'Reign' Preview: 7 Teasers from 'Hearts and Minds'

Last week on Reign, Francis kissed Mary and told her that he understood why she needed to marry Tomas to help Scotland after Bash was wounded in France’s attempt to send men to help. But just because Mary let Tomas know that they had a deal does not mean the queen and her ladies-in-waiting can hop on the nearest ship to Portugal.

“Hearts and Minds” begins with an archery tournament. Fittingly, it’s Francis vs. Tomas with Mary watching from the sidelines with her friends. To say things turn ugly between the two men is an understatement. Remember the seemingly sweet, thoughtful, flirty man we met last week? It turns out that version of Tomas was more or less an act to get what he wanted: a queen.

Since King Henry and Mary’s uncle have to sign off on the treaty before it can be official, Mary and her ladies remain at court for the time being, as does Tomas. Francis is troubled by some of the rumors he’s heard about Tomas, including one that he’d killed his wife. But can he find a way to stop the marriage?

We obviously can’t answer that (although we think most people can guess). Of course just because viewers might know the outcome doesn’t mean they shouldn’t enjoy the journey. The episode fires on all cylinders and it’s our favorite one to date because so much happens during the hour. Here are seven teasers that we can share:

1. Whether you’re Team Francis or Team Bash, be prepared for a lot of great brotherly scenes in the episode. The two have a common goal and watching them work together to achieve it is a lot of fun.

2. Tomas is the worst. Look for a scene where he shows Mary and Aylee just what kind of husband he plans on being to our favorite queen. It’s chilling.

3. While everyone is waiting for the king’s decision, they’re also preparing for a costume ball. One of the ladies makes an interesting clothing choice that surprises her friends, but there’s definitely a good reason.

4. Even though Mary offers her ladies a choice of whether or not they want to join her in Portugal or stay in France and they all agree to make the trip, Kenna isn’t really interested in leaving and makes that clear to the king. But what will it take for him to allow her to stay?

5. In the beginning of the episode, Bash is still recovering from his wounds and Nostradamus is not the best nursemaid. One of Mary’s ladies-in-waiting comes to check on him and ends up staying. If this was a chemistry test, we’re intrigued.

6. Mary is not an average teenage queen by any means and she proves it once more in this episode. She’s not one to sit back on the sidelines; instead, Mary takes charge. One scene in particular had us applauding.

7. Clarissa returns to aid Mary once more. But it’s what happens after Mary thanks her for her help that will have everyone gasping.