As the 9th episode begins, Diana Bishop (Teresa Palmer) continues looking at The Book of Life hoping to decipher the pages. She hides the book under the floorboards before returning to Matthew (Matthew Goode). They discuss the possibility of staying around and raising a family with Jack. Matthew says it isn’t that simple since they don’t belong in this time. Diana wants to know why she can’t go with Matthew before he explains that the Queen is unpredictable at the best of times. When someone has failed her, she can be especially vengeful. She says it isn’t about protecting Diana and is more about her presence making things worse. He encourages her to find a way to use her magic to return to the present.

Diana visits Susanna (Aisling Loftus) and Goody Alsop (Sheila Hancock). She learns that Goody is ill and they’re worried she won’t make it through the winter. Goody wakes up and wonders if Diana is the tonic she requires. They learn that Agnes Sampson was tortured so they’re the last of the weavers now. Matthew promises to see what he can do to quell anxiety at Whitehall. Goody tells Matthew that he has changed and the dark clouds that circled him have disappeared. Goody looks at Diana and realizes she is pregnant. After the intro, Matthew can’t believe it because vampires reproduce through resurrection and having a child will wipe out thousands of years of work. It is uncharted waters and they need to get back to their own time as soon as possible. Then, they contemplate what they should do about Jack.

Matthew says he’ll go to the Queen before they make arrangements for Jack (Joshua Blue Pickering). Diana wants to perfect her magic before returning. Goody tells Diana she isn’t dead yet and she needs to complete her training to return to her own time. Susanna is asked to fetch the others. Matthew runs into Kit (Tom Hughes) who wants to know if he has gotten rid of his witch. Matthew says they’ll never be parted as long as Diana is alive. Diana has mastered knot three, but there are 10 knots in total so the training continues. Diana finishes the magic and a firedrake appears. She wonders what she should call it before the fire drake enters her body. Goody tells her that her familiar will return when she is needed.

Matthew goes to visit Queen Elizabeth. She isn’t happy because she wants Kelley, but Matthew says Kelley is a charlatan. The Queen turns the conversation to the book Matthew liberated before she says he is a changed man. She wants the book so she can return it to the ambassador. Matthew claims it was stolen on the way back from Bohemia. She calls for Lord Burghley and tells him to oversee an immediate search of Master Roydon’s home. Matthew is told to stay and he will be punished gravely if he is caught lying. She threatens to treat Diana like the witch she is if Matthew flees. Kit finds out what is going on and tells Diana that Matthew is in grave danger. Since he has been sent to the dungeon, Diana believes they need help from Gallowglass (Steven Cree). Kit knows they have their differences, but he says they should be united in their desire to protect Matthew.

Jack is forced to give papers to Lord Burghley and he doesn’t care what Pierre has to say. Matthew speaks to a comrade about the Queen’s paranoia. He believes he can solve the problem with the truth. Nothing is found at Matthew’s residence until Cecil finds the book hidden beneath the floorboard. He doesn’t think Matthew will need books anymore. As they try to leave, Gallowglass stops them but Pierre encourages him to let them pass. Matthew returns to Queen Elizabeth and uses his blood to take care of her toothache. She knows his blood could make her immortal but Matthew says putting a creature on the throne would lead to chaos. She wonders what will happen when she is gone before Matthew says there won’t be a Spanish invasion and the witches shouldn’t concern her. He goes on to tell her he has seen the future because Diana is a time-spinner.

Elizabeth knows Matthew is telling the truth and she calls him the future. He says her realm is secure and everyone will recognize her name. Elizabeth thanks Matthew and he tells Bess she is welcome. When Matthew returns home, he finds out about the book. Francoise tells him that they took every book in the house except for one Jack stole when Gallow stopped them. Matthew tells Jack that was incredibly dangerous, but it was well done. Then, he finds out that nobody has seen Diana. He hides the book and begins looking for her. Diana is led into a trap and attacked by Louisa (Elaine Cassidy) from behind.

Diana denies bewitching Matthew before Kit says they should bind Diana and take her to the ship. Louisa admits there is no ship. Diana isn’t going to be exiled. Louisa believes she should die. Gallow and Matthew search the city for Diana. Meanwhile, Diana warns Louisa that she’ll anger Matthew and Philippe if she does anything to her. She tells Louisa that she has married Matthew and she is Philippe’s blood-sworn daughter. Louisa grabs a firearm and intends to kill Diana. She tells Kit that the first shot should be his, but Kit says they should just leave her down here. Kit prepares the gun while Diana tries to talk him out of shooting her. Louisa tells Kit he’ll be there to comfort Matthew when Diana is dead. Diana speaks to Kit and recites lines from his poem.

She offers to tell him everything about the future and he wants to know it but Louisa attacks him from behind. She says Christopher is weak before picking up the gun and trying to shoot Diana. The first shot misses and Kit tries to stop her. Diana remembers hearing her familiar will return when she needs it and it does. Diana offers to tell them their futures before saying they have none. She uses her magic and the firedrake to trap them. Matthew and Gallow arrive and encourage her to stop it. Hubbard arrives too and says their existence is punishment enough. Diana stops her magic before Matthew goes after Kit with a knife. Hubbard says to take them to Bedlam so he can deal with them. When everyone is gone, Matthew comforts Diana.

Cecil goes to the Queen and tells her they got every book he had. She says Matthew is forgiven before asking him to leave her in peace. That night, Diana becomes concerned that Matthew has been gone so long, but Gallow tells her she doesn’t want to go to Bedlam. That isn’t going to stop her though so Gallow goes with her. When they arrive, they find that Matthew has caused chaos and he tells them they shouldn’t have come there. Louisa tries to get up while telling Matthew to open his eyes because Diana is the witch of the prophecy. She is worried that Diana will destroy them and all of their kind. Matthew begins choking her and Louisa encourages him to show her the wolf. She pleads with him to tear out her throat but Diana encourages him to let them live. They learn about the baby before Matthew throws Louisa to the ground.

Diana approaches Matthew and tells him to come home. Kit yells for Matthew but his calls are ignored. Diana and Matthew return home together and check on Jack. In the morning, Matthew tells Diana every day of his life is a battle for control because he is at war with himself. He says the blood rage is consuming. They get into bed and Matthew says to drink from one’s mate is to know that nothing is hidden. Then, all that would be left is complete belonging and honesty. She tells him to drink but he says it would mean he would know her secrets and she wouldn’t know his. She says she can because the witch’s kiss allows her to see into his soul. He is worried she won’t like what she sees before she says he can go first. Seconds later, Matthew takes some of Diana’s blood. She repays the favor and discovers his secrets.

 

A Discovery Of Witches Review

Truthfully, this was the best episode of A Discovery of Witches this season. The magic and firedrake were excellent. Why hasn’t this stuff being going on all season long? It is a shame that they decided to hold everything back until this episode but at least it is finally happening.

I’ll argue that the secret sharing stuff there at the end was cheesy though. Still, the episode proves that this show has the potential to be very entertaining. I only wish it would maintain this level of quality throughout the entire season. The episode scores an 8 out of 10. Previous recaps of A Discovery of Witches are available on Reel Mockery.