THE SITUATION:
With Domino breathing down their necks, the Royal family must work with Jasper and James to reveal to reveal Ted as Simon’s murderer to the rest of the country.
Liam Makes a Choice
Liam grabs Jasper’s gun out from under his bed and heads to the tunnels, demanding that he show him the damning footage. Jasper locks Liam in the screening room, guarding the door while the prince has a breakdown on the other side. After he pulls himself together, Liam explains the situation to Eleanor, promising that they can trust Jasper.
Intel from Blonde Dom gives them the plan: at the soccer match honoring King Simon, Stewart will release several videos of the royal family. This footage includes the Duchess admitting to the murder of Dominique Stewart, Queen Helena smoking up in the garden and Cyrus snorting cocaine. The goal is to completely discredit them. Liam’s suggested counter-plan: kill Ted. Jasper isn’t digging this, concerned about the guilt that would come along with it.
A Royal Strategy
Liam, Eleanor, James, Jasper and Helena meet in the secret tunnels to form a plan. Helena blames herself for both Robert and Simon’s deaths; if she hadn’t provoked Ted while he was grieving, none of this would have happened. The twins assure her that it’s not her fault and she assures them of her love, no matter what. Meanwhile, Ted receives a phone call letting him know that Ophelia will be killed if he fails to complete his mission at the soccer game. Yikes.
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Eleanor thanks Jasper for his work to find Simon’s killer and talks out her anxiety. “If their plan works, one of us could die tomorrow. If our plan works, I’m officially in the family business,” she says, going on to explain that she may not be able to live with their family killing Ted. She asks him to do something when it’s all over. “Once this is over, I need you to leave and not come back. I can’t see you anymore, this is too hard,” she says. He agrees.
The Plan in Motion
Jasper goes to get Liam the next morning, but he is busy holding Ted at gunpoint. Ted begs Liam to let him pick up the phone, explaining the threat to Ophelia. The phone call is actually from Eleanor, who pleads with her brother not to kill Ted. Killing him would disappoint their father and the people of England. Ultimately, he listens to his sister and he makes his way to the center of the field with Ted.
James, Jasper and Eleanor make their way into the projection room to upload their video. Eleanor can’t press the button, so Jasper does it for her. The video shows the entire stadium that Ted killed Simon. Ted gets Liam out of there, asking him to tell Ophelia not to miss him as the mob takes him. Eleanor and Jasper hold hands, watching as the field descends into chaos.
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The Cyrus Takedown
Helena visits Cyrus to give him Prince Robert’s stuffed tiger for the new prince. Cyrus is suspicious that Helena has conceded to the royal game, with good reason. However, he’s not suspicious when Rachel offers to switch to Team Cyrus. That seems silly.
Moorefield informs Helena that the jig is up — Cyrus’s daughters know that he was dating them both. Helena shrugs it off; now that Cyrus is going to have a son, primogeniture will be reinstated, so it no longer matters. He then goes to Penelope to tell her that he has actual feelings for her.
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Prudence produces a prenup and demands that Cyrus sign it before they’re married. After they’re announced man and wife, Prudence turns away when he tries to kiss her. No matter — Cyrus pretty much places her under house arrest. Later, he finds Prudence and their son gone as Helena closes the gates behind them. Helena, Prudence and Rachel worked together to create the sham marriage, switching out the minister with Helena’s gynocologist. When Cyrus asks her why, she’s succinct in her answer, “Alistair Lacey. You take away my future, I take away yours. Enjoy cancer.” Ouch
Helena heads to Simon’s tomb to exhume his remains for a proper paternity test, committed to making things right and putting Liam on the throne. The episode closes with a shot of an air force helmet with the name “HRH Henstridge” on the side, along with a hand that twitches. Might Robert be alive?
And that’s a wrap on The Royals’s second season! We’re ending on a good note, with the mystery of Simon’s murderer wrapped up and Liam, Eleanor and Helena working together. Speaking of teamwork, I was impressed with Prudence, Rachel and Helena’s scheming. A+ work, ladies. There was a good amount of tension and anxiety in this episode, and I’m curious to see where that cliffhanger will take us in season three.
Things I’m Hoping to See in the Third Season:
- Once again: Liam becoming the rightful King of England
- Eleanor’s continuing character development
- Ophelia’s return, as Ted’s attack affects her as well
- The return of Marcus and Gemma, who were both absent for the entirety of this season
- Eleanor and Jasper having a real relationship, if that’s even possible
- Finding out whether or not Robert is alive
The third season of The Royals premieres this fall.
Episode Rating: 9/10.
Season Rating: 7.7/10
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