The Serpent Queen season 2 episode 4 shifts many puzzle pieces into place (Review)

Quite a bit happens when it comes to storylines in The Serpent Queen season 2 episode 4, shifting many puzzle pieces into place. "Judas" sees the aftermath of where we left off in the third episode last week with Hercules gravely injured after getting hit in the head with a rock. Here's what happened this week and what I thought about the latest episode of season 2. SPOILERS BELOW.

I think Hercules' death was especially heartbreaking because as his family says in the episode, he was more innocent and kind than perhaps his other siblings. Like Charles a bit, who also lost his life back in season 1. With each episode, Anjou proves just how temperamental and off the rails he is. He's proving to be a real thorn in his mother's side. Catherine certainly has her hands full.

Frankly, he deserves the house arrest he gets by the end of the episode. And he does not deserve the praise some Catholic zealots are bestowing upon him for what he did to the Protestant man last week. But I can see that he's going to continue being a big part of the story and this is definitely going somewhere, putting one of the puzzle pieces in place for the overarching story this season.

The next puzzle piece would be Louis Bourbon and Queen Elizabeth. Again, Minnie Driver as the royal is just so fun to watch. I hope we get more and more Queen Elizabeth this season! She's very smart and knows how to choose her words right. And, she definitely knows how to get what she wants from a man. As we see how she enters Louis' room and convinces him to sign a document that basically goes behind everyone's back. But he doesnt' have a chance to look it over before she takes her clothes off. Uh, yeah. I think that's going to come back and bite him in the butt.

Finally is Sister Edith once again. The cliffhangers left with her are always great, and this one was no different. Aabis tries to poison her, but somehow Edith is in on this secret and has both of them drink from the cups Aabis apparently poisoned. But they're both fine and nothing happens to either of them. Now Aabis is either a believer, or wants to continue tricking Edith. I don't know yet. And I wonder who and why these drinks were not actually poisoned. Edith is an interesting character and antagonist so far.

Overall I think The Serpent Queen season 2 episode 4 continues the story quite nicely, moving one step closer to something big happening. We already know this from the way the premiere episode started in the very first scene. Remember, Catherine was surrounded by dead people all over the table. There's going to be something that makes her snap. Overall this episode felt toned down in a way, with nothing hugely shocking happening like previous ones. It just kind of continued the story, the way it should though. Episode grade level: B. Come back next week as we review episode 5!

The Serpent Queen season 2 airs/streams Fridays on Starz.