Everything is falling into place.
The final page of The Book of Life was found on A Discovery of Witches Season 3 Episode 4, and Diana and Matthew’s family grew by two.
There is still work to do, and it will include squashing the bugs that continue to threaten everything Matthew and Diana hold dear.
After A Discovery of Witches Season 3 Episode 3, the hunt was on for TJ Weston, whose given name is Timothy.
While Phoebe and Sarah combed all traditional sources of information in the search, Diana whipped up a location spell that would require more magic than she and Sarah had together.
Yes, this episode was filled with magical special effects, from weaving to rediscovering history in search of a coven and even conjuring three-dimensional maps.
Diana’s perception of the past came to life, immersing her, Sarah, and Gallowglass in places now familiar to Diana after her timewalk.
The callback to Goody Alsop was welcome, but not more than uncovering a coven that is still active in the area.
The power of three, as always in magical circumstances, brought out Timothy’s location. There wasn’t a possibility that Diana wouldn’t secure the page, but it wasn’t as easy as it could have been.
Timothy was an example of how The Congregation has stolen lives. A recluse, he had long given up friends and was all alone. It was heartbreaking watching him cowering, self-appointed weapon in hand.
His distrust of other creatures forced Diana to turn to Agatha for help. That was a very good plan and showed Timothy that creatures can trust each other. It may not be all the time, but like with any individual, you place that trust accordingly.
Weston: Why are you helping a witch?
Agatha: The same reason that you should be, Timothy. The book is our chance to prove that demons matter, too. We have faced centuries of prejudice because no creature or human has even tried to understand us.
Before she turned to Agatha, Diana judged Gallowglass unfairly when he asked if she’d like him to talk with Timothy to move things forward.
It was about time that she understood his always-looming presence in her life.
Gallowglass: Philippe asked me to look out for you.
Diana: Look out?
Gallowglass: And make sure that you made your way to Matthew.
Diana: You would have waited centuries.
Gallowglass: I gave him my word.
Diana: He had no right to ask that of you.
Gallowglass: Diana, I did it gladly.
Philippe had asked too much of Gallowglass, who waited centuries to keep his word. For as much as Diana disliked Gallowglass’s hovering, there was a good idea for it.
Even with Philippe’s protection, a renewed friendship with Father Hubbard, Gallowglass’s unwavering watch, and her marriage to Matthew, Diana is still prey, now more than ever, as she tries to assemble The Book of Life and prepares to give birth to two supernatural children.
First, there’s Satu, poor, embarrassing Satu.
It must be so exhausting being you, Satu. Can’t you just enjoy yourself for once?
Gerbert
She’s so confident that she’s got it all figured out, but she’s going to have a great surprise waiting for her.
Satu tried convincing Gerbert that she’s the chosen one, but he waved her away. Satu’s next stop was with Benjamin.
I looked inside Diana. She has power, but she doesn’t know how to use it. Not as I can now. Everybody thinks she’s the witch from the prophecy, a witch that is destined to surpass us all. [dramatic pause] But who actually is that witch?
Satu
Seriously, Satu? Has she not kept up with the walkabout that Diana took to enhance her powers? She was in the room seconds after Diana and Matthew walked back in time. I guess she thought Diana did it to hide.
Satu’s bragging made me cringe, but her ignorance when it came to “seeing inside” of Diana without realizing that Diana had a world of time to hone her magic was the worst.
It will be fun seeing Diana and Satu battle it out if only to wipe that embarrassingly smug look off of Satu’s face and get her to stop gloating.
Diana: Timothy, we need to prove to The Congregation that their cruel and antiquated laws are the reason that creatures are suffering. This page will complete The Book of Life, make it whole again.
Weston: You don’t have to explain it. I know exactly who you are. You’re the one who will learn how it all began — the blood, the death, the fear, and the one who can put a stop to it for once and for all.
Satu wasn’t the only person thinking about Diana. Peter Knox looked like a crack addict in need of a fix as he followed Diana’s scent around town.
Owen Teale really got into those scenes, showcasing Peter’s erratic behavior. It was another cringeworthy moment when he laid down on the table where Diana had practiced her craft.
But it was terrible what he did to Timothy. Timothy just opened up for the first time in who knows how long, and he died for doing it.
Agatha was with him for his last breath, so as what happened to him reaches Diana, she’ll be more incensed than ever, which will undoubtedly bring forth the revolution she believes they need.
For Matthew’s part, he and Ransome had put the past behind them where it belonged, and their friendship was reemerging. Matthew was making cribs for the babies, and the others were surprised that he had such great talent.
But Matthew couldn’t completely disregard what had just happened between him and Ransome, and that was manifesting in his concern about his impending fatherhood. He’d let so many people down in the past, and he didn’t want to repeat past mistakes.
Miriam found Matthew to give him an unexpected update on blood rage, and she recognized right away that he questioning himself. Her news didn’t help matters, but her words afterward did the trick.
Going home without a cure doesn’t mean you’ve failed as a father, but it will if you choose to stay here.
Miriam
The bad news was that blood rage isn’t a vampire-specific trait at all, but the result of a reaction to a human genetic market that manifests at the time they’re sired.
We’ve been looking for answers in the wrong place the entire time. The answer doesn’t lie with vampires; our human genes hold the key.
Miriam
Chris didn’t think he would be able to cure blood rage, and that the blood rage was specific to Matthew and his line was startling. Although, I think it’s unlikely that they won’t ever find a cure. They’re all too committed to finding one to lose.
Like so many scenes on A Discovery of Witches, when Diana was giving birth to their children, it was realistic and full of heart. Being creatures doesn’t take away the labor involved with bringing life into the world.
Diana: Where’s Matthew?
Sarah: Diana, I was there for Rebecca when you came into this world; I’m here for you now. We can do this.
If you think of it, finding the missing pages of The Book of Life is sort of like a gestational period that will result and new life, as well.
The timing of Philip and Rebecca’s birth couldn’t have been any better. They’re ushering in a new generation that hopefully won’t be raised under the restrictive laws of The Congregation.
Sadly, we also said goodbye to Gallowglass as he realized he was no longer needed. With the birth of their children, Matthew would never leave Diana’s side again. Gallowglass had fulfilled his promise to Philippe.
We only have four three episodes left and so much material to cover. And I’m gutted that the show isn’t sticking around for more.
Time’s Convert is a fourth book in the All Souls series and finds Matthew and Diana a year after the events of the series, and follows Marcus and Phoebe, including her transformation into a vampire (you knew that was coming!).
I mention this now because Deborah Harkness is working on a fifth and sixth book in the series, too, and neither of them tells Galloglass’s story. There has to be a seventh on the way then, right?
For now, we’ve got to wind down to the A Discovery of Witches Series Finale and say goodbye to one of the best book-to-screen adaptations ever produced.
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Carissa Pavlica is the managing editor and a staff writer and critic for TV Fanatic. She’s a member of the Critic’s Choice Association, enjoys mentoring writers, conversing with cats, and passionately discussing the nuances of television and film with anyone who will listen. Follow her on Twitter and email her here at TV Fanatic.
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