Reign 3.05 "In a Clearing" Episode Discussion
 

Thanks for starting the thread, Issi! :hug: I'm so anxious about this episode. :eek:

I knew it and I was ready at least I thought I was ready and it's not going to hurt like it does right now, but I just feel SO SAD to read all the tweets about Francis' last scene and Francis dying :bawl: :broken_heart:

I'm going to miss Toby! He was great and I hope he will get new amazing projects very soon!

I'm first of all watching because of Megan, she my reason #1 and #2 was Toby :(

I'm not quite ready. :(

Watched the episode.

And I cried!

I thought I wouldn't but I did.

This episode is SO GOOD! The cast is so incredible, Reign is worth the #### storylines only for this talented amazing people!

Francis had a last very sweet scene with Catherine!

Catherine said "Surround yourself with guards" and Once again he didn't listen to her and he got killed. She said to him "I should not have favorites, but oh you... my golden child I can't lose you"

Mary and Francis :melt: those last scene will make all Frary shippers happy, seriously, you guys... don't be afraid, it's beautiful, it's painful but it's worth it because their scenes are beautiful!


Mary to Catherine "I'm sorry" and Catherine didn't blame her even if she could, she did in S1 she said "You're strong, Mary, So strong" :bawl:

I don't think I've ever cried so much at a to show... Scene after scene... Heart breaking

:broken_heart: it was so sad but so beautiful!

I guess there was a certain art to it. The only part I thought weren't cheesy and was moving was when Mary screamed though. I did find the whole episode sad though, because you could see the build up.

I've seen it. I think I actually made sounds that aren't human, I'm wretched. I honestly don't know what to make of Reign from now on - yes I love Catherine, but will that be enough?
I will miss Toby with everything I've got.

I will miss Toby a lot. But I'm also really looking forward to watch the next episodes! The power battle is always interesting to watch and the last few episodes were actuallu good

Heartbroken. That's how I feel. Francis's death was expected but it still hurt like a motha. The entire scene was just heart wrenching. To see our mighty king go out in such a terrible fashion. I almost found myself wishing he would've succumb to his illness instead. He was such a noble man with a kind heart. Damn you history. He deserved so much more than life afforded him as King. Loving, loyal, and selfless to the very end. It was like watching a car accident. You know you shouldn't be looking but you can't seem to turn away. That's how I honestly felt.

His final scenes throughout with Mary were beautiful and fitting. I loved the call backs to the initial scenes. The moment of Francis's inevitable death when he recalled all of their moments. I think that had to be the most perfect scene to date that this show has ever offered. I found myself wishing that Mary had seen all of that beauty during her struggle in season 2. So much wasted potential time they lost. Makes me really sad.

I'm curious to see the route the show will take since Mary ripped up the agreement between her and Elizabeth. I don't want to continue watching because Francis was my fav but I will give it a shot. As long as they don't abruptly pair Mary up with some new beau in two weeks, like Francis didn't exist. That should be the least of Mary's worries. Besides that's not acceptable, especially after the Conde crap.

I thought the episode was really well done but I did have a few complaints. Frary got an admirable ending for fans and viewers alike. But as good as that was, the show did everything wrong when it came to Francis/siblings. I felt that they missed the boat with the blatant skipping of final Francis/Bash, Francis/Claude, Francis/Charles. Speaking of, I didn't even see Claude/Charles at the funeral( maybe I should have another view). Not to mention there should've been a final scene between him/Lola/baby. It felt so incomplete and I as a day one viewer felt very cheated. These were important relationships to Francis and while I understand death can be sometimes unexpected, the show should've done a better job showcasing that.

I however did like the Catherine/Francis scene. I admired him telling his mother that he couldn't live whatever life he was to have in fear. As much as his death hurts, I believe he was right. That was no way to fully embrace a second chance. Catherine, the ever protective mother to the very end. I wish she would've fought a bit harder to stop him from going. I loved her telling Francis that he was her favorite. I think she loves all of her kids but I must admit the first born always hold a special place in their mother's heart. Catherine made mistakes but she loved her boy. I was sad that she didn't get a literal goodbye to him.

So, we move on. I just hope the journey won't make me resentful of this show's conclusion. They need to move Mary forward without dishonoring Francis's memory. I think that's the respectful thing to do.

I know this was suppose to be presented as this great episode, but all I can feel is bitterness and disappointment - it's great that Frary got so much great moments and great emotional reactions, but it was all at the expense of other familial relationships that were completely tossed aside. Mary got to have all the moments, Mary got to cry, Mary got to react, Mary got to scream while other people who were Francis' family barely got anything, some weren't even there in the episode at all.

I get it, Frary is the big ship, but when one ship clouds over every single other relationship that should have just as much importance, it is incredibly annoying and frustrating, and at this point I was almost glad to see Frary come to an end if not for the possibility that other characters and relationships can maybe finally have room to breath, and really it should not be me feeling this way. I should be heartbroken at Frary's end, not be glad that it's over so it won't take up everything from all the other relationships. I have never hated Frary, in fact, I enjoy them, but this relationship has effectively robbed every other Francis-related bond from having any impact this whole episode. I mean, where was Claude? Where was Charles?

I've sat through this whole season waiting and waiting for the hopes that this show would give me a Francis and Bash moment, I kept hoping that yes I may not have gotten much but surely the writers will give their final moment something powerful and memorable. At this point they might as well forgotten that relationship even exists anymore - one of the few relationships they didn't manage to trash and ruin in Season 2 yet barely even a peep. Where was anything close to that hug at the end of Season 1? Where was anything close to Francis making Bash his deputy? Where was even a tiny moment of the brothers saying goodbye? Or one last scene before Francis and Mary went off on their trip? Would it really have been that hard to give a damn about relationships on this show that isn't Frary? I honestly don't know if the writers are overcompensating for all the trash they did with Frary in Season 2 so now suddenly nothing else matters.

The more I think about it, the more frustrated and angry I get. I wanted to love this episode so much, I wanted to enjoy all the Frary moments, I wanted to enjoy what brilliant performances the actors gave, yet all I can think of is the honest disappointment at everything else that is wrong. There was only one scene I ever wanted and the writers ruined all of that.

I suppose whichever writers that wrote all the great Frash moments took a vacation when this script was written. All I wanted was one scene, one goodbye scene, hell, everything could have been Frary this whole episode and I wouldn't have cared if they gave me one scene of Bash and Francis saying goodbye, but nope, they can't even do that.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who thinks they missed the ship with Francis's relationships. What I what have loved to see happen is this- Francis could've been hurt/dying but brought back to the castle. They could've had a tbc until next episode and Francis could've passed peacefully in his castle after having moments with his loved ones. That would've given us some well deserved moments, Toby/Francis one more episode, and I wouldn't feel cheated.

Every other relationship basically became a cameo appearance at the expense of showcasing Frary, and that's all well and good if that's what they want, but then it should have been two episodes, give one episode dedicated to Frary and all their moments, and have the next episode be Francis with other people - his family, his siblings, people he's known his whole life that's not just Mary

for god's sake, it is not just Mary and Francis that matters in this moment, there is a family that Francis has too and basically we see no reaction from them at all - they may as well have been relegated to glorified extras in the shots

OMG I posted this on Twitter yesterday! As much as I loved all these sad and heartbreaking scenes I just couldn't bite M/F. I loved all their moments but every time Mary opened her mouth to express her love I just rolled my eyes. That's the producers fault though, not the character or actors. I know this show was sold about focusing on Mary, but bloody hell would it have killed them to give Claude, Bash and Catherine a little more notice?!