‘The Serpent Queen’ Recap: ‘A New Era’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for Episode Four of ‘The Serpent Queen’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.

We tend to believe that evil and its machinations are constantly in motion in our world. As though those who wish to commit harm or do so… are endlessly twirling their proverbial mustache from beneath their black top hat and cloak, pondering upon how best to destabilize the world and lives. But alas, that thought, and that image is nothing more than classic Hollywood fluff. For in reality, evil is conducted by human beings. Sometimes by people with families and other responsibilities, and they of course, have to eat, have to sleep and there are times… where life isn’t pushing them to be something darker and that fascinating truth is top of mind today, simply because it was put on full display during last night’s episode of The Serpent Queen on STARZ.
​
For when we catch up with Princess Catherine de’ Medici in ‘A New Era’, fifteen peaceful years have passed. In fact, Catherine has now given birth to ten children to extend the royal family line, and all is well. For the country is secure, there is peace and well… it was fascinating to see that Catherine was nothing more than a mother for a chunk of this tale. One that gave no agency or mind to having to do extreme things to keep her standing or keep her safety going. Giving rise to the reality that darker individuals can indeed take a break and just live life like the rest of us and be the person they always wanted to be. But of course, what keeps darkness thriving in this world, is the sheer fact that the good times never last and we are tested as often as we receive complete and utter peace. 

Which came forth by way of several surprises in this tale. For Catherine hit a dark patch when her eleventh child did not live upon birth, putting her into an understandably depressive state, one that also put her life in perspective. For she came to realize that the past fifteen years of her life were hollow in nature. Where she let her cousin become the true love to the man she loved and where she was in essence, something of a ghost to her own family. Best seen and only held close when needed, as evidenced by how Diane was present more than she was with her own young ones and well, that, and another stunning twist of fate put her in a unique position. 

---

For King Francis was struggling with his health in his later years, to the point where the sheer ravages of time had him concerned about his legacy and the future of his kingdom. Since Henry relied too heavily on Diane to guide him in just about everything. Which is why the King asked Catherine to step in and offer guidance and wisdom to his son… before he finally passed into the great beyond. Giving Catherine at long last, a new chance at agency and direction. For she was now the Queen of France, and she was part of the King’s executive council, advising her husband on important and critical manners, and she held nothing back in those meetings. Despite being overridden and shushed and told that her warnings about potential conflict were foolish, and she also opted to slowly sink back into a more powerful line of thinking, because of her cousin.
​
Because she knew deep down that Diane would try and undermine her at every turn and do her best to play Queen while Catherine would waste away like the other wives in the palace, playing games and doing little to live and that prompted her to inform Diane she was to be sent away, with the new King’s blessing of course. But that… proved to be too kind of a move on the Queen’s part. Since Diane did exactly as she feared and countermanded that order and stepped up into the role of Queen. A move that stunned Catherine to no end, since it taught her that she underestimated her cousin and her need for agency and that she would be a difficult nightmare to deal with and of course… she also came to realize, that her spot on the council was a joke to her husband. Since her warnings about what could come about from a change in leadership came to fruition and well… that gave her great pause.

Not because she was disappointed or wounded, she’d been through enough of that in her life, but because… it was obvious from the look upon her face in the closing moments of this tale, that she realized the time had come to reawaken her darker instincts to ensure her standing and stature. Which means ugly times are ahead for others. But what matters more, is that this story did a wonderful job of exploring how being a villain or a bad person, or a Queen that instilled fear in all… isn’t a 24-7 gig, and it can take years of damage and devastation to finally bring that person to their respective darkness and the show deserves a round of applause for showing us that and Samantha Morton deserves one as well. For giving us such a dynamic performance that showed us both sides of this equation and well, now that there are others pushing against the once and future Queen, it is best we brace ourselves as she prepares to inform everyone… who is really in control. Until next time.

---

Powered by JustWatch