“It is time for them to see you as I do”
Warning: Full spoilers for the episode below.
After taking a hiatus for a week (let’s blame MLB playoffs, shall we?), The Bastard Executioner returned with a rather mundane episode that failed to strike several of the chords that have been working for it so far in season one, and falling back on more exposition and dialogue than perhaps necessary.
As Lady Love continued her quest to attempt to put Ventrishire back into shape and to come to peace with the rebels, she continued butting heads against the men in her world who would rather show justice with a sword and bloody battle than by working things out. Such are the times of war, I suppose. The character has certainly made inroads (whether to save her brother or fight for the common good) and she is beginning to wear her power quite nicely. Unfortunately we know that it cannot last. Between her fake pregnancy and her budding romance with Wilkin, even Love’s lady maid has begun to speak her mind about just how delusional Love is being when it comes to the long game.
That said, Love and Wilkin finally stopped sneaking around enough for Jessamy to find the two of them embracing. Wilkin should have known that sleeping with her once wasn’t going to quell her madness; if anything it made the delusion all the more real, so it was no wonder that she reacted the way she did to seeing her husband and the Baroness locking lips. At least the sneaking around is done with… for now.
Meanwhile, as the priest became further entwined in Annora’s magic, it was the young Maddox boy who suffered. Naturally the archdeacon and his men were angry that those creepy snakes came to life and some firebombs killed some of their numbers. Whether you’re a fan of the surreal elements to this series it was a pleasant way to move the plot along, all while ensuring that Annora could not get caught. Now, with the boy missing and the The Dark Mute’s face publicized, it’s looking as though the series is leading up to a final battle scene in the next two episodes that will definitely put an end to at least one life. Once Wilkin finds out that his pseudo son has been kidnapped, of course.
Until then, it very much remains a battle between the King and those in Ventrishire who are just trying to hold on. Unfortunately we’ve been covering that ground for eight episodes now, and it truly is time to change things up. With FX still not announcing the show’s renewal, however, we may be running out of time.
In terms of standout episodes, “Broken Things/Pethau Toredig” was memorable only for one exciting cave scene with snakes come to life, and the kidnapping of a child. Filled with exposition, the episode continued to showcase negotiations between an increasingly desperate Ventrishire and untrustworthy allies, which will hopefully build up to a thought-out, game changing finale. Unfortunately, there are only two episodes left to do that, and with FX yet to renew the series it seems as though time could be running out.
