Knightfall: “Faith”

Knightfall: Faith | Season 2, Episode 3 | Air Date: April 8, 2019 | Rating:  10/11 |

Landry

*SPOILERS AHEAD* Episode recaps (with random bits of commentary) occur in this space, so if your mind’s not ready to know what happened in this week’s episode of Knightfall, avert your eyes. Now. 

Ready? Let’s roll.

Responsibility and redemption. Sometimes when the stakes are raised too high, sacrifices may have to be made to mitigate the inevitable damage. It’s something that a team leader would do: in Knightfall’s case, even to the extent of a suicide mission.

TROUBLE AT THE TEMPLE

The hits to the Chartres Temple just keep on coming. When the bodies of the Templars executed by Prince Louis are returned to the temple – Draper being one of them – the knights know that they’ve lost one of their most honorable members. Of course, they mistakenly conclude that the deed was done by the Luciferians which causes Temple Master De Molay to declare open war on the heretical sect. Also, of course, Landry takes this lose deepest of all and damned near comes to blows with Talus over it.

It’s been decided that even the initiates-in-training who are sorely underprepared to confront the brutality of the Luciferians will have to fight alongside the Templars against them. Is this a good idea? Not to Landry. More confrontational towards Talus than before, not only does he demonstrate how ill-prepared the initiates are during training by easily defending himself against their attacks, but he also exhibits how protective he is of them, his penchant for leadership and looking out for his fellow brothers even if he feels unworthy. In a conversation with Rhone, Landry declared that, “God is within his rights to abandon a sinner.” Those words were surely pointed at himself.

Princess Margaret & Prince Louis

THREE MEN & NO BABY

Being their usual triumvirate of awful, King Philip, Prince Louis, and DeNogaret continue making bad things happen for the good of only themselves. With Pope Boniface having vacated the holy sea of Rome (read: murdered by DeNogaret), Philip has a specific, non-Italian pope replacement in mind: the French Archbishop Raymond DeGoth.

When DeNogaret presents a lame Gawain to an unimpressed Philip and Louis as a weapon against Landry and the Templars, it becomes clear that Gawain’s previous physical recovery was due to a temporary fix, he’s in need of another and it will be at DeNogaret’s expense. Money changes hands and, after a trip for a gnarly Persian poppy knee injection, Gawain is right as rain again.

Louis continues with his infant-murdering mission (with his men dressed as Templar Knights) but not before taking the time to welcome his wife, Princess Margaret, to the royal home. For a moment in the sun we see Louis as a warm, caring, adoring, and gentle man in love: next thing you know, he’s coldly executing a family and their child. And then unable to perform in bed with his wife (good job at soothing Louis’ rage and ego, Margaret). And then having his wife derided by Philip for not getting pregnant when it’s clearly not her fault. If that series of events doesn’t make your head spin, nothing will.

FAITH…RESTORED

Talus & Landry

Despite wanting to be valiant, courageous and righteous soldiers of God, Vasant, Rhone, and Kelton cannot hide their fears of death by the Luciferians and beg Landry for tips how not to get killed. Responsibility for them weighs on Landry and, with the pagan’s camp having been located, they are scheduled to ride out against them in the morning. But Landry has other plans.

In the middle of the night, Rhone wakes up to find Landry secretly gathering an arsenal of weapons, a horse and sneaking out of the temple on what amounts to a suicide mission: he is going after the Luciferians himself. Does he expect to return? By the farewell-feel of his conversation with Tancrede, clearly not: Quentin died on his watch and better his singular death (while taking as many Luciferians with him) than any more of his initiate brothers.

Taking Talus’ “Any man who dies defending God’s will dies a noble death.” to heart, Landry finds their camp and is a match for the mini-army of pagans until he isn’t. He’s injured, battered and bloody with arms outstretched ready to receive a death blow but, instead, in rides Talus in true Templar Knight-warrior form to take out the remaining Luciferians. After sheathing his light sab…uhh, sword and landing an annoyed blow on Landry, what happens between the two men is pivotal and surely series changing:

Compassion. Benevolence. Understanding. Despite his repeated bouts of exasperation with Landry, Talus believes God has not abandoned him and that – just as God spared his life those 10 years he was imprisoned – Landry’s was also spared for a purpose: that being to protect his fellow initiates. It’s a scene of weight and unexpected, but necessary, redemptive grace making the downshift from violence to such a gentle heart-to-heart between the two hardened warriors the moment we’ve been waiting for deftly delivered. Consider it an emotional Rubicon of Landry and Talus’ relationship and here’s hoping that neither man will retreat from it.

The imagery of the Knights Templar seal is employed when Landry and Talus return to the temple: two knights on one mount. And without a word or explanation when they enter, they simply dismount before the cross where Landry kneels in prayer and breaks down in tears. One by one every Templar Knight, including Talus, kneels with him.

Princess Isabella

NOTABLES:

  • This episode began and ended with Landry on his knees in front of the cross.
  • He may still be little lacking with a sword but King Philip is pretty handy with an axe.
  • King Philip reinforces the medieval notion of a woman’s true purpose: babies. Specifically, male ones.
  • Gawain rededicates himself to King Philip’s cause with blood.
  • The relationship between Princess Isabella and Princess Margaret: sisters or rivals?
  • Are we to assume that word of a baby-killing band of Templar Knights roaming about France has gotten out? Why else would the family be hiding their child?

QUOTABLES:

  • “When there’s nothing to hold on to, hold on to your faith.” (Talus)
  • “I didn’t give you permission to leave the temple grounds, initiate.” (Talus)
  • “I find it interesting that you would choose to take on the role of the enemy.” (Talus)
  • Perhaps I need to counsel you, counselor.” (King Philip)
  • “Men. Playing at doing important things and leaving us to clean up after their messes and suffer the consequences.” (Princess Isabella)

Next week’s episode: “Equal Before God”

All Photos: Larry Horricks & José Sarmento Matos courtesy of HISTORY