The Musketeers Marathon - Wrap-up

 

The Musketeers is not one of the greatest shows around, but I still enjoy it all the same. It's not exactly a faithful adaptation of the works of Alexandre Dumas, but there have been so many other adaptations that there's a need to develop an identity. One of my classmates once described it as "fan fiction". Is that accurate? I'd say so. But is that a bad thing? Not at all. I started out writing fan fiction too.

The show utilises plenty of swashbuckling tropes and clichés in both action and story, often playing them straight. But I love those tropes and clichés, and make use of them in my own writing while also looking for opportunities to utilise them in a different way. I guess the show spoke out to me because of its "pulp" nature, and I consider myself to be a pulp writer. I love the action, and I love the camaraderie between the main characters which produces a ton of witty lines. I previously cited the dynamic between Santiago Carbrera and Howard Charles as an influence on Kestrel and Scar. Hell, I could even see the pair playing my characters if my stories ever got adapted to screen.

This is where I'd normally do a "Top 5 Best Episodes". Instead, I'll look at each season in turn, and choose my favourite episode along with a runner-up.

Season 1

Overall, the first season consisted of self-contained stories. The overarching stories consisted of d'Artagnan becoming a Musketeer and Cardinal Richelieu's machinations in the name of France. As stated before, Richelieu is essentially Peter Capaldi reprising his role as Malcolm Tucker (except with less foul language and even fewer scruples). While the first episode paints him as wanting to destroy the Musketeer regiment, subsequent episodes have him working with the Musketeers.

For my "pick of the season", I'm tempted to go with "Commodities". We get some insights into both Athos and Porthos, a "villain of the week" who is kind of fun to be with but still provides a source of tension, along with some more dramatic strides than the previous two episodes. However, I'm going to make that one the runner-up in favour of "Knight Takes Queen". It shows how far the Cardinal is willing to go to further his national interest, and there's some great action as Aramis and Athos are besieged in the convent. It also kick-starts many of the events of the later seasons as Aramis ends up sleeping with Queen Anne. We also get some insight into Aramis' past, with elements I hope to utilise for Kestrel.

Season 2

The second season followed a similar path, but with a more distinct formula: King Louis blaming the Musketeers for failure while praising the Comte de Rochefort. We also get some running plot threads with Aramis spending time with the Dauphin (despite knowing that admitting fatherhood would be treasonous), and Porthos learning about his parentage. Rochefort is something of a contrast from the Cardinal. While the Cardinal is methodical, Rochefort seems a little more impulsive. While Richelieu acts in a mix of national interest and self-interest, Rochefort is working for Spain but purely in self-interest. However, Rochefort does have an endgame - to seize the throne and forge an alliance with Spain - while the Cardinal's plots were often about maintaining stability ("The Exiles") or doing things to help France on the world stage ("Commodities").

My runner-up for "pick of the season" would have to be "Keep Your Friends Close". It kicks off the aforementioned plot threads, and I love the action as the Musketeers and Rochefort spring General De Foix. As for the winner, hands down it has to be "Through a Glass Darkly". The tension as the royal court is taken hostage is thrilling. But I also love how Marmion ultimately comes across as sympathetic.

Season 3

The third season took a much darker turn, with the war between France and Spain serving as a backdrop. Again, there's an overarching conspiracy; a plot to install Gaston as the new king. Some episodes work towards this, but others don't. Grimaud is a menacing villain with his ruthlessness, seemingly indestructible nature, and his ability to disappear. It makes him almost other-worldly but he's a little bit one-note. He's essentially a bogeyman, but we do get some insights into what made him that way. Working with him does seem Faustian in nature, as Ferron and Lorraine found out the hard way.

I think my runner-up for "pick of the season" would go to "Death of a Hero". It has nail-biting peril for all the characters, and the reveal for most of the cast of the king's condition, but it also gives Ferron some development. As for my winner, I'm going with "The Prize". It was great to see Treville running rings around the villainous triumvirate, and the ending was truly poignant.

Well, that's about it. It was fun to look at a show that has been an influence on my writing. Tomorrow is July, which mean's it's once again Camp NaNoWriMo. I'll be dedicating that month to working on The Pirate King, the follow-up to my previous Kestrel and Scar adventure, Gentlemen of Fortune. I'm hoping to finish it before I go to Swanwick this year.

Happy writing. Or perhaps "All for one and one for all"?

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E10: We are the Garrison

 

Well, it's the final episode, here at the end of all things.

Treville has shattered the alliance between Gaston, Grimaud, and Lorraine. But he has done so at the cost of his own life. The Duke of Lorraine is dead, and his army has withdrawn. But Gaston and Grimaud are both still at large. And Grimaud is seeking a final reckoning before he leaves, and has the Red Guards at his beck and call. They attack the tavern where Treville's wake is being held, and demolish the Garrison. When the Musketeers survive, Grimaud and his men invade the refugee settlement. They demand the Musketeers surrender, threatening to kill Sylvie, who is pregnant with Athos' child. When that fails, Grimaud attempts to blow up Notre Dame during a blessing ceremony for King Louis XIV.

Overall, this feels less like a finale and more like an epilogue. The biggest threat to Paris was stopped last episode, so now we're just tying off a few loose ends. Grimaud doesn't really have much left to gain other than the aforementioned reckoning. He's not the sort of person who gets satisfaction. That said, it's still a good episode, with the characters at their lowest points.

The wake scene is particularly poignant, as d'Artagnan tears up while giving a speech about Treville. It shows how much they all saw him as a mentor and father figure. One big surprise is seeing Athos sober during the whole event. It's a small moment, but it says a lot. And when the attacks happen, things get tense as d'Artagnan realises that Constance was at the Garrison. Once again, we have the "is Constance going to die?" tension that seems common for season finales. Granted, it pulls off a "Disney death", but it was still tense. We get a rousing speech from Athos about how "We are the Garrison", which is a little cliched, but that's expected for a series like this.

There's still some great action. When Grimaud invades the settlement, he had assumed that d'Artagnan was killed at the Garrison. Porthos realises this, which allows them to use it to their advantage. They fight off the Red Guards, Grimaud is wounded but escapes, and I got a great sense of catharsis from seeing d'Artagnan kill Marcheaux. We then get a somewhat more subdued climax as Grimaud attempts to blow up the cathedral. Athos and d'Artagnan are able to extinguish the burning fuses (a classic swashbuckler set piece), and Athos decides to have the final duel with Grimaud.

Once everything's resolved, we basically get what Wayne's World called a "mega-happy ending". It's a contrast from the darker and edgier tone this season has taken, but I think it's well-deserved:

• Athos takes a leave of absence and decides to retire to the countryside with Sylvie
• D'Artagnan is appointed the new Captain of the Musketeers (complete with a nice hat), and is tasked with rebuilding the Garrison with Constance.
• Porthos is made a general, and returns to the front lines with a newly-commissioned Brujon. Before leaving, he marries Elodie, the widowed mother whom he'd bonded with in "Fool's Gold" who had come to Paris seeking him out.
• Aramis accepts the position of First Minister, allowing him to mentor the king as he grows up. While also rekindling his affair with Queen Anne.
• Even Milady gains a new position as Queen Anne's personal assassin, taking care of Gaston and thus wrapping up the final loose end.

Well, it's been a ride. Finale or epilogue, or whatever's in-between, this was still a good episode. I'll post my wrap-up later today.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E9: The Prize

 

It's the penultimate episode, and things are about to hit the fan.

King Louis XIII is dead. The Duke of Lorraine's army has assembled on the outskirts of Paris, ready to install Gaston on the throne with Grimaud's financial backing. Treville learns that the king has appointed him as regent rather than the queen. With French forces tied up in the war against Spain, he knows that Lorraine could seize the city before he can bring in reinforcements, and resorts to diplomatic means to quell the threat. He disbands the Red Guards and instructs Athos to hide the boy king while he negotiates with Gaston and Lorraine. Athos entrusts Louis to Constance and Sylvie. But Marcheaux and the Red Guards defect to Grimaud, giving him allies within the city. And he tasks them with finding Louis.

Treville carries this episode. He previously refused a place on the king's council because he felt himself suited to being a better soldier than politician. But here, he shows that he has a talent for diplomacy and misdirection. He knows that while Gaston, Lorraine, and Grimaud are allies, they're not united: 

• Gaston wants the throne, and would have a legitimate claim if the young king dies before he matures. But he has no troops of his own and is thus dependent on Lorraine's forces to seize the city. 
• The Duke of Lorraine wants independence from France, and has the troops to occupy the city until Gaston agrees to this. But he was previously bankrupt, and is thus dependent on Grimaud's substantial resources to fund his army, which means he's in debt.
• It's not exactly clear what Grimaud truly seeks to gain beyond a return on his investment, but he's basically the man financing the whole plot. But it's clear that both Gaston and Lorraine look down on him because he's not noble himself.

Treville uses this to play them off against each other. He offers Gaston a royal pardon and invites him to the Louvre to visit his brother while he lies in state, during which time he offers him a lavish palace and a substantial stipend. While Gaston is at the palace (and apparently sees the Dauphin being spirited out of the city), Treville meets with Lorraine and offers to draft a treaty which guarantees independence if he agrees to pull his forces back. It's only a matter of time before the two dukes are giving each other some serious side-eye as Treville runs rings around them.

Of course, not everything goes according to plan. Queen Anne is naturally angry with Treville's appointment, especially when he hides her son without consulting her. When he specifically instructs Athos not to involve Aramis in his plan, it's only a matter of time before they need to keep secrets from each other. When the queen learns that Louis is in Constance's care, she commands her to return him in a move which almost gets him captured by Marcheaux.

While disbanding the Red Guard probably wasn't the best move, it does offer some satisfaction; Marcheaux, being the smug prat that he always was, mocks Athos and Aramis over the decision. They respond by supporting it, as they "get paid to kill traitors". However, Grimaud is able to capture Louis and d'Artagnan, threatening to undo all of Treville's plans.

The climax provides some great action, but a truly poignant cliff-hanger. So much happens that you think this could work as the finale, but there's one episode left to go...

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E8: Prisoners of War

 

It's the calm before the storm once again.

As King Louis' condition worsens, Queen Anne has been privately corresponding with King Philip of Spain, with Aramis serving as her envoy. When her brother apparently offers terms for peace, Aramis goes to a ruined fort to meet the Spanish Ambassador. The meeting turns out to be a trap, and Aramis is captured by Grimaud. The peace talks were staged by Grimaud as part of a plot with Gaston and the Duke of Lorraine to discredit Queen Anne before she can become regent. Forging a letter from King Philip, they demand the release of several captured Spanish generals in exchange for Aramis. Treville sends the Musketeers to recover the prisoners, but Marcheaux arranges for them to be publicly hanged. To make matters worse, d'Artagnan's cousin Espoir is also amongst the condemned men after being arrested for stealing a loaf of bread, forcing him to make a judgement call that puts him at odds with his friends.

Espoir doesn't seem to add much to the story, other than giving the idealistic d'Artagnan a moral dilemma. Marcheaux has stirred up the crowds at the execution when the Musketeers collect the prisoners, while Espoir continues to stir them up. That said, it does lend perspective on how draconian criminal justice was back then. When he tries to make a break for it, d'Artagnan takes him back to the Garrison, but Athos and Porthos are unhappy with him compromising the mission. Even Espoir tells him to take him back to prison, but d'Artagnan is reluctant, as doing so would be condemning his cousin to death. That said, when he's cut loose, he and d'Artagnan stumble across the camp where Aramis is being held. And he ends up saving Athos' life when they try and rescue Aramis. I guess they had to find a way to tie him into the events of the story.

Nevertheless, it does present an interesting conspiracy which actually succeeds: Queen Anne sponsors a campaign of literacy to win the hearts and minds of the populace, even offering patronage to Sylvie. After the Musketeers save Aramis, Marcheaux presents the leaflets to Grimaud and he devises a new way to carry out their plot.

In another sub-plot, we see the return of Milady de Winter (teased in the opening credits), having left for England at the end of the previous season. King Louis initially claims to have talked to her while in a daze induced by his medicine, but Treville assures Athos that he'd been hallucinating. Treville then finds her in his office, and offers a retainer for her services. She refuses and seeks out Athos, learning about Sylvie after seducing Cadet Brujon and going to confront her. When she sees that Athos is surprised to see her, she realises that he had intended to join him. She claims to have spoken to Sylvie, and assures him that she's safe but realises he won't believe him. Athos then learns that Sylvie has been arrested for allegedly distributing a subversive caricature of the queen.

The scene which follows this revelation is actually quite powerful. As King Louis states that Sylvie has been sentenced to be publicly flogged, Athos storms out of the meeting and interrupts the sentence. It's essentially made Athos go full circle: when Milady killed Athos' brother, he ordered her execution, claiming he chose duty over love. But now he's going against the king's wishes to stop Marcheaux from flogging Sylvie, loudly rejecting the king's law and choosing love over duty. As his friends back him up, Milady is amongst the spectators. She's watching it unfold and realising where his heart truly lies. She then meets with Treville and accepts his original offer.

All in all, this was a pretty good episode. Next time, things are about to go off.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E7: Fool's Gold

 

War is hell. Especially in the 17th century.

The Musketeers have been tasked with bringing Lucien Grimaud to justice for the murder of Ferron. After learning that he's fled Paris, Sylvie reveals that he mentioned having lived in the village of Episee. The Musketeers follow the trail, but end up being captured. They're taken to a hidden commune populated almost entirely by women from the village seeking refuge from soldiers who periodically loot their homes. Amongst them are Juliette and Therese, who both happen to have known Grimaud's mother. Another resident is Elodie, the pregnant widow of a soldier, whom Porthos bonds with. They also meet Bastien, played by Harry Melling, whom they took in after rescuing him from a band of soldiers. However, it's then revealed that he's a spy for a group of deserters from a penal battalion, who seek a treasure which the commune allegedly stole from them.

This episode attempts to explore the effects that war has on people, especially women living near the front lines. Since many wars at that time were fought by mercenaries, and since soldiers weren't always well-paid or well-supplied, it was common for soldiers to resort to looting and pillaging.

While this episode starts out as the hunt for Grimaud, he doesn't actually appear except in dreams. We do get some insight into his past, which I'm not going to discuss here. As a warning if you're watching the episode: it discusses sexual assault, and an attempted infanticide.

If there's an issue I do have with this episode, it's with Juliette. She's the de facto leader of this hidden community, and is built up to be a fierce fighter. But then she gets captured by Bastien's men, who demand the treasure in exchange for her release. While it does result in a pretty cool battle as the Musketeers fight with the villagers, I was a little disappointed that she ultimately has to be saved.

This is very similar to "The Return" from the second season, with the episode largely taking place away from home. However, there is still some story to take place back in Paris. Queen Anne admits to King Louis that Aramis is the Dauphin's biological father, and Treville encourages him to make peace. After all, if the Dauphin is declared illegitimate, that would be dangerous once the king dies.

All in all, it's a good episode, but also a pretty dark one.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E6: Death of a Hero

Damn, this episode is an intense one. Might be one of the best of this season so far. Just an advance warning: I'll be discussing spoilers that carry over into the next episodes.

Grimaud and Ferron, who have been at each other's throats since their last scheme failed, devise a plan to eliminate the Musketeers. Grimaud attempts to kill Athos while he's staying with Sylvie, while Ferron uses a forged letter from Treville to lure the others into a trap. As the Musketeers are travelling to rendezvous with a general's aide, Aramis is recalled to the palace. He's tasked with escorting King Louis as he goes on a pilgrimage to honour the anniversary of his father's death. Meanwhile, Porthos and d'Artagnan to continue to the rendezvous, where they're besieged in a ramshackle farmhouse by Grimaud's assassins. Athos survives the attempt on his life with Sylvie's help, and rides out with Treville and the Musketeer cadets to warn his friends of the danger they're in.

The opening is atmospheric. Ferron gives a monologue about the inevitability of death. His voice-over is interspersed with shots of Aramis stood blindfolded against a wall riddled with bullet holes, and Athos being disarmed at gunpoint by a hooded figure. We then see somebody holding a razor to d'Artagnan's throat as he dozes in the bath, before it pans out to reveal Constance shaving him. It's also revealed that Sylvie is playing a kinky game with Athos, while Aramis had been blindfolded for some trick-shooting.

The action gets intense as Grimaud actually gets the best of Athos until Sylvie shoots him. But he escapes, demonstrating a vanishing act in the process. Meanwhile, Porthos and d'Artagnan spend their predicament bickering because d'Artagnan had used a cask of wine they found in the farmhouse as a decoy. It gets poignant as they face what seems to be an inevitable death, while defiantly shouting "We refuse to die!"

Meanwhile, Aramis accompanies the king to the mausoleum of Henry IV. Ferron, who has been told by Grimaud to kill them both, is waiting in the crypt. But he has a change of heart when he learns that he's being asked to serve as the Dauphin's guardian when Louis dies, and is being legitimised in exchange for doing so. As he leaves, Louis then reveals he's figured out that Aramis had slept with the queen and confronts him over it. Aramis confesses, but then calls the king out for neglecting her.

Outside, Ferron tries to sever his ties with Grimaud, who mortally stabs him. In his final moments, he fires his pistol into the air, warning Aramis and the king of Grimaud's assassins. Thus, he gets seen as a hero in King Louis' eyes. It's during the fight that Louis reveals to Aramis that he's dying, and Aramis imparts this to the rest of the Musketeers and Queen Anne.

Good episode, that leaves me excited for the next one.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E5: To Play the King

 

The King is throwing a lavish party while Paris is mired in poverty. Kinda like the Jubilee.

Anyway, it's the Dauphin's birthday, and King Louis has nothing else on his mind other than making it a memorable experience. But while that's going on, a prison riot breaks out at the Chatelet. While the Red Guards secure the prison, the Musketeers are charged with rounding up a number of inmates who managed to escape. In reality, the riot is a cover for a scheme cooked up by Ferron and Grimaud to steal gold from the Royal Vault beneath the Chatelet. Grimaud seeks out an inmate, Victor Joubert, who had designed the door to the vault. He forces him to build a new key, threatening his wife Annabelle if he refuses. Meanwhile, d'Artagnan takes pity on one of the escaped inmates; a soldier named Borel who went insane and believes himself to be the king. But the eccentric turns out to be a lot more dangerous than he appears to be.

There's a lot going on in this episode, but the tension and dramatic irony run through it very well. Marcheaux tells the Musketeers to hold the escaped inmates at the Garrison until noon, ostensibly so the Red Guards can secure the prison, but it's really to keep them out of the way so Grimaud can access the vault. But he soon has to arrange for the prisoners to be returned at the evening. Elsewhere, Van Laar attends the Dauphin's party as a proxy to the Dutch ambassador, and informs Treville that Ferron's loan is due.

We get some good action as the Musketeers subdue the escaped inmates, including several who disrupt one of Sylvie's meetings. Aramis and Constance rescue Annabelle, and learn about her husband, prompting them to race to the vault.

It's odd that the main plot is about the vault, but the episode's title references Borel. The episode shows d'Artagnan's caring side and idealism as he tries to humour Borel in order to place him the care of a convent. The rest of the Musketeers assure him that he did the right thing, but the outcome affects him quite deeply. Although I do wonder how he managed to learn of Borel's war record, which he discusses with Porthos and Brujon; he was the survivor of a siege which lasted over a year, during which time the defenders were rumoured to have resorted to cannibalism.

The moment at the end where d'Artagnan is expressing self-doubt is quite profound. This is probably the lowest point we've seen him at. We also get a moment in which Ferron reveals to Treville that he knows the king is dying, which prevents Treville from exposing Ferron's loan from Van Laar.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E4: The Queen's Diamonds

 

If everybody in 17th Century France speaks with some form of British accent, what would an English person sound like in this world?

Henrietta Maria, King Louis' sister and the Queen of England, has come to France to meet with a Dutch financier named Van Laar, to raise funds for troops in England's ongoing civil war. Unfortunately, a highwayman steals the diamonds she had intended to pawn to Van Laar. As Ferron entertains Van Laar - brokering a private loan in the process - the Musketeers are tasked with recovering the stolen diamonds. During their search, they find themselves reuniting with Emile Bonaire, a cowardly slave trader they had dealings with in the past. They force him to help recover the diamonds. Meanwhile, Aramis has a chance encounter with his childhood friend Pauline, who is engaged to a nobleman named St Pierre (played by Paul McGann, who was also in the 1993 live-action Disney adaptation). She later seeks him out, revealing that she's being blackmailed over her growing up in a brothel.

We see the return of James Callis as Emile Bonaire, who once again has his ability to talk his way out of certain death. Even when the Musketeers (especially Porthos) are having none of it. His fetch quest produces a comedic moment, in which he claims to have sold a portion of the diamonds to a noblewoman as a gift for "Serena". D'Artagnan is volunteered to pose as an eligible bachelor, and meets the noblewoman's daughters...none of whom are called Serena. When he asks about her, he's slapped. It then cuts to him introducing the Musketeers to a prized mare, who has diamonds woven into her tail. The Musketeers ineffectually try and rope the horse, to the point that Athos orders Aramis to shoot her until d'Artagnan intervenes. There's later an action scene when they have to get the next set of diamonds from a fence. Although I must admit that Bonaire being the robber does seem a little too coincidental for my tastes. Perhaps they could have built that up a little more.

It's interesting to see that Grimaud isn't really involved in the main story. He does appear, telling Ferron that a ship the Marquis he invested in had sunk. He later attempts to bribe Sylvie, and then states that the Musketeers are looking for diamonds.

The blackmail subplot had some interesting ideas, but I wonder if it could have been pulled off a little better. It feels kind of rushed in places. It's established that Aramis and Pauline grew up together in a brothel, until Aramis was taken away by his father. It's not entirely clear how Pauline was able to get out and pass off as a fine lady, but it is clear that she hasn't forgotten her past: she's shown giving money to a beggar, telling her fiancé "If we can, we must." On the wedding day, St Pierre catches a child stealing food, and lets her have what she wants, saying "If we can, we must." Aramis, who has been invited to walk Pauline down the aisle while he finds the blackmailer, confronts him. It's then revealed that the final diamond is in the wedding ring St. Pierre intends to give to Pauline, which almost results in a rift between the Musketeers. Sadly, the happy couple don't get the happy ending, which does fall in with the bleak nature of this season. I guess I could call that credit where credit's due.

Amateur historian me is going to jump in now, to try and discuss the timeline. Henrietta mentions that Cromwell is in London. When the English Civil War started in 1642, I believe that Parliamentarian forces did hold London while King Charles I relocated to Shrewsbury. But Oliver Cromwell didn't become a general until 1644, one year after King Louis died. Then again, he's the name associated with the conflict, and historical accuracy isn't a priority for a thing like this.

Nevertheless, the episode does have an interesting cliff-hanger. Ferron reveals to Grimaud that King Louis is dying, and in the process we learn their end-game: they plot to install Gaston to the throne, using forces raised by the Duke of Lorraine. Ferron outlines a plan to finance the scheme.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E3: Brothers in Arms

 

Once again, it's a case of "remember the new guy".

King Louis has summoned his brother Gaston, the Duke of Orleans who was exiled for plotting to usurp the throne three years earlier. While travelling to the Louvre, Gaston arranges to fall from his horse and is brought to a tavern where he seeks to deliver letters to a courier. When he ends up being robbed, he lashes out and kills three patrons - all of whom were demobilised soldiers - resulting in a stand-off. Christophe, the tavern-keeper and another former soldier, demands that Gaston stands trial for the murders. King Louis demands that the Musketeers find the thief. Ferron then learns that the pickpocket had stolen the letters Gaston had written to the Duke of Lorraine, which implicates several prominent nobles in another plot to seize the throne.

It's already been established that this season takes place four years after the previous one, and Gaston was exiled three years earlier. Like Ferron, it leaves you to wonder what he was up to in the previous seasons. Who's getting introduced next? Mr Poopy Butthole?

Rick and Morty references aside, this episode's pretty good, with a potent powder keg in this new Paris. There are moments when you think it can be resolved, but it instead escalates. The thief leaves Athos a note stating that they'll turn themselves in after the funeral for the victims. Like my old primary school teachers, Ferron orders the arrest of everybody in lieu of the thief, and the Red Guards disrupt the funeral to make the arrests. After another patron is shot by Marcheaux when he insults Ferron, Treville arrives and orders the Red Guards to withdraw. But the incident tips things over the edge for Christophe and his patrons, who hatch a plan to attack the palace and capture Gaston. Treville and Porthos go to the tavern to parley, but are taken hostage.

I love the climax scene as the Musketeers go to rescue Treville and Porthos. Christophe demands Gaston's trial, a Mass for the victims, and pensions for the soldiers. After being convinced that the hostages are alive, Athos ostensibly sends d'Artagnan to the palace to convey the demands, while telling Porthos to stand firm "like in Alsace". In reality, he's sent d'Artagnan and Aramis to tunnel under the cellar, based on a time they rescued Porthos from the Spanish in a similar manner. But Grimaud blows the tunnel to cut off their escape route, and they're captured by Christophe. To make matters worse, Marcheaux has orders to wipe everybody out if the rescue fails.

Speaking of which, this season has one interesting call-back; the first season had d'Artagnan as a rookie, and after being commissioned, Aramis said they were still going to refer to him as such for "as long as it's funny". But now Aramis is technically the rookie, having been a monk for the past three years. In a similar vein, we get a small moment to see how much d'Artagnan has grown across the series as he supervises Brujon sparring with another cadet, imparting the same "head over heart" advice Athos had given him in the first season.

We also see a relationship developing between Athos and Sylvie. She vouches for him at the beginning of the episode, and they grow closer with this one. It's kind of wholesome, especially when Athos smiles.

Before I go, I have to give away a big detail which carries over: When Christophe's men take up arms, Treville is against stamping them out, fearing that doing so will antagonise the large number of discharged soldiers in Paris into a rebellion. During a heated argument with Louis over the matter, the king reveals that he's dying from tuberculosis, and that the Dauphin will grow up without a father just as he did. His antics with the Dauphin is to give his son a cherished memory. Although Treville is sworn to secrecy, Ferron overhears.

It makes me wonder what will happen next.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E2: The Hunger

 

Something tells me this episode was influenced by the Syrian Refugee Crisis.

With the Musketeers now stationed in Paris, d'Artagnan is looking forward to spending time with Constance. Unfortunately, their shopping trip is interrupted: A harvest has been stolen from the Duke of Beaufort's granary, his granary keeper is found murdered, and the blame is pinned on a refugee settlement in the area. As d'Artagnan and the Musketeer cadets hold the rioters at bay, the Red Guards arrive and arrest several prominent refugees. When d'Artagnan attempts to intervene, he's arrested too. The theft is part of a scheme cooked up by Ferron and Grimaud to drive up the price of grain so Beaufort can settle his debts. It's up to the Musketeers to find the missing grain before the refugees are sentenced to hang.

This episode has a sinister plot, involving unscrupulous nobles seeking to profit from misery and scapegoating innocent people. To be honest, that hits close to home these days. Anyway, their teamwork is definitely with clenched teeth; Beaufort is incredibly pompous and looks down on Grimaud, and Ferron is just barely able to talk Grimaud out of killing Beaufort outright. When Treville is able to convince the magistrate to grant a stay of executions over a lack of evidence, they hatch a plan to fabricate such evidence.

This episode sees the introduction of Sylvie Baudet, a refugee and political radical played by Thalissa Teixeira. One of the residents of the settlement, she is caught by Athos trying to hide a set of pamphlets from an old rebel group dating back to the reign of Henry IV. She later spots planted evidence and helps Athos fight off a bunch of Red Guards who have been dispatched to seize it.

There is one particularly funny moment which I might adapt for a Kestrel and Scar story at some point. One of the Musketeer cadets discovers somebody selling some of the stolen grain. Porthos and Aramis question the vendor using their "special brand of tact and diplomacy": Aramis smashes up the vendor's stall while the much larger Porthos tries to exhibit restraint until the vendor confesses to buying the grain from somebody else.

All in all, it's a pretty good episode.

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E1: Spoils of War

 

Time for the third season. As the show received higher ratings overseas, it premiered on Showcase Canada in April 2016, and was later released on Netflix Latin America and Hulu before its UK premiere at the end of May that year.

Four years have passed since the last season, and the war between France and Spain isn't going well. With the deaths of Cardinal Richelieu and the Comte de Rochefort, we have two new antagonists for this season: Rupert Everett as the Marquis de Ferron, an illegitimate half-brother of King Louis who serves as the Governor of Paris and has the Red Guards at his beck and call; and Matthew McNulty as Lucien Grimaud, a compassionless mercenary and usurer. We also have Matt Stokoe as Captain Georges Marcheaux, the captain of the Red Guards and Ferron's henchman. It's a shame they got rid of  Vargas, the Spanish spymaster. The last episode involved him swearing to kill Porthos, but that doesn't really go anywhere. Anyway, let's look at the story.

Athos, Porthos, and d'Artagnan are fighting the Spanish on the front lines. After a costly assault, the Musketeers learn that their general has disappeared, apparently to meet with a supply wagon that was due to arrive with fresh munitions. The general owes a substantial debt to Grimaud, who takes the munitions and plans to sell them to the Spanish. Meanwhile, Aramis is serving as a monk at a nearby monastery, but is struggling to adapt to a life of contemplation. He frequently butts heads with an orphan under his care named Luc, who aspires to be a soldier. When Grimaud invades the monastery, Luc escapes and finds the Musketeers, who re-unite with their old comrade. They must then help the monks and the other children escape, and prevent the Spanish from obtaining the munitions.

Back in Paris, things are no better. King Louis is obsessed with spending every waking hour with the Dauphin, preventing council decisions from being ratified. Many parts of Paris have become lawless. The Red Guards, under the command of Marcheaux, are oppressing the populace and beating up anybody Ferron takes a dislike to. Constance has been overseeing Musketeer cadets at the Garrison, and devises a plan to humiliate the Red Guards with the aid of War Minister Treville and Cadet Brujon.

This season has a strong issue of "remember the new guy", and Ferron is the first example of that; a new character being brought in without warning, and everyone acting as if they know him. At least with Rochefort, it's established that he was imprisoned in Spain during the events of the first season. Kinda like that episode of Rick and Morty with the parasites, but this time you know he's not one of those parasites.

Lucien Grimaud is pretty menacing, and gives this season a much darker tone. He seems to have the ability to appear anywhere, and you have to wonder what happened in his past which made him that way. One big thing is that he hates it when people look down on him. When Luc witnesses his men massacre the soldiers escorting the munitions, it becomes tense as Aramis tries to convince them that they're not a threat. At least we get some laughs from Constance's subplot.

Speaking of which, there's some tension between Porthos and Aramis, as Porthos is bitter over Aramis leaving. Thankfully, that gets resolved during the episode's climax. I like how it shows Aramis' caring side, and even Porthos gets a "gentle giant" moment. I hope to incorporate that into my own work at some point.

The episode ends with the Musketeers being recalled to Paris, and Ferron being dismissive of them. It makes me excited to see what's in store for our heroes in a Paris that might feel alien to them.

The Musketeers Marathon - S2E10: Trial and Punishment

 

It's the second season finale, and boy is it action-packed. Once again, I'll be discussing major spoilers that will get carried over into the next season.

Aramis is languishing in prison, while Constance is led to the chopping block. Treville joins Athos and d'Artagnan as they pull off a daring rescue, and the four then head off to aid Porthos in bringing in Vargas. Meanwhile, Aramis stands trial and openly accuses Rochefort of being a Spanish agent. After being condemned by a testimony from Marguerite, he's sprung from jail by Milady and re-unites with his friends. But they must infiltrate the palace and get Vargas into an audience with King Louis before he signs Queen Anne's death warrant.

All the action scenes are brilliant. You've got the classic "Big Damn Heroes" moment as the Musketeers save Constance from execution. The build-up to that is great as she is led to the block, clearly scared but refusing a blindfold. Once again, knowing that Constance dies in the original story makes these moments genuinely tense. She later joins the Musketeers in the fights that follow. We also have Porthos going to meet with Vargas in an obvious trap. He escapes Vargas' bodyguards, in a scene which has brief lulls as he hides and ambushes them until he's relieved by his friends. It culminates in a skirmish with the Red Guards at the Louvre, and a final confrontation with Rochefort.

Action aside, there's still room for dramatic moments. King Louis has been an ungrateful shit throughout the whole series, but here he becomes sympathetic. He's devastated as he watches the trial and learns that Aramis is the Dauphin's real father, and can't even bring himself to sign the queen's death warrant. We also have Athos and Milady's tense relationship as they work together, but she realises that he'll never trust her and makes an ultimatum: She will leave for England, but will wait at the crossroads until a set time. If Athos joins her, they'll leave together.

While the last season ended on kind of a bittersweet note, this one is a little more positive but still sets up a third season. With Rochefort's death and Vargas' confession, Aramis is pardoned when it's implied King Louis now believes the allegations against him and the queen were fabricated. Nonetheless, Aramis decides to resign his commission in the Musketeers and become a monk to fulfil a promise he made to God. Meanwhile, d'Artagnan marries Constance and Athos decides that he wants to go to England with Milady (despite being disdainful of the food and the rain).

But something wicked this way comes. King Louis has decided that Spain must be brought to account for their complicity in Rochefort's scheme. He appoints Treville as the new Minister for War, a position that he gladly accepts. With his new authority, Treville promotes Athos as the new captain of the Musketeers, and gives Porthos his sword. Athos still goes to meet Milady, but finds that she has already left. The episode ends with d'Artagnan, Porthos, and Athos riding to meet Aramis.

All in all, it's a great conclusion which left me excited for the next episode.

The Musketeers Marathon - S2E9: The Accused

 

It's the penultimate episode of Season 2, and things are about to kick off.

Picking up immediately after the end of the previous episode, the Musketeers have been summoned to the palace by Constance. They go to report the incident to King Louis, but find that Rochefort - now sporting the eyepatch Christopher Lee made iconic for the character - is already there, along with the letter Queen Anne wrote to King Philip of Spain at the beginning of the season. Having forbade her to write to her brother, King Louis has her placed under house arrest. As the Musketeers are forced to leave the palace, they all learn that Aramis had slept with the queen. Athos decides to take up Milady's previous offer for information. She reveals that Rochefort is in the service of Vargas, the Spanish spymaster, and helps them sneak the queen out of the Louvre. But Rochefort then poisons King Louis, framing Constance and Lemay for it. The Musketeers and the Queen are forced to return to Paris upon learning this.

If there's one scene I have to dedicate time to, it's when the Musketeers and Treville learn of the liaison between Aramis and the queen. It's supposed to be dramatic, considering the magnitude of the situation, but it's also kind of hilarious. Aramis doesn't admit to sleeping with the queen; Athos tells the others he did. Porthos asks Aramis why he didn't say something sooner (prompting a funny comment from d'Artagnan to show his idealistic nature), while Treville is dumbstruck and asks why Athos didn't do anything (who nonchalantly states he would have shot him if he'd known what he was going to do). When Aramis confesses to the Dauphin being his son, Porthos gets ready to strangle him until he realises the burden he's been carrying and goes to hug him. Treville has to physically separate them, going from disbelief to fury as he shouts at Aramis for endangering the entire country. Athos - who has been almost gleeful through all this, like a kid telling on a sibling to their parents -  then reveals that Rochefort knows, and Treville is despairing over it.

That scene aside, this episode is a tense one. There isn't much action, but that's because it's building up to the finale. Rochefort is basically playing his endgame by driving the queen away. He uses Marguerite to falsely accuse Constance and Lemay, and enlists Milady to work for him to implicate Aramis. But when he chokes her for making a snide remark, she ultimately sides with the Musketeers. There's plenty of teeth-clenched teamwork moments between her and Athos, with a brief diversion as Katherine de Garreville attempts to exact revenge on her. Personally, I feel that particular part doesn't add much, since Katherine doesn't appear again at any point in the story.

Ultimately, very little is resolved this episode. Porthos rides out to deliver a forged letter from Rochefort to Vargas. The Musketeers return to the Louvre with the Queen, but Rochefort is waiting for them. Aramis is arrested for treason, while the others are escorted out of the grounds. It ends with d'Artagnan trying to see an imprisoned Constance until he's beaten and dragged away by the Red Guards.

But it doesn't matter that nothing gets resolved, because it makes me excited for the next episode.

The Musketeers Marathon - S2E8: The Prodigal Father

 

This is the calm before the storm.

Treville has revealed to Porthos that his biological father is the Marquis de Belgarde, so he and Aramis travel to his crumbling estate to meet him. They're invited to dine with the reclusive Marquis and his family: Eleanor, the Marquis' daughter from another marriage; and her husband, Antoine Levesque. While Belgarde is proud to see his son's return, his daughter and son-in-law take an immediate dislike to him. Meanwhile, Aramis discovers that Eleanor and Levesque are running an exclusive brothel, and have been kidnapping young girls from the provinces to work there. He shares this revelation with the other Musketeers, and they strive to shut the business down.

These two plots are at the forefront of the episode, which largely serves as a breather episode of sorts. That said, it does try and tie in the main story as well. King Louis has become even more paranoid since last episode, cancelling his public appearances and ceding more power to Rochefort. He hires Milady to investigate Queen Anne's connection to Aramis, and she offers to sell Athos information about Rochefort. Meanwhile, Constance puts her relationship with d'Artagnan on hold after her husband's death, but finds herself being courted by Dr Lemay. It's during this time that Queen Anne confides to her that Aramis is the Dauphin's biological father.

Liam Cunningham is great as the Marquis de Belgarde. He presents himself as a cynical recluse who nonetheless overjoyed to have a son, but it soon becomes clear that he's manipulating everybody around him. Porthos learns that his mother, Marie Suzette, was a servant in Belgarde's household whom the Marquis secretly married. Not long after he was born, he and his mother were kidnapped by Treville and General De Foix - at the behest of Belgarde's father - and left in the Court of Miracles. The revelation causes Porthos to doubt Treville, and he even begins to suspect that his commission in the Musketeers wasn't earned entirely on merit.

There's still some action as Porthos gets into a fistfight with Levesque when he's insulted. We also have a brawl as the other Musketeers shut down Levesque's brothel, preceded by Athos' tranquil fury as he sees the girls being paraded in front of the wealthy clientele. But they have to keep the matter a secret from Porthos, as Treville believes he'll think they're poisoning him against his father. Not much really comes of that, but I guess the risk was still there. Ultimately, it wraps up that plot thread nicely.

The episode ends on a shocking cliffhanger, as Rochefort attempts to force himself on Queen Anne for her apparent affair with Aramis. Constance intervenes, and the queen is able to stab Rochefort in the eye with a hairpin.

The Musketeers Marathon - S2E7: A Marriage of Inconvenience

 

Things are definitely heating up (heatwave notwithstanding).

King Louis' cousin, Princess Louise of Mantua, is engaged to marry a Swedish crown prince in an alliance that would be to Spain's detriment. While the Musketeers escort her to Paris from Italy, they're ambushed on the road by masked brigands carrying Spanish gold. A subsequent attempt on her life results in the death of the Archbishop of Paris, resulting in her being sequestered at the Louvre. But when Treville is shot while retrieving a wedding present, the Musketeers begin to suspect that something is amiss.

Meanwhile, King Louis has become increasingly paranoid after his ordeal with Marmion. He hides in his bedroom and refuses to speak to anybody but Rochefort. At the same time, Rochefort has learned that he was betrayed by the King's Council five years earlier; they refused to pay the ransom demanded by Spain for his release, at the Cardinal's instruction. Yep, even the Cardinal thought he was too unstable.

I can't really talk about this episode too much, because the twists are too good for me to spoil. There's a strong element of paranoia and intrigue as the Musketeers guard the princess. She strikes up a particular rapport with d'Artagnan as she sees his relationship with Constance, especially as she prepares to leave her husband. Speaking of which, Monsieur Bonacieux has become more and more unlikable as the series has gone on, and crosses a line this episode.

Something else lurks in the dark though; Rochefort notices Aramis' prized crucifix - which Queen Anne had given him at the beginning of the first season - and begins to suspect he's having an affair with her (as he'd originally given the crucifix to her). He instructs Lady Marguerite, who is now in his pocket, to investigate further.

One odd thing I'd raise: When Treville is shot, Aramis recruits Dr Lemay to help him treat the wound. The good doctor's first appearance involve a reliance on leeches in his treatments (even after Constance proved him wrong). As he treats the captain, he asks for boiling water to clean his instruments, claiming that doing so reduces the chance of infection but is clueless as to why. Nevertheless, he has grown to trust Constance and invites her to help him with the operation.

Anyway, I won't spoil the twists of the episode itself, but I will spoil the elements that will be carried over:

• D'Artagnan learns that Monsieur Bonacieux was caught in the crossfire of another assassination attempt. He actually panics when he finds out, and hesitates trying to stabilise him. We don't actually see him break the news to Constance, just as he's about to. When Constance sees he has blood on his hands, she realises.
• Milady de Winter learns that Rochefort is a Spanish spy.
• As Treville recuperates, he confesses a secret to Porthos.
• The final scene has King Louis offer Rochefort the Cardinal's old post as First Minister of France. The glare he exchanges with the Musketeers when they refuse to bow to him says it all.

The Musketeers Marathon - S2E6: Through a Glass Darkly

 

Damn, that was intense. This might be one of my favourite episodes.

The astronomer Marmion has invited King Louis to view a solar eclipse. The Musketeers accompany his procession to Marmion's observatory, converted from an old fort, while Athos - who can't bear to see King Louis parading Milady in front of the royal court - stays at the Garrison to watch the eclipse with Treville. At the observatory, Marmion's men kill Rochefort's contingent of Red Guards and take the royal procession hostage. Aramis gets thrown out of a window, Rochefort and Porthos are chained up in the cellar, while d'Artagnan and Constance are tethered together and forced to watch the king partake in a deadly game based on the laws of fate.

I find Marmion to be reminiscent of Anton Chigurh from No Country for Old Men, with his nihilistic view and his tendency to utilise a coin toss to determine someone's fate. The plague doctor masks his minions wear gives off the vibe of some cult. But there aren't any occult elements involved in the plot, other than the eclipse being used as a means to lure the procession in. Unlike Anton, Marmion does actually have a backstory. I won't go into it here, but it's actually quite tragic and invokes a strong feeling of "sympathy for the devil".

It's a genuinely tense situation as Marmion asks King Louis to make the call. When he refuses, Milady makes the call instead and guesses correctly. After she's allowed to leave, she alerts Treville and Athos. One of the king's redshirts courtiers also tries to make a call, but loses and is promptly executed. Marmion then spirits the rest of the procession away for the next part of the game. Queen Anne is locked in one room with Lady Marguerite and the Dauphin, while the three other courtiers are locked in another. The king is told to choose one room to send one of Marmion's men into, blindly condemning the occupants. It takes its time, and wracks up the tension. 

By the end of episode, King Louis is a quivering wreck. I almost feel sorry for him. Until the formula is adhered to, that is. Rochefort is once again credited for saving the day, while the Musketeers are blamed for the whole ordeal. Even Milady, despite using her release to get help, is accused of abandoning the king and loses her position in court (although Athos begins to respect her). Meanwhile, d'Artagnan re-kindles his affair with Constance.

The Musketeers Marathon - S2E5: The Return

 

Maybe this one should be called "The Magnificent Musketeers".

Athos is torn over the facts that he promised to kill Milady if she ever returned to Paris, but her affair with King Louis makes her untouchable. Being Athos, he deals with that by...drinking himself under the table, where he is promptly kidnapped by his former tenants in the village of Pinon. His greedy neighbour, Baron Renard, has been raiding the village and covets Athos' land for himself. Athos refuses to help them, having renounced his title after ordering Milady's execution. The other Musketeers, plus Treville, arrive in Pinon in search of Athos. Seeing the havoc Renard is causing, they decide to stay and help the villagers protect their home from the Baron. Meanwhile, Athos has chance encounter with his late brother's fiancé, Katherine de Garreville, and decides to help as well.

Yeah, this is basically The Seven Samurai in 17th Century France. Familiar, yet fresh. Although Baron Renard is probably one of the least subtle villains of the week. He's a pompous aristocrat who is little more than a bully. When Athos first tries to negotiate with him, he agrees to treat the tenants "as they deserve". He then reneges, claiming that he doesn't make deals with peasants, and Athos would be one since he's renounced his title. His retinue also kidnap the local innkeeper's daughter at his son Edmond's behest. Katherine isn't the nicest character around either, but she's a little more sympathetic; she was originally engaged to marry Athos, until he married Milady. She was then betrothed to his brother Thomas, only for him to be murdered by Milady.

Nevertheless, it's still a good episode with some great action as the villagers fight Renard's men. There's also one moment near the beginning that's quite sweet: Treville - no longer the captain of the Musketeers - has resigned himself to work detail. When the Musketeers ask him to help look for Athos when he disappears, he agrees to ride with them, but insists that he will not act as their captain. Without skipping a beat, d'Artagnan responds with "Whatever you say, captain." Treville doesn't respond or correct him, but gives a proud smile. It's only a brief moment, but it shows how much respect the Musketeers have for him; he is their captain, and they refuse to see him as anything less. However, tensions are arising between him and Porthos over General De Foix, whom Porthos suspects was his father.

Overall, this episode could be considered filler. With the action taking place away from Paris, Rochefort doesn't appear at all. However, there is one new thread which starts; when Katherine learns that Milady is alive and is the king's mistress, she rides to Paris to seek revenge.

The Musketeers Marathon - S2E4: Emilie

 

Today's episode provides a look at the dangers of religious extremism. And once again, I'm going to have to discuss spoilers that will come into play during later episodes.

Young Emilie of Durras is being hailed as a prophet when she claims to have visions from God. In her visions - which occur when she has fainting spells - she claims to have seen that King Phillip of Spain is the Antichrist. Her sermons have attracted a following, which has led to mob violence against Spaniards living in Paris. The Musketeers are tasked with ensuring that she doesn't march on Spain, as doing so would provoke a war. Aramis is sent to infiltrate the camp as a spy, where he begins to suspect that Emilie's mother is manipulating her. Things get complicated when Queen Anne visits the camp with Constance in a bid to parley with Emilie. Meanwhile, Rochefort and Perales are at each other's throats, and Perales believes that Rochefort has become a liability to Spanish interests. He hires a sex worker whom Rochefort frequents to kill him when he next visits. When the attempt fails, Rochefort learns of Milady's past and blackmails her into carrying out an assassination.

It's a pretty good episode. The Musketeers have to tread lightly when dealing with Emilie, who is being compared to Joan of Arc, not wanting to cause a riot. There's not as much action, but there's plenty of tension. When Perales is forced to shelter from Emilie's supporters at the Garrison, and receives a severed ear in the post before later arranging to be recalled to Spain. Treville and the Musketeers are tasked with escorting him through a marketplace to a carriage, only for d'Artagnan to learn it's a trap.

Meanwhile, this episode also serves to set up many later plot threads:

• Porthos learns that General De Foix - who was mortally wounded during their escape - has left him a legacy. He begins to suspect that Treville is hiding something from him, but is stonewalled.
• Aramis and Queen Anne are revealed to still be intimate, which Constance promptly discovers and is sworn to secrecy.
• Rochefort learns that Lady Marguerite is having an affair with Aramis, and uses this to blackmail her into spying on Queen Anne

The episode has a truly poignant ending. I won't go into details regarding the story of the week, but I will give away what happens afterwards: When the Musketeers return to the Garrison, they learn that Treville has been scapegoated for the death of Perales and is being relieved of command. It's a great scene, with Treville standing in the courtyard with the letter in hand. He assures the Musketeers that they're not in trouble, but he's trying not to cry as he explains the situation.

The Musketeers Marathon - S2E3: The Good Traitor

 

King Louis complaining about the morning is such a mood.

General Tariq Alamand, a Moorish officer in the Spanish army, visits Captain Treville and expresses an intention to defect to France. He demonstrates a highly potent form of gunpowder which he has developed, and presents King Louis with a coded formula to develop more of it. In exchange for the cipher to decode it, he asks the Musketeers to help him rescue his daughter Samara. She had been kidnapped by Spanish agents in Paris led by Tariq's protégé, General Balthasar, who is demanding the cipher in exchange for her life.

Meanwhile, the Dauphin falls ill and is placed in the care of Dr Lemay. But Constance expresses a concern that his treatments aren't working. And yes, they involve leeches. Lemay must have been a student of Dr Hoffman of Stuttgart (owner of the largest leech farm in Europe). Anyway, Aramis learns of the Dauphin's fever before the Musketeers head to a busy market to make the exchange with Balthasar. His fears distract him, and the exchange goes south. A fight ensues in which several bystanders are killed, while Porthos is wounded and captured by Balthasar's men along with Samara. And while all that's going on, Milady seduces King Louis, and becomes his mistress.

I must admit that I wasn't keen on the ill Dauphin sub-plot. I reckon it could have been handled a little better. When Lemay's treatments prove ineffective, Constance tries to point this out and is reprimanded by King Louis. In response, she abducts the Dauphin and takes him to a laundrette, hoping that the steam would decongest him. She's found by Rochefort after her husband rats her out, and narrowly escapes being executed when Lemay admits her remedy had worked. Which leads me to wonder why she didn't consult with Queen Anne first. While Louis was dismissive, she's still the queen's confidante and could have suggested it to her. I suppose it gave Rochefort something to do, since he's not really involved with the main plot. It's a means for him to curry favour with Queen Anne, whom he is besotted with. To the point of paying sex workers to roleplay as her. Creepy.

B-plot aside, this episode still has some good moments. The exchange scene at the market is tense. Aramis takes up a sniper position to shoot Balthasar once the cipher is handed over. As a woman walks past with a crying baby, he begins to think about the Dauphin and loses his clear shot. And when Porthos is captured, we get some great snarky dialogue between him and Samara. The climax of the episode is both awesome and poignant, but I won't go into details here.

And need I mention that Balthasar is a racist prick? It's great to see him get his just desserts.

The Musketeers Marathon - S2E2: An Ordinary Man

 

This is a good episode, but I think I'm beginning to see a formula for this season.

King Louis decides that he wants to experience the life of an ordinary Parisian for one night. Said experience involves going to a disreputable tavern incognito with the Musketeers. But when he accuses a man of cheating at cards and provokes a brawl, he and d'Artagnan are promptly kidnapped. With the Dauphin's christening due to take place the next day, the Musketeers are charged with finding him before a scandal spreads across Europe. They soon learn that the culprit is Sebastian le Matre, who sells his victims to the Spanish to serve as galley slaves. Meanwhile, Rochefort - who is now the captain of the Red Guards - uses the disappearance as an opportunity to grow closer to Queen Anne. He eventually persuades her to write to her brother, King Phillip of Spain, asking him to support her regency if King Louis dies.

This is a tense episode. While the Musketeers are carrying out their investigation, d'Artagnan and Louis are forced to march through the woods to the slavers' camp. Since d'Artagnan believes they'll be killed if Louis reveals his true identity, they have to remain anonymous. They befriend another captive named Pepin, and learn how much contempt a lot of people have for the king. But things get complicated when it turns out that Milady de Winter is part of the gang, and she recognises them.

I don't want to spoil too much, but I'd like to talk about the ending. After Louis is rescued, he orders d'Artagnan to execute one of the slavers who had switched sides in exchange for clemency. After he refuses, Rochefort carries out the execution himself. I mention this because it's something that gets very formulaic in this season; Louis blames the Musketeers for the episode's events, while Rochefort earns the king's praise.

Despite that issue, it's still a great episode. The final action sequence is great, especially when d'Artagnan gets a particularly badass moment by taking out a mounted swordsman with only a scarf. There's also a moment during their captivity in which Louis talks about his fears that his son will grow up without his father in the same way that he did. It's quite sad, especially considering the real world history: King Louis XIV was only four years old when he ascended to the throne, so there's a foregone conclusion. The final scene is also very poignant.

Meanwhile, Aramis is beginning to get romantically involved with Lady Marguerite, the Royal Governess. Although it's clear that it's so he can spend time with the Dauphin.

The Musketeers Marathon - S2E1: Keep Your Friends Close

 

It's time to start the next season, with a new antagonist.

Six months have passed since the previous episode. Cardinal Richelieu has died, since Peter Capaldi was busy with Doctor Who. Treville is offered a seat on the King's Council, but he declines on the grounds that he's a better soldier than politician. The Dauphin Louis is born, whom Aramis believes to be his son. Constance is appointed to serve as the Queen's confidante on d'Artagnan's recommendation, but she's reluctant to resume their affair.

The Musketeers are sent to a remote village to meet a mysterious contact. Said contact is the Comte de Rochefort, one of the Cardinal's lieutenants, played by Marc Warren. Rochefort had been serving as a spy in Madrid until he was discovered and imprisoned. He claims to have escaped, and reveals that he was imprisoned alongside General De Foix, an old friend of Treville and one of France's chief military strategists. The Musketeers are assigned to accompany Rochefort on a covert mission to infiltrate a Spanish prison to rescue De Foix, or eliminate him if a rescue isn't possible. Unbeknownst to the Musketeers, Rochefort is a double agent for the Spanish. His intention is to lure the Musketeers into a trap while he rescues De Foix so he can be hailed a hero.

Rochefort is intended to be something of a contrast to Richelieu. While the Cardinal is methodical and calculating, Rochefort is more impulsive and devises his schemes on the fly. While the Cardinal acts in a combination of national interest and self-interest, Rochefort is actively working against his country. He's also a cold-blooded killer with eyes for Queen Anne. He's introduced being lynched by a mob, apparently for murdering an innkeeper, and the Musketeers are content to let him hang until they learn he has vital information. He also kills a priest who disturbs his meeting with his handler, the Spanish Ambassador Don Fernando Perales, played by Will Keen. Perales is visibly shaken by this, and often makes the point that he was never on board with working with Rochefort from the get-go.

The prison infiltration is tense, with d'Artagnan having to swim underwater to gain access via the well in the courtyard. And the escape has an equally tense sequence involving a pulley spanning a ravine. It's the kind of pulpy swashbuckling action I love.

One scene of note occurs at the end of the episode. A priest visits the Garrison in search of Aramis, giving him a message from the Cardinal. Said message comes in the form of a burial vault for Adele Bessette, the Cardinal's mistress whom Aramis had an affair with until she was executed at the end of the first episode. The priest warns that the Cardinal knows many of Aramis' secrets. It's quite ominous, and Aramis begins to fear that Richelieu was aware of the Dauphin's parentage. Unfortunately, not much really comes out of it.

Nevertheless, I'm hyped to see the next season.

The Musketeers Marathon - S1E10: Musketeers Don't Die Easily

 

It's the season one finale, and it's a pretty good one. Just a heads up, this post will contain some major spoilers. There is also a brief mention of attempted suicide.

Three months have passed since the previous episode. Cardinal Richelieu has framed Count Mellendorf for the attempt on Queen Anne's life, and he awaits trial. Despite the Cardinal's desire to have him executed, Queen Anne has persuaded King Louis to delay until further inquiries are made, as his execution would likely result in war with the count's Prussian and Swedish allies. 

Athos has deduced that Milady de Winter was the one who hired Gallagher. He drunkenly takes Milady hostage, and the other Musketeers try to intervene. Milady appeals to d'Artagnan and reveals their relationship, which causes a rift to develop between him and the others. When Athos shoots d'Artagnan, Milady takes him in and persuades him to get revenge and fulfil a promise he made when they first met. Though reluctant to kill Athos, d'Artagnan relents when Treville strips him of his commission.

It's a tense moment as d'Artagnan goes to the Garrison to confront Athos. He's shunned by Porthos and Aramis, until Treville brings the four of them to his office. They exchange barbs, before laughing and sharing a group hug, revealing that their rift was staged in order to expose the Cardinal. However, Milady has a contingency; she meets with her previous patron, a criminal gang leader named Sarazin, played by Sean Pertwee. In exchange for working with him again, Sarazin agrees to kill the Musketeers, abducting Constance to bait them.

Every character gets their moment to shine. Richelieu is becoming increasingly frantic as he fears discovery, losing his temper at Milady. King Louis offers Charlotte Mellendorf reassurance that he won't execute her father right away, and even puts the Cardinal in his place (as does Queen Anne later on). Even Constance gets her moment when she's abducted by Sarazin. While guarded by his perpetually drunk mistress, she's able to free herself and even cuts her guard's face on a broken bottle. She actually would have escaped if Milady hadn't shown up. Knowing that she dies in the original story actually makes this scene genuinely tense. Of course, it's the Musketeers who truly steal the show in this episode. They out-gambit the most powerful man in France, and go on to single-handedly take down Sarazin's gang. In the end, you've just got to have some action.

However, after all that triumph, the ending is kind of bittersweet.

After the battle with Sarazin's gang, Athos can't bring himself to kill Milady, telling her to leave France. Constance reconciles with d'Artagnan, but they're unable to re-kindle their affair when Monsieur Bonacieux - who had initially assumed she'd eloped with d'Artagnan when she was abducted - tries to kill himself to guilt her into coming home. Furthermore, King Louis announces that Queen Anne is pregnant, and it's implied that Aramis is the father. It's also implied that the Cardinal suspects this. 

Of course, there isn't much that the Cardinal would be able to do; Peter Capaldi had to depart from the series due to his then-recent commitment to Doctor Who.

The episode ends with the Musketeers lamenting that they haven't got anything that makes life pleasant: No glory, no money, and no love. They eventually settle on having their honour, and ride into the sunset for their next adventure.

Oh yeah, they say the line. You know the one I mean.

The Musketeers Marathon - S1E9: Knight Takes Queen

 

It's the penultimate episode of the first season, and things are about to go off.

The Musketeers, including the newly-commissioned d'Artagnan, are tasked with guarding Queen Anne while she visits a spring reputed to have powers of fertility. Back in Paris, King Louis woos Charlotte Mellendorf, the daughter of a wealthy banker from Hamburg. In private, he vents his frustration to the Cardinal over Anne's inability to give him an heir, and would prefer to marry Charlotte for their shared interest in outdoor pursuits and a sizeable dowry from her father. After he offhandedly wishes that Anne was dead, the Cardinal also realises that an alliance with Hamburg would be in France's interest. He sends Milady to hire Gallagher, an exiled Irish mercenary (who isn't Italian), to assassinate the queen.

This one is definitely action-packed. The Musketeers have to flee from the spring while being pursued relentlessly by Gallagher's men. It's reminiscent of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Eventually, they're forced to split up. Athos and Aramis shelter the queen at a convent, which Gallagher's men besiege. Porthos and d'Artagnan flee to Paris, only to find that the rest of the regiment is hunting with King Louis and the Mellendorfs.

The nuns at the convent are pretty badass. Although Gallagher allows them to leave unharmed, they opt to remain and help to reinforce the convent. They initially spend the first assault praying, until a stray bullet damages a statue of the Virgin Mary. At that point, the mother superior leads them to help the fight. They cut the grapple lines of the men scaling the walls, and they drive them away with beehives and incendiaries made from bottles of brandy.

We do get some drama as Aramis discovers that one of the nuns, Sister Helene, is actually his old flame Isabelle. He'd gotten her pregnant and was engaged to marry her, but her father sent her away after she lost the baby. This builds upon a discussion he had in an earlier episode, but also provides some interesting insight into his character. After she's killed by two of Gallagher's men, Queen Anne comforts Aramis as he grieves and they end up sleeping together. Yeah, I know I'm spoiling that, but it's something that has ripples throughout the series, so I have to mention it sooner or later.

The episode has a good amount of humour as well. There's a scene at the beginning in which d'Artagnan is sparring with Athos and Porthos, who drag him through the dirt to make his uniform more battle-worn. Gallagher is introduced riding to a farm where he shoots some apparent bandits which turn out to be large rodents. Queen Anne tries to cook fish while they're camping, which turns out to be...a little on the well done side, but the Musketeers are too gallant to complain. While at the convent, the mother superior offers Athos a musket, claiming it's for shooting rabbits (and Protestants). And there's a ton of casual danger dialogue between Athos and Aramis.

All in all, this is an episode I rate quite highly. I'm excited for the next one.

The Musketeers Marathon - S1E8: The Challenge

 

This episode plays out a lot like an underdog sports film. And I'm going to have to discuss more spoilers as events come into play in subsequent episodes.

The Musketeers have recently returned to Paris from Gascony with the disgraced intendant Martin Labarge, played by Vinnie Jones. Labarge kills a Red Guard captain during the prisoner transfer, which brings the rivalry between the two regiments to the boiling point. As Treville and Richelieu get into a heated debate about the incident, King Louis proposes a contest between two champions nominated from each regiment. D'Artagnan sees an opportunity to prove his worth as a Musketeer, but learns that Labarge razed his farm back in Gascony, leaving him without a source of income and putting a strain on his relationship with Constance.

As mentioned above, d'Artagnan basically serves as the underdog for this episode. He has to raise the entry fee for the contests, but also has to overcome his hot-headedness with Athos' tuition. Constance attempts to raise the money by selling some of her possessions, but d'Artagnan is gifted the money by Milady.

This episode also borrows a few elements from the original book. Porthos attempts to raise his entry fee by courting a wealthy widow but grows closer to her in the process after learning that her marriage was loveless. Another element involves the Cardinal asking Monsieur Bonacieux to spy on d'Artagnan. He learns of d'Artagnan's affair with Constance and demands she breaks up with him by threatening to frame d'Artagnan for treason. 

To make matters worse, Treville decides to nominate himself as the champion when he learns that the Cardinal has nominated Labarge as his champion. I mean, you need to get some use out of Vinnie Jones. I still have no idea how he'd end up being appointed to a government post though.

There's definitely a greater focus on drama than action, with the exception of the obligatory training sequences. It all builds up to the contest itself, which is a great sequence. Treville gives the violent and uncontrollable Labarge a good fight, until the latter floors him and breaks his arm. When another brawl ensues, King Louis allows Treville to nominate a new champion. Naturally, he picks d'Artagnan, who ends up running Labarge through. All while the theme song blares in the background. It just shows how much d'Artagnan has grown over the series. At the beginning, he was barely able to hold his own against three Musketeers, but now he's able to take on a powerhouse like Labarge.

I'm excited to see the next episode, and what lingers in the shadows as Milady hints at a plan to use d'Artagnan to destroy the Musketeers.

The Musketeers Marathon - S1E7: A Rebellious Woman

 

Today's episode provides an interesting look at proto-feminism.

A friend of Constance is killed after being knocked down by the royal carriage while trying to deliver a petition to Queen Anne. The petition turns out to have been written by the Comtesse Ninon de Larroque, pushing for greater access to education for women. When another one of Constance's friends goes missing, the Musketeers learn that they were both students of Ninon, who teaches natural philosophy and astronomy to women of all backgrounds. Richelieu believes that her cause undermines church authority, but is also aware that her immense wealth could be used to finance the construction of a new navy. He sends Milady - who has also been attending Ninon's classes - to find evidence to condemn her so he can seize her assets. 

The Cardinal is also visited by Father Luca Sestini, an old friend from the seminary who is now a Papal envoy. Sestini tells the Cardinal that the Pope disapproves of an alliance between Catholic France and Protestant Sweden, and suggests that stamping out Ninon's "heresy" would give him prestige in a bid to become the next Pope. Ninon is subsequently arrested when several missing women are found being sheltered in a secret room in her home. She's put on trial for witchcraft, and condemned by a false testimony from Milady. But when the Cardinal is poisoned during the trial, the Musketeers must race to find the culprit before Ninon is burned at the stake.

Annabelle Wallis steals the show as Ninon. She's very enlightened for a woman of her time, and her philosophies are profound. She subtly insults the Cardinal in every scene they share, and even strikes up some interesting chemistry with Athos and Aramis. She and Athos almost see each other as kindred spirits, as both are dismissive of the concept of marriage. While this is only from a cursory reading, I believe that she's based on Mary Wollstonecraft, an English writer and advocate for women's rights (especially education) who wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women in 1792.

If there's anything I do have to criticise, it's the character of Luca Sestini. He's a dogmatic Catholic priest who's an inquisitor in all but name. Combined with his Irish accent, that could be invoking a stereotype that has unfortunate implications.

Nevertheless, there's still some great action, especially when Athos beats up a sword-wielding Red Guard with a tome. I also love the high stakes it presents, once again showing how far Richelieu is willing to go to serve his country's interests. Speaking of which, we also get a moment when he's poisoned in which King Louis is pleading for him to be okay. It just shows how much of a father figure King Louis sees the Cardinal as.

One last thing before I go. While I won't spoil the outcome of the episode's story, I will have to spoil elements which serve as later plot threads. In this case, the episode ends with d'Artagnan beginning an affair with Constance. It's an element of the original story which isn't always used.

The Musketeers Marathon - S1E6: The Exiles

 

Another political intrigue, with a conspiracy that threatens the stability of France itself.

Aramis and d'Artagnan are sent to a remote village to retrieve a woman named Agnes and her infant son Henri from the local church. Upon arrival, they witness Henri being kidnapped, and Aramis saves Agnes from being killed. Meanwhile, Athos and Porthos are accompanying King Louis on a hunting trip when they're approached by Marie de Medici, the queen mother who was exiled for attempting to usurp her son's throne. Although she risks execution by returning to France, Queen Anne and Cardinal Richelieu persuade King Louis to spare her life in a show of magnanimity. As Aramis traces the kidnappers back to Paris, Porthos and Athos foil what appears to be assassination attempt on the queen mother as they escort her to the border. It soon transpires that the two incidents may be connected, and part of a sinister plot to seize the throne again, with baby Henri as her most significant pawn.

Once again, this episode involves a lot of intrigue, and I don't want to go into too much detail in order to avoid spoiling it. The overall conspiracy is very similar to Dumas' later story, The Man in the Iron Mask. Tara Fitzgerald does a great job as Marie de Medici. She presents herself as penitent and trying to reconcile with her son, but she's really a manipulative schemer. It's great to see her get into a battle of wits with the Cardinal. It also produces some funny dialogue between them and the king, showing how much of a petulant child Louis can be.

We also get a great action scene as the Musketeers raid the safehouse where Henri is being kept. Aramis and d'Artagnan stake the place out with Constance, and d'Artagnan comes up with a scheme to have Constance pose as a wet nurse to infiltrate the safehouse. Athos and Porthos spot them as they shadow Marie and her bodyguard to the safehouse. They then raid the place and despatch the thugs, during which time Constance puts d'Artagnan's combat training to good use.

Speaking of which, this episode also shows how far the Cardinal is willing to go to maintain stability, to the point where he's willing to sacrifice a child to prevent a civil war. Treville reluctantly orders Aramis to hand Henri over to Richelieu, despite what that entails. When Aramis objects, Treville excuses himself to do paperwork. Hugo Speer's kind of stilted delivery of the line seems to be insinuating that he won't get in the way if Aramis has a better plan. He attempts to get Agnes and Henri out of the country, but when the other Musketeers realise what he's doing, they catch up and offer their support.

All in all, this is a pretty good episode. Great action and intrigue, along with some truly poignant moments.