Marie Antoinette Season 1 Episode 8: A Recap, Analysis, and Explanation of The Ending!

By Deepak Grover Last updated Mar 27, 2023

The first scene of Marie Antoinette’s eighth episode shows the King and Queen joining the rest of the Royal Court in celebrating New Year’s Eve. The Queen doesn’t seem to be interested in Chartres’ seductive comments this time, despite the fact that he appears to be flirting with her.

The King feels envious when the Queen encounters Count Axel con Ferson, whom she had previously seen and danced with in Paris. They have a few friendly exchanges, some of which have flirtatious overtones. While speaking with the count, the King spots the Queen blushing and seems upset.

A representative of the English government named Stormont converses with Provence. He warns Provence that American insurgents are using French weapons to mutilate and kill England soldiers. He makes the implication that the French government is arming the Americans. Then he suggests that it be stopped and asks Provence to bring it up with King Louis.

King and Count Maurepas are preparing for war with England as a result of their backing for the Americans. The Count is impressed when the King continues by outlining his plan to him after that.

The King and Queen engage in sexual activity, but it all seems extremely robotic and unromantic. While engaging in sexual activity, the Queen is considering Petit Trianon. Creating an heir to the throne appears to be their only objective. The King then advises that the Queen take their daughter to Petit Trianon when the battle starts. The Queen expresses her impatience when the King asks if they should have sex the following day.

The royal household is informed by Provence of the King’s decision to declare war on England. Josephine, the husband of Provence, counsels him to shout the warning to the King, and if the King ignores it, he will see him as a trustworthy person.

The King is then questioned by Provence about why he is at war with England. Because he doesn’t want to discuss personal concerns with Provence, the King declines to acknowledge them. The King then makes him feel inadequate and dismisses him.

The envoy tells the Queen that her mother, the Empress, misses her and wants to pay her a visit. The Queen asks him to send her a portrait instead since she doesn’t want to see her mother without a son.

The American envoy to France, Benjamin Franklin, meets with members of the regal court. While Provence and Stormont disagree with the King’s decision to promote America by attacking England, the King appears to be favoring him.

Lamballe pays the Queen a visit and requests assistance in getting ready for their transfer to the Petit Trianon. The Queen informs her that Yolande is in control of everything and she doesn’t need to do anything. Lamballe, who is obviously agitated, claims that it is her duty. Lamballe then asks the Queen to pick between Yolande and her. When the Queen declines, Lamballe turns and leaves, saddened.

The King receives Count Maurepas in his office. The King then asks him for advice on whether to permit his wife to withdraw 250,000 livres from the Privy purse to pay the Polignacs’ debts. The count counsels him to let the Queen govern the country while she manages her own household.

Using the excuse that she wants to unwind and is going to a spa, Lamballe departs the home. The diplomat understands what is happening and feels for her. She responds that she doesn’t believe the situation will alter when he asks whether he can write to her if things change.

Through Yolande, the Queen invites Count Ferson to a celebration at the Petit Trianon the following evening. When he gets there, the Queen is obviously drawn to him, and they have a moment that makes Chartres uncomfortable.

The ambassador is seen seeking to get in touch with the Queen to convey instructions from the Empress to avoid hanging out with the inappropriate company she is currently hanging out with. The diplomat is aware that Yolande consistently seems to preserve the Queen’s messages, nevertheless.

The Empress’s condition, however, seems to be becoming worse every day. The diplomat sneaks in one night and personally delivers notes to the Empress, but the Queen ignores her warnings.

The Queen is seen becoming close to Count Ferson at the Petit Trianon, where they even kiss, while the King and Chartres are at war. Yolande resolves to speak with the King when the Queen refuses to grant her and her two men access to the picturesque county of Beach.

Informing Antoinette of their victory over England, Chartres pays her a late-night visit. Afterward, he can be seen trying to force himself on her and even slapping her. Hence, Antoinette requests that he go.

How does Marie Antoinette end?

The crowd cheers the King for his victory over England as he and the Queen walk into the royal court the following morning hand in hand. Because Chartres left his duty before he was told to, the King dismisses him from the Royal Navy and tells him to leave Versailles. In order to ensure that the Queen comes back to him, he also sends Ferson to America.

When the Queen learns that the Empress, her mother, has died, she sobs in Lamballe’s arms. The royal household bows before the King and Queen as the season comes to a conclusion and we learn that the King and Queen have another child, a boy.

The Episode Review

Despite the fact that the Queen is married, this episode makes an effort to romanticize her flirting and wandering. Although it is natural that the Queen did not want to marry Louis, she had come to love him. It’s unfortunate that the show took that turn given how fantastic it had been up to this point. They shouldn’t have romanticized it, but at the absolute least, they should have shown the Queen wandering.

The show’s conclusion also seems hurried. The storyline about the Queen having a son needed to be covered in a separate episode. The program was entertaining overall, and fans of historical dramas should watch it without a doubt.