Sister - Recap

The scene opens up with a happy reverie as the Earl of Surrey walks in and it is very clear that he is eying the lady Hartford, John Seymour’s wife. Culpepper and Rochford talk about how the queen is spoiled and how the King is “like a new man”. Culpepper admits that the queen is “appealing”. Rochford calls her a fool. Charles and the King talk about the Anne of Cleves about her new estates. Then they talk about Charles’ wife and jokes that when Charles will love from his wife, then Henry could strike a medal for it. Earl of Surrey suggests that the wife of John Seymour to have sex with him and you can tell that she is playing hard to get. The Earl of Surrey compares the Seymour family to a family of wolves and his own family to a family of Lions. John Seymour is called into the office of King Henry as he complains about how he has to do all the paperwork while everyone parties. He reminisces when Cromwell was in charge at keeping his office nice and free of paperwork. John is appointed as Left-tenant general of the North and talks about his Cousin James of Scotland and how he is starting trouble in the North and to stop it. The King and Catherine are in the middle of their “daily exercise” and being loud at best. Joan Bulmer and Lady Rochford are outside the door and Joan tells of Catherine’s past to Lady Rochford. They speak of Francis Dereham and another man who were lovers with Catherine. She tells Lady Rochford not to say anything.

In the next scene we see the Earl of Surrey, with his new position going to the slums of the city and got put in jail for disturbing the peace. Claiming to be the “Scourge of God” and calling London a shameless whore, Surrey is released by the King from jail. Lady Mary and Anne of Cleves are invited to court for the season. Christmas arrives and presents are given to Catherine and her ladies. King Henry tells Catherine that Anne of Cleaves will be visiting during the holiday. You can tell she is unhappy of the arrangement and pouts a little bit. When Mary and Anne of Cleaves arrive, Lady Mary doesn’t even give regards to Catherine and snubs her. When Anne goes up to Catherine, she shows the new queen with more respect then Mary by saying it was an honor regardless of what happened to her in the last season. Chapuis and Lady Mary talk and she admits that she hates the new queen. Chapuis advices Mary that she needs to reconcile with the new queen and learn to like her. Tom Seymore, the brother of John Seymour talks with Lady Hartford to which she calls him “cowardly” and that if he was like her husband he’d “take what he wants”



The King leaves abruptly when his leg starts to pain him. This allows Catherine to get to know Lady Anne of Cleaves more. The two ladies talk about the King’s children. Anne tells that she has no desire of marrying again and that Elizabeth is like a daughter to her. Meanwhile in the Kings chambers, the disease on Henry’s leg seems to have gotten worse. Culpepper nurses his leg and asks of the King’s intentions with Anne of Cleaves. The King tells that he likes her after all because of her ability to keep her promises. Lady Anne and Catherine dance together Mary leaves the room in haste. The King lays in bed deep in thought. Culpepper finds out about Catherine’s past by speaking to Lady Rochford. She told that Catherine and Francis Derahm would “hang by their bellies like two sparrows.” This prompts Culpepper to seduce Lady Rochford.

Tom Seymour walks in to his brother’s home and “takes what he wants” from his wife. Meanwhile in the bedroom of Mary, she is interrupted by a visit by the queen during prayer. Catherine commands an answer to why she is not treating Anne of Cleaves with respect. Mary admits that she has no issues with the Anne of Cleaves, but it is with Catherine. She calls her frivolous, tells her that she is “thought” capable of bearing sons and that is the only reason why the King wants her but she is not yet pregnant despite all of the King’s visits, and soon he will get tired of her. Catherine then retaliates and calls Mary jealous because she is older then Catherine and still not yet married. She tells her that she is going to grow to be an old maid. Lady Mary is deeply offended. Catherine takes away 2 maids away from Mary’s service as punishment for her disobedience to her. The King gives more presents to Catherine including 2 puppies which Catherine shares with Lady Anne.



Lady Mary is packing and going home because of the incident. Chapuis tells that Mary needs to consolidate the queen and Mary cries and confesses that she is jealous and that she is unhappy that she is not married yet. The scene changes to Culpepper entering the chambers of Catherine with another message from the King. Culpepper tells Catherine of the progress of the King’s labors. A book is given to Catherine by the King and Culpepper adds a little playful attitude to it. Culpepper talks to Lady Rochford that evening about wanting to seduce Catherine to which she replies, “If you want, I could arrange it.” King Henry’s leg becomes seriously inflamed and he is in danger of losing his life. They show a gruesome scene of the blood and puss pour from his leg. The next day, King Henry is barely walking and tells about his anger toward his Lords calling them liars and that they look to their own profits. He mourns Cromwell’s death and let his opinions be known. Then he leaves. Catherine is anxious from not seeing the King. She is afraid that he has taken a mistress. Culpepper admits nothing but tells her that he would do “anything” to make Catherine happy and then leaves. Joan Bulmer tells Catherine that Culpepper is in love with her and tells of the dreams he has with Catherine. Earl of Surrey degrades the Seymour family by writing a poem saying that Seymour’s wife is a wolf and warns that he would devour her if she got close to him again. Catherine dreams of Culpepper in her sleep and reminisces on the words he spoke to her that he would do “anything” to please her. Lady Rochford tells that Culpepper wants to meet the queen privately and tells that she knows of her past, but also tells that she could hide her affair from the King and anyone else. She obliges to her request. The last scene you see is Culpeper and Joan Bulmer sneaking through the secret passages to the room of the queen. Culpepper enters the queen’s chambers to find that Catherine is waiting for him. They look at each other and the episode ends with Henry looking toward the sky.




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