As the intricate narrative of The Serpent Queen draws ever closer to its contemporary tangles, Episode 7 of Season 1, titled "An Attack on the King," shifts the narrative lens. This time, it's not Catherine De Medici's voice guiding us through the retrospective scenes, but Mary Stuart de Guise's. She approaches Rahima, still imprisoned after being caught in her chambers at Catherine's bidding in the previous episode's climax. Mary unfolds the tale of King Henri's demise from her unique perspective.
Henri's death is a slow, gruesome process. During the joust, his opponent's spear lodges deep within his eye socket, a ghastly scene depicted with unflinching detail. It's a time for reflection, prayer, and mourning—yet the Holy Roman Emperor, true to his scheming nature, sees this as an opportunity to propose an alliance that would solidify Mary's, and thus the Catholics', claim to the English throne. Meanwhile, Diane orders a series of cruel experiments, forcing criminals to endure having foreign objects pierced through their eyes, in a bid to find a way to remove Henri's spear without killing him.
Alas, it is a futile effort. Diane, misguidedly believing the procedure a success, hastily invites the still-weakened Henri to a celebration of his supposed recovery—where, ironically and humorously, he perishes. Catherine is displeased with this outcome, muttering her dissatisfaction to Ruggieri, but such are the consequences of dabbling in dark magics.
With Henri's demise, Francis ascends to the throne, concentrating immense power in Mary's hands. Emboldened by the Holy Roman Emperor's promises of a united Europe under the banner of one true faith, Mary believes she is that faith's embodiment. But this ambition requires vast political maneuvering, including coercing Mathilde to betray Catherine and signing an edict banning Protestantism in France. This edict ignites a tumultuous Privy Council meeting, where Antoine Bourbon, in a fit of rage, reveals his illicit affair with the Guise matriarch, adding a touch of comedic chaos to the proceedings.
As the French monarchy launches a brutal crackdown on Protestants, Catherine scrambles to form alliances. She finds Montmorency, who converted to Protestantism due to a young woman he abducted from Catherine's father, and the Bourbons' enraged father, furious with their courtly failures. Together, they devise a convoluted plan to kidnap the King, hoping it will coerce him to reverse his Protestant policies. One can only imagine how smoothly that will unfold.
In the modern timeline, Rahima, having attentively listened to Mary's tale, agrees to locate the letter between Mary and Queen Elizabeth that Catherine uncovered earlier in the season. However, when Catherine intercepts her, Rahima reveals her ruse and assures the queen that they remain "friends," thus allies. Among the many mysteries the finale promises to unravel, we'll certainly learn whether Rahima's words ring true.
