Catherine, who shoos Kenna away to talk to her husband in private. Having taken a tonic for his headaches, Henry is feeling better and more enlightened. He is done kowtowing to women after receiving a sign from God and warns Catherine that there will be others like Anna and Cecilia in the near future.
- "It was a lesson each woman understood in her last moment. About who is king, and who is not."
- —King Henry
Quotes[]
Greer Norwood: When will you grow tired of kisses that lead nowhere?
Leith Bayard: When you stop wishing they could lead somewhere.
Lady Kenna: I must speak with you!
Queen Catherine: Always the highlight of my day.
Philipe Nardin: It's become apparent that the security of my position demands a wife and an heir.
Lady Lola: How romantic.
Count Philipe Nardin: Hardly, but I can be. Under the right circumstances.
Leith Bayard: I have an invitation for you.
Greer Norwood: This hardly seems the place!
Olivia D'Amencourt: I judge my actions, and they were wrong. I came here to betray people. I abandon them when they needed me most.
Prince Francis: What was I thinking not giving my new bride a First Light candle?
Prince Francis: I don't make love to you because I want a baby. I want a baby because I love you.
Rowan: It's a different world you must live in. So many romantic and glorious battles. Castle folk like to believe all their money and armies can conquer any foe. Otherwise, why fight so hard over nonsense like titles and marriages? People like us have to fight life's true enemies - starvation, cold. And the things that come hunting for men at night.
Leith Bayard: I always thought you'd be the one to end it.
Greer Norwood: Thank you for sparing me that.
Prince Francis: He prefers the company of men.
Queen Mary: Don't you all?
Prince Francis: In bed most people will never notice, but a wife will.
Queen Mary: If the truth comes out and he loses faith in me, I will resent you!
Lord Castleroy: I know I'm easy to make fun of. People do. I get very excited about things that matter to me.
Greer Norwood: Like peppers.
Lord Castleroy: And kindness. And beauty. And warmth.
Lady Lola: You look as if you're waiting for something.
Greer Norwood: I am. My destiny's is approaching sooner than I'd like. In fact, here it comes now.
King Henry: It was a lesson each woman understood in her last moment. About who is king, and who is not.
Notes[]
- 'The Darkness' refers to The Darkness in the woods - the unknown creature that is killing innocents - as well as The Darkness that is creeping into King Henry's soul.
- Queen Mary Tudor and Princess Elizabeth Tudor are both mentioned, but do not appear.
- Philipe Nardin is the first gay character on Reign.
- Lola's pregnancy with Francis' child and Mary's trouble with having children are a heavy plot point.
- King Henry has murdered two more women. [1]
- Rowan was murdered by The Darkness. [2]
Death Toll [2] [3]
- Servant Girl
- Anne
Trivia[]
- Adelaide Kane wore a Vera Wang Bridal Spring 2012 gown and later a Temperley London Black Carmel Embellished Sateen Gown.
Goof
At the start when Rowan is in her house trying to convince Bash to stay, her hair is out and wavy. But when she steps out of the house and sees the blood on the wall, her hair is in a braid.
Characters[]
| Character debut | |
| Speaking debut | |
| Episode debut |
Videos[]
Reign 1x15 Promo "The Darkness" (HD)