The Big Picture

• Reign was a show that depicted the difficult life of Mary, Queen of Scots, showing her transformation from an innocent young woman to a hardened ruler.
• The series finale of Reign featured a flash-forward, showing Mary's eventual beheading and her reunion with her deceased husband Francis in the afterlife.
• The show took a less conventional approach to historical accuracy, incorporating supernatural elements and exploring themes of sex and sexuality, which made it stand out from other period dramas.

Reign, which aired on The CW from 2013-2017, starred Adelaide Kane as the famous Mary, Queen of Scots, throughout her teenage and early adult years. As Mary learned what being a Queen would entail, the cost that came with the title and the losses she would face took a toll, turning the innocent Mary we meet in the pilot episode into the hardened woman that is ruling by the series’ end. Alongside Kane starred Megan Follows as the notorious Catherine de' Medici, the Queen Mother of France, whom Mary bonded with over the loss of Francis (Toby Regbo), and, in Season 3 and 4, Rachel Skarsten as the Virgin Queen, Elizabeth I of England, the woman that Mary was pitted against due to their rivaling claims to the throne in England and difference in religion. From the very beginning of Reign, Mary’s life was fraught with danger, lies, and peril. There were clearly no qualms about showing how difficult life was for the Queen of Scots, as the series begins with Mary’s food tester being poisoned at the convent and Mary subsequently being rushed to the castle in France. Mary had no idea just how difficult life would become as she came of age, finally ready to rule.

What Happens in the 'Reign' Series Finale?

After four seasons, Reign was canceled by The CW. Luckily, the writers had a plan for just the occasion. While the series finale began toward the end of Mary’s reign as Queen of Scotland with her new child and the murder of her husband, the episode ended with a flash-forward about two decades into the future. After years of unrest, Mary’s life came to an end as Elizabeth had her beheaded, leaving Mary to reunite with Francis in the afterlife. What is really disappointing, though, is how the series rushed through so much of Mary’s life in Scotland in the final season. It felt like the writers were trying to get to the end just in case they were canceled, effectively making the job easier for the network. There was little time spent on developing the relationship between Mary and her husband before they welcomed a child, and he died. Then even less time was spent on Mary and Lord Bothwell’s relationship. More time could have been devoted to developing Mary and these new characters who played such vital roles in her life and downfall.

While the end of Mary’s life was inevitable as the show mostly tried to stick to the historical timeline of events with a few embellishments, there was so much more story to be told (or re-told). Maybe some of that wouldn’t have followed much more of Mary’s life as Scotland’s Queen, given her forced abdication for roughly a year following her son’s birth, but her life was nowhere near over. Given the series’ flexibility with history, some great material could have come from the years between her reign and her death, including the time Mary spent as Elizabeth’s prisoner. But, by the end of Reign, the show was no longer just about Mary and her reign. Catherine had become a major player, as she stepped up following the deaths of her husband and eldest son, with her other children taking their places as the future rulers of France.

By the series’ end, only Catherine’s second son, Charles (Spencer MacPherson), had ascended to the throne. And, with her history as Queen alongside Henry II, she had many enemies that continuously sought to take revenge, leading the series to some intriguing new places, like with the thirteen Red Knights in Reign Season 3 that wanted Catherine dead. With so many years of her reign as Queen Mother and regent left for Charles and Henry III, there was certainly no shortage of material to work with. Catherine remained one of Reign’s strongest characters until the very end, and her story certainly ended on an unsatisfactory note. She had only just been warned that her sons would be the downfall of the Valois line in the final episode, which definitely would have changed her actions going forward.

Elizabeth’s story was left with the least satisfaction, though, as we had only been introduced to her halfway through the show. Her rivalry with Mary had only just begun, as had her reign. Elizabeth’s life in England was becoming incredibly complex as the potential for her marriage became less of a focal point of her reign. While the flash-forward showed some of Elizabeth’s hostility to Mary with the beheading and her arranging the beheading with Mary’s son, it’s a shame viewers could not have seen how she dealt with the aftermath of Mary’s abdication and what followed.

'Reign's Ahistorical Approach Made It Stand Out

One of the biggest criticisms of Reign was the less-than-conventional take the show had on the past, but honestly, that’s what made the show stand out from other period dramas. While the stories would often end in the same place to follow the timeline, the path to get there was full of twists and turns. Like, for instance, the introduction of supernatural elements from the very start. Visions of the future, ghosts, and the haunted halls of the ancient castles all created an appeal that could not be replicated. Plus, the show’s use of sex and sexuality makes it more modern despite taking place centuries prior, making it more accessible to all viewers.

Given where the story left off, this willingness to take a not-so-accurate path forward would have paid off with far more interesting stories to come, particularly with the depiction of the rest of Mary’s life. It’s a shame Reign was canceled, and that the show felt the need to rush through so much material during the final season. Maybe we could turn back time to the start of Mary’s life in Scotland again, taking time to gradually detail her downfall. This cast was too good to lose, and the writers' truly unique take on history is something that should be seen on television far more often.

Reign is currently available to stream on The CW.

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