As the fifth episode of Leonardo begins, Stefano Giraldi (Freddie Highmore) drops a notebook in front of Leonardo (Aidan Turner) and tells him to turn it to the page he marked. Once Leonardo looks at it, he tells Stefano it is a list of ingredients. Stefano points out that it is the ingredients for the poison that was used on Ludovico and Caterina. Leonardo thinks it is absurd because he denies poisoning Caterina. Stefano asks why he didn’t give her the same antidote he gave Ludovico. Leonardo says he lacked the necessary ingredients. Stefano asks what they are because they can search his studio, prove he didn’t have them, and add credibility to his story. He asks him if he wishes to hang because every witness he has spoken to thinks Leonardo is guilty. Stefano reminds him that he told him how much Caterina meant to him, yet he is accused of killing her. Leonardo admits the most credible part of the accusation is that he did it because she burnt some of his work.

Leonardo goes on to say he has already spilled blood for his art. In Milan in January 1497, Leonardo is introduced as the next speaker. Leonardo asks the crowd what the most notable endeavor mankind can pursue is. Some have made the case for the study of plants while others encourage the design and engineering of man-made structures. Leonardo also mentions studying complex machines that the world has never seen before. Beatrice (Miriam Dalmazio) struggles to birth her baby. As Ludovico (James D’Arcy) joins her, Leonardo says there is only one endeavor that brings these disciplines together. He claims only art can turn the pain and suffering in lives into beauty. Leonardo talks about how art can survive time and give the artist and his patron a kind of immortality. After Leonardo finishes his speech, he is approached by Sanseverino (Antonio De Matteo) who asks him to come with him immediately. He soon learns that Beatrice and the child are gone.

Ludovico wants Leonardo to bring his wife back like he did him, but Leonardo admits there is no potion that can restore life once life has been taken away. Ludovico begins breaking down as he pleads with Leonardo to do something. When Leonardo returns to Salai (Carlos Cuevas) and Tommaso (Alessandro Sperduti), they find out what has happened. Two days later, Tommaso approaches Leonardo to tell him that they’re taking all the bronze for the horse. When Leonardo goes outside, he learns it is all being confiscated on the Duke’s authority. Since the French are threatening towns nearby, they have to cast cannons to defend themselves. Leonardo pleads with him to stop until he has a chance to talk to the Duke. Sanseverino tells him he should’ve used the bronze when he got it instead of wasting time. When Leonardo tries to find out where the Duke is, he is advised not to disturb him. Leonardo goes to see him and learns he has been there all night with Beatrice’s body.

Leonardo approaches him to tell him about Sanseverino taking all the bronze. Ludovico reminds him that Sanseverino works for him before accusing Leonardo of trespassing on his grief. Ludovico admits he will never hear his wife’s voice again or feel the softness of her touch. He asks Leonardo if he has ever dealt with such a loss. Ludovico says he will honor his family in a different way. He explains that the entire convent will become a mausoleum for his beloved Beatrice. Leonardo is tasked with painting a fresco. He wants something resembling the Lord’s final night with the apostles before death came. When Leonardo says he doesn’t know how to work in fresco, he is told he will learn. An angry Leonardo returns to his studio and trashes it. Salai and Tommaso get Luca to come see Leonardo because he hasn’t come down in several days and he is refusing to accept the fresco. When they’re alone, Tommaso tells Salai it isn’t just about him.

Friar Luca Pacioli introduces himself to Leonardo who read his books on mathematics. Leonardo thinks he is beyond consolation when he is told his friends think he needs spiritual guidance. He believes he is a toy for his Excellency’s pleasure. He is asked if he can find beauty or truth in the last supper. Luca asks about his truth as a man and not an artist. Leonardo mentions betrayal by his mother and father as a child. He was also betrayed by a man he trusted when he came to Milan. Luca asks if he thinks Jesus suffered betrayal also. When Leonardo storms out of the room, he tells Tommaso and Salai to get wood ordered for the scaffolding. He is going to the market to research because the apostles are going to need faces.

Caterina (Matilda De Angelis) receives a letter from Leonardo who admits he should’ve never let her leave in anger because her absence has torn a hole in his heart that cannot be mended. He seeks consolation in his work. He tells her how he is spending time in the market to find truth in the faces there and how he has one last chance to create a masterpiece. He sketches some of the faces he sees. Leonardo doesn’t expect Caterina to understand, but he hopes she’ll forgive him in time. Tommaso doesn’t think this is how a fresco is painted, but Leonardo reminds him that Verrocchio never taught them the technique. Leonardo isn’t suited for fast work like Tommaso who thinks that is the only way for a fresco to be painted. Leonardo suggests otherwise. The plaster is damp on a fresco so they can only paint a small section each day before the work has to be completed and the plaster dries. Leonardo argues this will be a new type of fresco that will give them more time.

He goes on to say it ensures the fresco retains the true colors for longer. When Tommaso asks about the method, Leonardo says they will apply their special tempera onto a dry wall. Once it dries, they’ll be able to paint another layer. He believes they’ll be able to do this five or six times. Leonardo wants them to use their minds to ensure this works. After he leaves, Tommaso tells Salai that loyalty doesn’t mean just agreeing with him. It sometimes means telling him the truth when no one else will. Salai thinks it is better than adding to Leonardo’s fears. Caterina tries to get a job and even offers to work at half wages. Tommaso checks on Leonardo who is busy doing face. He asks if he is doing too much since the Adoration of the Magi failed because he crammed too much into it. Leonardo admits he isn’t sure if he is making the same mistake. He asks Tommaso to tell everyone they’ll start working at the convent tomorrow. The next day, one of the workers tells Leonardo that the coins have disappeared from his bag.

Salai claims he found the coins on the floor and put them in his pocket for safekeeping. Leonardo warns him that he’ll kick him back out onto the street if he catches him stealing again. As Caterina works, another woman asks her if she is pregnant. She tells the woman to mind her own business. Leonardo shows everyone the vanishing point or the farthest place in the room in which Jesus and the apostles are seated. He tells them how they will make it look like this room continues into the one they’ve painted. They’ll feel like they’re in the room with Jesus. They begin transferring the drawing to the wall. Leonardo is asked what people will think of the way they’re set. He says the placement of the apostles suggests their relationship to Christ while their facial expressions convey their emotions. Leonardo says this is from the gospel of John and John is leaning away from Jesus towards Peter. Judas recoils. Salai knows it is the moment Jesus reveals he will be betrayed.

Tommaso thinks the Duke would want their work to celebrate the Lord. Leonardo thinks he should do that by remembering that Jesus was also a man with passions and feelings. Marco interrupts to get Leonardo to come with him. They go outside and look through the pigments that have just been delivered. Leonardo writes another letter to Caterina to say the Duke triumphed in battle against the French. Leonardo writes about an event in the market that made his blood run cold. Despite his victory, Ludovico’s grip isn’t as secure as it seems. His carriage tries to leave town when two French supporters attempt to kill him but fail. One of the men escapes and looked right into Leonardo’s eyes.

Later that night, Tommaso spies on Leonardo and Salai and sees them kissing. When they return to the church, they find that the pigments are missing. Tommaso immediately blames Salai who quickly denies it. Leonardo says all the men must be laid off and the work must stop until they can replace what was lost. Salai or Giacomo approaches a group of men in a pub. He argues with Filippo (Robert Madison) about who made the money. Salai asks him about the pigments that went missing from Santa Maria Delle Grazie last night. He wants to know how much Filippo wants for them. Filippo may be willing to get the paints for him, but he’ll have to work it off in trade. Salai insists he doesn’t do that now because he is an artist. If he wants the pigments back, he’ll have to do what Filippo says. Ludovico visits Leonardo and catches him sleeping on the job. He knows about the pigment gone missing. Leonardo calls it a temporary setback.

Rumors in court are claiming Leonardo is in over his head and there are bets that he’ll never finish it. Ludovico has invested a lot in him, yet he has given him very little in return. He sometimes wonders if Leonardo regrets that he saved his life. He had the bronze for months, but never cast the statue. Ludovico wonders if he is no longer eager to honor him after the death of his nephew and the departure of Caterina. When Leonardo says he is fully committed, he is told to prove it. Later, Salai returns with the pigments and explains you just need to know who to ask. As Leonardo gets straight to work, he writes to Caterina letting her know he feels like he is drowning without her. He admits he has been unable to sleep for weeks. The slightest error has been enough to send him into a rage. Salai continues working off his debt to Filippo. Leonardo sensed he had made some fatal mistake. Today, he realized that he had. He complains that the ceiling is too low because the apostles would bump their heads if they stood up.

Tommaso reminds him it is just a painting. Since none of them will stand, it looks fine. Leonardo isn’t happy with that though because it’ll torture him. He asks if any of them noticed. He asks if they care. Salai repeats what Jesus said about one of them betraying him. Leonardo writes to Caterina that he could no longer face the others because he felt like he had fallen into a black hole. The fresco was another folly like the horse. He wanted to be erased and to disappear. The others begin wondering what they should do. Ludovico catches up with Leonardo and reminds him that are no secrets in Milan at least from him. Leonardo tells him that he made an error that could take weeks to fix. He is reminded how many times great men fail before they succeed. Ludovico heard about his speech about art making the artist and his patron immortal. He demands nothing less than great art for his beloved wife.

Leonardo is told he doesn’t have much time because Ludovico is losing power. The taxes paid to defeat the French have turned people against him. The French have aligned with the Venetians so it is only a matter of time before they strike again. Leonardo returns to work to deal with the ceiling before the others return to help. Leonardo tells them that they’ll begin again. Caterina winces in pain while at work. Marco is approached by men with weapons while Leonardo shows the fresco to Luca. As Luca gets emotional, Giulio yells for Leonardo who joins him and finds Marco with his throat cut. They claim it was people wearing French colors. Luca believes it is a message to frighten Sforza loyalists. Tommaso worries they won’t be safe here. Leonardo tells Salai to ask Sanseverino to post guards outside the convent. He is adamant that the work continues and nobody leaves. Two months later in September 1499, fighting breaks out in the town.

Leonardo’s statue is destroyed by soldiers. He is approached by them and told Ludovico has fled and Milan is under the control of Louis XII. The soldier has been ordered to cut the fresco from the wall and bring it to him in France, but Leonardo warns him it would destroy it. The soldier admits he doesn’t intend to follow the orders. He tells Ramiro to remain here with his men to ensure Leonardo is free to complete his work undisturbed. He is doing this so Leonardo will know who he is indebted to. Before he goes, the man calls himself Cesare Borgia (Max Bennett). Now that the painting is safe, Tommaso is ready to leave. He thinks Caterina knew better to leave Leonardo when she did because he put their lives in danger for little. Salai defends him. Tommaso complains about Leonardo not calling him a great artist like he did Salai.

Then, he tells Leonardo that the paint will decay and the masterpiece will not survive. Leonardo tries to calm him, but Tommaso thinks he is the betrayer. He goes and takes Giulio with him. In the present, Leonardo admits to Stefano that Tommaso’s words cut him because they were true. Although he would’ve killed for his art, he wouldn’t have killed Caterina. Stefano asks if he regrets painting The Last Supper. Leonardo regrets the sacrifices he demanded and the pain he inflicted. At Leonardo’s request, Stefano goes to see the fresco. He gets emotional when looking at it.

 

Leonardo Review

This episode of Leonardo seemed like it moved the story forward a lot while doing very little. In reality, little happened since most of the episode focused on Leonardo’s struggle to start and finish The Last Supper. Still, we’ve likely seen the last of Ludovico Sforza and Leonardo will probably have to move on to something bigger. The episode was hindered a bit by the absence of Caterina in most of the scenes, but Tommaso, Salai, and the others tried to pick up the slack.

While the series has attempted to be emotional and uplifting at times, the success of that is arguable. The story is indeed interesting, but Leonardo feels like an empty shell most of the time because it is common for the secondary characters to be more interesting than the main protagonist. In a series based on such a historical figure, this really shouldn’t be happening.

The episode scores a 6 out of 10. Recaps of Leonardo can be found on Reel Mockery here. We appreciate any and all visitor support. Learn how to support us here.