‘A Discovery of Witches’ Recap: ‘Season 2, Episode 7’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode 207 of ‘A Discovery of Witches’.
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It is definitely safe to say that season two of A Discovery of Witches has been an outright masterclass in the character study. Because week in and week out, this season has really taken the time to provide proper care for its dynamic and fascinating characters and allow for them to grow right before our eyes. An act that has already helped a loyal fan base fall further in love with this series, since that kind of care is rare, in an era of storytelling where gimmicks and epic stories rule the day. But while it has been quite wonderful to enjoy so many intimate character moments and properly get to know what makes them tick and drives them… at some point the series was going to have to put that character development aside, in order to push the plot along.

After all, Diana and Matthew have come to the 1590s to do more than find themselves and one another and grow. They are here for the Book of the Life so that they can make a future a better place for creatures from all walks of life and as it turns out, the next episode served as the perfect time to begin that push toward finding it. For this particular tale picked up in early 1591, wherein the de Clarimont party finally arrived at Bohemia to complete their mission at last and well… it didn’t take long for this story to make it clear that uncovering the whereabouts of this legendary tome would be easier said than done. For Emperor Rudolph met Matthew with great disdain and resistance, and for a time, it seemed as though there would be no chance at accomplishing their goal.

But thanks to the fact that the Emperor took a shine to Diana, she opted to use his little crush on her to her advantage. Which in turn brought forth all kinds of surprises. Since it not only motivated the Emperor to open up to Diana and spill all kinds of royal secrets to her, but it also brought about the first real test of her marriage. Because Matthew struggled mightily with the fact that another man was trying to woo his woman, regardless of the fact that there was zero chance that Diana would accept the Emperor’s romantic invitation. But none the less, it brought his blood rage to the surface and it put Diana in a tough spot, wherein she could either let him boil over until he cooled off or try and reach him and help him to understand that their love could not be broken and thankfully… she chose the latter option and strengthened their bond further.

However, while Diana did a wonderful job of keeping the peace and getting the Emperor to eat out of her hands, she made little progress in getting the book and opted to simply push the matter to the Nth degree, by using her newfound understanding of magic to try and get Rudolph to reveal its location and wouldn’t you know it? Her bold plan worked. For the Emperor was stunned by her power and wanted to see what she could in the presence of the book and well, that brought about one stunning sequence of events. Because not only did Diana activate it and its powers with minimal effort, but this grander display of her magic provided the team with a necessary moment of distraction. The kind that allowed for a daring and harrowing escape to take place, one that was successful in just about every way imaginable.

Because no one was hurt on their way out of the door and most important of all, they have the Book of Life and can now begin to decipher its endless secrets and well… that’s all there is to say about this straightforward plot. One that moved the overall story forward in a brisk and dynamic manner and that’s just wonderful. And as an added bonus, this one managed to hold our attention from beginning to end and it also gave Gallowglass something to do, and it might have revealed the true identity of the blood rage monster that is terrorizing Oxford in 2021 and well, once again… this show found a way to leave us hungry for more. Simply because this episode leaves us eager to see what secrets await Diana within the pages of the Book of Life and how they will help her bring about a better tomorrow. Until next time.   
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‘A Discovery of Witches’ is streaming now on Sundance Now and Shudder.

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