Episode 3 is the third episode of the second season of A Discovery of Witches. It is also the eleventh episode overall in the series.
Synopsis[]
In the present day, Domenico finds a body in Oxford. Em practices higher magic to reach Diana's mother. In 1590, Matthew and Diana explore John Dee's library in search of the Book of Life. They later meet with Queen Elizabeth.[2]
Plot[]
In 1590’s London, Hubbard speaks to Matthew about Tom’s death. Matthew tries to explain his actions, telling Hubbard he killed the man to spare him any future pain. Matthew asks him for forgiveness as Hubbard notices with astonishment that he’s genuinely affected by this death. Matthew even promises Philippe's blessing if he drops the case, which seems to do the trick.
Meanwhile, Diana heads off to meet Mary again, conducting experiments with her. Afterward, Matthew accompanies Diana up to visit Doctor John Dee and his scribe, Robert Ainslie. There, she goes searching for the book but unfortunately it’s missing from the library here too. Apparently Dee’s former scribe Edward Kelley could understand the scripture within the book and claimed it held the key to immortality.
The only clues they have to go on are Emperor Rudolf and Bohemia. Beyond that, everything else is pretty much up in the air. For now, it’s time to rest given Diana’s training begins the following day. But not before she wakes up to witness Matthew taking care of Jack, who has recurring nightmares. Matthew explains that he is part of their family now and he will always be safe with them.
Matthew escorts Diana to Goody Alsop, who gathers the other witches together to try and help Diana discover what her element is. With Diana in the middle of the witches’ circle, surrounded by thin wisps of thread, she’s told to reach out and touch the one that calls to her the strongest. Unable to take hold of any thread, she starts to lose control and panics, rendering the experiment a failure.
Meanwhile, Matthew visits Kit and asks about Bohemia. However, Kit warns him to keep his attention focused on matters closer to home, especially given Cecil is starting to grow suspicious of him.
As Diana thinks back over her past, she realizes that she’s used fire, wind, earth and water at different moments of heightened emotional stress. This explains her sporadic magic and why it’s never been the same. This revelation is a great nod toward the past, as Goody asks Diana to open up and talk about her family, specifically her Aunt. With Sarah asleep, Emily is up late at night scrying and talks to Rebecca, telling her that Diana needs them.
Diana and Matthew return home, only to be told they have an unexpected guest, Cecil, who knows not only of Diana's existence but that she is a witch. Matthew explains he wanted to allow Diana time to adjust before making his marriage known. Cecil does not accept these excuses and tells them the Queen has summoned them both to Whitehall.
Later that night, Matthew confronts Kit, telling him that he knows it was him who told Cecil about Diana. He orders Kit to stay away from both of them. Matthew says he is nothing without Diana, so even if they were driven apart, things would not go back to the way they were.
Angry, Kit storms into Cecil’s quarters and asks who told him about Diana. Cecil simply answers that nothing happens in this city without him knowing. Kit then asks Cecil to tell Matthew that it wasn’t him. But Cecil counters that by saying it should have been Kit, since he does pay him to do just that. Kit argues that he wouldn’t have betrayed Matthew, but Cecil states that Kit would have if it suited his needs.
After donning new armour, courtesy of Mary Sidney's wardrobe, Diana prepares to meet Queen Elizabeth with Matthew. Together, they arrive in court and kneel before her.
She calls Matthew her shadow and listens as he apologizes for not seeing her sooner. Elizabeth is wise though and calls him out for this, eventually forcing Cecil and the others out the room so they can speak alone.
As Diana defers to the Queen, Elizabeth calls her clever...too clever, in fact. Matthew speaks truthfully about Doctor Dee's missing book as Queen Elizabeth mentions the Philosopher’s stone, which she wants Edward Kelley to create for her. Diana realizes that this is because Her Majesty wishes to live forever. The Queen tasks Matthew with finding Kelley and bringing him to her, at which point she will forgive his deception.
Given the journey will be hard and take many months, Matthew worries that this will interfere with Diana’s magic training. Undeterred, Diana heads back and speaks to the witches again, eventually tying the threads together and seeing a beautiful rowan tree. This proves that she’s a Weaver, as the tree seems to foreshadow her being able to conjure up different portals to worlds. Goody tells her her Familiar will reveal itself soon.
That night, Matthew is reacquainted with his nephew Gallowglass, who has returned from Scotland. Gallowglass is alarmed that a witch is in Matthew's parlor, and even more so when he learns she is Matthew's mate.
The real reason for his visit is to deliver a note from Philippe. This obviously isn’t great news, as Diana follows after Matthew into the study. It turns out Philippe wants him back in France. If he doesn’t go, then Philippe will land on the shores of England himself.
Diana promises she can handle the journey and eventually leaves Goody and the other witches, telling her she needs to go as her magic is tied to Matthew. Goody’s clearly disappointed, especially with her unfinished training. The old lady holds her hands though and tells Diana that she’s forging her own path ahead, one no longer connected to her. Goody can’t see her future.
Back at her home, Matthew explains to Jack that they cannot take him with them, because they wouldn’t be able to forgive themselves if he got hurt. Diana then hands their adopted son two necklaces with images painted of the two of them. They tell Jack to look after them and their home until they come back.
Later, Gallowglass says his goodbyes, explaining that because his father was killed at the hands of the French, he cannot bring himself to set foot on French soil. He tells Diana that Matthew will need her at Sept-Tours and she must be ready to be his anchor.
While Matthew and Diana leave for France, in present day Venice, Italy, Domenico returns with big news for Gerbert. This news could bring the whole Clermont dynasty crashing to its knees, as Domenico so eloquently puts it.
He mentions the dead body he found and the uncontrolled feeding, which is just the leverage they could use to their advantage. Domenico wants to rule Venice again and in exchange, promises to hand over the means to destroy the Clermont family for good.
Cast[]
Starring[]
- Teresa Palmer as Diana Bishop
- Matthew Goode as Matthew Clairmont
- Holly Aird as Francoise
- Gregg Chillin as Domenico Michele
- Steven Cree as Gallowglass
- Tom Hughes as Kit Marlowe
- Aisling Loftus as Susanna Norman
- Paul Rhys as Andrew Hubbard
- Alex Kingston as Sarah Bishop
- Valarie Pettiford as Emily Mather
- Trevor Eve as Gerbert D'Aurillac
- Sheila Hancock as Goody Alsop
Guest Starring[]
- Tosh Wanogho-Maud as Police Officer
- Joshua Pickering as Jack
- Milo Twomey as Pierre
- Amanda Hale as Mary Sidney
- Struan Rodger as Dr John Dee
- James Allenby-Kirk as Robert Ainslie
- Amy McAllister as Marjorie Cooper
- Lois Chimimba as Catherine Streeter
- Victoria Yeates as Elizabeth Jackson
- Sophia Myles as Rebecca Bishop
- Adrian Rawlins as William Cecil
- Barbara Marten as Queen Elizabeth
Trivia[]
- All Season 2 episodes were made available to watch on Sky's streaming service on January 8, 2021. However, this episode officially aired on Sky One on January 22, 2021.
Gallery[]
Promotional[]
BTS Images[]
Promotional Videos[]
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