Becoming Elizabeth
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But everyone else, get outta here.
All theyre doing is bickering and getting in the way of women being awesome.
Its Elizabeth and Mary and Catherine Parr and Lady Jane Grey.
Is there a musical about Henry VIII on Broadway?
Its about his wives!
What if the women of the show all leave and start a bookshop/lending library together?
This is a great plan.
The dress cutting happens!
You guys, this sucks SO BAD.
Thomas is into it, because he is, as mentioned, an asshole.
This house is such a bad environment, mainly because of him!
Catherine is complicit, but Thomas is the instigator of all this.
Anyone who blames Elizabeth remember she is literally 14 years old.
And were almost through it!
Just a little ways to go!
But before were done, Catherine has to catch them.
(I would probably also do this at 14.)
We are asked to hate Bishop Stephen Gardiner, Catherines nemesis, which I will do readily.
Gardiner is released from the Tower as a concession to Mary and her many Catholic supporters.
Catherine is not thrilled about this.
Three years before the events of this episode?
That is basically zero time.
Yes, he did!
It was a confusing time.
The council wants to appease Mary because she is still upset about Elizabeths letter.
Mary thinks Elizabeth is following Catherine and banding together with Edward against Mary.
Your actions matter, Elizabeth!
The personal is quite literally political.
Elizabeth says her father would never have let Catherine be executed.
Elizabeth definitely still does not get it.
Gardiner, meanwhile, is off to Marys, where he dines with her and Pedro (PEDRO!)
and tries to get Mary to lead an uprising against Edwards Protestant court.
Pedro calls him a dangerous friend, because Pedro is wise and great.
Did I mention how much I ship Mary and Pedro, despite knowing this can never happen?
He looks out for her and her best interests!
), then they hold HANDS.
I never thought the only romance Id care about on this show would involve Mary.
But shes so reasonable here!
So much happens here.
Robert Dudley is there (hurray!
), gives her a dagger, and calls Thomas that unstable popinjay.
Even though Jane doesnothave a song prepared, she tries and sings very badly and runs off crying.
You are being the Worst.
Ugh, I love them.
What an absolutely terrible life she had.
All she says is In the morning and she leaves.
The next morning, the fire lake is filled with dead fish.
Dogs are eating scraps from the banquet.
Randos are passed out in the hall.
Catherine encourages Edward to assert his right as king, and the Lord Protector smacks him WAY down.
Like, smacks him the farthest down one can possibly go.
Thomas and Catherine leave.
Yes, we fucking are.
CATHERINE PARR, I LOVE YOU.
Before this, Catherine talks to Elizabeth.
Catherine asks, What has he done?
This is so good!
Elizabeth keeps saying they both did nothing, and Catherine keeps repeating the same question.
Ugh, what a bummer, but again, understandable.
Catherine tells him shes pregnant.
Thomas says he wishes they had gotten married before Henry decided to marry Catherine.
Elizabeth is leaving, Catherine has decided.
Her public-facing excuse is that shes exhausted from the baby.
It doesnt matter what she has done but what people think she has done.
As Elizabeth sits in the carriage, we see apparent flashbacks of her and Thomas having sex.
She might as well get Never Again tattooed on her arm like that guy onX-Files.
Is the series going to lean into that rumor that Elizabeth got pregnant?
Will we get to see more of Catherine?
When does Mary turn to the Dark Side?
