‘Dangerous Liaisons’ Recap: ‘You Are Not My Equal’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Six of ‘Dangerous Liaisons’. To revisit the previous episode, click here. This article also contains discussions regarding sexual assault, which may be triggering to some individuals. 
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Over the course of the past five weeks, the STARZ series, Dangerous Liaisons, has done a phenomenal job of exploring the nature of revenge and how it consumes us and draws us to toxic behavior and people… courtesy of Camille’s winding journey. For we have been privy to every single moment of the corruption of Camille’s soul, and we’ve of course, seen her play wicked games with Valmont and his heart and his feelings for her as well in the name of retribution. Making this a supremely unique story for certain, since so few shows and stories revolving around revenge take us to such dark and twisted places, and few will also dare to express the rush and the joy that comes with playing games with people’s hearts when vendetta has consumed your own. 
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If anything, this vengeful downward spiral for Camille, has in many ways… inferred the possibility that she is something of a villain in the making. Since that kind of consumption and resumption of darkness cannot be good for a person in the long term, and this week’s episode only seemed to further reinforce that she was taking this quest to a new and ‘evil’ place, if you will. For ‘You Are Not My Equal’ is a story that saw Camille take her plans for revenge against Jacqueline to the Nth Degree. For a grandiose ball was on the horizon and in the wake of destroying one life to gain agency, Camille was prepared to attend that party and use its setting to bring down her nemesis. Which left Victoire and Valmont worried about Camille and her future, since this was some supremely toxic behavior to see on display, almost obsessive really, and that prompted both of them to take some extreme actions to ensure she wouldn’t be lost to this darkness.

Which involved making their way to the big ball, where Valmont would rescue Jacqueline while Victoire would do her best to talk to some sense into her longtime friend and well… one of those two missions were accomplished. Since Valmont was indeed able to resist Jacqueline’s earnest desire for him and get her out of there before disaster happened, while Victoire failed to talk any sense into Camille. For she was hell bent on power and revenge and it seemed that by the end of this night, darkness would consume her. In fact, her pursuit of Jacqueline almost led to another shot at wounding the family by wounding Henri. But the fact that it was Valmont in disguise, who did so to find out why Camille was so determined to harm this one family, took this particular episode and the tone of the series in a whole new direction. 

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For when confronted regarding the why behind her toxic behavior, Camille finally relented and explained what really happened in the de Montrachet household all those years ago. In that, after finding comfort and peace at last, Henri’s lust for her led to Camille enduring assault and pregnancy from his actions and more heartbreak as well. Since she carried the child to term, only to learn that her little one passed away in the middle of the night while they slept together and bonded. And of course, with no child to care for and the ‘embarrassment’ complete, Jacqueline threw Camille onto the streets to fend for herself, and the rest as they say… is history. But what matters more here, is that this revelation changed everything for both Valmont and for the audience as well.
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Because just like that, Valmont was furious over this injustice and vowed to do as needed to help Camille and for us loyal viewers at home… we are now left looking at Camille in a new light. For she is not a monster in waiting or a being drunk with power. She’s broken, she’s hurting, and she wants rightful agency and justice over a disgusting and painful act… and well… so do we. Because what Henri did was disgusting and his wife only made it worse, and that cannot stand, and this show deserves serious credit, for teaching us about the nature of revenge… so that we can also come to understand that sometimes… it can be justifiable.

Especially in a situation such as this, and well… that is going to make the final episodes present in season one of this series, vastly different for all of us. In part because Victoire made quite the powerful decision in the name of friendship and salvation, one that could complicate the now pending marriage between Jean and Camille, and that’s compelling and unexpected drama for certain. But more so because… we are now vested in this story for vastly different reasons. Because just like that… we are less concerned about the fallout of revenge and more concerned about the need for justice, and that will lead to what is undoubtedly, a supremely conflicting ending to this first season. One that will pull at our moral concerns regarding revenge’s place in the world, and our own need to see justice be served for a woman that did not deserve any of this in the slightest. Until next time.

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