Becoming Elizabeth Episode 8 Recap [Finale]

In Becoming Elizabeth season 1 on Starz, we witnessed the execution of Thomas Seymour (Tom Cullen) for his brazen attempt to kidnap the young King Edward VI (Oliver Zetterström), the burial of Henry VIII, and Catharine Parr’s (Jessica Raine) death soon after giving birth. Therefore, a significant death has to occur in the Becoming Elizabeth Season 1 finale. And someone does, though perhaps not the person we had been expecting throughout the entire show.

Two months have passed since we last saw Edward, and he is now gravely ill. Everyone at court believes he has TB, which was difficult to treat in the sixteenth century, and that he will soon pass away. In an effort to dissuade Mary from wanting to kill him when she becomes queen, Lord Protector Dudley, who is currently in a very “oh crap” frame of mind, sends for her. Due of Mary’s historical popularity, people are ecstatic when she appears (until the whole burning people thing). She had a difficult existence and was the daughter of Henry’s most popular queen;also, when Henry expelled the pope, not all of England had instantly turned ultra-Protestant.

When Dudley welcomes Mary, she requests three things from him: first, let her have a Catholic service with her priest; second, get the fuck out of her way; and third, free Bishop Gardiner from the Tower. The Tudor siblings continue to produce emotionally complex when all of them are present in the same space. When Mary sees Edward crying, she begins to cry as well, pleading with him not to cry. They both cry more when he asks Mary to convert even though he probably knows she won’t. As Edward’s condition worsens, Mary and Elizabeth are planning their next course of action.

Dudley tells Elizabeth that it would be impossible for her to take the kingdom, but her father also requested an impossibility while they speak. Recognizing this threat, Mary and Pedro begin working with Edward Seymour to attempt to get rid of them before they become too cumbersome. Seymour meets Dudley and tells him that trying to stand up to Mary is a losing strategy. You can try to stop the flood, but it will still come in. He says before leaving. Mary issues a similar warning to Elizabeth as well, but this only makes her more enraged and makes her desire to become the Queen that is. She aspires to transcend being a plaything for men and to uphold her brother’s heritage. Elizabeth has, of course, had prior experience with this. Mary offers to be the nominee at the succession meeting that is scheduled.

Despite Elizabeth’s involvement in all of this, Edward Seymour accuses Dudley of usurpation and is on the approach of being expelled. That is, till the King’s illness subsides and he feels well enough to interrupt this secret meeting in front of the crucial actors. Dudley therefore grabs hold of these priceless moments and launches Seymour towards the tower. Mary remains mute and bows before slinking away. In his desperation, Dudley even accuses the Queen and the King of conspiring against him to usurp his crown. Seymour invites Elizabeth into the room as he nears death and delivers his elegiac speech, speaking of his brother and the unsettling influence he had on people. Seymour then gets ready to be put to death. As everyone watches in horror as the man is beheaded, Pedro approaches and assures him that he has no adversaries in the crowd.

Elizabeth and Mary are brought into Edward VI’s chambers in the meantime. He ejects them both because he is furious at what he sees as their betrayal. When Mary talks to her sister, she learns that she doesn’t despise her. The last five minutes are filled with a tragic dialogue between Elizabeth and Mary. They put away their fucks and are honest with one another as Jane Grey passes them on the steps after Edward orders them to leave the court. Mary questions Elizabeth’s sincerity in light of her ongoing realization that she has no feelings for Elizabeth. Mary responds by saying that Elizabeth makes things easy while she makes it difficult for Mary. Mary emphasizes that while playing quite various roles in this game, they are both still women. Neither will reign while the King is still alive. Elizabeth speaks, but it’s obvious that she’s hiding something behind her eyes. Mary is the same way. Meanwhile, The King, however, pukes blood everywhere table as we cut to him. He gives Dudley a troubled look as the Becoming Elizabeth finale comes to a close.