Da Vinci's Demons Review: Restoring Order
Henry A. Otero
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Did anyone really think Lorenzo would kill Leo? Or that Lucrezia and Zo would drown in the final moments of Da Vinci's Demons Season 2 Episode 1?
Nah, I didn't think so, but it sure made for one heck of a cliffhanger.
Da Vinci's Demons Season 2 Episode 2 picks up right where we left off, with Lorenzo hovering over Leo and threatening his life. Vanessa manages to talk him down with the bad news that Giuliano was killed in battle. On a brighter note, she's pregnant with his brother's child.
Lucrezia had not only slipped Zoroaster the tongue, but a hairpin as well during that passionate kiss. Here poor Zo was thinking she had the hot's for him. Either way, he picks the lock and they float to the surface. How they managed to swim back to shore, that's a whole other story.
As I mentioned in last week's review, these first few installments basically tie up last season's loose ends in Florence. It will probably take one more episode before Leonardo and his friends set sail for South America to find the Book of Leaves. I am really looking forward to that.
Aboard the Basilisk, Riario is playing his usual mind games with Nico. He badmouths Leo, asking Nico why in the world the Maestro would save Lorenzo over him. I'm glad to see Nico is a smart lad and ignores Riario, simply asking why's he kept him alive. "Because I like you" the villain replies. That can't be good right?
Back in Florence, the Pazzi conspirators lead the mob in burning a likeness of Lorenzo de' Medici. Watching from the rooftops, Leonardo gets the brilliant idea of amplifying a person's voice so it can echo throughout the town square. He asks Andrea if he has brass in the studio. A plan is coming together. I wonder if there is anything in Da Vinci's notes about this, or if Goyer simply came up with it for the show.
A cloaked Leonardo and Lorenzo head to the bell tower, while Andrea helps carefully position the large brass plates that will reflect sound in the square below. Lorenzo did not fully understand Leo's plan, but ultimately delivers an inspiring speech. He talks of the Pazzi's wanting Florence under Roman rule and not only moved by his words but by the fact he is even alive, the crowds respond with the Medici rallying cry.
Lorenzo, with Leonardo at his side, makes his way to the palace where Clarice greets him proudly. I love that she is a powerful presence this year. Clarice orders the Pazzi traitors apprehended and later signs off on her own brother's death. Despite being a cardinal, he's a traitor and traitors must be dealt with accordingly. Her brother is dead she says and he hangs soon after, alongside Francesco de' Pazzi.
Before the conspiracy went down, Leonardo was planning to leave Florence in search of the Book of Leaves. Lorenzo brings this up and tells Leo that Florence needs its war engineer. This is where Leo brings the audience up to speed not only the mythical book, but the Sons of Mithras and Cosimo de' Medicis (Lorenzo's grandfather) connection to the order.
I search for an ancient tome called the Book of Leaves. It's a compendium of hidden wisdom that men have died to protect. Sixtus and his cohorts, they move mountains to find it. I believe it contains secrets that can put an end to these petty wars that beseech us forever.
Leonardo
Lorenzo dismisses the book and its forbidden knowledge as entertainment for adolescent boys. Basically, calling it the comic books of the Renaissance, clever right? Leonardo reminds him that this "forbidden knowledge" just saved his life, referring to the blood transfusion.
He assures Lorenzo that Cosimo was part of the Sons of Mithras, and via clues had tasked him from beyond the grave with retrieving it. How do you argue with that?
Pope Sixtus IV, meanwhile, meets with King Ferrante of Naples and his son, Duke Alfonso (the ambidextrous swordsman) to unite against Florence. Anyone understand the scene with the spinning tooth and why Alfonso rushed off fearfully?
Aboard the Basilisk, Riario is fiddling with the flesh map and realizes it's a key to reading the full map. He questions his Abyssinian slave girl, Zita, about it. She recognizes the markings as numbers. Of course, longitude and latitude which makes total sense. He shows his appreciation by having sex with her. Riario, you naughty dog you.
I'm still not too sure what to make of Leo's visions of the man in the bull mask. However, we learn that he believes them to be the enemies of the Sons of Mithras. I'm sure all this will make more sense as the season progresses.
Zoroaster appears at Andrea Verrocchio's studio and warns Leo that Nico is trapped on the Basilisk with Count Riario. Leonardo is furious, but where are they going to find a crew or a ship for that matter? Lucrezia steps forward and tells him about Amerigo Vespucci.
This reunion between Leonardo and Lucrezia was intense and emotional. I think both Tom Riley and Laura Haddock played the scene beautifully. Lucrezia explains that all she wants is to see Sixtus dead for the pain he's caused her family. We quickly understand these two characters are going on very different journeys now.
Leo and Zo make their way to Vespucci's and are greeted by a little girl claiming to be his daughter. She informs them her father's dead. It turns out, there's no foul odor in the room and when Leo pokes the corpse he sits up. What a fun way to introduce Amerigo Vespucci, the man our country's named after. Vespucci takes a liking to Leo and agrees to help. In Pisa, not only will they find a crew, but they will be able to steal a ship.
While practicing his eulogy for Guiliano, Lorenzo notices the Sons of Mithras symbol on Cosimo's sword. It had been given to them as children and was to be shared by two boys, two brothers, according to their grandfather.
Piero da Vinci interrupts Leo and Vanessa's farewell, saying Lorenzo wants one last word. Leo assures her the Medicis are wise and will soon realize how lucky they are to have her. He turns to his father and asks him to take care of this bastard child better than the last one, referring to himself of course.
Lorenzo asks Leo if he really thinks the Book of Leaves can help Florence. Leonardo states confidently that he thinks the book can save their city. With that, Lorenzo holds out the sword and Leo spots the symbol. He presses it and the sword splits in two.
Two men whose blood flows in each others veins. Take it with you, on your journey.
Lorenzo
There were many powerful scenes and fantastic performances tonight, but the fact these two "blood brothers" are parting ways probably until the very end of the season was a tough realization. We've come to rely so heavily on the relationships between Leo, Lorenzo, Andrea, Vanessa, Lucrezia and all our characters, that dividing their storylines is a pretty risky move. Almost as risky as going after the Book of Leaves.
I have no doubt the individual character arcs moving forward will be very interesting, but will we miss the interaction between Leo and his friends?
At least David S. Goyer knew better than to separate Leonardo from Zoroaster and Nico. Riario will be around causing trouble as well, so there's that. Therefore, although the character dynamics will be different, the show should still feel familiar. The characters take risks, as does the show.
I'm excited to see how these major changes play out, what about you? Will you miss the interaction between Leo and his friends? Are you looking forward to becoming more acquainted with this season's new characters? Let's talk about it in the comments section below.
Which character interactions will you miss most, now that everyone is venturing outside Florence?
