This article shows the meaning of the Reign episode titles.
It is important to remember that this article contains fan analysis and hypothesis of the TV show. Unless marked otherwise, all content should be considered subjective and non-canon.
Pilot[]
- The first episode of every TV show is called "Pilot".
- The pilot is the first episode to air, akin to a pilot taking off. It determines if it will become a series.
Snakes in the Garden[]
- Refers to the snake in the garden of Eden that lured Eve with the promise of forbidden knowledge, convincing her that despite God's warning, death would not be the result.
- This refers to Mary being after knowledge, which could potentially endanger her.
Kissed[]
- Refers to the fact that both Mary and Greer had their first kiss in this episode.
- Mary and her Ladies-in-Waiting also have a conversation about kisses at the beginning of the episode.
Hearts and Minds[]
- Winning hearts and minds is a concept occasionally expressed in the resolution of war, insurgency, and other conflicts, in which one side seeks to prevail not by the use of superior force, but by making emotional or intellectual appeals to sway supporters of the other side.
- Hearts and Minds is also a 1979 film.
- In the episode during the Archery Tournament, Tomás shot an arrow at both the heart and head (mind) of the target.
A Chill in the Air[]
- Refers to there being an uneasy feeling due to Olivia's return to court, Francis seeing Mary kissing Bash, the Pagan attack and the overall tension at court.
Chosen[]
- This refers to the fact that the Pagans chose Mary to sacrifice when Bash didn't choose someone after they told him to.
- To save Mary's life Bash chose to sacrifice the Blood Priest instead.
Left Behind[]
- This refers to the fact that Olivia left Mary and her ladies behind when the castle was taken under siege by Count Vincent.
Fated[]
- Refers to Nostradamus' prophecy that one of Mary's ladies would die before the first frost. It also refers to his prophecy that Aylee would never go home.
- Both referring to Aylee's death in this episode.
For King and Country[]
- It is a 1964 British film. It is also the name of a band.
- Also refers to the political philosophy or tropism.
- King and country refers to patriotism, or a love of one's country.
Sacrifice[]
- Refers to the fact that Mary, Sebastian, Alec and Isobel were almost sacrificed by the Pagans before saving themselves by using a Pagan chant.
- It also refers to the Pagan practice of sacrificing ones blood to the earth at a funeral.
Inquisition[]
- An inquisition is a period of prolonged and intensive questioning or investigation.
- Refers to Catherine's past being investigated, causing Henry, Mary, and Bash to learn about her affair and illegitimate child.
Royal Blood[]
- Refers to the idea that one's blood is royal.
- They believed that royal blood was blue, making it special.
- Refers to Clarissa finding out that she has royal blood in her veins.
The Consummation[]
Dirty Laundry[]
- Dirty laundry are illicit or embarrassing affairs that one does not want to be made public.
The Darkness[]
- Refers to the deity that the Pagans worship, also called The Darkness.
- There is a sharp contrast between the First Light Banquet taking place in the safety of the castle, and the darkness that lurks outside the castle walls, as pointed out by Rowan.
Monsters[]
- Could still refer to The Darkness.
- It could also be more figurative and refer to the monsters within.
- Possibly refers to Henry becoming a monster.
Liege Lord[]
- Refers to Mary's beginning to rise to power as Queen of Scotland due to all her countrymen pledging themselves to her.
- Francis also referred to Mary as being her countrymen's liege lord after this.
No Exit[]
Toy Soldiers[]
- A toy soldier is a miniature figurine that represents a soldier.
- Refers to the fact that Lords see soldiers in battle as "chess pieces" they can move around on a board to do their bidding.
Higher Ground[]
- The definition for higher ground is a position of advantage or superiority.
- Most likely referring to whoever has control over Calais has a great advantage due to its location.
Long Live the King[]
- When Catherine and Mary plan King Henry's death, Mary says, "long live the king" to allude to Francis becoming the new king.
- Also a part of the phrase "the king is dead, long live the king", that is spoken by everyone when a king dies and a new king has ascended the throne.
Slaughter of Innocence[]
- Refers to the slaughter of Francis' innocence by killing his father.
The Plague[]
- Refers to the spread of The Black Plague which took place in this episode.
Drawn and Quartered[]
- Refers to the practice of drawing and quartering, which was almost done to Nostradamus in this episode.
Coronation[]
- Refers to Francis II and Mary's coronation that takes place in this episode.
- A coronation is the official crowning of a new monarch.
The Lamb and the Slaughter[]
- Refers to the Dark Riders who appear supposedly to slaughter the souls of the innocent.
Blood for Blood[]
- Refers to the increasing conflict, violence and murder that is taking place between the Protestants and the Catholics.
Three Queens[]
- Refers to there being 3 Queens: Mary, Catherine, and either an impostor posing as Mary, or Elizabeth, who was also brought up in this episode.
The Prince of the Blood[]
- Refers to Louis of Condé being a prince of the blood.
Terror of the Faithful[]
- Refers to the Vatican Representatives who are spreading terror in France due to Francis signing the edict, which is also causing increasing tensions at French Court.
Acts of War[]
- Refers to the actions of Narcisse and later a group of radical Protestants that may lead to war breaking out in France and at court.
Mercy[]
- Refers to Francis not wanting to show mercy to the Protestants who raped his wife and attempted to kill him.
- Francis takes revenge on Narcisse in this episode after their relationship is severely damaged by his actions.
Getaway[]
- Refers to Catherine trying to get away from what haunts her, Mary wanting to get away from the after effects of her rape, and Francis trying to get away from the consequences of his actions.
Banished[]
- Refers to Greer being banished for her treason, Catherine banishing Henry from her life and dreams, as well as the permanent banishment of Diane de Poitiers by Sebastian and later by Catherine when she kills Diane.
Sins of the Past[]
- Refers to past sins coming back to haunt people at French Court.
The End of Mourning[]
- Refers to the end of Catherine's period of mourning the death of her husband.
Forbidden[]
- Refers to Francis forbidding Mary and Condé from being together.
Tasting Revenge[]
- Refers to Antoine enjoying breaking up Bash and Kenna, while Condé enjoys breaking up Mary and Francis.
Tempting Fate[]
- Refers to Mary and Condé tempting the fate of death by continuing their affair and sleeping together, and Catherine believing Francis' fate in Nostradamus' vision is coming true.
Reversal of Fortune[]
- Refers to Mary returning to Francis after hearing about his illness, and the crisis in Scotland.
Abandoned[]
- Refers to Mary abandoning Condé, Condé abandoning Mary by marrying Elizabeth, and Catherine feeling that Mary abandoned her son.
Fugitive[]
- Refers to Prince Condé being wanted for committing high treason.
- Catherine even refers to him as a 'fugitive prince' in this episode.
The Siege[]
- Refers to Condé's plans to take French Court, kill Francis, and take the throne of France.
- The Siege of French Court also takes place in this episode.
Burn[]
- Refers to Mary turning the tables on Condé, Condé escaping from France following his capture, Francis burning his mother by exiling her from French Court, and Catherine teaming up with Elizabeth I to burn Mary and destroy her.
Three Queens, Two Tigers[]
- Refers to the three Queens: Mary, Catherine, and now Elizabeth. It also refers to the tigers: a real live one, and the pirates at French Court.
Betrothed[]
- Refers to Charles and Mary agreeing to officially become engaged when Francis dies.
Extreme Measures[]
- Refers to Catherine proving that she would go to extreme lengths to protect her children, Charles having to use extreme measures to save a woman's life, and Francis using extreme measures to protect his throne.
The Price[]
- Refers to there being a price for Delphine saving Francis' life when he falls gravely ill again.
- Mary's mother Marie de Guise drops dead at the same time Francis returns to life.
In a Clearing[]
- Refers to Mary and Francis being attacked in a forest clearing by a gang of assassins. Francis later dies from the head trauma he sustained in the attack. It also refers to Catherine finding her son dead in the clearing after hearing the news.
- Nostradamus returned to French Court in this episode, and left after Francis' funeral
Fight or Flight[]
- Refers to the choice Catherine has to either fight for the Regency or give up. It also refers to Mary refusing to flee France and instead choosing to stay and help Catherine. Charles also vows to help his mother and refuses to let her give up.
The Hound and the Hare[]
- Refers to a game called the Hound and the Hare: the women chase the men through the woods. It also refers to Catherine chasing after Narcisse to make sure she gets the Regency.
- Catherine is betrayed and has been accused of killing her own son...Francis. The council voted to name Narcisse Regent while Catherine is investigated.
Our Undoing[]
- Refers to Mary and Catherine fearing that their actions with Don Carlos will lead to their undoing.
- It also refers to the undoing of Lord Narcisse due to his deceptions.
Wedlock[]
- Refers to Mary realizing that she must wed in order to save herself. She thus becomes engaged to Don Carlos.
- Refers to Elizabeth and Robert having a baby out of wedlock.
- Also refers to Narcisse telling Claude that she will be forced to marry a duke.
Bruises That Lie[]
- Refers to Claude being forced to wed a duke who turns out to be abusive.
- He slaps her and although she beats him up in self-defense, she returns to the castle covered in bruises.
Succession[]
- Refers to the Coronation of Prince Charles which takes place in this episode, and seals his succession as King of France.
- The English throne is in question as Elizabeth worries that Mary might be after it.
- Mary is also worried about her succession in Scotland as her people are trying to overthrow her.
No Way Out[]
- Refers to Catherine feeling trapped by Christophe who is blackmailing her, as well as the Red Knights who are after her.
- Lola feeling trapped in England with no way to escape, and Mary feeling as if there's no way to take the English throne without sacrificing Elizabeth.
Strange Bedfellows[]
- Refers to unlikely alliances occurring: Mary and Robert Dudley, Catherine and Bash etc.
- It also refers to Christophe wanting to sleep with Catherine as he continues to blackmail her.
To the Death[]
- Refers to Mary being willing to defend her country to the death.
- It also refers to Catherine being threatened by the Red Knights and being willing to fight to the death to protect her family.
Safe Passage[]
- Refers to Mary finally leaving France for Scotland, Narcisse leaving France to rescue Lola from England, and Bash leaving France after resigning as King's Deputy.
Clans[]
- Refers to the Scottish clans that have formed and created a treacherous place for Mary as she returns home.
- Charles goes behind his mother's back to form a group of his own and take down the Red Knights.
Intruders[]
- Refers to Elizabeth planning to intrude and take over Scotland, because Mary is presumed dead.
- Refers to John Knox intruding and planning to take Mary's throne which her brother James must defend.
Spiders in a Jar[]
- Refers to a battle that rises between Mary and Elizabeth when Mary must take drastic action to defend her throne.
- Refers to Lola being accused of a terrible crime and suffers drastic consequences.
- Charles changes dramatically, and Catherine realizes that it's because of her endless quest for power.
With Friends Like These[]
- Refers to Friendships and loyalties being tested; Mary vows to avenge her friend Lola's death.
- Refers to Mary testing the loyalty of her brother James after he meets with John Knox.
- Refers to Lord Darnley teaming with Elizabeth to sabotage Mary's relationship with a powerful suitor.
A Grain of Deception[]
- Refers to Mary finding a traitor among her close advisors.
- Refers to Elizabeth and Narcisse trying to deceive Knox.
Leaps of Faith[]
- Refers to Mary taking a leap of faith with Gideon as he shows her what life could be like if she chose love.
- Catherine takes a leap of faith as she tries to cover the increasingly erratic behavior of her son the King.
- Claude take a major leap of faith when she finds an enemy in her own sister.
Playing with Fire[]
- Refers to Lord Darnley surprising Mary with a visit to Scotland, giving her hope of a union that is more than just political
- Elizabeth plays with fire as she fights to gain allies.
- Catherine must play with fire as she works to get her daughter on track by finding her a husband
- Claude and Luc's Wedding takes place in this episode.
- Leith Bayard is revealed to be alive in this episode.
Highland Games[]
- Refers to the Highland Games taking place in this episode.
- May also note how Mary is trying to figure out if Darnley is to be trusted or not, and what game he is trying to play at.
Love & Death[]
- Refers to Mary and Darnley falling in love and Darnley being close to death.
- Refers to Claude and Leith falling out of love and Luc being close to death.
Hanging Swords[]
- Refers to a metaphorical sword hanging and falling over multiple characters.
- Darnley and Keira rekindling their relationship hangs over Mary's head. It falls when Mary finds out about it at the end of the episode.
- Charles revealing himself as a Protestant is a huge shock for the very catholic Catherine, Narcisse and Leeza.
- Agatha's condition deteriorates further, her temporary relief serving as a hanging sword. It falls when Agatha dies at the end of the episode.
- Elizabeth talks about how when she was held captivate in the tower by her sister Mary Tudor, she felt like she had a sword hanging over her head.
Uncharted Waters[]
- With her wedding drawing closer, Mary is forced to get help from Catherine after a tragedy pushes her and Lord Darnley apart
- Elizabeth encounters a traitor to Spain who wants her help to travel to the New World.
Pulling Strings[]
- Refers to multiple characters being cunning and pulling strings in this episode: Darnley, Catherine, and Lady Lennox especially.
- Refers to the string game.
A Better Man[]
- Refers to the multiple characters trying to improve.
- Lord Darnley vows to be a better husband to Mary after she reveals her pregnancy to him.
- James tries to be a better brother by taking the fall for Lord Hamilton's murder.
- Charles tries to be a better king.
- Gideon implies that he is not like Dudley, but that he is a better man.
Dead of Night[]
- Putting their plan to take England into action puts Mary and Lord Darnley at odds.
- Elizabeth struggles with her feelings for Gideon as she tries to find a Catholic to marry.
- Catherine's son Henry plots to take the throne from his own brother with the help of Spain and Narcisse.
The Shakedown[]
- Refers to a tragic earthquake that hits Scotland.
- Mary must defend her throne after John Knox accuses her of not helping her people
- Figuratively refers to the confrontations taking place in this episode: Jane confronting Elizabeth and Gideon, Darnley cconfronting Mary and Bothwell, and Charles confronting defiant nobles.
Coup de Grace[]
- Refers to Lord Darnley teaming up with Knox and the privy council to stage a coup on Edinburgh castle.
A Bride. A Box. A Body.[]
- 'A bride' stands either for Elizabeth when she binds herself to Gideon, or for Nicole, whom Charles declares his fiancée and the future queen of France.
- 'A box' stands for the box which contained John Knox's testis that Stéphane Narcisse gave to Mary.
- 'A body' refers to Gideon dying.
Blood in the Water[]
- Refers to Mary nearly bleeding to death when in labor.
- Mary and Lord Darnley's son James is finally born in this episode.
- Elizabeth discovers that someone close to her died due to another who is part of her inner circle.
All It Cost Her[]
- Refers to Mary suffering the ultimate consequence for her actions which will shape the fate of her nation, crown and son forever.
- Elizabeth steadies herself for war during which she realizes that she and Mary were more similar than either of them thought.
- This episode is the series finale.