Upamanyu Biswas
In the final episode of ‘House of David’ season 1, titled ‘David and Goliath Part 2,’ we get the titular battle that is teased in the show’s opening episode as David proves himself against his greatest foe thus far. With the forces of Achish sapping the morale from Saul’s army, it is only a matter of time before mutiny and civil strife spread among the soldiers, leading to treason against the King. However, the Israelites find themselves saved by an unlikely man who, until the last episode, was relegated to sheep herding and playing songs in the royal court. Elsewhere, significant movement takes place in the Fortress of Gibeah as a familiar figure resurfaces, urging Queen Ahinoam and the remaining council members to take stock of their situation and find the best solution. SPOILERS AHEAD.
House of David Season 1 Episode 8 Recap
As the finale begins, Jonathan and his assassin party venture deeper into Achish’s camp by killing the sentries. The mission fails when one of the mercenaries flips allegiances, stating that Achish paid more. Jonathan is captured while a contingent of archers starts raining down fire on the Tribe of Zebulun, who deserted Saul’s army in the previous episode. Meanwhile, Mychal and Mirab arrive at the battlefield. The following morning, Goliath stands before the waiting army to issue his daily challenge. However, this time, he throws the heads of the assassins who came after him at the Israelite army. Abner is stunned and speechless at the recent development. Adriel tells him he will lead the armies moving forward, to which the steward has no rebuttal. Inside Achish’s tent, Jonathan is held prisoner as the King of the Philistines walks in.
Achish issues his warnings and threats to Jonathan, urging him to change his father’s mind and face Goliath in battle or accept his overwhelming forces to come after him. Subsequently, Jonathan is freed and sent back to Saul’s army. In the Fortress of Gibeah, Queen Ahinoam looks for her daughters but is unable to find them. She questions Kazia about their whereabouts, which the young maid has sworn not to speak of. When Ahinoam learns the truth, she fires Kazia from her job, leaving the girl in tears. Mychal and Mirab enter the army camp and are led to their father’s tent. Halfway through, the latter tells Mychal that she will head for Abner while her younger sister can take care of Saul. The King is stuck in a perpetual state of delirium and hallucination. However, his daughter’s presence brings him out of his addled state, which is a positive change.
In Gibeah, Queen Ahinoam refuses to abandon her palace with the threat of the Philistines in the air. Her meeting with the witch is disrupted when Eshbaal walks through the door with his men. In the meantime, David finally arrives at the battlefield, frustrated by the situation he sees in the ranks. He vows to fight Goliath, but his brother Eliab refuses. David is called to the King, and the former restates his zeal to take down Goliath in single combat. His conviction moves Saul, who agrees that David will be the champion. Meanwhile, Eshbaal convinces Ahinoam and the small contingent of councilors that he must be crowned King for the survival of the House of Saul. Elsewhere, David is fitted in the King’s armor as Mychal arrives to speak with him. She hands him a scripture of Joshua before kissing him. Subsequently, David removes the armor, stating that he must fight Goliath himself.
House of David Season 1 Ending: How Does David Trump Goliath?
For the most part, season 1 of ‘House of David’ centers itself heavily on David’s slow transition from a commoner to a man full of conviction and zeal to be God’s instrument. To that end, nothing epitomizes his stature more than his willingness to take on Goliath in single combat when others balk at the opportunity despite being more skilled. The story continuously builds on David finding ways to surmount the insurmountable as his destiny becomes clearer. Thus, it feels fitting to end the first part of David’s journey on his larger-than-life battle against the Giant, who strikes fear in everyone’s heart. We also get to witness how he picks himself up after being struck down by Goliath’s spear, an event that bookmarks the show’s opening. Subsequently, he finds the resilience to get up and charge at his enemy with his iconic slingshot weapon and snipe Goliath from a distance.
With the damage done, the armies on both sides are shocked at the swiftness of David’s killing stroke, leaving them unable to act for minutes. In that time, David crosses the gap to his mortal enemy and chops his head off with the Giant’s gilded sword. He subsequently raises it above his head as a sign of his victory over the Nephilim creature and a chilling warning to the Philistines. It also gives the Israelites the courage to charge straight into battle, realizing that the giants are no more than any mortal men. In a way, this plays into the story’s central theme of believing in a higher power, which in turn fuels one’s self-belief to achieve what they set out to achieve in the first place. While the killing of Goliath may be a violent marker of David’s rise, it cements his legacy as someone worthy enough to be noticed by those who have ignored him thus far.
Who is the Real King of Israel?
While David achieves his part on the battlefield, leading to an all-out battle in the Valley of Elah, matters are more complicated in Gibeah. After hearing about her daughters deserting the palace to go unite with their father, Queen Ahinoam gives up any hope of ever meeting any of her kin, resigned to the fact that the Philistines will soon have a swift victory. However, the arrival of Eshbaal from his exile changes the whole dynamic of the situation. Ahinoam is stricken by her youngest son’s changed demeanor and his more commanding presence. Thus, when the opportunity presents itself, she and the other councilors decide to enthrone Eshbaal as the new King of Israel, which allows him the power to decide what comes next in the process of surviving the Philistines. However, it creates bigger issues elsewhere.
Unbeknownst to Eshbaal and Ahinoam, David’s success against Goliath changes the tide of battle in the Valley of Elah, allowing Saul to survive and continue the battle. Therefore, for the time being, there are three people in direct contention for the position of King of Israel. The first is Saul, the old grizzled King who Samuel curses after God deigns him unfit to rule as King of his people. Despite being advised to give up his spot, he has desperately clung to his role as ruler for the time being. Meanwhile, God anointed David as the successor of Saul’s throne through Samuel, ensuring that he was the one and true King of Israel. However, with Eshbaal now gaining dominion behind everyone’s back, the power also resides with him in case something terrible happens to Saul in battle.
What is the Meaning of Jonathan and Saul’s Visions? Will They Come to Pass?
Considering the visions we have seen through Jonathan and Saul’s minds, there is a high likelihood that both may face mortal injuries during the battle in the Valley of Elah. It is possible that Saul dies, and the power moves on to Eshbaal because the ritual of enthronement has already been performed, creating another obstacle for David as he tries to claim his destiny. It may complicate matters in the short term, but given what we see from David, it will make his journey all the more interesting to see how he navigates the next trial of challenges on his path to becoming one of the most revered men in history. Additionally, if Jonathan survives the battle and returns home, it will only cause more interesting exchanges once he realizes his younger brother is King and not David, whom he accepts as the new ruler.
There are lots of signs that Jonathan and Saul’s visions are likely to come true during the Battle of Elah. For one, the man who strikes down Jonathan with an arrow through the heart is Achish in the dreams, which the Philistine King promises to do when he lets Jonathan go earlier in the episode. As the Israelites are charging into battle, spurred on by David’s immense victory, it could be the very site where both King and Prince meet a tragic end. However, this also paves the way for Eshbaal to stomp his dominion over Israel as the only living male heir to Saul’s legacy. He could have a clear shot at running the kingdom in the way he sees fit without any awkwardness or interference from his brother or father should they make their way home. As a result, it might complete his arc from a shunned member of the family to its most revered in a heartbeat.
What Happens to David and Mychal’s Relationship?
As mentioned previously, David and Mychal kiss one another before the former walks to the battlefield to take down Goliath, which could be counted as their first official marker of acknowledging their love. However, the attraction between the pair was visible from the start, even going back to their time as palace inhabitants. Unfortunately, their blossoming relationship elicited a mixed response from others, particularly Queen Ahinoam, the most vehement opposer to the union because of David’s illegitimate parentage. When Mychal learned about this from her mother, she was less hurt about the fact that he was a bastard and more pained that he kept it a secret from her. She felt betrayed by him. Still, their bond may be possible now that David has performed a heroic feat worthy of being sung for generations.
In the previous episode, while suffering from his delusions, King Saul announced outside his army camp that whoever volunteered to take down the Giant as his champion would be rewarded with his daughter’s hand in marriage. Although it is hard to discern if his offer remains valid, David may have a claim upon Mychal’s hand as he is the one who struck down Goliath while everyone else remained cowering. It increases his stature tenfold among the palace ranks and makes him a known man with a reputation. However, the only problem with David and Mychal’s relationship might be that Ahinoam remains against it, and her newly enthroned son, Eshbaal, may also have something to say. It will add another interesting layer to the future of the characters and whether David and Mychal successfully see out their relationship once the battle with the Philistines is fought.
Read More: House of David Episode 7 Recap: David and Goliath Part 1
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