Swan Song. Retrospective: The White Queen “The Final Battle”

Season 1, Episode 10

Airdate: Saturday, October 19, 2013, 9 pm ET/PT on Starz

Rating: ★★★★★

King Richard III (Aneurin Barnard)

The time has come to say goodbye to The White Queen, and boy has it been a rollercoaster ride! These past ten weeks we’ve seen the fight for England’s throne play out in a battle royal, leaving in its wake death, tragedy, and incest. The last episode, aptly titled “The Final Battle,” pulls out all the stops, giving us some of the bloodiest fight scenes and disturbing plot points of the series.

“The Final Battle” centers on Margaret’s (Amanda Hale) son Henry Tudor (Michael Marcus), and his claim to the English throne through his betrothal to Princess Elizabeth “Lizzie” (Freya Mavor). It also parallels Richard’s (Aneurin Barnard) further descent into darkness as his cruel tactical maneuvers for political support reach a whole new low.

The episode culminates at the Battle of Bosworth, where Richard and his armies prepare to fight against Henry’s feeble legion consisting primarily of French prisoners. As the major turning point in The War of the Roses, The White Queen stuffs as much melodrama from montages of an ominous solar eclipse, to the disappointing portrayal of Lizzie’s relationship with Richard, her uncle.

Yes, They Went There…

Before we get to the battle and bloodshed in “The Final Battle,” we need to discuss one of the most distracting plotlines of the entire series: Lizzie’s love for Richard. Yes, that’s right. Lizzie is in love with her uncle, and I’m pretty sure incest was as much of a taboo in medieval England as it is in present times. In actuality, it has never been proven that Richard and Lizzie had an incestuous affair. It is rumored they had a sexual relationship, and Philippa Gregory takes that approach for dramatic purposes in her literary series from which The White Queen is based. If Richard did intend to use his relationship with his niece as leverage for support from Edward IV’s (Max Irons) allies, it’s unlikely a marriage between them would be considered the best route.

Margaret Beaufort (Amanda Hale)

What surprises me is the lack of depth that goes into the development of Lizzie’s feelings for Richard. All we have to go by is the final scene from last week’s episode, “The Princess in the Tower” where Richard sees Lizzie, and gives her a good looking over before expressing—in the creepiest sort of way—that she has grown a lot since he last saw her. Seriously, Edward IV couldn’t have been that horrible of a father to give Lizzie enough issues to find love with her own uncle. So what gives? Again, the pacing and lack of development for some of its supporting characters due to The White Queen’s ten episode arc makes important plotlines like Lizzie and Richard’s storyline problematic. Also, I don’t know how I feel about Lizzie being open, and adamant about her feelings for Richard whereas his motives are ambiguous. They did share a mutual kiss. Maybe Richard’s attraction to Lizzie corresponds with his thrill for power as king. She is his golden goose, so to speak. And like a silly goose, Lizzie just goes along with his manipulations. It’s enough to make you wonder if she is really Jacquetta’s (Janet McTeer) granddaughter, but considering how emotions rule over logic for Edward IV, she is truly her father’s daughter.

I can’t help but wonder what Jacquetta would do in this circumstance, and I’m completely disappointed with Elizabeth. Yes, she has very limited power now, but she can guide her daughters better. Apparently, Lizzie is spying on Richard to learn if he is truly guilty in the murder of young Prince Edward V (Sonny Ashbourne Serkis). Lizzie tells her mother she believes Richard is “wonderful” and basically innocent. This leads Elizabeth to wonder a few things:

Elizabeth: “So, how far has this gone between you? I take it, there is gossip?”

Lizzie: “He says that he loves me. He says he will put Anne aside and marry me. And if he does, I will be Queen of England.”

Elizabeth shows no shock or any words of caution. Instead she smiles, and nods. At this rate, Margaret is a better parent than Elizabeth.

Must Have Been Love…But It’s Over Now

In recent episodes, Anne (Faye Marsay) has made comments and suggestions to Richard which slander Elizabeth. She goes so far as to comfort Richard by telling him, “Nobody wanted a Rivers boy on the throne whose mother would tear England apart.” Anne is an easy target to despise, but no amount of political ambition justifies the kind of treatment Richard hands out to Anne in his struggle to defeat Henry.

In one particularly cruel scene, Richard notice’s Anne gown and remarks that the color would suit Lizzie. He then orders to have one made for her. The amount of abject disregard for Anne’s feelings seems to come from almost nowhere. Richard later tries to explain to Anne he is using Lizzie to whatever means will assure him an alliance from Edward IV’s allies.

Anne: “So to make your point with him. You dishonor me?”

Richard: “To win whatever war against him, I shall play whatever cards I must. ”

Eventually, Anne reminds Richard that she is the “Kingmaker’s daughter” and that by shaming her, he will lose the support from the North.

Elizabeth’s curse rears its head yet again when Richard and Anne’s sickly son takes a turn for the worse; creating a further rift between them. Whether an act from God or a “broken heart” as Richard explains to Lizzie, Anne dies from what appears to be tuberculosis, but rumors spread throughout the country that Richard had Anne poisoned so as to take Lizzie as his queen. Richard’s plans crumble quickly, and all he has to do is focus on taking down Henry Tudor, who is arriving to take Lizzie as his bride to gain the throne of England. It is at this point Richard severs ties with Lizzie.

Lord Stanley Rising

The battle to end all battles takes place in Bosworth with plenty of bloodshed to take up several episodes. It appears Henry is outnumbered and will need his step-daddy Lord Stanley’s (Rupert Graves) for a victory. Richard won’t take any risks, and decides to hold Stanley’s son hostage in exchange for military support. The last twenty minutes of The White Queen are thrilling and full of suspense as Stanley stands and waits to choose a side: York or Tudor. As Stanley’s men gallop towards the battlefield, their voices scream, “For Tudor!” Richard is shortly afterwards killed, and his men slaughtered. When Margaret, who reunited with Henry earlier before the battle, learns he has won immediately joins his side. She declares to Stanley—who hands Henry the crown—that she is now, “Margaret Regina” – the queen mother.

And you would think that’s where the story ends, but what would The White Queen be without one last look at Elizabeth? She sees Lizzie staring into a mirror with a worried expression. Elizabeth comforts her and tries to give her confidence about the future. As the final scene of the series, it feels very abrupt which makes you wonder if there will be another miniseries to tie up loose ends.

Memories

When I reflected on The White Queen prior to “The Final Battle,” I couldn’t help but think of a quote from American writer, James Baldwin, “Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up.”

It’s hard to imagine during a time of political upheaval like the War of the Roses, a commoner would win the heart of a king. It’s the stuff of fairy tales and legends except there is nothing fictitious about King Edward IV’s controversial decision to take the widow Elizabeth Woodville, wife of his enemy Sir John Grey, as his future Queen of England. But even love could not stop the intense feud between the House of Lancaster and York, or the corruptive nature that comes with power. Told through the eyes of the women, The White Queen has given significance, at least within a cinematic context, to the women behind the kings of England.

To relive the series again you can visit The White Queen on its official site: http://www. starz. com/originals/thewhitequeen.

Follow The White Queen on Twitter: @WQueen_Starz, as well as the cast and writers: @carogoodall, @emmafrostlondon, @freyamavor__,@fayemarsay @aneurinbarnard, @david_oakes, @therestis_ @elinor_crawley, and @julietaubrey1.

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