Knightfall: Can You See The Blue?

Knightfall: Can You See The Blue? | Season 1, Episode 10 | Air Date: February 7, 2018 | Rating:  9/11 |

*SPOILERS AHEAD* If you didn’t know that this space is where episode recaps (with random bits of commentary) occur, now you do. So, if your mind’s not ready to know exactly what happened in this week’s episode of Knightfall, avert your eyes. Now. You’ve been warned.

Ready? Let’s roll.

“The Grail is not just the cup of Christ; it goes back further than you think.” (Tancrede)
“What if I told you something that would change what you know of God entirely?” (Anna)
“Why would he invite you to supper if he knew you were carrying another man’s child?” (Sophie)

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Landry (Photo by Larry Horricks/HISTORY)

In case you missed it in last week’s episode, that last sentence was what Princess Isabella (Sabrina Bartlett) overheard while spying on Queen Joan (Olivia Ross) and Sophie (Amelia Clarkson). Those were the words that turned Isabella from her mother.

So, the Holy Grail has – once again – disappeared, Landry (Tom Cullen) was almost excommunicated, Queen Joan has been dragged off kicking and screaming after being snitched on by Isabella, and Gawain (Pádraic Delaney) took a mallet to Landry’s knee. Where do we go from here? For better or worse, at least one storyline gets wrapped up and in surprising fashion.

Back to the Commandry where, after some first aid – seriously, never leave home without Draper (Nasser Memarzia), folks – a weary as fuck Landry has another tap dance of a conversation with Pope Boniface (Jim Carter): the Pope is all “my bad” and “I’ll tell you everything if you retrieve the Grail for me. Again.” Meanwhile, Altani (Lourdes Faberes)has given the Grail over to De Nogaret (Julian Ovenden) – who simply cannot resist a derogatory dig at the holy relic – who immediately turned it over to King Philip (Ed Stoppard). With a bit of deft manipulation, De Nogaret’s counsel leans King Philip towards dealing with Landry and the Templars on a lethal level. Call De Nogaret what you will but, amongst all of those select curse words, there’d better be the adjective “effective.”

With the sudden miracle of Landry being cleared of all charges and free to go, Jacques de Molay (Robert Pugh) does the warrior monk’s version of calling bullshit and – with him understanding what’s going on even less than Landry does – De Molay refuses Landry’s request to mobilize every Templar Knight in France against King Philip in Paris. Landry and his small band of knights are on their own. While leaving for Paris, Ulric (Jim High) is uniquely unimpressed with the occupants of the Commandry. We are all Ulric.

Tancrede (Photo by Larry Horricks/HISTORY)

Delusions of ‘let bygones be bygones’ lead Philip to attempt a reconciliation with Queen Joan, but she rebuffs him hard which cements his mind on sending the Red Knights to kill Landry & company on the road back to Paris. Joan tries to soften him up after figuring out his plan, but Philip has turned a cold corner, even leveling the promise of murdering her child after its born. Brrrr.

Terrified, Joan brains Philip with a rather heavy candlestick, grabs the Holy Grail and runs.

During a rest break, Landry and Tancrede officially pledge to follow Godfrey’s lead: after recovering the Grail, they will cede it to the Brotherhood of Light for safe keeping and protection, instead of the Pope. No trust, no Grail. Just as they’re about to get back on the road, Joan (who is going into labor) arrives with the warning of the mercenary knights en route (and that she has the Grail). Also arriving is a horse bearing two knight riders run through with a sword. Two knights, one horse: way to use a Templar Knight signature to send a message.

And the message is that Landry and his men are under attack, painfully outnumbered by the Red Knights and Gawain is their leader.

Son of a bitch.

Landry & Queen Joan (Photo by Larry Horricks/HISTORY)  

“Brothers, the King of France has sent mercenaries to kill us.” (Landry)

And so the battle begins and, while the Templars are a formidable lot, they’re overrun by the Red Knights and about to fall (even Tancrede can barely keep up with the new and improved Gawain) until Jacques de Molay rides in with reinforcements. But it’s a brilliant boxing formation executed by the Red Knights that effectively separates Landry from the rest of the battlefield and brings him face to face with a seething King Philip.

To say that King Philip is annoyed would be an understatement: Philip is done. With Joan and her infidelity. With his supposed BFF having an affair with his wife. With the child they’re having together. Using Landry’s entire existence (and face) as a punching bag while he taunts him is one thing, but Philip running Joan through with his sword, spitting out “You betray the King of France, this is what happens!” and leaving her to die in Landry’s arms was pure venom.

King Philip (Photo by Larry Horricks/HISTORY)

Landry makes a desperate attempt to save Joan’s life by making her drink from the Grail; it didn’t work, and a grieving Landry shatters the Holy Grail against a tree, but perhaps it gave Joan’s baby a boost as it was still moving inside the womb after Joan died. Like clockwork, Draper to the rescue by performing an emergency medieval C-section. It’s a girl.

Thirty-four fallen Templar Knights and Queen Joan are buried on the battlefield but hold: Master Berenger (Peter O’Meara) slips away and digs out a cartridge from the base of the broken Grail. An indecipherable message scroll is within, but the last words clearly say: “Landry du Lauzon.”

Berenger returnes the scroll into the cartridge…and swallows it.

So, we’ve made it through the medieval roller coaster ride that has been season 1 of Knightfall (yes, coming to DVD on March 13th) and (operating under the premise that a season 2 is a go) are left with all manner of questions, concerns and takeaways such as:

• Draper should be dubbed the season’s undercover MVP.
• What is this “new light” that Anna made the Pope see Landry in to make him do such a 180? Is Landry a descendant of Christ or perhaps he is – himself – the Holy Grail? Don’t worry: the answer can’t possibly be that simple.
• Will all of the French Templar Knights continue to have Team Landry’s back?
• King Philip and the Pope: now there’s a collision course.
• How far gone is Gawain from his former brothers?

Many questions and little time, so until official word is announced regarding Knightfall‘s future telling a fantasical story from the past, remember: #TeamTancrede.

Quotable:

• “The 9 knights who founded our order wanted us to protect pilgrims on the road to Jerusalem, not pitch faith against faith.” (Tancrede)