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.
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