Written by Jonathan Hickman And Corey Reed
Directed by Peter Hoar
DaVinci (to Riario): “For me, the quest is far from over.”
Okay, this episode was brilliant in most regards but it was also disappointing in some others. The obvious one being that this show has unwisely decided to extend the Book Of Leaves plotline while adding a pit stop as well to proceedings.
Despite all the trouble and craziness that DaVinci, Zoroaster, Nico and Riario have gone through to try and find the bloody book and DaVinci’s mother, this episode made sure they barely escaped with their lives from Ima and her people and left the New World empty handed as well.
It might have been fun for the last few weeks exploring the New World and perhaps in light of the show officially being confirmed for a third season, it’s understandable that DaVinci didn’t succeed in his goals but it does make things rather frustrating though. Even Riario seemed pretty defeated to contrast DaVinci’s strange jubilation at the end of this episode.
It’s all well and good the writers wanting to hold off on DaVinci getting the Book of Leaves and reuniting with his mother but it could end up being the show’s undoing as well. I do think this episode should’ve resolved one or the other, aside from revealing that Ima’s people were in possession of neither.
Speaking of Ima – I kind of felt bad for her this week. Yes, she led hunt on DaVinci and came close to sacrificing her dreamer and Riario to her God but her genuine despair when she realised her own people were doomed was actually a little heartbreaking. I might not have agreed with her methods but I at least understood them and I have a feeling that she herself probably ended up being sacrificed as DaVinci and company escaped from the New World.
Keeping with the escape – Lorenzo just cannot seem to catch a break, can he? When it finally looked like he was making progress with Ferrante (thanks to Ippolita’s scheming), Alfonso had to sour the mood by bringing Sixtus to Naples and really put Lorenzo in the crapper as well. Have I mentioned my dislike for Alfonso? He does seem to excel with each appearance and manages to also remain deeply uninteresting as a result.
When he wasn’t endangering Lorenzo’s life yet again, he was also attacking Bayezid on Sixtus’s orders. To be honest, it’s a bloody shame that both Bayezid and Lucrezia’s assassin didn’t get to kill him but with two episodes left and DaVinci returning, surely Alfonso will meet his maker soon, right? I literally don’t care who kills the man, just as long as someone does it and fast.
As for Bayezid – I actually did feel sorry for the bloke. He foolishly thought he could reason with Sixtus and ended up getting rightly humiliated for it, which does prove that Lucrezia’s propensity for endangering people is still there. As for Lucrezia – I did laugh a little how the Sultan’s advisor figured out rather easily who she was. It also seems that there’s at least one bloke that’s immune to her charms as well if that advisor had zero qualms with setting his right hand woman on Lucrezia.
Also in “The Fall From Heaven”
Riario being manipulated into murdering his own mother answered a question from the previous season. It was also pretty grim to watch as well.
Lorenzo: “I have to do this. I must fight for what I hold dear.”
Ippolita: “As must I.”
I don’t think anyone was shocked to see Lorenzo sleep with Ippolita in this episode. However I am betting that she won’t make in the next two though.
Riario: “We have failed, artiste. We should accept that.”
DaVinci: “Never.”
Ima: “Wait for me in the next life, Leonardo.”
This week we had escapes via parachutes, diversions courtesy of exploding animal fat and a creepy golden mechanical doll that made DaVinci think he was hearing his mother.
Bayezid: “I came in the hope of peace.”
Sixtus: “Your dream of diplomacy is entertaining. Utterly misguided.”
Nico: “I hate flying.”
We saw something of a darker side to Nico during the escape attempt. Even Zoroaster was shocked with how easily he attacked the guards.
Ima: “Don’t take the book away from my people, please.”
DaVinci: “There was no book.”
Ima: “Then we are doomed.”
DaVinci (to Zoroaster, re Riario): “He’s coming with us. There’s been enough death.”
There was no Clarice, Carlo, Andreas or Vanessa in this episode. That’s two episodes this season that have been Florence-less.
Riario (to DaVinci): “How foolish I have been to follow the Book Of Leaves to the end of the world, thinking it could absolve me from my sins.”
Chronology: From where “The Vault Of Heaven” left off.
Certainly this was a strong episode in other regards but I do wish “The Fall From Heaven” had offered some permanent closure with either the Book Of Leaves or DaVinci’s mother instead of possibly extending the stories beyond their natural life. However, I am now looking forward to see the gang back in Florence next week though.
Rating: 8 out of 10
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