We’ve arrived at the penultimate hour of this season. It’s been an interesting but uneven ride. I haven’t discovered if there will be a second season, but I predict it would focus on James’s travels to the New World and his father’s land there. For better or worse it seems that Tom Hardy will remain the focus of the series. The viewer glimpses the world through his highly fragmented psyche.
The episode begins with James waking up in the mud to find the body of Winter nearby. Given James’s demons, it seems possible he is responsible for her murder. Helga and Atticus assemble on a small boat to memorialize the young woman. Helga has written an emotional eulogy and insists that her daughter’s body be committed to the river’s waters she loved so dearly. James watches from a distance.
There is a new orphan in the episode, James’s natural son Robert. (His adopted father killed after exposing the gunpowder operation to the Company.) Robert is brought to James’s residence where Lorna warmly opens the doors to the youth. Brace is rude, describing the boy as a “bastard.”
Lorna finds James by the docks, observing the memorial for Winter. She says he’s there because he “has a heart.” But even Lorna acknowledges that James might have been her murderer. Still, she adds, “You were kind to her, she told me.” Lorna informs James his son has arrived home. James walks away. Lorna tries to talk to a street child about Winter but he runs away.
Atticus and Helga row out to sink Winter’s body. Helga states, “Let the river take her body, let me keep her soul.” Atticus tries to defend James’s innocence in regards to her death but Helga is not convinced. At home, James dreams of Winter, in his vision, she states she is afraid and asks to sleep under his house for safety. It may be possible James has been framed for this murder to incite Helga to kill him.
Later that evening, Mr. Chichester pays a visit to James. The older African explains his findings regarding the “Cornwallis” to James. He accuses James as one of the men who nailed the holds of the slaves shut, assuring their death. James has no defense for his behavior other than he was “following orders.” Mr. Chichester notes that James was the sole survivor of this tragedy. He implores James to testify against Sir Strange and the East India Company in an upcoming trial regarding the incident. Mr. Chichester offers him immunity if he agrees to testify. James refuses and asks Chichester to leave.
The next day Robert brings James his tea. James says, “I have a use for you.” He proceeds to hand the boy a large skeleton key that he says is “for the safe.”
James walks to his dock office and is met by gunfire from Helga. She shouts “Murderer!” but seems to deliberately miss her target.
Zilpha seeks out James at his office on the docks. She is surprised to see that her brother’s ship has been burnt. Inside the office, she asks if he knows who blew up his ship, James is silent. She explains that their “renewed” relationship began awkwardly. (Referring to their post-funeral coital session.) James has decided to end their relationship. He can’t really explain to her why, he coldly states, “I believed once that we were the same person.” Zilpha agrees. But James continues, “Not anymore. Perhaps you should thank your God for that.” Zilpha is shocked as he hands her a raw diamond “for your widowhood.” Has James really stopped loving her or are his demons simply too powerful at the moment to pursue further intimacy with her?
James goes to the gunpowder storage place. Atticus meets with him. The storage site is on the grounds of the Bedlam where his mother was kept. James suspects “the lioness will protect her cubs no matter what the cost.” Atticus fears Helga will betray them for treason. James orders Atticus not to kill Helga despite his fears. James leaves, ordering Atticus to fix the leaky roof.
James returns home to find Robert and Lorna in the kitchen because Brace is “unwell.” James confronts his servant. He notes that the rats still thrive in the house despite poisoning them. James has deduced that it was Brace who poisoned his father with arsenic as a “kindness” to the demented old man. Brace describes the father’s madness, which included burning his own flesh. The elder Delaney had nothing to live for and thought James was dead. Brace yells, “You came back too late!” James seems to accept what Brace did and orders him downstairs to continue his duties.
Sir Strange meets with some unusual visitors. Helga and one of her “employees” Pearl describe that gunpowder was given to the Americans under the direction of James Delaney. Godfrey takes notes. Strange is ecstatic at the news of this “high treason.” Strange ponders the spoils; Nootka Sound, tea, and trade all the way to China. Helga asks to leave but Sir Strange takes them away to be held until they can testify and be “pardoned” for their part in the crime. Godfrey runs off again to warn James but finds him not to be home.
Coop meets with Sir Strange and Wilton in the elaborate halls of the palace. Strange declares, “We have some rather good news for British patriots everywhere!”
James sits in the wood burning sage using feathers and yellow paint in a ceremony. He sees his mother and father in a vision. Godfrey finds him and interrupts these revelries. “You’ve been betrayed, two women came.” James calmly replies, “I know.” Godfrey gives him the address where they are being held. James adds, “I have use for you, there is someone I need you to see.” The two men depart together on the white horse.
Sir Strange and the King’s men meet to discuss the crimes of James Delaney and who would obtain the spoils. The guilt will extend to his family. Coop sums it up, “It seems you have delivered both James Delaney and Nootka Sound to the Crown.” Sir Strange states he feels that this has been his patriotic duty. Strange states the “ladies” are in protective custody and will be delivered if they can have a trade agreement. The East India Company seems very pleased with this “quid pro quo” between their interests and the Crown. Coop orders, “Go ahead, and arrest the bastard!”
James and Godfrey go to the drag club together to meet Mr. Chichester. James introduces the two men. Mr. Chichester wants Godfrey to testify against the East India Company regarding what he knows about the Cornwallis. Godfrey is understandably afraid, especially because it can’t be done anonymously. James asks to speak to his friend the clerk alone. “I’m going sail away, and on my ship, there will be no rules and no judgment.” Godfrey fears James will hang. James implores him to “make believe” that he will testify but promises they will sail away before this occurs. The men rejoin Chichester, Godfrey proudly declares he will declare “The truth proudly to the four winds!”
The Crown’s men mobilize to arrest James. Godfrey hastens to pack up his things. James knows the Crown is after him and is being followed but remains strangely calm. He instructs Godfrey to seek to go to an address and seek out a man with “markings on his face.” Once there, he is to find Atticus and tell him Helga’s location, and then give his account of the Cornwallis events. These documents will be held securely. James promises he will send for him when his ship is ready to sail. Godfrey feels that James is a fool without a ship but hurries away.
James waits as the Crown surrounds the drag club. He suggests the entertainers leave and avoid the “extreme violence coming their way.” The ladies scatter. James calmly shuffles cards as he is arrested for high treason.
Dr. Dumbarton is warned about James’s arrest. He too is strangely calm, “I clear out when my reds are red, my whites are white and my blues are blue.”
James arrives at a cold stone cell and is beaten by uniformed guards. They strip him and call him a traitor. He is left naked and bleeding in his cell.
Lorna walks with purpose down to the docks. She spies the little boy from earlier. He appears about eight with mud under his eyes making him look corpse-like, “I want her to forgive me.” Lorna asks for what. Noticing the little shrine, Lorna adds, “You know it’s a sin to not tell the truth in a sacred place.”
Lorna runs home to Brace to inform him it wasn’t James but the East India Company who killed Winter, the little boy was the witness. Brace continues to scrub his pot until his hands are bleeding. “Arsenic is a kindness. I wish I had killed James too.” He explains James has been arrested and is in the notorious Tower of London. Brace cries, “No one will give him a ‘kindness’ there.”
Coop wastes no time commencing torture upon James. He explains a doctor will be present to perform the more physical aspects of the process. James will need to be alive for the court proceedings. James sits in a chair with his face covered by a cloth hood. Coop describes the tightrope they will need to walk between life and death. Coop wants the names of all his American contacts and collaborators.
The scene cuts away to Mr. Cumberly and the Countess burning documents.
James speaks from under his hood, requesting a private audience with Sir Strange. Coop laughs off this request. James adds, “The people you seek are already fleeing, if I’m allowed a meeting perhaps you may catch some before they leave the shores.” A masked torturer begins working on James’s private parts. Coop leaves, adding, “Sir Stuart Strange is busy.” James is tortured with water, Coop returns, demanding the names of the Americans. James flashes back to visions of his own drowning. But James again requests an audience with Sir Strange.
Sir Strange is busy playing golf. Mr. Chichester arrives to confront him. Sir Strange attempts to flee. “I have a reliable witness, who will testify that it was you who ordered the loading of human cargo.” Sir Strange is smug, thinking Chichester is speaking about James and informs him Delaney is imprisoned in the Tower. But, Chichester informs him his witness is not James, Strange pales.
Godfrey meets French Bill in his female persona. Godfrey asks nervously, “Where are we going?” The documents are strapped to her person.
The King spins his globe as Coop enters his chambers. With a quick nod of his head, His Highness is informed Delaney has yet to talk.
In the Tower, the torture continues. Coop has brought in an Asian man whom he calls “Dr. Ling” to dole out some special painful experiences. James wears an iron masks, Ling pours a liquid into his mouth. Coop explains, “His unearthly potions alter perceptions.” James again hallucinates about hunting, chains, and sex with Zilpha. Coop returns to His Majesty, who has grown impatient that James has not talked while the Americans scatter.
Sir Strange is told that Godfrey has fled. Wilton states, “There was much about Godfrey that we didn’t know.” He states Godfrey is a “molly” and fears James has him well hidden by now.
The torture continues but James remains mute except to repeat, “Stuart Strange.” Coop again goes to the King who states, “Give him what he wants.”
Sir Strange is brought to James. James is beaten but conscious and appears to be writing. “Your plan worked, you in a cell, me on a hook!” James states coldly, “I have a use for you.”
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