Screw the Rules, I have money! (Reign meta)

[nrgburst]

Reign has spent its current season methodically deconstructing this trope and also applying liberal amounts of Screw the Money, I have Rules! to explore the politics of ruling now that Francis has become King of France. The same trope also comes into play when the show explores the impact of financial freedom in a world where noblewomen usually have no direct access to money.

We are first introduced to Narcisse’s son, Lord Edward in 2x01, who asks the Queens to confine one of his rivals into plague quarantine, ensuring his infection and subsequent death.

Queen Mary: “You come here and blatantly request that we murder your foe?!”

Lord Edward: “If it were a request, I wouldn’t be so blatant. It’s more of a demand.”

Queen Catherine doesn’t blink an eye, asking for the blackmail details. He claims that the man is bedding his new wife, and that he wants vengeance without risking reprisals. (“Food for survival in exchange for one life, easily taken.”). Mary, new to the politics of ruling, is absolutely outraged, but Catherine spells it out for her:

“We have order, food, and money because [the nobles] grant it to us. And in exchange we-- grant them certain privileges.”

Catherine strongly advises bowing to his demands, an exercise in simple math, but Mary stubbornly refuses and Lord Edward has his rival’s family poisoned instead. Incensed, Mary subjects him to the same fate he had originally wanted for his rival in an exercise of Screw the Money, I have Rules. As he is dragged away, he spouts disbelief of her ignorance (and his actually suffering consequences for openly admitting to mass murder!) and ominous threats.

Lord Narcisse continues to play the trope cynically straight when he continues to torment them until mid-season, showing how his wealth is equal to their power by refusing to bow to the king or queen’s commands, reminding the Crown of its debts to him and withholding grain during famine, and getting away with murders, stolen lands, embezzling and blackmail because of it.

Queen Catherine: “You want to teach my son a lesson. About who holds the power in France.”

Lord Narcisse: “Time will teach Francis to think like his father.” (2x02)

Naturally in such a villain’s role, the trope is inverted plenty of times: Francis and Mary thwart Narcisse’s schemes over and over and eventually Francis gains the leverage to strip Narcisse of his wealth and lands and thereby most of his power mid-season. (Though notably, not all of it.)

Reign also shows a rather more deft application of this trope through the actions of Queen Catherine de Medici, who sends grain and rebuilds steeples and wells in her name to ensure that the commoners remain grateful and aware of her generosity. “I don’t care about peasants individually, but in general I care a great deal. And so should you. … There are 20 million of them and one small family of royals. To survive we must have their love. Thank heavens I can buy it!”(2x06)

It’s different from the overt way Narcisse parlays his wealth into power plays, but also very effective, and he openly admires her when he figures out her strategy.

Still, Catherine de Medici is the exception to the rule when it comes to women with money: it’s been shown throughout both seasons how powerless most noblewomen are because they have no access to their own money, even their dowries. A husband or father always holds the purse strings, which cripples women in times of crisis.

Lady Kenna: “Lola, we’re women. We’re not allowed to have things of our own. Legally, Bash even owns my corsets and lip rouge.”(2x06)

And yet a couple of the girls have made their own journeys to financial independence over the season, first Lola securing the use of her own dowry (and financial independence), then Lady Greer taking up the unsavory occupation of Madam to escape poverty after her husband is thrown into prison, rendering her destitute.

Lady Greer: “I want what I have. A man I love, not a man I have to depend on.”(2x17)

“It’s not the ideal vocation, I admit. But it pays well and I’m in charge of my own life, for the very first time.” (2x19)

I love that Reign explicitly addresses the impact of money on the choices and freedoms we are allowed in life—few shows do as a running theme, especially with how gendered the money (and therefore power) divide often is. This tug of war between the trope and its inversion are still at work now, and I expect we will continue to see it as a theme through the end of this season and into the next. Money is not exactly power, but one can get away with a lot with a strategic (ab)use of funds, from making a king a puppet to simply having the ability to buy your own cosmetics.