In this second episode of "Gunpowder," it becomes clear that most of the characters on either side of the religious controversy in early-seventeenth-century England and Spain are zealots. With the exception of the pacifist Father Garnet and the kind-hearted soul Anne Vaux, the characters are virtually obsessed with eradicating their fellow Christians. This is quite a motely crew of unpleasant characters!
At the level of the court, the Machiavellian secretary Robert Cecil has his counterpart in Spain in the nefarious figure of the Duke of Frías, Don Juan Fernandez Velasco, Constable of Seville. The two characters strike a deal to enable one another to respectively punish heretics in their own countries, Catholic recusants in England and Jews and Muslims in Spain. That "deal" will keep the two nations out of war.
Robert "Robin" Catesby has become the ringleader of the plot to blow up Parliament, kill the king and his family, and lead a rebellion to restore Catholicism to England. The deluded Catesby assembles his cousin Thomas Wintour, Thomas Percy, Digby, John Johnson, and Father Gerard. The point man is Guy Fawkes. In far away Douai in Flanders, William Stanley is providing moral support. This motley crew believes it can lead a revolution! The clear motivation is described by the characters is doing "the holy work of the Lord."
The pacing is very slow in this episode as Robin gets deeper into the plot. The restraint advised by Anne Vaux and Father Garnet are rejected by Robin. In one scene, it makes no sense during a tavern brawl that Fawkes would not kill Wade when he had the chance. Wade escapes and promptly arrests Father Gerard. Robin makes a daring attempt to rescue Father Gerard after he has been tortured by waterboarding and the strappado. Robin and Fr. Gerard escape through the sewer system of the Tower of London. After being torn limb from limb, Fr. Gerard's adventure through the sewer was difficult to believe.
The episode is successful in demonstrating the stupidity of the Gunpowder terrorist plot, as Robin and his associates reveal too much information about the workings of the conspiracy to their confederates. In this world, someone is going to blab.
At the level of the court, the Machiavellian secretary Robert Cecil has his counterpart in Spain in the nefarious figure of the Duke of Frías, Don Juan Fernandez Velasco, Constable of Seville. The two characters strike a deal to enable one another to respectively punish heretics in their own countries, Catholic recusants in England and Jews and Muslims in Spain. That "deal" will keep the two nations out of war.
Robert "Robin" Catesby has become the ringleader of the plot to blow up Parliament, kill the king and his family, and lead a rebellion to restore Catholicism to England. The deluded Catesby assembles his cousin Thomas Wintour, Thomas Percy, Digby, John Johnson, and Father Gerard. The point man is Guy Fawkes. In far away Douai in Flanders, William Stanley is providing moral support. This motley crew believes it can lead a revolution! The clear motivation is described by the characters is doing "the holy work of the Lord."
The pacing is very slow in this episode as Robin gets deeper into the plot. The restraint advised by Anne Vaux and Father Garnet are rejected by Robin. In one scene, it makes no sense during a tavern brawl that Fawkes would not kill Wade when he had the chance. Wade escapes and promptly arrests Father Gerard. Robin makes a daring attempt to rescue Father Gerard after he has been tortured by waterboarding and the strappado. Robin and Fr. Gerard escape through the sewer system of the Tower of London. After being torn limb from limb, Fr. Gerard's adventure through the sewer was difficult to believe.
The episode is successful in demonstrating the stupidity of the Gunpowder terrorist plot, as Robin and his associates reveal too much information about the workings of the conspiracy to their confederates. In this world, someone is going to blab.
