Kings 1×11: Javelin

TWO EPISODES LEFT!
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Silas is cooking breakfast. Jack and Rose are at the table.
Shopping’s the hard part, “cooking’s is just the correct application of heat,” Silas says. Rose says she misses how he used to cook all the time, Jack says “things changed.” “Things need to change back,” Rose replies. She puts the newspaper with the headline “DAVID SHEPHERD ARRESTED” in front of Silas and leaves so they can “sort through things. Together, mountains can move.” She gives Jack a kiss and leaves.

Silas tells Jack about the trial, he will be asked to recall his time with Shepherd.
“I’m not sure how I’ll remember it,” Jack says. Silas replies, “You choose how you remember it.”
“I find him interesting,” Jack says, “his devotion to you, to doing the right thing even when he has no idea what that is.”
“You’re my heir, you have something to lose in his success,” Silas says, “We have to slit a throat on a legend.”

Jack meets with William. Jack says Silas fears what David will become, “destroy the crop before it takes root.” William says Silas is doing the work for them, by the time they make their move, putting a hero on trial and handing over Port Prosperity will get the people against him.
“This trial’s gonna bury Shepherd,” Jack says.

David arrives at the boardroom turned courtroom.
Major Benjamin for the prosecution, he’s been presented evidence to suggest Capt. Shepherd is a spy for Gath, that he face charges of treason and espionage, if proven true will be punishable by death.

“We have to accept that everything we thought we knew about David Shepherd is a lie,” Jack proclaims.

The country is watching intently to the proceedings, people are getting riled up.

Guards are escorting David. Michelle asks for a minute with him. She’ll do everything she can, but he doesn’t want to drag her down too. He leans in and whispers “I love you” but his military escorts lead him away. She then sees Silas and follows him to ask if he’s really going through with it. He tells her to stay away from David during the trial if she wants to help, don’t want people to suspect false favor, too much at stake.

Crown of Gilboa/Gilboan Military vs. Capt. David Shepherd

Jack begins, “We all heard the stories, he took down a Goliath, brought us peace, saved the nation, saved me. We all wanted to believe in him. Makes us feel good about ourselves to imagine someone like that is real. But can anyone ever be this good?” Nope, there was an agenda at play and that David, like his convicted brother wanted to incite insurrection and betray them to the enemy. David’s mother and brothers are there watching.

David stops his counsel and makes his own statement. “My allegiance is now as it has always been to this country and its king. I welcome any suggestion to the contrary.”

Outside the boardroom, Rev. Samuels is joined by William. William reminds him about his offer, but the Rev. says he will not take part in treachery. William says he needs the Reverend’s support. “And David” the Rev. adds. William says a place can be found if he survives all of this.

Col. Shore, senior officer of the Sons of Moab, testifies and says David approached them with a plan. Saving Jack, blowing up Goliath, all a staged plan. They gave him all information to know where to be at the right place and right time.

Michelle walks out. Thomasina sees and she follows her outside to see if she’s okay. Michelle feels a little dizzy.

Back inside, David asks the witness if he knows anything about him. What gun does he carry? His codename? Details. What proof does he have that they were ever in the same room together? Jack says they have evidence, surveillance footage of David meeting Col. Shore. David denies it, the man in the video isn’t him.

“I serve the king, that is all I am guilty of.” He repeats it as he is dragged out of the room.
The court adjourns, Jack has a look in his eye.

Outside Unity Hall, Klotz and Boyden are discussing the trail. “You really think David’s a spy? Me, I don’t know what to believe anymore. He’s so nice. Maybe no one is really that nice,” Boyden concedes.
Meanwhile, Thomasina is walking to her car and sees Klotz and walks over.

Thomasina: “Your eyes follow me.”
Klotz: “No ma’am.”
Thomasina: “Are you lying?”
Klotz: “Yes ma’am.”
Thomasina: “You are a guard at the royal gate, serious things are happening in this country. Stop it.”
Klotz: “Ma’am, I can’t.”
Thomasina: “Why not?”
Klotz: “It’s love ma’am. I’ll stay out of your way.”

Silas walks through the prison and goes inside David’s cell.
“You called me ‘son’ once. I’ve only ever acted to earn that name,” David says.
Silas brings up David not telling him about he and Michelle sooner, David says that was against him as a father, not to the state. Silas says that one betrayal left its mark. David says if has done anything to hurt this country, “I would confess my guilt. Give myself up to your mercy.” “I believe you would,” Silas says.

Pfc. Shawn Savoy is the next witness, David’s friend and comrade in his unit. He talks about how David’s always been a good friend, always there to save their asses. “He’s like a lucky charm out there.”
Savoy talks about how he took the picture of the tank for which he got an award for. Silas asks if he really saw David taking down the Goliath.
He saw a grenade flash, David taking cover and then the rocket that took it out. But he didn’t actually see David firing that rocket. David asks if he saw anyone else out there, but there was no one.

David: “In training, we were taught the simplest explanation…”
Savoy: “… is always the truest.”

Elsewhere, Michelle goes to a doctor. “Not everything means the cancer’s back, don’t assume the worst,” the doctor advises.

Back in court, Jack takes his turn.
Ever wonder why he’s always in the perfect place and time? Did he ever hear jokes in the trenches about whether he could be a spy? Yeah, but just jokes.
What’s more likely, that David Shepherd is magically endowed or just like us, an ordinary soldier stuck in a war with no end. So he tried to end it by selling himself to the enemy.
What would be the simplest explanation?
That he worked with the enemy, Savoy concedes.

David is taken back to the prison, and the people are protesting, people angry that they believed in David. Silas is happy. “Turns out you had the right teeth for flesh,” he tells Jack so he leaves to ponder again what he is doing.

Silas goes grocery shopping. They shut down the supermarket and is joined by Rev. Samuels. He is not your enemy, the Rev. says, Silas has a chance to end it now. David is only becoming what he was meant to be, what God intends for this nation. Change is coming, Silas was supposed to nurture it and he still has a chance to do that. Silas turns. Rev. Samuels motions his hand and the lights go out in the supermarket.

“Don’t give God reason to tear from you this kingdom,” Rev. Samuels warns.

Silas brings up a time when the Rev. had asked him to eliminate all memory of the people who killed his wife. To enact revenge. So who is the Rev. to ask the King not to do the same to someone who is attempting to take something away from him as well.

Michelle visits David in prison and she realizes the timestamp on the doctored surveillance video was the night of the blackout, the night they were together. She wants to be his witness, but he doesn’t want her to be called a traitor as well. She doesn’t care, but he tries to make her realize that maybe Silas does want all this to happen. That Silas has no intention of acquitting him. She doesn’t believe that and instead asks David, If you believe in me, believe in him.

That night, Michelle goes to the kitchen when Silas is cooking a midnight steak. She tells him she will take the stand, Silas will not have brother tear apart sister in court. Jack comes in. Silas tells her to let him go, that they’re trying to save her from him. “Everyone for David is against me, now stay out of this, or by God I’ll count you amongst them.”

Michelle finally comes to a realization and Silas spells it out clearly that he will wipe David’s existence off the face of the planet. “This is who you’re listening to,” Michelle tells Jack as she leaves.

In the prison, masked armed men come and take David. They head into the woods where Rev. Samuels is waiting. He tells David a plane is waiting, they have friends in other countries. “You want me to run?” David asks. The SUV window lowers to reveal William in the car, “Only if you want to live,” he says, “Your death is a foregone conclusion.” They want to protect him. Silas won’t be around for long and David asks how they can be so sure. “Problem with great men is they don’t always die at their best,” William says, “Some live to make mistakes which outlive their accomplishments.”

Rev. Samuels takes David’s arm, but he refuses, “If I go with you, everything Silas says about me is true.”
“You’re worried about his good opinion of you?” William asks. “I’m worried about my own,” David answers, “I’m no traitor.”
“You’d rather die than be misperceived? Careful David, you never want to be too good.”

William orders the guards to “usher him back to his execution.”
Rev. Samuels moves towards David, but he hands his watch back to the Rev. (“You of all. If I do die, it shouldn’t be while wearing this.”)

The next day, Jack goes to David in prison. David tells Jack about a plot against Silas. Jack says he should’ve begged instead. David tells him about Uncle William and Rev. Samuels. Jack seems slightly surprised about the Reverend. David says he should warn Silas. Jack says “You sit here in a cell thinking of ways to save a man who’s going to let you hang. You think you’re that good?”
David: “He won’t listen to me, but he’ll listen to you.”
Jack: “He’s not your father, he’s mine.”
David: “He’s still my king.”
Jack: “Even now.”
David: “I’m just doing what you’d do Jack. You should be careful too.”

The doctor gives Michelle shocking news. She’s pregnant! Miraculously, she’s going to have a baby.
Tearily, she goes to tell her mother. David’s child. The Queen asks if he knows. Michelle says she’s scared of her own father. “He must never know,” Rose says. “You’ll help me?” Michelle asks. “This is a blessing,” Rose says, “Our family’s future.” She pulls her into a hug. “This kingdom’s future. But you must not have anything to do with David, ever again. You’re scared of your father, you should be. He has eyes for David blood, that blood now pumps through your veins. He will see David dead, and all his kind. If he knew, he will never let that child live. You’ve been given this and nothing else matters. … A mother will do anything to protect her own, as I will protect you.”

Silas and Thomasina are walking the halls. He tells her to eliminate Col. Shore who had testified. She asks if that is really necessary. He brings up her promotion, she’s always handled responsibility with grace, always taken care of the family. “That’s all I ask now, to take care of the family,” he says.

Back in court, David says he can prove the evidence false. “I have only ever tried to embody what is good about this nation. My family has sacrificed life and life again to keep alive the idea of a home as spoken by our king. I am faithful servant to this country, to this court, this man.”
He calls for Michelle as a witness to prove the evidence was forged, but she doesn’t show.

Silas asks for time with David alone. The courtroomboardroom empties.
“I have not betrayed you, though I have been given the opportunity,” David says,
“there are those that work against you.”
Silas knows about William Cross, no whispers in the kingdom he does not hear. “There are many traitors, and though you are not complicit in their dark work, you are not innocent. Even my daughter’s lost faith in David Shepherd.”
Silas continues, even if he isn’t guilty of the charges brought against him, “Hasn’t the effect of you been the same? King. All these years, authority unquestioned. You think it’s a coincidence they conspire against me now? A monarchy stands on a belief in the singularity of its sovereign. All vectors pointed here. And then along came you, oh and they looked at you and they thought how they might improve upon me. Replaceable. You thought to inspire, but you inspired treason.”

“I only ever meant to serve you, I never meant to hurt you,” David says.
But don’t you see you have? Silas asks, look what you’ve done to the country. David asks what can he do. Silas says to keep his promise earlier, to admit guilt and fall upon his mercy if he ever hurt the king. David now thinks he has been wrong and is guilty.

The next day, the bell tolls nine. Thomasina helps Silas put on his coat. David is in his cell. Jack looks at Silas’s portrait. Michelle looks out the window as a snowflake falls. Rose looks at a picture of the baby twins. Rev. Samuels is in the courtroom looking at the watch. William is in his high rise office, holding a letter opener as more snow falls. Col. Shore is shot dead in his cell.

Thomasina walks towards the Klotz. She asks if he thinks she’s beautiful, good? He does. No matter what she does, she asks? “It’s love ma’am… Thomasina,” he replies. She kisses him.

David is led into the courtroom. He passes Michelle who apologizes, but he doesn’t acknowledge her.
Silas asks David, “How do you plead?”
“Guilty,” David shocks the court, “I stand before you prepared to elaborate on my crimes.”
Something stirs up in Jack, “Stop talking David.”
Silas: “You’re out of order Major.”
David: “I’m guilty.”
Jack: “No he’s not!”
Silas: “The prosecution will stand down.”

Jack: “I can’t go along with this anymore. This was all a set-up. David Shepherd was framed. He is not a traitor. I am, Silas is.”
Silas: “Silence!”
Jack: “There has been silence for too long.”
Jack walks towards Silas.
Jack: “I am guilty. But not more so than my father who colluded to have David found a traitor when he is anything but.”
Silas: “Shut up!”
Jack: “Silas framed this entire case. Coerce witnesses, faked evidence, convinced me to lie against David.”
Rose sighs.
Jack: “But I see now that David is a better man than the rest of us. Innocent, deserving respect.”
Silas: “What do you know about respect!? You never had it!
Jack: “He’s innocent, it’s over!”
Silas: “He’s admitted guilt!”
Jack: “You’re no king!”
Silas: “And you’re no prince, you faggot!!”

The courtroom is in shock.

Silas orders the guards to arrest Jack and proclaims David guilty of treason. The country is watching as Silas orders them to be taken away.

“You lied, to everyone,” David says. “You’re a traitor,” Silas says, “You’re both traitors. You’re all traitors!!”

And he loses it. He hurls something at the wall, Rose and Michelle get up to leave, David’s mother and brothers are sitting at the back.
Silas is walking out, David and Jack are separately being led by guards.
Outside Unity Hall, people are now chanting “Down with Silas!” An egg or something is hurled at the door and Thomasina and the guards usher Silas away from the angry mob. Police are taking down some of the protesters.

Military has stopped Jack and his two escorts. Jack assumes he’s going to be shot then and there. William pops out of the car and says they have their allegiance. The king’s guardsmen, all Silas’ generals, follow Jack. “I couldn’t watch him do that to David, I’m sorry,” Jack apologizes. “Don’t be,” William says, “you were perfect. After seeing what Silas really is, they’ll be begging for his replacement. Only one thing changes, no more waiting. We act now.”
Jack takes out his pistol, “and the country will have its new king.”

Episode Thoughts
Wow.
Just wow.

The episode was sort of a slow build, Law & Order: Shiloh mixed with the family drama we’ve come to expect from Kings with a dash of romance from Klotz and Thomasina.

But those last five minutes, from bell tolling to Jack taking out his gun, was what everything was building up to. The episode as a whole gets us revved up for the final two hours, but those five minutes were absolutely incredible.

Ian McShane, what an unstoppable force. And Sebastian Stan, amazing as well. Who wasn’t shocked by Jack standing up for David, and if that wasn’t enough, Silas’ outburst and calling his own son a “faggot” with the entire country watching live. It was a powerful scene, one that usually secures awards and accolades all over.

But that scene just reminded me of how Kings will still go down underappreciated by the masses. How, come Thursday, the Emmy nominations will be announced and Kings won’t get what’s due.

Still, that doesn’t take away from what amazing television Kings has been and will appear to be for two more weeks. I’d rather see the finale in two hours as it seems to be a two-parter. The suspense will be killing everyone as I’m sure it already is after last night.

So many threads being pulled together, how will they loop it all together for a conclusion. I (and I know I’m not the only one) will be holding my breath in anticipation.

Episode Caps (click to embiggen)
























5 thoughts on “Kings 1×11: Javelin

  1. AAAAAHHHH! I am dying to see what happens next! The end of that episode was so intense!

    My question is: why did Jack do that? Did he actually realize that David is really as good as everyone thinks he is and feels guilty, or did he just want to expose his fathers lies? Silas is definitely going to die – if not next week, then in the finale. I can’t believe we only have to episodes left, it’s so disappointing. Man, I’m gonna have a heart attack next week, I know it. CAN’T WAIT!

  2. Also, another thing I noticed, when Silas was telling Michelle about how he was going to take David down, Jack had this look on his face. It was almost as if he realized that his parents were doing the same thing to his sister as they had been doing to him all these years. Like they finally had something in common: their parents forbidding them to love who they wished. That scene just really stood out to me. I just find Jack to be such a compelling character and Sebastian Stan plays him brilliantly. I’m sure the last two episodes are going to be spectacular.

  3. I noticed looks on Jack’s face throughout the episode like, “Am I really going through with this?”

    I think a couple of things set him off. You pointed one of them out, that scene in the kitchen seeing his sister.
    Then talking to David in prison when David said “I’m just doing what you’d do” as the king’s son.
    And earlier, when Silas said “Turns out you had the right teeth for flesh.” Last week, it seemed Jack may not want to be as ruthless as Uncle Will and more so his father.

    Much kudos to Sebastian Stan this episode. He really gave an amazing performance, and to be able to go back and forth with Ian McShane, that’s huge already!

  4. Both Jack and Silas are still such mysteries to me. They both want power, but how far are they willing to go to keep/gain it? We now know that Silas will kill anyone if he feels his position is threatened, but Jack I’m still not sure about. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s not the one to kill the King, if the King even dies at all, which I’m beginning to doubt. I mean, c’mon, would you REALLY get rid of Ian McShane? no. With all of the changes we’ve seen in Jack since the beginning of the series, I’m doubting if he’ll go through with this.
    And will David go along with it now that he’s seen how twisted the King really is? I mean, he was ready to give up his life for a man who framed him and was going to have him executed! He was still THAT devoted to the King. When Jack was talking to him in the jail he said “you think you’re really that good?” Well, apparently he is! And that’s the thing about David: I thought that since David was so ‘nice’ and ‘good’ he was going to be boring, but the extent to which his loyalty goes… it’s crazy. It’s just crazy that he would still give up his life for the king after what Silas just did. And that’s why Jack couldn’t just sit there and let David turn himself in. Cuz David really IS that good! As unbelievable as that is.
    My question is, if the story was supposed to be a kind of David/Johnathan retelling, do you think if the show had gone on longer that Jack really would have cared that deeply for David? Maybe not in a romantic way (though Jack is gay, so that’s entirely possible), but maybe in a brother-type way? Because, a few episodes ago, if you had shown me the clip of Jack saying “I couldn’t let them do that to David” I wouldn’t have believed he’d ever say such a thing. He seemed to be so jealous.
    I’m really gonna miss this show. Thinking about all the intense things that could’ve happened had it continued… guh.

  5. I think they totally would have explored the David/Jack relationship more.
    I thought they’d go the “Jack is jealous of David, but really has feelings for him” route which then would lead to their brother relationship down the line.

    I have to brush up on my Bible, but the David/Jonathan relationship was deep, it would’ve been interesting to see how Kings would’ve handled it.

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