MovieChat Forums > Reign (2013) Discussion > My thoughts on 3x18 *SPOILERS*

My thoughts on 3x18 SPOILERS

posted 8 years ago by LeahJayne
8 replies | jump to latest

I'm more than a little disturbed. I never would have thought the show would go so far as to execute one of Mary's ladies. I know that these events were happening at a very turbulent and dangerous time in history and we've certainly seen some pretty grim things on the show up until this point. We've seen violence and mature content but it's never been quite to this level, in my opinion. We've never seen one of the main characters executed. This is Reign, not Game of Thrones. Again, I know that executions happened at this time. My point is that's never really been the focus of Reign. It's always been geared to a younger audience and been lighter in tone than GOT or The Tudors. I'm really saddened by what happened to Lola in this episode. Not just because she's gone, but the manner of it. First of all, I think it's ridiculous that Lola would believe that Mary would actually instruct her to kill Elizabeth. Mary would never ask her friend to put her life in danger like that. She should have known something was wrong. Does anyone know why the writers chose to go this route? Did Anna choose to leave the show? Did they just want to get rid of the character? It's going to be really hard to look back on older episodes and know where she ends up. In any case, I wish Anna all the best of luck in the future. I hope to see her again soon in film and television.

Side note: there's hardly anyone left from the original cast! I know Kenna and Greer are still out there somewhere, but it seems unlikely they'll return. And of course with Francis gone and now Bash as well, it's going to be a different show come next season. I guess that means we'll be introduced to new characters in Scotland.

What are your reactions to this episode? I'd love to hear some feedback.

[–] jstitely1 8 years ago

At first, I applauded the writers for the balls it took to off her, but in a historical context the move pisses me off. To make the whole beunt of Mary and Elizabeth flat out hating each other be based on a misunderstanding of who ordered an assasination cheapens the history. Furthermore, as you said Lola shouldn't have believed Mary would order that. Also, I dont think Lola in history would've been executed being the wife of one of the most powerful men in France. That would have caused a war, meaning England would have had to fight France and Scotland(which is exactly what kept Elizabeth from attacking Scotland earlier).
So as I said, it felt like a good episode at first, but when you think about it, the whole thing just doesn't work to me. There were better ways of getting rid of the character tragically if thats what they wanted to do. Have her on the way to scotland and have Knox's assasins kill her, have her die trying to foil an assassination plot on Mary or Elizabeth, but the way they did it just felt contrived

[–] LeahJayne 8 years ago

To make the whole beunt of Mary and Elizabeth flat out hating each other be based on a misunderstanding of who ordered an assasination cheapens the history.

I suspect you're right, the writers are using Lola's execution as a plot device to further the conflict between Mary and Elizabeth. They already had enough reasons to distrust each other, but this makes it personal for Mary. That speech she made at the end with Gideon about how every move she makes in the future will be in service to dismantling Elizabeth's power was actually really chilling.

[–] lyndajane73 8 years ago

Now unless my brief reading of the history of Mary Queen of Scots is off, it seems to me they took Mary's real history - being imprisoned in England and eventually being accused of being involved in a plot to assassinate Elizabeth, then executed by beheading - and applied it to Lola's character.

Mary's actual wait in prison was around 19 years I believe, and by the time she fled to England and was imprisoned there she'd married twice and had a son James - who would succeed Elizabeth on the English throne and rule over England, Scotland, and Ireland. So in a way, Mary finally did take the English throne - through her son, and he was put there by Elizabeth. It's kind of ironic if you think about it.

As for the show, it still pisses me off a lot that Lola was beheaded. Couldn't they just have her go off into the sunset like Greer did? Even with Narcisse presumably staying (I read an article about his son being cast for season 4 and Narcisse pushing him to woo Claude, the link is in one of the active threads), they could have just had her vanish into obscurity and raise her son with Stephan off screen.

[–] one189teen50five 8 years ago

Anna just got married in real life. She undoubtedly wanted to start a new life in London. I also think the harsh filming conditions in Toronto is a buzz kill. It must be torturous work to be filming in minus 40 degrees or worse. Torrance also just married and will be on his new show but that films in Spain!!! Leith probably wanted the same thing. Greer had Nostradamus's baby for real and they got married (real life not on show). So---that is how it shapes up, folks. We will always have wonderful memories of the original cast, Bash being my forever fave one. Season 4 will have newbies for sure.

[–] jabell 8 years ago

Thank you for all the updates. Much appreciated. So Celina Sinden is now Donald Sutherland's daughter-in-law and Kiefer Sutherland's sister-in-law.

Boo Hoo! Let me wipe away the tears with my PLASTIC hand!--Lindsey McDonald (Angel)

[–] one189teen50five 8 years ago

Yep, Celina and Rossif are married with child. Anna got married but to whom, I do not know. Torrance and Alyssa married April 2nd in a beautiful wedding that will be featured in The Knot magazine for August. Season 4 will just not have as many good looking men on there, I fear. Bash is so cute. I'm gonna miss him most of all.

[–] [email protected] 8 years ago

I was shocked about both Lola and Leith!

[–] lferrigon-1 8 years ago

Wouldn't Lola know Mary better than to believe that she would want her to try and kill Elizabeth?

I will miss Anna as well and wish her well in whatever she does. I hope to see her in another series or movie one day.