Tamal Kundu
About three-and-a-half years after airing season 1, Amazon Prime fantasy action-drama series ‘Carnival Row’ returns with the second and final season. The story takes place in a world where the war of human empires has left the lands of the mythical creatures devasted and forced them to find refuge in human lands, where they constantly face Prejudice, abuse, and persecution. In season 2 episode 1, titled ‘Fight and Flight,’ Rycroft “Philo” Philostrate (Orlando Bloom), a military veteran turned police inspector, and half-fae, and Vignette Stonemoss (Cara Delevingne), a fae refugee, face new struggles in an enclosed Carnival Row. Agreus Astrayon (David Gyasi) and Imogen Spurnrose (Tamzin Merchant) find a moment of happiness aboard their ship, and Jonah Breakspear (Arty Froushan) and Sophie Longerbane (Caroline Ford) strengthen their control over The Burgue.
In episode 2, titled ‘New Dawn,’ Philo and Vignette take desperate measures to be heard by the human ruling class, and Agreus and Imogen find themselves in the hands of a radical socialist group. Meanwhile, Jonah and Sophie welcome a delegation from the Pact. Here is everything you might want to know about the ending of ‘Carnivale Row’ season 2 episode 2. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Carnival Row Season 2 Episodes 1 and 2 Recap
The second season’s first episode begins sometime after the first season ends. Since the murder of Absalom Breakspear, the chancellor of the Republic of the Burgue, new laws have been implemented, turning Carnival Row virtually into an internment camp. Vignette and Philo now live together. Vignette is still part of the Black Ravens, a secret fae (derogative term: pix) organization that serves as a mafia/rebel group and raids a supply train for medicines as a disease that only affects the faes spread through Carnival Row. Philo continues to look for his friend, Darius, who was imprisoned because of his wolf’s curse. When Philo was still part of the police force, he ensured that Dario would be looked after, but since his expulsion, he doesn’t have access to his best friend.
Meanwhile, Agreus and Imogen navigate through open water on a ship owned by the former, enjoying their moment of happiness, while Ezra (Andrew Gower) grows increasingly bitter and angry in The Burgue. Jonah and Sophie run the country as the Chancellor and Leader of the Opposition, but they have detractors who can’t wait to overthrow them. The fae kind was the backbone of the industries in The Burgue, as they did jobs humans would not. Because of the new rules, the factories are empty, and the wealthy class is suffering heavy losses.
In episode 2, Agreus and Imogen are apprehended by a socialist revolutionary group from the Pact, and they meet its leader, Leonora (Joanne Whalley). Because of the desperate condition, Philo decides to announce that he is the former chancellor’s eldest son in front of the gathering of the nobility in the banquet that Jonah throws to welcome the Pact delegation, which has come to The Burgue to negotiate a weapon deal, asks Runyon Millworthy (Simon McBurney) for help. Meanwhile, Tourmaline (Karla Crome) starts to have visions about Aoife Tsigani, the late Haruspex (or witch) and discovers that she has inherited Aoife’s gifts. Philo eventually finds Darius, whose initial agitation at his friend for taking this long to free him soon turns into surprise when Philo tells him about his parentage.
Carnival Season 2 Episode 2 Ending: Who Kills Dahlia and Bolero?
In season 2, the plot threads are more interconnected than in the first season. Toward the end of the first episode, Philo is taken to the human part of the town and learns that he has been brought there on the behest of Constable Berwick (Waj Ali), his former partner, because an engineer from the train Vignette raided has been killed and suspended several meters above the ground with the flywire used to keep the faes in Carnivale Row. Berwick reveals that the police suspect the Black Ravens because no human killer can take their victim that high. Philo is eventually forced to leave after Sergeant Dombey arrives.
With Vignette’s growing popularity among the Black Ravens, their leader Dahlia becomes jealous and asserts herself on a plan made by Vignette and pushes the latter out of it. As Jonah and Sophie host the Pact delegation, and just when Philo is about to announce the truth about himself, Dahlia and other Black Ravens break into the hall through the glass ceiling above. One of the afflicted is with them, and as she approaches Jonah and Sophie, Dombey shoots her dead. Meanwhile, as Philo leaves, he doesn’t see General Mikulas Vir (Andrew Buchan) of the Pact delegation notices him.
Later that evening, the heads and wings of Dahlia and her second-in-command, Bolero (Anthony Kaye), are found mounted on the walls marking the borders of Carnival Row. The faes believe The Burgue government is responsible because they earlier saw the police mounting the heads of the religious fanatics that Jonah claims killed his parents on the same wall. The reality is likely that the murder of the human in episode 1 and those of Dahlia and Bolero are connected. Tourmaline’s visions as the powers of the Haruspex begin to manifest in her suggest as much.
With that in mind, we can say that neither the police nor the Night Ravens are responsible for the killings, though it is certain that the killer is a mythical creature, as they can fly. It is possible that the real killer is using a Darkasher as Piety did in season 1. They want to sow discord in the Burgue society. It’s probably not Sophie either, not this time. While she gained power through chaos, she now represents part of the order. The source of these killings is likely one of the warring factions of the Pact.
Who Is Leonora? What Is New Dawn?
Along with Mikulas Vir (Andrew Buchan), the Pact general who has come to the Burgue as part of the country’s delegation, Leonora is one of the new characters introduced in season 2. After Agreus and Imogen are brought to Ragusa, a port in the Pact territory, they are separated, and Imogen is brought to Leonora, who has antlers on her head like a deer. The interaction they have is rather conversational, but it is later revealed that Leonora was testing Imogen. She must have been satisfied with the human woman’s answer because she saves Agreus from the firing squad.
The New Dawn is a socialist rebel outfit made up of both the faes and humans. It has taken control of some parts of the Pact, and the traditional, aristocratic government has begun to panic. This is why they have sent the delegation to The Burgue to procure weapons. What they don’t know is that Sophie has plans to sell weapons to both sides, which she believes will not only revive the industries but also help the Burgue recreate its empire.
Agreus shows Imogen a sketch of Leonora on the wall of the house they now have to share with some other couples. So, Leonora is clearly a high-ranking member of the revolution, if not the leader herself, and Agreus likely knows who she is. Leonora may be behind the killings in The Burgue, as discord and infighting will help spread her ideology in that country.
Read More: When Does Carnival Row Take Place? Timeline, Explained
