The Serpent Queen Season 1 Episode 6 Review: The Last Joust
The Serpent Queen Season 1 Episode 6, “The Last Joust,” introduces new power players into the fold with subtext-rich dialogue and the shuffling of pieces on the political chess board.
“The Last Joust” ostensibly marks the end of Henri’s reign — well, and life. Suppose that’s the case, that puts The Serpent Queen‘s flashback scenes in 1559, almost merging with the show’s present. It all comes down to Catherine’s prophetic dream about Henri dying from a jousting wound and Ruggeri potentially setting the wheels in motion to get Diane out of Catherine’s hair for good.
LOUIS DE BOURBON: It appears the Bourbons have found a friend in you after all.
I love the use of serpents in this show and how it incorporates their symbolism into the narrative (more on that in “Stray Observations”). Is there a dark undercurrent of magic surging beneath Ruggeri’s fortune-teller abilities? Does Catherine possess some of that magic as well? The Serpent Queen artfully plays its cards close to the vest in that regard.
Royal courts seem to produce fast turnover concerning emerging power players vying for security among the opulent. It’s a perpetually revolving door. We see the rise of Mary Queen of Scots in the show’s past timeline, with her “zealotry” and fervent desire to serve Francis as a diligent wife. But is her devoutness a shroud for ambition?
If The Serpent Queen has taught us anything, it’s that women contribute to the deeply rooted patriarchy as much as men for their survival. Women like Diane, Antoinette, Mary, and Catherine find their footing by riding on the coattails of the men and coaxing them in the direction of their choosing. Since the beginning of time, women have preyed on men’s weaknesses for protection while guiding them to prosperity behind the scenes and never taking credit for their victories.
DIANE DE POITIERS: We could have been friends, you and I. We have so much in common. Except sentimentality. That belongs to you alone, and it will crush you.
However, is that true power? “The Last Joust,” as well as the series, asks us that question. Do we all contribute to the thriving of the patriarchy, even if it’s unknowingly?
The performances in “The Last Joust” are top-notch, with the usual standouts being Samantha Morton and Ludivine Sagnier. Antonia Clarke, Mary Queen of Scots, also takes her place on the acting leaderboard. While we see her with more of an edge in the show’s present, her mask drops slightly in “The Last Joust” as her lust for power takes center stage under the guise of piety and royal duty.
Morton and Sagnier continue Catherine and Diane’s perilous political tennis match, each woman delivering her fair share of juicy, entertaining power moves. Of course, I’d be remiss to omit mention of The Serpent Queen‘s brilliant use of subtext in its already cleverly written dialogue. From Catherine’s conversation with the Bourbons to her chat with Henri before the joust, you always have to read between the lines. It’s such a fun way to keep viewers engaged in the story.
CATHERINE DE MEDICI: Henri thought he wanted the truth. What he really wanted was absolution. So, I gave it to him the only way I knew how.
Even Catherine’s current conversations with Rahima are thrilling to watch onscreen. We see Catherine implement her final lesson from Diane regarding sentimentality and how it’ll inevitably crush her, especially with her handling of Rahima. There’s a marked difference between past and present Catherine, even as we edge closer to abandoning the past altogether.
We earn in the final scene that Catherine has a plan for Rahima, as the latter will unwittingly help in the downfall of Mary Queen of Scots. I love that The Serpent Queen doesn’t outright reveal Catherine’s intentions regarding Rahima. Initially, it appears she’s genuinely interested in taking Rahima under her wing. She continuously pushes Rahima into uncomfortable situations as a means of testing her.
However, at face value, it might also look like Catherine wishes to torment Rahima merely because she can. We know Rahima is smarter than that; she knows something’s amiss in “The Last Joust.” The show beautifully crafts these nuanced, multidimensional characters with opaque motivations and shifting allegiances — just like the serpent shedding its skin.
“The Last Joust” is a delight and undoubtedly one of the show’s strongest outings since episode three. While not much transpires action-wise save the final act, the well-cultivated character work drives the narrative in a thrilling direction.
Stray Observations:
- It’s nice to see Ruggeri in the present-day timeline with Catherine. The only other person we’ve seen is Mary Queen of Scots. There are two episodes left in this miniseries, so we’ll undoubtedly find out what happens to everyone else at court.
- The serpents slithering out from under Catherine’s skirts is an intriguing metaphor and not the first time we’ve seen it besides the opening credits. Snakes are symbols of rebirth since they shed their skins, along with immortality and wisdom. In addition, they’re connected to oracles and seers. Catherine is nothing if not a seamless shapeshifter with a keen political eye.
- Diane drinks a lethal combination of gold chloride and diethyl ether. Not only that, but we see her bathing in it in this episode. Even though the real-life Diane purportedly passed away after a bad fall, she most likely died because of her inordinate liquid gold consumption.
- In real life, Henri restored Montmorency’s offices, and he served the remainder of the king’s term. He retired when Francis II became the new ruler of France.
- Mary wanting her ladies-in-waiting to have the same name as her seems more narcissistic than pious, no?
- Rupert Everett is always a delight. Put him in all the things, please.
- Francis II is a feminist. We love that for him.
What did you think of this episode of The Serpent Queen? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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The Serpent Queen streams Sundays on Starz.
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Melody McCune
Melody loves TV. Maybe too much. Besides being a Senior Writer for Tell-Tale TV, she's the Managing Editor for Geek Girl Authority, an Independent Contractor for Sideshow Collectibles, and a Senior Writer for Eulalie Magazine. Additionally, she has bylines in Culturess, Widget, and inkMend on Medium. To top it all off, she's a critic for Rotten Tomatoes and CherryPicks.