‘The Serpent Queen’ Recap: ‘A Queen Is Made’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the season one finale of ‘The Serpent Queen’. To revisit the previous episode, click here.
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One particular moment in history or in reality that fascinates us to no end, is the moment when someone chooses their respective moral path. Simply because, we always wonder what it was that pushed a good person or a twisted one to commit to the light and the dark, respectively. In part, so we can understand what we might do in a similar situation if we find ourselves at a moral crossroads but also because it is just fascinating through and through to ponder upon the possibility that a singular moment can decide so much from the perspective of fate. But that’s just it. It isn’t a singular moment that decides such matters and puts a person on a unique path. For the final moment in question, is nothing more than a culmination of moments and decisions that were already nudging a person down the path.
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For instance, those who leave evil behind and commit to the forces of good, spent ages struggling with evil and find that they have a sour taste in their mouth regarding it and back away when the opportunity to commit to darkness presents itself. Whereas those who choose evil, have been making dark choices for some time and have let their humanity and conscience slip away in the process, allowing for the ‘big decision’ to be simple and easy in nature and well, that culminating moment, from a dark perspective, is top of mind today, simply because it presented itself to Queen Catherine de’ Medici during the season one finale of The Serpent Queen on STARZ.

For when we caught up with her in ‘A Queen Is Made’, her son’s failing health presented her with the perfect opportunity to take everything she had learned to this point and execute a power grab. Keeping her from having to commit regicide and handle things exactly how she wanted to and well, she handled the perfect opportunity for a power play in masterful fashion. Since she was able to wound Montmorency, and push Antoine into exile. Allowing for Louis to be captured, all of which… allowed for chaos to rule the day so she could take a moment and ponder upon how best to assume the throne without anyone giving it a second thought. Because she knew young Charles was too young to properly rule without a regent in place and the chance to become that regent was too good an opportunity to pass up here, and the chaos surrounding the throne did indeed provide her with the perfect plan with which to assume power.

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Which involved leaving Mary an utter mess. So she could be sidelined and clueless while Catherine worked the key players in this mess to sign over the regency to her. Which was of course, no easy task. For Antoine wanted to hang onto it desperately, and the Guise family was eager to have Montmorency take the reins since they felt he would side with their ideals once he fully recovered. Conflicts that of course boiled over in a tense moment where the decision had to be made, and well, Montmorency revealed that he preferred that Catherine be regent. Because she had the guts to do what was necessary to keep the country on the right path, and with a gun pointed to his head, Antoine signed over the country and after a tender moment with his mother, the dying King did the same. 
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A move that allowed for years of planning and years of learning to finally come to fruition. For a series of perfect moments and informed decisions finally allowed for Queen Catherine de’ Medici to become the true ruler of France and to ensure a rule without challenge… she made sure the Guise and Bourbon families knew their place and knew what would become of them if they crossed her, and she made sure to keep Diane around to flex a bit, even though Diane thought otherwise. And of course… she sent Mary packing back to Scotland with Rahima’s help after all. Since they are indeed kindred spirits that want more than what the world said they should have… and well, that’s how this season of storytelling ends, and the best news of all… is that the story isn’t done yet.

Because STARZ just renewed the series for a second season ahead of this finale and that’s a wonderful thing. Because there are indeed forces working to topple The Serpent Queen, and there is more for her to do to ensure she keeps her agency and her regency and at last… we can see how she ruled and the difficult decisions she made in the name of self-preservation and power. But while we wait for another year of this incredible show, and more of Samantha Morton’s amazing acting… we can celebrate a brilliant tale. One that finally explained how evil comes to life and how it isn’t a momentary decision in the slightest and well, this first season deserves a round of applause, for telling a fascinating and powerful story. About the nature of evil and its complexities and how it never sees itself as bad, just misunderstood. Until next season.

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