[TV] The Bastard Executioner

[Disenchanted]

I'm not really sure. As you point it out it seems like one of those things that are a bit vague. But if I was to once again piece together something from the first four episodes it would be a little something like this ...

I'm thinking they knew the real executioner, he had fairly horrible pox scars and other markings on his body as I recall it. Wilkins clearly doesn't have those. He made that little X scar on his face to keep up appearances but I doubt he mutilated himself further.

In the first episode you had that other guy that pointed out he wasn't the real executioner. He was then promptly accused of other things, can't remember exactly what it was now, and the real executioners family sided with Wilkins and told the public he was the real one (that is one way of replacing your abusing husband with a new pretty one). This whole thing ending in the first episode execution. Considering that the Chamberlain is down and involved with various schemes I'm sure he used the services of the real executioner once or twice. The Chamberlain probably knew from there on that Wilkins wasn't the real one, or at least had suspicions something was off.

In the next episode Wilkins probably outed himself with his amazing swordsmanship, much better then some lowly executioner should have.

In this latest episode (fourth) you had another person knowing he wasn't the real executioner, plus Wilkins got blind sided by the jewelry of his dead wife and outed himself yet again as a master swordsmen in the fighting circle when he was supposed to be fairly crap at fighting. Which led to another arranged death; choking on the chicken or whatever.

I'm not sure the Chamberlain knows exactly whom Wilkins is, he just knows he isn't the real executioner. I'm not even sure that we, the audience, knows who Wilkins really is. Except we know he came from the village and he was some kind of soldier once upon a time before his peasant life. There is that battle field scene and that he had swords and such buried beneath the ground in his house.

That said the Chamberlain probably went about collecting Wilkins friends from the woods (how did he know where they where?) to hold in the dungeon as leverage and to keep Wilkins in check so he won't ruin the Chamberlains deal with that other town/lord to build the harbor, which would make him richer and more powerful. Wilkins is quite resourceful and useful as a tool for the Chamberlains plans and schemes of power so he has no reason to out him (yet).

Wilkins can probably tell, shouldn't be much of an effort really, that the Chamberlain is a bit of a schemer and power-hungry like few. Both are clearly putting on faces so that the public won't know whom they really are and what they want.

The lie, or fate, that binds them together then is that both know he isn't the real executioner. But both claim that he is.

Ok, I was thinking along those lines, but wondered if I missed a scene.

After all, Corbett had his own (half) brother executed for lying and desertion... but the only way that charge sticks is if Wilkin is the "right" executioner.

Corbett knew they were in the woods because he had seen (or had someone follow) Wilkin traveling there every day.

- - - Updated - - -

I thought Olly was the bastard executioner.

Hahahahaha. Oh, you...

[Stormcall]

I'm not really sure. As you point it out it seems like one of those things that are a bit vague. But if I was to once again piece together something from the first four episodes it would be a little something like this ...


I'm not sure the Chamberlain knows exactly whom Wilkins is,

He knows exactly who he is. There was a line in...episode 3, I think, where the Chamberlain tells Wilkins to never offer the baroness advice, without asking him first. Wilkins replies something to the Chamberlain along the lines of how he doesn't work for him and isn't one of his men, and then Chamberlain replies along the lines of "You're right, Gawain Maddox isn't my man...but Wilkins Brattle certainly is."

[ravenmoon]

I was going to watch it, but the title, and then I thought oh dear, another gore-fest, violence fest - and while the story might be very good, typically very dark and very gory, and i'm already watching quite a few of those, and have seen quite a few.. do i really need to watch one more?

i was getting pissed off at the amount of senseless violence in many of these shows, contrived occassions just to show you me blood and guts, over dramatized, and man.. i just felt i've seen enough blood on series, do i really want to get into one more like that?

saying that, would you highly recommend it? if so i'll give it a shot.

[looorg]

He knows exactly who he is. There was a line in...episode 3, I think, where the Chamberlain tells Wilkins to never offer the baroness advice, without asking him first. Wilkins replies something to the Chamberlain along the lines of how he doesn't work for him and isn't one of his men, and then Chamberlain replies along the lines of "You're right, Gawain Maddox isn't my man...but Wilkins Brattle certainly is."

I must have missed that line completely. But from the last episode it seems to make sense as it was mentioned that they seem to have shared battle experience on the Scottish highlands. Beyond that I guess the latest episode was just more of the same, more intrigue and schemes. I guess my interest is starting to slip a bit tho, it takes me a few days to even bother to watch the latest episode.

So Maddox gets "tricked" by the Chamberlain to kill the wife of the other lord. Now the Chamberlain can marry of the Baroness to that lord. Which will solve the baby problem, the land problem, the rights problem and they will also build the harbour. Win-win-win-win all around. Milus must be quite pleased with himself.

But it will probably be Maddox that will have to impregnate the Baroness. At least if she gets pick. A bit unclear how his new "wife" will like that but from the ending of the episode it won't go down well. She thought she was getting a new handsome and kind husband in the deal but that doesn't seem to be the case. Woman scorn issues on the horizon.

That French guy probably made it onto the Chamberlains death-list, I'd be surprised if he doesn't have an Maddox-induced-accident in one of the coming episodes.

saying that, would you highly recommend it? if so i'll give it a shot.

Hard to say. I'm still on the fence. I'm watching it cause there just isn't that much else to watch that is moderately good, even with all the other shows starting their fall seasons last week. It's okay but it's a long way away from being SOA good. Perhaps it will become better "soon" but I'm not holding my breath or anything.

[Stormcall]

Hard to say. I'm still on the fence. I'm watching it cause there just isn't that much else to watch that is moderately good, even with all the other shows starting their fall seasons last week. It's okay but it's a long way away from being SOA good. Perhaps it will become better "soon" but I'm not holding my breath or anything.

One thing SOA had going for it that this kinda lacks so far is the whole brotherhood and multiple fun characters thing. I mean yeah, Jax was the lead, but you also had Bobby, Chibs, Juice, Tig...all entertaining characters in their own right with their own quirks and distinctive personalities. And that's not counting Clay(who is a better smug prick than the chamberlain), the Gemma/Tara angle, plus Uncer, the other law enforcement guys, and prominent rival gang members, many of whom also had their own distinctive personalities as well.

Here we have Brattle, and, uhh, that guy who hangs out with him and scowls a lot, but does little else? I don't even remember his name, much less anything about him other than that he wants revenge. Then he's got the black Muslim whose main characterization is that, uhh, he's Muslim but doesn't want people to know about it(quick, tell me any detail about him that doesn't involve the fact that he's black or the fact that he's secretly Muslim), and the sheep fucker who spend most of their time hanging out in the woods not really doing much, until the last episode which they spent doing jack shit in a dungeon. So after this many episodes, we have...a lot of the chamberlain plotting, Brattle reluctantly helping with the chamberlain's plots, the baroness being unhappy about a lot of things, and a few other dickish scheming nobles doing dickish noble-type things.

Plus, in SoA, you also had more of a sense of humor, nearly everyone in this show is all grim and deathly serious. Sure, SoA wasn't a comedy, but you still had your humorous moments, be it a Tig or Juice doing something dumb, Bobby or Jax getting in a smartass jibe(usually at the expense of Tig or Juice), Clay making some sarcastic comment about whatever was going on, etc.

[looorg]

Here we have Brattle, and, uhh, that guy who hangs out with him and scowls a lot, but does little else? I don't even remember his name, much less anything about him other than that he wants revenge. Then he's got the black Muslim whose main characterization is that, uhh, he's Muslim but doesn't want people to know about it(quick, tell me any detail about him that doesn't involve the fact that he's black or the fact that he's secretly Muslim), and the sheep fucker who spend most of their time hanging out in the woods not really doing much, until the last episode which they spent doing jack shit in a dungeon. So after this many episodes, we have...a lot of the chamberlain plotting, Brattle reluctantly helping with the chamberlain's plots, the baroness being unhappy about a lot of things, and a few other dickish scheming nobles doing dickish noble-type things.

Plus, in SoA, you also had more of a sense of humor, nearly everyone in this show is all grim and deathly serious. Sure, SoA wasn't a comedy, but you still had your humorous moments, be it a Tig or Juice doing something dumb, Bobby or Jax getting in a smartass jibe(usually at the expense of Tig or Juice), Clay making some sarcastic comment about whatever was going on, etc.

I agree. That is the downside at the moment. It just isn't "fun" in the same way as SoA was. I doubt it will even ever have those kinda of moment since it's trying to be more serious and "real". The focus is the on Maddox and Milus interactions and everyone else is just far behind as tertiary characters at best. Mostly it's just Milus doing his best at carrying out various machiavellian plots.

Right. I have not even figured out what the point or purpose of Toran Prichard (aka "sidekick" guy) is, I even had to look up his name as he is such a non-character. Maddox brought him along for no reason except them being friends (?) and to act as some kind of assistant executioner but he seems to mostly just scowl, as noted. Five episodes and all he has done is scowl, help Maddox out a bit when Milus forces him to do things and hand him his sword when he is about to execute someone. But you are right in that the side characters are just quite bland and so far pointless - it's black muslim guy (Berber the Moor, that name ...), the sheep fucker (Ash), then there was like the husky dude with the beard. Then there are the other side characters one cares even less about. I guess the priest (Ruskin) will become more important if the occult plot picks up steam.

[looorg]

More occult stuff - churchers hunting for the witch. Unclear on what side father Ruskin is.

The "Punisher", is that what they are calling Maddox now. It started to get a tad old after having everyone call him that all the time now.

The baroness is half-siblings (same father) with the bandit leader (the wolf). Matthew Rhys is great, not as great as in the Americans but still fine. At least he didn't have to put on a horrible fake accent. The baroness is really stepping up her seduction game on Maddox - guess she is starting to grow desperate for a bun in the oven. Maddox new wife tho is clearly nothing but trouble - even Milus notes that.

Right the Chamberlain came right out and said it, why he knows Maddox/Brattle isn't the real punisher. The legend of Wilkins, the farmer, the executioner. He wants them to fight with him "beyond the law" and resolve his problems since he can't trust his own men since they fight only for money.

I like that they showed all the secret passages in the castle.

Prichard is down for some fairly gruesome torture apparently or as he put it "A need for truth!". Clearly everyone else wasn't as impressed with his quest for the truth.

The episode ended on a high note tho as the Dark mute (Sutter himself) was revealed to have apparently been a crusader? Looking at the gear in the cabinet he had similar swords and armor as Wilkin so apparently Wilkin was one to. Milus even called him a legend.

The show has slowed down. It's not very action packed anymore. It's really turning a lot more machiavellian. It's still interesting. I just don't know how long they can keep that up. But as long as most other shows are crap I guess I'll keep watching. I'm starting to wonder if this whole first season is just to setup all the future problems and issues. Will Wilkin and the other bandits be like SoA to Milus? A band out outlaws that does his bidding.