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Season 2 Episode
The Plague
Season 2, Episode 1
The Plague
Air date October 2, 2014
Written by Laurie McCarthy
Directed by Fred Gerber
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* GALLERY

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"Welcome to your rule, My Queen. And welcome to the real France."
Queen Catherine

Synopsis[]

Behind the Scenes - 62

First released still

Plague Rocks The Kingdom
The new King and Queen of France, Francis and Mary are plummeted into chaos after The Black Plague ravages the land and creeps inside the castle, threatening lives and the stability of their new rule. Francis finds himself on the wrong side of the quarantined gates, with Lola, as they try to make their way back to safety. New and murderous foes are introduced as nobles grasp for power, pressuring Mary — and Catherine — even as the death count rises. Meanwhile, Kenna and Bash find themselves separated; Kenna's life endangered as she risks all to save their young ward. Greer is forced to watch Leith move on with a new love and is shocked to realize he's involved with her fiancé's daughter. The CW

"The Black Plague lands at Court with a vengeance. Not everyone will survive it, among our people as well as a percentage of the regional population." - Laurie McCarthy

The second season begins with Mary and Francis on the throne of a nation burning. France is rocked by the aftereffects of the plague -- a disease that creeps inside the castle walls, taking thousands upon thousands of lives across the land, and ravages the stability of a nation. From the ashes, powerful lords will rise, carrying out personal, religious and political vendettas, taking lives, and tearing at Mary and Francis’s commitment to each other, and their people. Friendships will be tested, loved ones murdered and betrayed. Meanwhile, a mysterious and deadly threat snatches victims from village streets and castle corridors; leaving evidence of savagery that looks like the work of monsters; mythical creatures who are the subject of nightmares, but who walk among us, doing the Devil’s bidding. - The CW

"We talk about this being the haunted season a lot on the writing staff," McCarthy said. "They're people who are born of such privilege, but they're haunted by their responsibility and they've all made choices that have spilled a lot of blood. If you've committed a lot of sins, you may be haunted by nightmares or visions."

"When you have people with so much power, they can influence others," she added. "But when they influence, the outcome can be shocking. And if you have people who are mercurial in these positions of power, they can make enormous things happen and I'm excited about everyone seeing that. This season is going to be just as scary and sweeping and epic, but more complex — and there will be surprising twists and turns." - Laurie McCarthy

Plot[]

While cutting through a village, Francis encounters a few people that have clearly been infected with the plague.

The Plague 4 - Lord Castleroy n Greer

Has he moved on already?

At court, Queen Mary announces the return of the plague to France. Queen Catherine urges anyone who feels ill to seek their expert care, while Nostradamus describes the symptoms of the plague. Mary concludes by reassuring the court that they're well-prepared for containing the illness. Meanwhile, in the crowd, Greer is standing next to Lord Castleroy as she sees Leith with her fiancée's daughter, Yvette. Greer becomes jealous and upset and tells Castleroy that she is worried may be courting Yvette only to hurt her, because of a vow he made earlier.

After the gathering, Mary and Catherine are on their way to the throne room to isolate themselves when Kenna and Greer run up to Mary, demanding to know what's happening. Mary shares the real reason behind Francis' absence and updates them on Lola's condition.

Yvette pulls Leith aside to confront him about his relationship with Greer and how it ties back to herself. Leith assures her that he wouldn't have pursued her in any way if he'd known who she was. Yvette then suggests that they spend more time together, such as on the roof with food on blankets. Leith is hesitant, but Yvette doesn't relent.

The Plague 7 - Sebastian n Kenna

Stay safe out there!

Meanwhile, Kenna goes to Sebastian to find out more about the situation. He predicts that a famine will follow a shortage of food as a result of the plague. He then instructs Kenna to isolate herself with Pascal, while he will confer with the King's Guard.

A man is seen bedding a woman. When they're done, the woman caresses her neck, where a bubo is, which is a symptom of the plague. The man then apologizes to the two queens for missing the gathering, but is kept at a safe distance from them by a guard. He walks over to a few other men and shares their glass, likely spreading the illness.

Francis arrives at the house where Lola is. She has given birth to a baby boy.

The Plague 11 - Mary Stuart n Queen Catherine

Stop being annoying!

Mary and Catherine are sitting in the throne room and Catherine inquires why Francis left, but Mary remains silent. A melody starts playing, signalling that someone has falled ill. Nostradamus comes in and volunteers to search for Francis and Lola, as he believes himself immune to the plague. Catherine further interrogates Mary on Francis' absence, but Mary orders her to stop and thank Nostradamus for risking his life for Francis.

Kenna finally finds Pascal in the hands of a noble. He explains that he asked Pascal to fetch him something, but Kenna argues that he's no servant and tries to take him with her. The noble then steps in front of her and insults her. Before the argument escalates, Pascal promises to return to Kenna's chamber after helping the noble.

The Plague 14 - Lola

I was pregnant with your child this whole time

Back at the house, Lola is cradling her newborn baby as she talks to Francis. Francis is furious with her for lying to him. Lola tells him that she understands that he doesn't want it, but that the child can have Lord Julien's name. Their conversation is halted when they realise that one of the people at the house have the plague. They quickly leave and step into the carriage. Before they ride off, Estelle walks up to them and offers them a blanket. Lola knows that she hasn't touched her brother, who has the plague, so she offers Estelle to come with them. However, Estelle insists that she must stay with her family and wishes them luck on their voyage.

Back in the throne room, a noble named Eduard Narcisse comes in with a demand that Mary and Catherine have his foe placed in a mass-holding cell, so that he becomes infected with the plague and dies. He elaborates that his foe, Pierre Voland, beds his new wife, so he would like to take revenge on him. He explains why they should grant him such a favour: his family provides grain and meat to the entire region, especially to the castle, but these deliveries only happen when he signals that he's been paid, essentially blackmailing Mary into heeding his request. He then leaves Mary to think about it.

"Welcome to your rule, My Queen. And welcome to the real France."
Queen Catherine

Catherine tries to persuade Mary to grant Eduard that favour, in exchange for the hungry fed with Eduard's grain. She schools Mary on the way that the court works, and how she must operate as queen, but Mary assers that she wants to be a different kind of queen and orders a guard to tell Eduard that his request has been denied.

The Plague 21 - Greer n Leith

Please don't date her!

Greer confronts Leith about his courting Yvette. He assures her that meeting Yvette was blind chance, and admits that he intends to pursue her. She reminds him that if he marries Yvette, he will be her son-in-law, which would not work for her due to her feelings for him. She begs him to stay away from Yvette.

"If you feel anything for me at all, don't test me in this way, for I will fail."
Greer Norwood

Lola and Francis have stopped for water. They hear the sound of hooves as they see a group of men approaching. Francis goes over to them to talk to them. One of the men question what is wrong with Lola, but Francis reassures them that she isn't sick, she has just given birth. One of the men, run in to a group of men, Louis of Condé asserts that he and his men are loyal subjects and that Francis needn't fear.

At the castle, Sebastian is talking to a guard when the Voland family is walking down the hall. One of the family members, a little girl, drops a doll on her way, so Bash picks it up and gives it to her.

The Plague 24 - Mary Stuart n Queen Catherine

Eduard returns to the two queens to lament how difficult they have made it for themselves by denying his request. He tells them that Lord Voland and his family have isolated themselves in their suite, so getting to him will be much harder now. He then bids them to open the windows, so they do, and they see how villagers all around are burning the homes of the infected, as well as the holdings of grain that Mary was counting on. Eduard gives them a chance to reconsider their decision.

Lola and Francis are at Lord Condé's makeshift camp in the woods. Lola notes how generous Francis' cousin has been. Francis yet again brings up how Lola lied to him. He is upset and not having been consulted in the choice and is therefore not inclined to consult her in his.

"The truth is, that child is whoever I say he is."
King Francis
The Plague 27 - Kenna n Pascal

Oh no!

Kenna finally finds Pascal. He's in the noble's chamber. Kenna's gaze falls to the noble laying in bed, dead due to the plague. Her eyes then dart to Pascal, who admits that his bones hurt and that he can't swallow, which are symptoms of the plague. Kenna decides to sneak him out of the chamber. She finds a piece of cloth and hands it to him, instructing him to act as though he is well. However, a maid sees them and calls out for the guards, yelling that they're infected. The guards then lock her and Pascal inside.

Nostradamus, back from his search for Francis, informs Mary and Catherine that the house where Francis and Lola had been staying at has been marked with an X, signalling the plague. While Mary is in shock, Catherine starts ranting about how she will seize power after Francis' death, providing France with food and stability, and vowing to deal with the Volands herself.

The Plague - Promotional image III

Don't trust him!

In the woods, Lord Narcisse rides up to the makeshift camp in the woods. Behind him arrives a cage with Estelle inside of it. He admits how barbaric it looks, but it's only to keep her isolated until he determines whether or not she has the plague. He warns Lola not to get too close to the cage for her own safety. Condé lies about why Francis is with him, and when Narcisse rides away, he explains why to Francis: Narcisse rose to power through unjust and corrupt ways, so he is not trustworthy in the slightest. Before leaving the group, Narcisse deliberately mentions Condé's boat by wishing him a safe voyage, knowing that Francis didn't know. He uses that to make himself look good.

"A new king needs to know who his real friends are."
Lord Narcisse

At the castle, Pascal is on the other side of the door from Kenna as he wakes up from a feverish sleep and recounts how he had a dream about reuniting with his mother, but then concludes that it must have been Kenna. He then dies, causing Kenna to burst into tears.

The Plague 35 - Queen Catherine

Time to go to heaven... or hell

That evening, Mary pays a visit to Catherine, who believes she is ill with the plague. She advises Mary to not let Lola come between her and Francis, because she is only a guest a court without the support of her king. When she leaves the room, she asks Nostradamus how long the symptoms will last. He informs her that she will have a miraculous recovery after two days, as his potion will only work for that long. Mary thanks Nostradamus for his help and promises him her protection.

Condé apologizes to Francis for not telling him about the boat, but Francis understands why he kept it a secret. Condé then lets him know that he is sending his mistress home to the Netherlands. He advises that Francis do the same, and let Lola and her son go with them. Francis decides to do so, and informs Lola of his decision.

At the castle, Yvette is still waiting for Leith's arrival, but is starting to lose hope.

Mary calls Eduard Narcisse into the throne room to remind him that Lord Voland's family is not to be harmed under any circumstances. Eduard asks for the queen mother, but Mary lets him know who the queen is.

"I am the Queen of France and you are my subject."
Queen Mary

He then shamelessly blurts out that he's had Lord Voland's family poisoned.

The Plague 43 - Little Girl

Thanks for giving me my doll back but I don't think I'll need it now

Sebastian begins to hallucinate about the little girl whose doll he picked up. He asks her if she's dead, and she replies that she is, but that he will survive. She then warns him that there will be a reckoning, before he wakes out of the hallucination or dream. Bash then hears Kenna calling out for him, and he finds her and frees her from the room. The two hug each other and Kenna tells him of the loss of their ward.

At the camp, the party is mounting up to leave on the boat. Francis is in a tent with his son, who starts crying. Not knowing what to do, he calls out for Lola, but she's nowhere to be found. So he takes his son into his arms and cradles him to sleep. Lola then returns and explains that she was out to fetch water. That's when Francis decides that Lola and their son will be coming back to court with him.

"You can't leave on that boat. You won't take away my son."
King Francis

The next day, Mary walks in on Éduard signalling for grain to be delivered. She has him arrested for the murder of Lord Voland's family and has him locked in the catacombs where the sick are being held.

Quotes[]

Queen Catherine: Welcome to your rule, My Queen. And welcome to the real France.

Queen Catherine: A favour for a favour, and it keeps you on the throne.

King Francis: The truth is, that child is whoever I say he is.

Nostradamus: I'm immune to the plague, My Queen, but not fire.

Queen Mary: I won't allow you, when Francis returns-
Queen Catherine: He will thank me for saving his realm from his very young, naive queen!

Lord Narcisse: A new king needs to know who his real friends are.

Queen Catherine: I simply didn't have time before falling ill to murder that household.

Queen Catherine: There's something else you should know: I didn't want to be me either. But I blame Henry, because being a queen unloved by your king is excruciating.

Queen Catherine: Don't let Lola come between you, because you are nothing but a guest in this court without the support of your King.

Louis of Condé: I know what it is, to make a mess of love.

Queen Mary: I am the Queen of France and you are my subject.

Eduard Narcisse: My father will free me!
Queen Mary: No, he won't. Because he'll never find you.

King Francis: You can't leave on that boat. You won't take away my son.

Eduard Narcisse: There is nothing older or stronger than royal blood.

Notes[]

Death Toll [4] [5]
- Yvette Castleroy
- Pascal
- Eduard Narcisse
- The Voland Family
- 14 Castle Residents
- Hundreds of Country Citizens

Trivia[]

Historical Notes[]

  • There was no outbreaks of The Black Plague in Europe in 1558, the closest dates to that time frame were the outbreaks in 1544–1548 and 1563–1566. [1]
  • The Plague killed 75 to 200 million people in Eurasia during its time. [8]
  • During the 16th and 17th centuries, the plague was present in Paris about 30% of the time
  • France alone lost almost a million people to the plague in the epidemic of 1628–1631.

Gallery[]

Characters[]

Actor Character
Adelaide Kane Mary Stuart
Megan Follows Queen Catherine
Torrance Coombs Sebastian
Toby Regbo King Francis
Celina Sinden Greer Norwood
Caitlin Stasey Lady Kenna
Anna Popplewell Lady Lola
Jonathan Keltz Leith Bayard
Sean Teale Louis of Condé  
Guest Staring
Rossif Sutherland Nostradamus
Craig Parker Lord Narcisse  
Michael Therriault Lord Castleroy
Sarah Winter Yvette Castleroy
Lucius Hoyos Pascal
Cameo
Kjartan Hewitt Eduard Narcisse  
Camille Stopps Estelle  
Jason Gray Ignorant Noble
Brendan Wall Doomed Noble
Elicia MacKenzie Courtesan
Ella Ballentine Little Girl
Jesse Griffiths Armed Man
Passing Guard Brandon Crone
Barricaded Woman Adrian Morningstar
Adrian Morningstar Groom
Rafferty Blumberg George
Stephen Guy-McGrath Hallway Guard #1
Scott Walker Hallway Guard #2
Jennifer Pogue Female Servant
Barrett Morrison Mary's Guard
Jayme Desjardins Plague Victim
Character debut
Speaking debut
Episode debut


Videos[]

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REIGN - THE SEASON 2 premiere of Reign is just 3 days-0

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A chat with Reign's Torrance Coombs (aka Bash)












References[]

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