Tamal Kundu
Developed from a spec script written by series co-creator Travis Beacham for an unproduced film, ‘Carnival Row’ is an Amazon Prime Video series that mixes epic fantasy with the steampunk genre. In the world of ‘Carnival Row,’ humanity exists alongside mythical creatures, though peace continues to be absent between the two cultures. Human wars have devastated the fae lands, forcing them to come to the territories of the humans to seek refuge.
In season 2 episode 7, titled ‘Kindred,’ Rycroft “Philo” Philostrate (Orlando Bloom) convinces Runyan Millworthy (Simon McBurney) to organize ships to take the willing faes to Tirnanoc after the Pact abandons the continent because of their war with New Dawn, but the Black Raven destroys the ships just before the faes board them. In episode 8, titled ‘Facta Non Verba,’ we learn why. Meanwhile, the Pact attacks Ragusa, and Agreus (David Gyasi) and Imogen (Tamzin Merchant) are assigned new positions by Leonora (Joanne Whalley). Here is everything you might want to know about the ending of ‘Carnival Row’ season 2 and episode 8. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Carnival Row Season 2 Episodes 7 and 8 Recap
Episode 7 begins in Ragusa. Amidst celebration and merrymaking, Agreus and Imogen plan their escape but now face certain complications because of Ezra’s arrival. Suddenly, there is a commotion all around them as people start shouting “airships” and pointing at the sky. The reason for this soon becomes apparent; the Pact has pulled its forces out of Tirnanoc to focus on its war against New Dawn.
In The Burgue, Philo embraces the new mottos of his life. His time in the Bleakness Keep has been educational, making him realize that Vignette has been right about everything. All his life, Philo had to pretend to be something else so he could assimilate into human society. When his faerie heritage became public, he was shunned by the people he had known for years. In contrast, the faes expressed their reservations but ultimately accepted him for who he was.
Philo convinces Berwick and Dombey that they need to ensure Millworthy’s safety and that he needs to speak to the man in question. However, when he meets Millworthy, he asks the other man to arrange ships that can take the faes back to Tirnanoc. Aware of how volatile the situation has become, Millworthy agrees to do this.
On the day of the departure, Vignette convinces Philo to come with them. Much has happened between the two of them since the start of the season. Their relationship has crumbled away because of their responsibilities, and Vignette has once more grown close to Tourmaline, but the residues of the raw emotions they felt for each other are still there. Moreover, the faerie society is significantly less rigid in such matters, and they are allowed to love more than one individual.
When Berwick and Dombey realize what Philo’s intention has been, they feel betrayed. But before they can truly reflect on that, the Black Raven attacks, bombing the ships before the Faes can board them. The Sparas shows up and begins killing humans. Before the episode ends, Berwick becomes one of its victims.
In episode 8, Agreus and Imogen learn that they are more similar than they realized. While Imogen ensured that her brother would not get married, Agreus made his fortune by tracking down escaped fae slaves. When a Pact company passes them by, Ezra tries to approach them. The Pact and The Burgue are allies now, so he thinks, if he explains the situation to the Pact soldiers, they will understand and help them get to The Burgue.
Imogen kills her brother by covering his mouth and nose with her hand while Agreus tries to keep the other man restrained. Imogen had a complex relationship with Ezra, which was volatile and destructive. Killing him ends Imogen and Agreus’ problems for now, but it also renders Imogen shell-shocked. Soon, New Dawn finds them, guides them to the mass grave of the Ragusa elites to dump Ezra’s body, and gives Agreus and Imogen their new task. Leonora reveals that she wants them to return to The Burgue as her ambassadors.
Vignette and Philo learn at the same time the real reason The Burgue so quickly organized those ships. After the Pact’s withdrawal from Tirnanoc, The Burgue intends to re-establish itself in the continent. But Black Raven discovers this and bombs the ships, killing the marines inside them. The eighth episode ends with the arrival of Leonora in The Burgue.
Carnival Row Season 2 Episode 8 Ending: Why is Leonora in The Burgue?
With the Pact nearly defeated, Leonora and the rest of the New Dawn set their eyes on The Burgue, which has suddenly become the greatest ally of the Pact. Widespread discrimination is still very much present in the Burgue society, and human-fae relationship is regarded as taboo. While the New Dawn offers a viable alternative, it is also a brutal regime that snuffs out any voices of dissent.
Leonora’s arrival in The Burgue can mean only one thing — she also wants to expand her revolution into The Burgue. It becomes apparent that the Sparas is somehow linked to Leonora and the New Dawn. Otherwise, it has no reason to work with Black Raven.
This brings back the question about the identity of the Sparas. Philo deduces that it’s a male and tells the police. The Sparas has to be one of the members of the Pact delegation sent to The Burgue, and there is only one character from that group who is prominent enough to fit that role.
Mikulas Vir (Andrew Buchan) is a decorated military officer from the Pact. He probably has hidden the truth about himself from the Pact nobility for years, bidding his time. The Sparas are shapeshifters, and it’s nearly impossible to tell them apart from humans when they are in human form.
Throughout the series, we get the inclination that of all the places on the human side of the world, The Burgue, despite its problems, is the most welcoming place for the faes. The situation was even better at the height of the colonial days when certain members of the fae society were even celebrated in The Burgue. But then, The Burgue lost the war, and things began to sour. Inspired by the Russian Revolution, New Dawn intends to undo the very structure of human society and then replace it with a more socialistic one. Leonora’s arrival in The Burgue signals the beginning of the end of the show. If she can spread her revolution into The Burgue, she will not have much problem expanding it across the rest of Mesogea.
Read More: How Much Time Has Passed Between Carnival Row Seasons 1 and 2?
