In this week’s episode of A Discovery of Witches, Gallowglass returns, and Diana sets off on a mission to return to the Bodleian Library and finally restore the Book of Life. Elsewhere, Domenico uncovers the true mastermind behind the scheme to take over the Congregation and take down the de Clermonts, and Matthew finds himself trapped in the clutches of Benjamin and Satu.
Restoring the Book of Life
Marcus wants everyone to remain at Sept-Tours until Matthew returns, but Diana tells him that she needs to go to Oxford to finally retrieve the Book of Life, and it’s not up for discussion. Everyone else, however, must stay to protect Philip and Rebecca. Diana uses her powers to create a pass for the Bodleian Library for Sarah. Fernando opts to meet Diana and Sarah there, because Marcus has asked him to make a quick detour first. After the others leave, Marcus and Phoebe discuss their need for an escape plan in the event that things go wrong. Phoebe is upset when Marcus says that he would go into hiding with the twins in New Orleans alone. She reminds him again of how badly she wants to stay with him and become a vampire.
Fernando finds Gallowglass at a tattoo shop, and we see that he has a tattoo of a firedrake (keeping in mind that Diana’s familiar is a firedrake named Corra). He tells the heartbroken vampire that Diana is going to Oxford, and since Matthew is away hunting down Benjamin, she needs him to protect her. Gallowglass relents, and he’s waiting for them when they arrive. Diana runs up and hugs him.
Fernando and Gallowglass wait outside the Bodleian to keep watch while Sarah and Diana go in. Diana puts in a request for Ashmole 782, but a message comes back up that the book is missing. She waits a few moments, and then she hears and feels the magic, and so she tells the librarian to check the lift again. The woman is stunned to see the book sitting there after all. Casting a masking spell to keep out prying eyes, Sarah and Diana pour over the book. Diana holds the missing pages up against where they were torn out, and they magically reconnect. Once Diana places the final page, a rush of magic explodes outward, which is sure to have caught the attention of any and all creatures in the area.
The book flips open, and as Diana places her hands on it, the words from the pages travel up her hands and arms. Tears flow down her face as she tells Sarah that the book is “the story of us.” They leave, discreetly bringing the book with them, but Diana has a faraway look on her face when Gallowglass approaches her. After they get to the car, Sarah checks the book and is shocked to see all of the pages are blank. It’s because Diana has absorbed the words from the Book of Life inside of her. As they pull away, a man watches them go, and he calls Peter Knox to tell him.
Knox intercepts them at the airport, looking as crazed and desperate as ever. Cruel words fall from his mouth as he tries to justify Emily’s death and then begins going on and on about Diana’s parents, Stephen and Rebecca. A determined look crosses Sarah’s face as she begins to cast a spell, which makes Knox laugh. He tells her she doesn’t have the power to defeat him, but he’s wrong. Diana approaches Sarah to steady her, and then she unleashes the spell and destroys Peter Knox once and for all.
Diana, Sarah, Gallowglass, and Fernando return to Sept-Tours after their successful mission to retrieve and restore the Book of Life. Diana has begun to record the information on paper, and she says that the book says that all of the creatures are connected. Miriam and Chris examine the pages and claim that this new knowledge could unlock everything.
Reforming the Congregation
Baldwin pays Gerbert a visit, and Gerbert continues to explain how he wants to reform the Congregation because the covenant is now broken beyond repair. The daemons have agreed to remove Agatha. His plans for membership reform will ensure that the balance of power rests with the vampires. Baldwin initially doesn’t agree with this, but Gerbert tells him that his plan will ensure their collective survival and protect Philippe’s legacy.
Later, Domenico goes to speak with Gerbert alone, and he seems less than enthused about the plans for the Congregation. Gerbert reveals that this is a plan that has been in the making for centuries, ever since he met Benjamin Fuchs. This conversation fuels Domenico to go and speak with Baldwin. He acknowledges that things will change under Gerbert’s leadership, and nobody will be able to stop him. Baldwin thinks that Matthew is to blame for all of this, but Domenico corrects him: this was all Gerbert’s scheme from the very beginning. The blood rage killing and Benjamin’s re-emergence were all orchestrated by him.
Matthew faces Benjamin
Matthew tracks down Benjamin inside of the dilapidated building in Poland, which just so happens to be the place where Philippe was experimented on. Benjamin reflects back on Philippe’s screams of agony … he was the one that tortured him. The two trade barbs as Matthew tells him that he wanted Benjamin to be cursed with blood rage when he turned him, and Benjamin states that the disease was the only thing of worth that he gave him. When Matthew asks him why he decided to do this now, Benjamin explains that he wanted to wait until he was happy to make his move.
Benjamin insinuates that because he’s now aware that Diana, a witch, can carry the children of a vampire with blood rage, he’d like for her to bear his children as well. This sets Matthew off, and a brutal fight between the two breaks out. Matthew eventually gains the upper hand, but a burst of magic hits him from behind and incapacitates him. Satu has arrived.
Once Matthew has been taken care of, Satu asks Benjamin what he’s been up to because she can feel that he’s been hurting witches in the building. He assures her that they were barely witches in comparison to her; none of them could have brought Matthew de Clermont to his knees the way that she did. Satu suggests that they kill Matthew right away, because Diana will come looking for him whether he’s dead or alive. She even offers to do it herself. Benjamin refuses, though, because Matthew is his to take care of, and Satu can have Diana.
A threatening message
After they get back to Sept-Tours, Diana comforts Sarah, who is upset over what happened with Peter Knox. Diana ensures her that she did the right thing. Marcus walks in with his laptop and interrupts them, and he shows Diana a video message from Benjamin. He says, “Hello Diana, I’m afraid Matthew isn’t doing very well,” and steps aside to reveal where Matthew is strapped down behind him. Benjamin explains that he’s draining him while keeping him alive, but he doesn’t have very long to live. He thought Diana might want to come and say goodbye …
Don’t miss the final episode of A Discovery of Witches next Saturday, February 19, on AMC+, Sundance Now, and Shudder. Follow along with all of our coverage on the series, including episodic recaps and more!
