The Borgias 3.09 The Gunpowder Plot
So, I may, um, have gotten to watch this episode a tad early. Because I was worried. But zomg so worth it. I cannot wait for a week until I write my review, I must do it now. Aka: the episode in which the key to the season turns out that clearly Neil Jordan saw Jeremy Irons as Henry IV. in The Hollow Crown and during a certain scene exclaimed "I want him to do that on MY show!"
Okay, first of all, Lucrezia rescued herself, which was immensely satisfying. Secondly, she did so early in in the episode, at which point the shippers got their reunion scene with too-late-for-a-rescue-appearing Cesare, and then Neil Jordan, because he loves me, devoted the rest of Lucrezia's scenes in the episode to Lucrezia realising that thanks to Cesare's überprotectiveness, she just exchanged one prison for the other, feeling smothered and fantasizing about leaving the men in her family behind and getting the hell out of here with Vannozza and the baby. That's my girl. Also her statement in reply to Vannozza's "and yet you love them" (them being her father and her brother) that of course she does, but love can be a chain. So it looks like I will get my sibling clash after all. Thank you, Neil Jordan. (Who wrote the episode.) This is why Lucrezia will be the survivor of the clan.
Secondly, and speaking of getting the hell out of there, Micheletto deciding that killing someone he loves is one assassination too many and vanishing in order to deal with it was gut wrenching. Cesare's reaction was a great show, not tell way to demonstrate just how much respect and affection has grown between them since the pilot. Do I expect Micheletto to stay away? Not really, because history, and also, this by the laws of tv is a set up for him showing up at a future point in the last minute at a crucial battle to be at Cesare's side, or something like that. Then again, I could be wrong; it's nicely unpredictable. Anyway, what this show has been always good about is to let Micheletto have an emotional life of his own instead of treating him as a plot device to kill people, and this entire subplot was a good example of that.
Meanwhile, the plot with the Rabbi, whose name, it seems, is Mattai, does not seem to be going where I feared it might, either. Instead, he becomes Rodrigo's secret agent, complete with period appropriate but smarting necessity to go undercover as a Christian (see also: the meaning of the term "Marrano" last episode), and after succesfully executing Rodrigo's buying-up-all-the-sulfur-to-foil-all-the-warlords plot, doubles as family guidance councillor in the Vatican. The climactic scene in which he does that being prepared for by, err, the entire season and also last season's finale and the interrupted conversation between Rodrigo and Cesare therein, but in this particular episode also by the conversation between Vannozza and Rodrigo, whose scenes together continue to rock. And I'm not just saying that because they validate my fanfiction. I knew Rodrigo hadn't told her Cesare had killed Juan, but also that Vannozza is far too smart and intuitive not to figure out that forgiveness is the issue - well, one of them, but a key one - between them. And of course that, as was indicated in the s3 finale with that interrupted conversation but only magnified ten fold through Rodrigo's near death experience and the ensuing crisis of faith, the fact that Rodrigo simultanously sees a lot of himself in Cesare and has an increasing issue of self loathing going on. So first we get the conversation with Vannozza (complete with "I miss him") and then the big climax of the whole enstrangement arc. (That would be the Henry IV. and Hal throne room inspired scene, if you're wondering.:) (Except the Lancasters didn't have a Jewish Secret Agent Guidance Counsillor.)
Seriously, I loved that scene. The anger and self loathing and passion and reconciliation, all of it. And that Cesare didn't just want the external validation (command, sulfur, the entire enchilada), or love alone, but specifically forgiveness. And that Rodrigo gives him this forgiveness specifically via absolution as part of the sacrament of penance, via Ego te absolvo and the cross on Cesare's forehead. Going back, again, all the way the s2 finale because Cesare revealed the truth about Juan specifically via a confession which was never finished. (And Cesare had to deal with the karmic irony of having just told Juan, while killing him, "we're Borgias, we never forgive".)
Another thing which made me love the episode is that it achieved all of this without, as I feared it might, prettifying Cesare - this is the same episode in which he sets someone on fire as punishment for betrayal. (Really not a forgiving fellow, Cesare.) And becomes smothering in his feelings for Lucrezia. And without negating what Rodrigo says re: his (Rodrigo's) ambition having made the foundation for everything rotten, especially for his family. (The former Bolingbroke would empathize.) Or negating what Lucrezia says re: that she'll only be free without either of the men in her family, much as she loves them. Dysfunctionally that is openly acknowledged while the strength of the emotional bonds are also verified, plus attempt to make something good out of this anyway: gimme!
Okay, now I'm set for the finale. Which, since we have no news about a fourth season, might be the series finale, even.
Oh, and trivia: Vannozza talking to Rodrigo about where she'll be buried: historical Vannozza is buried in Santa Maria del Popolo, where Juan and Rodrigo's oldest son Pedro Luis (not by Vannozza, died before Rodrigo became Pope) were also buried until their remains were transferred to Spain.
This entry was originally posted at http://selenak.dreamwidth.org/904860.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.
Okay, first of all, Lucrezia rescued herself, which was immensely satisfying. Secondly, she did so early in in the episode, at which point the shippers got their reunion scene with too-late-for-a-rescue-appearing Cesare, and then Neil Jordan, because he loves me, devoted the rest of Lucrezia's scenes in the episode to Lucrezia realising that thanks to Cesare's überprotectiveness, she just exchanged one prison for the other, feeling smothered and fantasizing about leaving the men in her family behind and getting the hell out of here with Vannozza and the baby. That's my girl. Also her statement in reply to Vannozza's "and yet you love them" (them being her father and her brother) that of course she does, but love can be a chain. So it looks like I will get my sibling clash after all. Thank you, Neil Jordan. (Who wrote the episode.) This is why Lucrezia will be the survivor of the clan.
Secondly, and speaking of getting the hell out of there, Micheletto deciding that killing someone he loves is one assassination too many and vanishing in order to deal with it was gut wrenching. Cesare's reaction was a great show, not tell way to demonstrate just how much respect and affection has grown between them since the pilot. Do I expect Micheletto to stay away? Not really, because history, and also, this by the laws of tv is a set up for him showing up at a future point in the last minute at a crucial battle to be at Cesare's side, or something like that. Then again, I could be wrong; it's nicely unpredictable. Anyway, what this show has been always good about is to let Micheletto have an emotional life of his own instead of treating him as a plot device to kill people, and this entire subplot was a good example of that.
Meanwhile, the plot with the Rabbi, whose name, it seems, is Mattai, does not seem to be going where I feared it might, either. Instead, he becomes Rodrigo's secret agent, complete with period appropriate but smarting necessity to go undercover as a Christian (see also: the meaning of the term "Marrano" last episode), and after succesfully executing Rodrigo's buying-up-all-the-sulfur-to-foil-all-the-warlords plot, doubles as family guidance councillor in the Vatican. The climactic scene in which he does that being prepared for by, err, the entire season and also last season's finale and the interrupted conversation between Rodrigo and Cesare therein, but in this particular episode also by the conversation between Vannozza and Rodrigo, whose scenes together continue to rock. And I'm not just saying that because they validate my fanfiction. I knew Rodrigo hadn't told her Cesare had killed Juan, but also that Vannozza is far too smart and intuitive not to figure out that forgiveness is the issue - well, one of them, but a key one - between them. And of course that, as was indicated in the s3 finale with that interrupted conversation but only magnified ten fold through Rodrigo's near death experience and the ensuing crisis of faith, the fact that Rodrigo simultanously sees a lot of himself in Cesare and has an increasing issue of self loathing going on. So first we get the conversation with Vannozza (complete with "I miss him") and then the big climax of the whole enstrangement arc. (That would be the Henry IV. and Hal throne room inspired scene, if you're wondering.:) (Except the Lancasters didn't have a Jewish Secret Agent Guidance Counsillor.)
Seriously, I loved that scene. The anger and self loathing and passion and reconciliation, all of it. And that Cesare didn't just want the external validation (command, sulfur, the entire enchilada), or love alone, but specifically forgiveness. And that Rodrigo gives him this forgiveness specifically via absolution as part of the sacrament of penance, via Ego te absolvo and the cross on Cesare's forehead. Going back, again, all the way the s2 finale because Cesare revealed the truth about Juan specifically via a confession which was never finished. (And Cesare had to deal with the karmic irony of having just told Juan, while killing him, "we're Borgias, we never forgive".)
Another thing which made me love the episode is that it achieved all of this without, as I feared it might, prettifying Cesare - this is the same episode in which he sets someone on fire as punishment for betrayal. (Really not a forgiving fellow, Cesare.) And becomes smothering in his feelings for Lucrezia. And without negating what Rodrigo says re: his (Rodrigo's) ambition having made the foundation for everything rotten, especially for his family. (The former Bolingbroke would empathize.) Or negating what Lucrezia says re: that she'll only be free without either of the men in her family, much as she loves them. Dysfunctionally that is openly acknowledged while the strength of the emotional bonds are also verified, plus attempt to make something good out of this anyway: gimme!
Okay, now I'm set for the finale. Which, since we have no news about a fourth season, might be the series finale, even.
Oh, and trivia: Vannozza talking to Rodrigo about where she'll be buried: historical Vannozza is buried in Santa Maria del Popolo, where Juan and Rodrigo's oldest son Pedro Luis (not by Vannozza, died before Rodrigo became Pope) were also buried until their remains were transferred to Spain.
This entry was originally posted at http://selenak.dreamwidth.org/904860.html. Comment there or here, as you wish.