Leo and Riario are on the ship back to Italy, Leo still
obsessed and Riario thinking they need to pack it all in – he even intends to
throw himself on the pope’s mercy. Good luck with that. They also acknowledge
that while they’ve liked working together the whole alliance thing is now other
In Florence, Leo notices something amiss – the streets
are empty. He and Nico return to his old workshop where Verrocchio meets them
and warns them Florence is no longer home, shortly before the guards arrive. A new
guard captain drags them to the palace which is full of men and bare breasted
women (some seemingly enjoying proceedings, others definitely abused). The palace
is in a shambles – and Clarice is chained on a throne wearing very scanty
clothing. All of this is forced by Duke Federico of Urbino – who took the city
by force at the Pope’s urging. Both Clarice and Leo cling to the hope that
Lorenzo will return.
In Naples, the Pope is trying to make Lorenzo tell him where the vast sums of Medici gold got to, since neither he nor Urbino can find them, in exchange for exile for Lorenzo and his family. He reveals that Florence has fallen – and Lorenzo punches him. How many Hail Marys for punching a pope? The Pope calls him no matter than usurers, heathens or jews, which pretty much sums up a fair chunk of the Pope’s prejudice. Lorenzo does promise to give up all of the money - to king Ferrante of Naples if he can free Florence. The pope smugly points out he and Naples are allies, this isn’t a negotiation – Ferrante, considering the vast sum of money would beg to differ – it is a negotiation now.
Lorenzo and Ipolita flirt and kiss and are seen by the
pope.
Back in Florence, after a brief reunion with Vanessa, Leo
is taken for some special torture (with some side references to him being a “sodomite”
so he might enjoy the torture. Da Vinci’s
Demons you’re on far too thin ice to pull this shit). He’s fastened in
stocks opposite Carlo, also in stocks; but at least Carlo is eager to meet Leo.
The torturers arrive (with background scenes of rape) and knock out the guards –
it’s Zoroaster and Amerigo in disguise.
They take Leo and Carlo to a tavern where the loyalists
are hiding (including Captain Dragonetti) – while Frederico’s men attack random
men in the street. Of course Leo intends to take the palace back and with Carlo’s
knowledge of the palace he comes up with a plan.
Which is foiled when Dragonetti et al are captured obtaining supplies, interrupting Leo and Carlo bonding over being bastards and Cosimo’s obsession with the Book of Leaves. Instead they take a riskier route into the palace, past the furnace
Inside the palace, a guard tries to take Vanessa to be
raped by Nico stands in his way. In response to Nico’s defiance, the other
prisoners stand as well. Faced with all the prisoners ready to attack him, he
backs out.
Leo and Carlo make it into the palace (there’s a hairy
moment, but the plot armour is fully engaged) and Carlo sneaks in to speak to
Clarice while Frederico is partying with his men (which involves more rape) and
making Zoroaster and Amerigo fight each other – before Leo’s knock out gas
breaks up the party. Except for Frederico himself who leaves via a secret
passage. He and Leo fight and Leo uses different length swords to confuse the
one eyed Frederico’s depth perception. Before Leo can kill him Clarice hurries
in and tells him to hold. Frederico points out he’s a duke, he will be judged
at a tribunal by his fellow heads of state, not killed by a random Florentine
bastard. Clarice agrees – and stabs him in the eye, declaring him guilty.
And with that, they’re victorious (not that unrealistic,
Frederico’s army isn’t a standing army, they’re mercenaries, they’re paid. Kill
the paymaster and they’ve no reason to stay). Lots of celebrating and partying,
Leo is oddly humble to Clarice’s praise – and Verrocchio calls Leo because he’s
fixed the cheap nasty toy head. With his expertise they play back the message –
which turns out to be really not worth it. To find the Leafy Book Leo must
abandon his quest for her; also he needs to beware the Enemies of Man which are
everywhere. This? Is totally unhelpful and not worth travelling to South
America for. But not entirely – there’s music behind the voice, music
containing the real message.
Decoding the message they get “book” “child” “home” – Leo’s childhood home, Vinci. While Verrocchio goes to fetch horses, Carlo arrives. He recognises the model of Leo’s mother, Katerina, and says he must pay for the Sin of Daedellus – he slashes Leo with a sword. He’s the “Labyrinth” which is one of many names for the big bad people who want evil bad things (he’s even willing to describe his people as the devil). As is fitting for a bad guy, he provides lots of exposition – how he was the man who went with Katrina to South America (Leo assumed that a man with dark skin referred to the Abyssinian) and betrayed her, he killed his father, Cosimo. He also helpfully reveals that the code does not mean Vinci. Verrocchio arrives, drawn to the commotion and Carlo kills him. Someone yells for the guards and Carlo leaves chaos behind him and sets it on fire as he leaves (not taking the time to stab Leo, of course).
In Naples, negotiations are somewhat scuppered by Alfonzo
killing King Ferrante and taking the throne. Alfonzo summons his wife, Ipolita,
to his side and makes it clear he’s staying allied with Rome.
Outside Constantinople, Lucrezia is asked the same three
questions over and over and over again for days – she thinks she answered the
same every time but the variations, her body language and frustration reveal
her. The woman questioning her reveals that there are 2 popes, the hidden one
is her father – and he is looking for a war.
Afterwards the questioner sums up the options – Bayezid in
Rome will be killed, humiliated or imprisoned – all of which guarantee war
(unless Fake Pope considers peace, which is unlikely). Lucrezia assures her
that the Real Pope will restore peace and she agrees – the dead are always
peaceful. And a not happy Bayezid returns. And forces her to have a bath for
ominous reasons
In Rome, Riario goes to see the Pope – the Real Pope,
Lucrezia’s father. This is the pope to whom he begs for mercy – the pope tells
him to stand. But offers no forgiveness; Riario watched Fake People kill Real
Pope’s daughter and forced Lucrezia to “whore herself”, sell herself as a spy.
Riario cowers and pleads, begging to be able to serve, to help the Real Pope.
But he is adamant – Riario doesn’t deserve forgiveness and will suffer for the
rest of his life. Riario staggers out, sobbing brokenly and makes his way to
the Pope’s main chamber.
He goes out into a lake to embrace his penance – and dramatically
appears to slice his own wrists. This doesn’t take – as he wakes up hanging
from his ankles “born again” among the Enemies of Man. Honestly a cult name
like that must be an obstacle to recruitment.
The city has fallen, everything is in pieces. How do you
show this? How about with things in pieces? The palace in disarray? Full prison
cells? Clearly abused prisoners? All done – that shows exactly what has
happened. But no, they have to add some random rape as well – even background
rapes. Yes, rape is a reality of war and part of the horrors that would be expected
today, let alone then; but there’s a difference between refusing to sugar coat
history and graphically showing rape for extra “grittiness” or for actual
background; indeed, there were scenes with the implication (a woman leaving the
palace looking haunted and holding her clothes together) that made that clear
without us having a whole walk of rape to the throne room and random background
rape in the prisons. That isn’t showing the brutal realities out there – that was
wallowing in gratuity. Especially since, if anything, this show doesn’t make a
point of making the awfulness of what is happening clear – some of it seems to exist more to show what a
complete pig the Duke of Urbino is more than anything else.
I was hoping Carlo would become a main POC character who
wasn’t servile, woo-woo or sacrifice. Instead he’s evil – and probably woo-woo.
And is Labyrinth related to the Enemies of Man? And does this mean we have to
listen to Leo’s incomprehensible hallucinations and babble?
