As this episode of A Discovery of Witches begins, we see Ysabeau (Lindsay Duncan) checking and approving flowers. Diana (Teresa Palmer) and Agatha (Tanya Moodie) attend the funeral for TJ Weston. After the service is over, Diana tells Agatha it was beautiful. Agatha isn’t sure that is what he wanted since she didn’t know him. Diana knows Agatha is their only true ally on the Congregation and the Christening is against the Covenant. She goes on to say the twins and Margaret will spend their lives as targets. Agatha says they better make sure that doesn’t happen. In Venice, Baldwin (Peter McDonald) approaches Gerbert (Trevor Eve) who asks about the babies. Baldwin says they’re doing fine although they don’t know what they are yet. Gerbert reminds him they’re a violation of the covenant and any threat of the existing order must be extinguished by him.

Baldwin is adamant he isn’t going to kill his brother’s children, but he will make a full assessment and report his findings to the chamber. Gerbert intends to ask the Congregation to rule on the matter. If they are a problem, Baldwin says he will deal with it. Diana and Matthew arrive to show Ysabeau and Marthe (Sorcha Cusack) the grandchildren. When Sarah (Alex Kingston) enters, Ysabeau says it is good to see her and they need to stand together more than ever. Sarah is told she has the flowers she wanted for her visit with Em. Jack (Toby Regbo) enters and is promptly greeted by Ysabeau who says he is free to explore the property. Sarah goes outside to talk to Emily. Back inside, Marthe and Ysabeau learn that the girl baby is always hungry. Matthew and Diana are told their rooms are ready and the invitations have been sent. Ysabeau says they were sent against her better judgment considering some of the names on the list.

She reminds them the christening is going to be seen as an act of war. As for Baldwin, he has made his decision not to support them, but it would be a grave insult not to invite him. Matthew was hoping he’d try to see what they were doing with the scion. Regardless, Ysabeau is worried many will think the christening is too provocative. Matthew is told he is about to find out who his true friends are. In Berlin, Benjamin Fuchs (Jacob Ifan) follows a witch who uses her magic to light a cigarette. He takes the woman to Lublin Voivodeship, Poland against her will and calls her his Diana. He claims they’re going to do lots of important work together. Later, she finds herself handcuffed to a cot and hears someone saying Matthew and Diana repeatedly. Meanwhile, Diana can’t get her little girl to go to sleep. Marthe believes she is hungry again. Diana rudely says she knows that. She apologizes and admits to feeling like a failure because she can’t satisfy her.

Diana goes on to say any milk she takes ends up coming back up. Although Matthew says it is too soon to worry, Marthe says Diana is her mother. She suggests it might not be milk she needs. A knife sits in front of Diana on the table. Jack enters the room with Matthew who says he has been pacing the halls all night, but Jack calls it exploring. Jack admits he likes Ysabeau and Matthew believes she likes him. Then, he begins to worry about Benjamin who has disappeared again. Matthew realizes Jack was patrolling although he says Ben wouldn’t dare set foot on Clairmont territory. Matthew won’t let him hurt Jack. However, Jack isn’t worried about himself. Instead, he is worried about the twins and threatens to kill Ben if he gets close to them. Jack confesses he thinks about the reasons he didn’t kill Benjamin when he could’ve. Both hear something before Jack asks who blood that is.

Matthew tells him to stay with Philip. He rushes into the room with Diana, Marthe, and Rebecca to ask what is going on. Marthe is asked to leave as baby Rebecca sucks blood from Diana’s wrist. When he asks what she is doing, Diana says she is feeding his daughter. Matthew says there is a reason they don’t turn children into vampires, but Diana argues she came to them this way. Matthew wonders how they can reason with a two-year-old dealing with blood rage. Diana believes she can spellbind her until they manage to help her through it. Matthew doesn’t want Diana doing to her baby what her parents did to her. Diana says they did what they had to do.

She appreciates that more than ever and will do everything she can for her child. Matthew realizes she is right and quickly agrees. Marcus (Edward Bluemel) compliments the outfit Phoebe has picked out for the christening. Then, Phoebe (Adelle Leonce) says she has been thinking about their future. She wants to know when she is going to become a vampire. Marcus is surprised she isn’t asking if she will become one. He promises to talk to her about it after the christening. Matthew returns to Jack who is rocking Philip back to sleep. They talk about the baby’s blood singing as Matthew says it is getting stronger each day. Jack believes the baby is a witch and Matthew agrees his witch DNA seems dominant. Ben returns to his captive witch Lena (Edyta Budnik) to ask if she is dreaming of him. We see that he is drugging her. He turns to Gabriella to ask if they should get to work.

While Benjamin is busy, Lena uses her magic to free herself from the handcuffs in hopes of escaping. Benjamin watches her leave. He says that is it before encouraging her to go straight to Matthew. Ransome (Parker Sawyers), Geraldine (Genesis Lynea), and the others begin arriving for the christening. Marthe welcomes them and tells them where to place their gifts. Miriam brings Christopher to the event. Chris says he isn’t sure what to expect. Marcus admits that is standard for a De Clermont gathering. Sarah approaches Fernando (Olivier Huband) to say it has been difficult although the babies help. She asks about Gallowglass only to learn he has declined the invitation. Ysabeau interrupts to tell everyone it is time to move to the chapel. Then, she tells Diana and Matthew. Diana admits the Congregation will know about it now if they didn’t before.

Ysabeau says she lived for years fearing witches without realizing one would become her daughter. Her only regret is that Philippe isn’t there to see the babies. As Diana and Matthew walk down the aisle, she tells him about Gallowglass not being there. When the godparents are asked to stand, a bunch of people stand up and approach. While the ceremony continues, we see Baldwin driving in his vehicle. The priest tells the group to keep these children safe from sin and evil. Baldwin enters. Sarah tells everyone that Diana and Matthew are going to reveal the names of the babies and it’ll be the first time any of them have heard the names. She reveals the names are Rebecca Arielle Emily Marthe and Philip Michael Addison Sorely. Once she finishes speaking, Baldwin walks in and apologizes for his late arrival. Then, he congratulates both of them. He surprises them by saying he wants the children taken to Venice for an assessment.

Baldwin says they need to find out what they are, but Diana says the kids are their children. He reminds them he is the head of the de Clermont family. Matthew says he won’t be if he recognizes his scion, but Baldwin refuses to recognize a diseased, corrupt branch of his family. Jack’s blood rage begins taking control of him so Ysabeau encourages him to manage it. Baldwin encourages them to give him the children to put an end to this rebellion. Matthew unbuttons his jacket and says he cannot. Baldwin responds that he has left him with no choice. A fight begins and the others are encouraged to stay out of it. Diana tells them to take the babies back to the house while Baldwin begins choking Matthew. Diana uses her magic to distract Baldwin so Matthew can gain a dominant position. Matthew pleads with him to let him go, but Baldwin says he can’t because he has murder in his blood.

Baldwin questions whether the children have blood rage too as they tussle and knock over the pews. When Diana begins using her magic, the building crumbs. She warns Baldwin to end it or she will. Baldwin relents and says okay before arguing that vampires with blood rage are never in control. Matthew insists Baldwin would already be dead if he wasn’t in control. He says he has never brought shame to the De Clermont family and his children won’t either. Diana offers to give her word that any member of the scion with blood rage will be brought under control. She offers to spellbind any member of the scion that acts on their blood rage. Once Baldwin asks what happens if her magic fails, she responds that their scion will have failed too and they’ll submit to the Congregation.

Baldwin quickly thinks it over and agrees to recognize their scion. Before he leaves, he tells Matthew he is responsible for everyone he has sired and everyone they have sired. That includes Benjamin. Later, Sarah tells Diana the power she used in the church was elemental. She asks why she didn’t use her weaver spells and knots. Diana responds there was a knot she would’ve used if Baldwin hadn’t come to his senses. She claims it was the tenth and final knot which is the knot of creation and destruction. Diana says her magic is a union of opposites like their scion. She is confident her magic is going to become even more powerful after she gets the book of life back and heals it. Goody Alsop foretold old worlds would die and new will be born. That is the battle they started today. Matthew tells Jack that he did well handling himself today although Jack doesn’t think the Congregation will see it that way.

Matthew says it might be time to stop living in shame and admit it has done more harm than good. Next, the Congregation meets so they can discuss the recent events in France. Baldwin explains Diana and Matthew used the christening to break the covenant with the rest of their scion. He says the scion does not free Matthew from his duties to the covenant. Instead, he will be responsible for any transgressions caused by members of the scion. When Domenico asks about the blood-raged vampire, Baldwin won’t say whether he is dead. Instead, he has been given assurances that he is no longer a danger. Otherwise, Diana will use her magic to spellbind him. Satu (Malin Buska) doesn’t like that and argues Diana would be a disgrace to all witches because no witch would inflict that powerlessness on another creature. Agatha says they have a connection to the young man so Diana wouldn’t have made that commitment lightly.

She also argues that spellbinding him is better than sentencing him to death. Agatha would put it to a vote, but witch numbers are still depleted so they’re not quorate. Then, Gerbert discusses bringing the children in for quarantine to see if they constitute a threat. Although Agatha says they’re not a threat, Gerbert isn’t sure since they’re interested in bringing down the covenant. He alleges the Congregation as it stands no longer has the discipline to counter their campaigns. Since there is no effective leadership, the vampires are going to take matters into their own hands. Diana shows her magic to the babies before Marthe enters to say Ysabeau needs her downstairs where a witch is seeking her help. When they go downstairs, they’re introduced to Lena who wants to warn them about Benjamin. She says Benjamin wanted to open up the truth of witches to see inside them.

He has been talking about a witch with the power of life and death that will allow him to control everything. Lena goes on to say Benjamin wants witch children. He is infatuated with Diana and wanted Lena to be his Diana. When Matthew asks how she knew to come here, Lena says Matthew has been making him do these things. He quickly denies that. They agree to make her comfortable for the night after they stop talking. Once she is gone, Matthew says this is his fault so he is going to find Benjamin and end him. Marcus believes they should strengthen the Knights of Lazarus and bring in new blood. He says Chris would make a great Knight and Jack is ready too. Diana is surprised Miriam isn’t one. Marcus suggests asking Sarah too. He would like to add the babies too since they’d all be sworn to defend one another.

It warns the Congregation that they’ll have to take them all on. Matthew agrees and wants to do it as soon as possible. While Marcus goes to talk to them, Matthew begins thinking about Benjamin. He looks at the watch that says “To Philippe 1922”. Marcus performs the ceremony so everyone can join the Knights of Lazarus. Chris, Hamish (Greg McHugh), and the others take their rings from the sword. Fernando wants Matthew to know he is with them too. Although Matthew never doubted it, Fernando did since he was happy on the outside after Hugh’s death. Since he doesn’t think that is good enough anymore, he wants to be a part of the scion and a member of his family. Matthew agrees to make him his right-hand man. Satu travels on a boat while Diana looks at the three pages on the table in front of her. Matthew carries her to bed. They discuss Matthew’s problems. Diana says they’re her problems too, but Matthew doesn’t want her to be his weapon.

He wants her to promise she’ll never go anywhere near him if something goes wrong, but she refuses. He is confident that the family can continue without him since others can serve as the head of the family. For now, tomorrow’s troubles can wait.

 

A Discovery Of Witches Review

Not a lot has happened during this season of A Discovery of Witches, but the episode pushed things in the right direction. It has mostly been dialogue between Matthew, Diana, and the family as they try to deal with the birth and christening of their babies. It was a bit strange to see that humans joined the Knights of Lazarus since I am not sure they’re going to be helpful during a battle with witches, demons, and vampires.

The short battle between Matthew and Baldwin was quickly ruined by Diana after they were told to stay out of it. There is a lot to cover in just two episodes so I am concerned the finale is going to be rushed. It would take a lot to right the ship and make this a worthwhile, eventful final season for A Discovery of Witches. It was a better episode overall, so I’d give it a 6.5 out of 10. All recaps of A Discovery of Witches will be available on Reel Mockery here. Find out how to support the Reel Mockery project by following this link.