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.
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