“Enemies Assemble,” But 'Marie Antoinette's' World is Still Ending

In a title that nods (knowingly?) to Marvel’s Avengers, Marie Antoinette’s fifth episode, “Enemies Assemble,” brings the scandal of the stolen diamond necklace to the forefront. In a shocking move, Cardinal Rohan is arrested on suspicion of theft and dragged away for questioning in the middle of leading mass. Among the witnesses are Provence and Josephine, who are thrilled to see Louis ruining his reputation without them lifting a finger – something Orléans (formerly Chartres) also noted about the queen in the previous episode. The public apprehension of a clergy member, and one from such a powerful family, causes quite a stir.

Rohan swears to the king he didn’t steal the necklace, explaining he’d arranged its purchase on orders from the queen. She denies it, and Antoinette is further shocked to learn he believes they had a close friendship and secret correspondence. When pressed, Rohan insists the queen’s “special guard” has the necklace: the same one who delivered their letters after Rohan donated to her pet charity, the Poor Fallen Women’s Fund. Boehmer, the jeweler, confirms there was a guard who took the necklace, but that he was “clearly” working on Rohan’s orders. The cardinal is crushed when Antoinette reveals she has no special guard, that he still disgusts her, and that she’s unaware of the charity. Rohan begs for mercy but is taken away to the Bastille.

Antoinette calls for a full investigation, headed by Inspector Fleury (Tom Neal). Just before Rohan’s apartment is searched, Jeanne sneaks in and steals the forged letters. She later burns the evidence without ever learning the secret of the pages. Although the necklace is not found, Fleury quickly concludes Rohan “definitely” stole it. He suggests that Boehmer be appropriately compensated, and Rohan punished discreetly. Antoinette is angry at the suggestion of discretion. Her reputation has taken a hit after Saint-Cloud; there are already rumors she bought the “monstrously expensive” necklace behind the king’s back. She insists it’s dangerous to appear so frivolous and pushes to put Rohan on trial in public.

Vergennes advises the queen not to provoke the Rohans, but he’s a family friend of theirs, and Antoinette questions his motivations. Fleury agrees that a public trial would be seen as an affront by Parliament, and convinces Louis to stall. Secretly, Vergennes visits the imprisoned Rohan in his rather swanky-looking cell and warns him that the queen desires a trial. Rohan swears to Vergennes he didn’t steal the necklace. He explains he arranged the purchase for the queen, who hid it from the king, and that Antoinette is trying to frame him. Although, of course, the audience knows this is a false narrative, it’s the one the public will come to believe.

Louis continues to be plagued by troubles both personal and political. His son’s health dominates his mind, and multiple doctors have already confirmed the young dauphin’s diagnosis. Yolande suggests an unconventional approach, and with Louis’ blessing, she brings Cagliostro to the nursery, who burns sage, spits liquid from his mouth, and does absolutely nothing useful. Meanwhile, France’s finances are still floundering, so Calonne proposes a tax on all landowners to alleviate the poor from the additional burden. Louis agrees, but he knows it will be unpopular; therefore, he wants to introduce it gradually. 

The king hides the plans in his desk, where Provence promptly discovers them. He brings this juicy news to Josephine, and they anonymously inform Malherbe (Martin Swabey), a parliamentarian voicing the body’s collective concerns about the king’s borrowing and spending. Malherbe complains that they have already lent the king a fortune. He sees the tax hike as an attempt to be a “liberal” monarch. Louis is viewing a lunar eclipse while Provence and Malherbe discuss the land tax, Provence having abandoned anonymity. He sets his brother up; he and Malherbe observe Louis moongazing in his nightgown, and Provence lies about the king’s disturbed mental state, stirring doubts about Louis’ fitness to rule.

Jeanne is captured after a daring, if short, attempt to escape the king’s guards on a horse she stole out from under someone. In jail, Fleury questions her, and she accuses Rohan of creating the fake charity. He asks if she helped steal the necklace, and she denies it, falsely accusing Cagliostro of being Rohan’s accomplice. The queen was listening from the corridor and makes herself known. She asks Jeanne to testify against Rohan. Jeanne is hesitant but eventually acquiesces, then boldly requests a new hat to impress the court.

A sincerely repentant Lamballe apologizes to Antoinette for believing Jeanne’s lies. She warns her queen not to use Jeanne at the trial because she’s a deft manipulator who has the court wrapped around her finger. But Antoinette wants Lamballe’s support or nothing at all. When the princess wishes her luck, the queen claims she won’t need it: “I’ve done nothing wrong.”

A lawyer, M. Target (Alexandre Poole), meets with Rohan at the Bastille. Upon learning that Jeanne was arrested for faking the charity, Rohan realizes she wrote the letters, not the queen. Cagliostro is charged based on Jeanne’s allegation. It’s another public apprehension by the king’s guards, this time at Palais Royal. Orléans is incensed at the audacity, but Félicité stops him from making a scene, pointing out that this helps them paint Louis as a despot. Later, Félicité visits Cagliostro in jail and is happy to let him languish there in service of her cause. The count offers information about Villette to prove his innocence (and Rohan’s), then gives her his Freemason decoder ring. He tells her to use the network to save him.

Somewhere in the world, a bloody and unconscious Villette is sealed inside a box by a group of men. The one hammering the box shut wears a Freemason ring.

Marie Antoinette Season 2 airs Sundays on most local PBS stations, the PBS App, and the PBS Masterpiece Prime Video Channel at 10 p.m. ET. All eight episodes of the new series are available on PBS Passport for members to stream. Season 1 is available to stream for members on PBS Passport and on the Prime Video Masterpiece Channel.