At the start of episode 6, we are taken to Sept-Tours, France in 1590. Diana Bishop (Teresa Palmer) rows a boat and screams before we jump back and see Champier (Paul Brennen) dead on the ground. Matthew (Matthew Goode) checks on Diana who says she is okay. He takes the knife, turns to his father, and wonders why he has nothing to say. Philippe (James Purefoy) denies summoning the witch but Matthew argues he let him in. Philippe admits he did because he needed to be sure and Diana knows too many of their secrets. Matthew isn’t happy that his father didn’t stop Champier and forced Diana to save herself before Philippe warns that lives will be lost because of their union.

Diana tells Matthew’s father she will not be tested like that. He notices the ring she is wearing and wants to know where he got it. He is surprised to learn that it was a gift from Ysabeau (Lindsay Duncan), but Philippe doesn’t believe she would give it to anyone. Matthew tells his father that nobody is immortal and that includes him. We rejoin Diana as she rows the boat and Matthew calls her name. He tells her that she can’t keep shutting him out. She explains she needed time to think. Diana says she had to kill the witch to stop him from stealing her memories and she wanted to kill him. She wonders what she is becoming. After the intro, Philippe writes to Ysabeau before Marthe (Sorcha Cusack) approaches Ysabeau and argues that something is wrong with the witches.

Seconds later, Ysabeau confronts Emily Mather (Valarie Pettiford) and tells her the room is off-limits. Emily knows but she believes something is wrong. It is a strange vibration and it seems to be near the books where Philippe often hid things. Emily and Sarah (Alex Kingston) scour through the books. Philippe checks his swords. He goes outside and learns that Matthew has an errand to run for the Majesty in Bohemia. Philippe throws Matthew one of the swords while they discuss Ysabeau who is hunting witches in Trier at the moment. He wants to know how long she has been without him before the sword fight begins. Philippe wants to know how long he has been dead, but Matthew doesn’t want to answer that question.

Philippe encourages his son to return to his blood thirsty self. Matthew argues he isn’t his pawn any longer. While they fight, Diana looks at a map inside. The servant approaches and tells Diana she shouldn’t be there, but Diana says Philippe told her she was welcome to read his books. Diana learns that the map is plotting the location of covens across Burgundy and Madam De Clermont relies on the map to guide her witch hunts. The servant explains the map contains the plans for her next witch hunt. When the servant leaves, Diana uses her magic to manipulate the map. The fight between Matthew and his father continues. Diana learns about the fight outside while Philippe holds a knife to his son’s throat and tells him his conscience is a handicap. Diana rushes over and finds Philippe abusing his son.

She wants to know what happened to him before Philippe says this is what they call blood rage. Philippe goes on to say it is a sickness of the vampire blood. He says Matthew is a pure predator when he has blood range and he hopes to use it to learn how he died, but Matthew still doesn’t want to tell him. Philippe relents and lets his son go. Diana tries to come to grips with what she just saw as Matthew drops to the ground and admits he hasn’t lost control like that in a very long time. He trained himself to hold back his blood rage and used Diana’s letters to try to understand it and find a cure. He tells her about Ysabeau being responsible but being spared of the symptoms. Matthew confesses this is the very reason they haven’t truly mated yet.

Despite the revelation, Diana isn’t ready to walk away from Matthew just yet. He admits she only saw a glimpse of it and he is capable of much worse before calling himself a killer and confessing to killing thousands for Philippe. Matthew says his father used him to eradicate the disease. Diana goes to Philippe who argues she needed to see the wolf behind the man. He says Diana needs to accept every facet of Matthew and Matthew must be freed of the guilt he carries. She learns that Philippe did this for them and he knows their love is forbidden now and in the future too. They discuss Matthew’s faith and Diana argues Philippe used it against him. Philippe begins talking about an ancient prophecy that tells of a witch who would change the destiny of all creatures.

Some believe the fearsome witch will alter their understanding of life itself. She wants to know what he believes while the magic radiates from her body. Philippe believes she is powerful indeed and she agrees. Later, Philippe tells Matthew his blood rage is close to the surface. He says if the congregation challenged his right to be with Diana and he responded with violence, he will lose her. Philippe says there must be no question that Diana is a De Clermont. Philippe puts Diana through the ritual so she can become a part of their family. Matthew is grateful for his father’s actions. Diana checks on Matthew who admits he has been trying to block out Philippe’s final days for the last 70 years.

She argues that sharing the burden will make the memories lose their power. Matthew begins by saying that Philippe was taken during the Second World War trying to free Allied spies and was held in the Nazi death camps. They had never captured a vampire before so he fascinated them. They used witches to extract his memories and tortured him to see how much pain he could endure. He was tortured for three months. With Baldwin’s help, Matthew rescued Philippe but his mind was broken. He begged Ysabeau to kill him and end his suffering. He didn’t want her to live with that so he took care of it. He saw all of Philippe’s tortured memories and they were like shards of glass. In the end, all Philippe thought about was Ysabeau.

Now, she can’t look at Matthew without remembering that day and Matthew has to face it too. Diana argues that Matthew released Philippe and didn’t kill him. Meanwhile, Ysabeau and the others continue scouring through the books, but can’t find anything. Ysabeau agrees to keep looking while they go to bed together. Marthe brings her a drink before Ysabeau says getting another message from Philippe is almost too much to bear. Marthe sits down and agrees to help her look through the books. Philippe and Diana go for a horse ride and discuss Ysabeau. Diana says she is well, but lonely. He thanks her for telling him the truth before Matthew joins them. They visit a memorial dedicated to the goddess Diana. He tells them they’re going to be married in two days in a manner that honors their ancestors.

Philippe calls on goddess Diana to watch over Diana. The ritual continues as they spot an exotic animal nearby. Philippe says Artemis has accepted Diana’s gifts and they can go since they have a wedding to prepare for. Matthew tells her that they don’t need to do what he says, but Diana is eager to do it. Matthew asks for her hand in marriage and she says yes. Later, Philippe approaches Matthew and gives him something he found during the vampire wars. He says it is a flash of blue. He tells Matthew how he found it and says he gives its good fortune to him. He requests Matthew wear it during the marriage ceremony. Next, we jump forward and see Diana in an extravagant dress. She approaches Matthew and Philippe as they wait for their marriage.

The ceremony ends with a kiss. Later that evening, Philippe approaches Diana and says the first dance belongs to him. Diana asks how he is going to keep them a secret when Ysabeau returns and he says instructions have been issued to confiscate the tongues of anyone who talks. He promises she won’t find out but wishes she could be there to see Matthew’s happiness. She dances with Matthew next. After the dancing ends, they return to their room and finally have intercourse. After that, Diana finds Matthew holding something that used to belong to Lucas. Diana says she bets Matthew was an amazing father and he admits Lucas gave him purpose. Diana says she’d like to leave him a family since she’ll be gone in 60 or 70 years.

As Diana and Matthew prepare to leave, Philippe approaches Diana, gives her money and says the women in their family manage their own finances. He says Diana’s ring was Ysabeau’s message to him and the seal of her approval. He gives her a necklace to wear and says he will always be with her. They ride on until they stop and Philippe talks about their relationship. He wants to put whatever happens between them in the future behind them. He tells Matthew that he forgives him. Matthew thanks his father before he rides on with Diana. Ysabeau sits back down to look through the books while Philippe writes a message to her. He tells her he is at peace and no longer afraid of his fate.

Ysabeau finally finds the message in one of the books. It mentions Matthew being mated to a woman who walks in the footsteps of the goddess. Then, he says they’re going to Bohemia to search for The Book of Life. He believes they will return to Ysabeau so they can forge a bold new future.

 

A Discovery Of Witches Review

Although this was a decent episode of A Discovery of Witches, it didn’t do a lot to push the story forward. I do appreciate the backstory of Matthew’s father and his demise although it was a bit cheesy. I’ll also say that Ysabeau finding Philippe’s last message was predictable, but I guess that shouldn’t take away from its emotional value.

We don’t have many episodes left this season and I have to wonder when they’re going to start ramping up the pace. At times, it feels like they refused to push the story forward since they knew the show had already been renewed for another season.

I’d like to see more happening in this area, but the episode wasn’t bad. Personally, I’d give it a 7.5 out of 10. Remember you can find previous recaps of A Discovery of Witches on Reel Mockery!