Episode after episode since the first season, we were shown a Landry who was a great soldier. His proficiency in battle was the one constant thing in his life that had faced tremendous upheaval. That Landry could strategise his way through any bloody conflict earned him the respect of his fellow templars. In Death Awaits, there was no strategising out. The templars were beaten. They were chained, imprisoned, tortured, burned at the stake. Even the duplicitous Gawain, who found that the one line he could not cross was the murder of a baby, now languished in jail with his shredded leg and the brothers he betrayed. For once, Landry had no last minute clever solution.
And so we saw a Landry who has evolved from the first season. Landry was experiencing a crisis of faith at around the same time that he carried on an affair with Queen Joan. Landry came away from his second initiate training with his faith stronger than ever. When all hope was lost, Landry rallied his brothers to hold on to their faith. Calmly, they walked to their brutal execution.
It was Kelton who provided false testimony against the templars. Though he was absolved by the Pope of the manufactured sins, Kelton could not escape the guilt of betraying his brothers. Before they were burnt, Kelton tried to recant his testimony. King Philip simply handed Kelton over to the ravenous crowd to be murdered with their bare hands.
Ed Stoppard has really stepped up his villain visage; the scenes between Philip and Louis crackled with tension of unuttered secrets. Louis supported his father in the war against the templars, though he already knew it was Philip who killed Joan. It was only when Louis found out that Philip had Margaret arrested that his rage broke, and he demanded his father release his wife. Philip refused.
Episodes that involve torture are always difficult for me to watch, and this is no exception. With one mention of Master Talus, however, and his insistence on holding on to faith, it was as though the episode lightened ever so slightly as it marched to its grim conclusion. Mark Hamill will save the day, right? Right?
Strays
⚔︎ When watching historical fiction, I usually don't do a lot of research so I could enjoy the show on its own creative merits. Knightfall was very specific about one date, however -- Friday, October 13, 1307, a date that has been linked to the Friday the 13th superstition. On that day, King Philip IV ordered the arrest of the last templar Grand Master, Jacques de Molay, and other French templars.
⚔︎ Grand Master de Molay was the first to die at the stake on charges of heresy.
⚔︎ Gawain was sent to the temple to search for gold. Instead, he found Anne, Grecia, and baby Eve. He helped them escape, then tried to kill King Philip. He was arrested and his leg broken again, and was tied to the stake with Tancrede.
⚔︎ Margaret was imprisoned at the tower and her long hair cut off.
⚔︎ Louis's devotion to Margaret is an interesting facet of his character. He knew Isabella was behind the charges against Margaret.
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