A Discovery of Witches Recap & Analysis – Episode 8

“Once the world was full of wonders, but it belongs to humans now. We creatures have all but disappeared. Demons, vampires, and witches, hiding in plain sight, fearful of discovery, ill at ease even with each other. But as my father use to say, ‘In every ending, there is a new beginning.”

We have come to the end of season one. I’d love to hear what everyone thought of the show in the comments. Which episode was your favorite? I’m looking forward to season two!

We pick up right where we left off in episode 7, with Diana in peril as Juliette has her by the throat. Matthew is there immediately and Diana looks scared, but as Juliette starts yelling about Matthew abandoning her, she also looks a little angry. Then Juliette, who is fully in crazy town at this point, tells Matthew that she has to know how Diana did it. She tells him to kiss Diana or she’ll cut her throat. We see her fingernails digging into Diana’s skin. I’m guessing vampire nails must be stronger than human nails.

Matthew tells Diana it’s going to be all right and kisses her. Juliette accuses him of liking the way Diana responds to him, and we see his eyes on her nails, which she’s digging in a little harder now. Juliette is angry now, talking about being groomed for Matthew, and that she had no value. He says I’m sorry and she pushes Diana away, and instead scratches Matthews’s neck, and judging by the amount of blood coming out, she has very strong nails. She then punches him and does something else to wound him, but her body blocks us from seeing exactly what she did. Diana grabs Juliette from behind and pushes her away. Juliette yells that Diana can’t save him, and we can see a major chest wound. Diana turns around to look at her, and we can see fire in her eyes, not like the expression, but literally. By now we know what’s coming. Fire starts coming out of Diana’s hands and it transforms into a bow and arrow, which Diana uses to shoot the Witch Fire at Juliette, killing her.

Diana then calls upon the goddess to help her. I’m not quite sure how she knows the spell, as that doesn’t seem like something she would have practiced with Sarah. A voice says, “If I help you, there will be a price.” Diana agrees to give anything. The camera keeps going back to an incredibly unflattering shot of Matthew, in bad lighting from the goddess, with the camera kind of looking up his nose. A knife appears in Diana’s hand. She cuts her wrist, and meanwhile Miriam, Marcus, and Sarah have shown up. Diana is trying to get Matthew to drink from her wrist, but Marcus says her blood can’t heal both of his wounds. Diana and the goddess have the same conversation again and then Matthew suddenly bites Diana on the neck. While he is drinking, we see flashbacks of interactions between Matthew and Diana about her blood and Matthew saying he loves her, and then he pushes her away.

Later, in the house, Diana is laying in bed. Marcus shows up with equipment and blood, and begins giving her a blood transfusion.

Back in Venice, Gerbert has noticed Juliette’s absence, though he doesn’t appear that concerned. He thinks Matthew and Diana are hiding somewhere. Domenico tells Gerbert he has news. He wants to bargain with the information, which angers Gerbert. The information is about Satu’s location. Gerbert goes to her and asks Satu what happened to Meridiana, and whether Diana is as powerful as Meridiana. Satu tells him that Diana may actually be more powerful. Satu goads Gerbert a little, telling him that Baldwin has kept her where she is because she’s dangerous to him. Satu asks Gerbert, “Don’t you want to know why?” Gerbert suddenly forces Satu’s head back, exposing her neck. It looks like he’s going to know why through his own means. Now, Domenico told Baldwin he wouldn’t give Satu up yet, but then Satu tells Gerbert that Baldwin is the one holding her. Now, we have seen that Domenico isn’t the best at bargaining, so did he end up giving up Satu to Baldwin, or is Satu lying to Gerbert about Baldwin?

Miriam says that what Diana did was “unspeakably courageous.” She also points out the Witch Fire wasn’t in her DNA markers. She wants to do more tests on her because Diana is the most powerful witch they’ve ever encountered and she doesn’t descend from the ancient clans. Matthew agrees to ask Diana, who is sleeping.

I absolutely hate the next line. “You craved me all this time and yet you resisted.” It’s like Matthew did something special because he didn’t murder her? Way too Twilight-like for me. Diana asks about Juliette and Matthew tells her. Diana states that she killed Juliette and that she doesn’t regret it. Matthew then points out the pressing danger. If Juliette could find them, then so can Knox and the Congregation. He suggests that they time walk and hide somewhere in time.

In Venice, Baldwin convenes the Congregation to decide Satu’s fate. Baldwin calls Matthew to warn him that time is running out. As Matthew hangs up, the house starts shaking and an old poppet appears on the floor by the fireplace. An ancestor of Diana’s had one, and she also finds an earring that belonged to Ysabeau but had been lost hundreds of years ago.

Hamish is at Sept Tours, getting books off of a shelf, appearing to consult a list. Marthe then brings him a suitcase to bring to Matthew.

Diana and Matthew discuss the time walking idea with everyone, and many concerns are brought up. What if they end up in the middle of a war or an epidemic? How do they return? Diana goes into the woods with Sarah and Emily to practice. This part is a little silly. Apparently, you time walk by picking up one foot and balancing that way, yet it also requires a lot of concentration. You need concentration on your balance in order to not fall, so this method doesn’t seem the most efficient.

Matthew is pacing and freaking out, worried that Diana could be stuck somewhere in time. Miriam is telling him to relax. When Diana appears in the room, Matthew hugs her and says he knew she could do it. Miriam just drops whatever she’s holding and looks at him, as he clearly did not know if she could do it.

Gerbert shows up to grill Knox about the prophecy. They both agree that Baldwin has gone too far. Gerbert suggests they work together to remove Baldwin from the Congregation and overthrow the du Clermonts.

Hamish arrives in Madison with Matthew’s things, as well as Sophie and Nathaniel. Sophie gives Diana the statue, which Matthew recognizes as a chess piece that he lost in a bet on All Souls Night – a very long time ago. Sophie then tells them all that her parents were witches. Miriam says that’s impossible.

After Sophie and Nathaniel are shown to their rooms, Diana, Matthew, and Hamish are left downstairs. Matthew states that the chess piece and earring were in the same place, on the same night. Diana says that the line between the living and the dead is less between Halloween and All Souls, and suggests it may help them to time walk.

Marcus and Nathaniel are carrying wood and discussing politics. Both wish that the Congregation would modernize its thinking. Sophie tells Emily and Sarah about her dreams that the Congregation are coming for her baby. Agatha calls Nathaniel to warn him that the Congregation is reconvening, and to warn Diana.

To practice, Diana time walks her and Matthew back to the night they danced in Sept Tours. We see Matthew dance with Ysabeau again.

Gerbert tells Knox that he was present when Philippe created the Congregation. He weighed it in his favor by declaring that a du Clermont must sit on the Congregation. However, after Baldwin and Matthew, Marcus would be next. Gerbert is confident there would be no trouble getting Marcus to see things their way.

Hamish asks Matthew if he still wants him to be a knight. What exactly does a knight do in 2019? Anyway, Hamish also points out that with their group, they basically have a shadow Congregation, which Matthew sees the value in, with the knights, because if Sophie’s baby is a witch, they might have to take on the Congregation. I love this, because it’s grassroots politics in action. The Congregation won’t move with the times, so another, equal Congregation, can function separately and have the chance to do things differently, and better.

Hamish warns Diana that traveling back in time, she’ll be totally reliant on Matthew, and he might not be the same man.

The Congregation reconvenes in Venice.

In Madison, everyone but Diana and Matthew are packing up to leave. Matthew gives Nathaniel contact information for his mother and tells him to bring Sophie there if he ever feels “at all concerned”, and tells him that Sarah and Emily will already be there, so he won’t feel so alone or out of place.

Hamish has concerns about the Book of Life. Matthew thinks they may be able to get it whole, without the pages torn out, where they’re going. Hamish tells him to come back and bring it with him.

Satu is being held in front of the Congregation. Baldwin asks her if she kidnapped Diana and she doesn’t deny it. Baldwin tells her that she is stripped of her Congregation membership. Satu says that she did it because she believed that Baldwin was working with Matthew to keep Diana from the Congregation. She then says that she was proven right. Baldwin tries to shut her up, but Gerbert wants to hear what Satu has to say. Satu says that Baldwin showed up with Matthew at La Pierre. Baldwin denies working against the Congregation.

Gerbert brings up the Knights of Lazarus. Gerbert states that the order was formed by Philippe du Clermont and his sons, with the goal of furthering the vampire cause. Baldwin states that the order is philanthropic, and believes in protecting those that can’t protect themselves. Knox accuses Baldwin of wanting the book and Diana Bishop for himself, and calls it a vampire conspiracy. Gerbert says, “I am as shocked as you, Peter.” Yeah, he is. Gerbert than calls for Baldwin to step down, which Baldwin refuses to do. Gerbert declares Baldwin guilty of treason against the Congregation, and sentences him to death by beheading. Baldwin shouts about 14th century punishments, reflecting the conversation between Marcus and Nathaniel about the Congregation not being modern. Agatha interrupts to state they have overlooked that each Congregation member has one vote. She then calls for a recess.

In Madison, Diana and Matthew says their goodbyes to Sarah and Emily, who are headed to France.

The Congregation returns from its recess. Gerbert calls for a vote, and Domenico surprises them all by voting in Baldwin’s favor, making the vote 5-4 against the motion. Agatha states that the motion is dismissed. In the hall, Domenico tells Matthew that he’ll be hearing from him. Domenico, unsurprisingly, voted for Baldwin as a power play. Baldwin thanks Agatha, and she says she has her reasons for wanting Diana safe, but that Baldwin still owes them a debt.

Miriam takes another sample from Diana to continue their research while Diana and Matthew are away. Miriam leaves, and Marcus is trying to leave as well, in the most awkward way possible before Matthew gives him an envelope making Marcus Grand Master of the Knights of Lazarus. Marcus doesn’t want to do it, but Matthew tells him that Philippe wanted to keep the Congregation and the Knights separate, so he made Matthew promise the Knights would never be run by Baldwin. Matthew tells Marcus that he’s the only one he trusts to do the job. Why not Miriam? I wish they would explain how/if she fits in the family so this would make more sense. Also, I wish they had chosen a title other than Grand Master, as it makes me think of the KKK.

After they leave, Diana is demonstrating her progress by using magic to light all the Jack-o-Lanterns. Diana and Matthew then prepare to leave as well. As they are preparing to go, they walk through the downstairs, turning off all the lights, as a sort of visual transition between present day New York and 1590 London. They used this same visual transition when Diana left Oxford to go to France. They also change into old-fashioned clothes. Diana looks like she’s wearing a nightgown, and a men’s nightgown from the period, at that. Diana reads the inscription on a ring that Ysabeau added to the suitcase of clothes.

Baldwin calls Matthew to warn him that they know where he is, and the witches are with Gerbert. He wants Matthew to leave right away.

We see a car pulling up to the Madison house.

Matthew hands Diana the statue and an old book, which has an inscription from the writer Christopher Marlowe, who some people think is the actual author of the writings of William Shakespeare. Matthew says that he was a good friend. Marlowe is the one to whom Matthew lost the chess piece in a wager on All Soul’s Night.

Gerbert, Satu, and Knox are approaching the house.

Matthew tells Diana that every year, a group of them would meet at the Old Lodge for the Catholic Holy Days of All Saints and All Souls. From this, Diana infers that they are going back to London, to 1590. Matthew’s house did not look like it was in London. It looked more rural or suburban than that. Maybe it was just outside London? Either way, hurry up, you two! The bad guys are almost there.

Satu is working to remove the spell on the house as Diana and Matthew are preparing to time walk. The last shot is Diana looking back, as if she heard the approach of Gerbert and the witches. However, if you pay attention to the background, there is a candelabra-type light behind her. The room in present day only had regular lamps. A desk lamp and a table lamp were both there, but no candelabra. This means that likely, Diana is in 1590 in the shot. We just don’t know if Matthew is with her. My guess is that he is.

I hate cliffhangers.

The biggest visual themes for the season were the use of circles, archways, and doorways, as well as the blue and gray on Diana and Matthew.

Examples

Blue & Gray