The Martyr's Hand

**"The Martyr's Hand"** was the third episode of the second season of *Carnival Row*.

## Synopsis

While Philo investigates the murders of the Black Raven's leaders, Vignette plots revenge.

## Cast

* Cara Delevingne as Vignette Stonemoss
* Simon McBurney as Runyan Millworthy
* Tamzin Merchant as Imogen Spurnrose
* David Gyasi as Agreus Astrayon
* Andrew Gower as Ezra Spurnrose
* Karla Crome as Tourmaline Larou
* Arty Froushan as Jonah Breakspear
* Caroline Ford as Sophie Longerbane
* Jay Ali as Kaine
* Joanne Whalley as Leonora

Guest Starring* Andrew Buchan as Mikulas Vir
* Ariyon Bakare Darius Prowell
* Jamie Harris as Sergeant Dombey
* Chloe Pirrie as Dahlia
* Varney Blamah as Tyndall
* Jessica Boone as Pix/Fae Mother
* Brian Caspe as Nigel Winetrout
* Ross Green as Leonid Pembroke
* Ryan Hayes as Constable Thatch
* Jim High as Fergus
* Ethan Kai as Éamonn
* Anthony Kaye as Bolero
* Jamie Marshall as Photographer
* Magdalena Šittová as Kinga
* Sinéad Phelps as Jenila
* Eve Ponsonby as Phaedra
* Stewart Scudamore as Boz Ghaidos
* Issy Stewart as Louisa Pembroke
* Tracey Wilkinson as Afissa

## Plot

On a darkened and abandoned Carnival Row, Tourmaline looks up at the severed heads of Dahlia and Bolero. As she watches, they seem to come back to life until its clear that she is having another hallucination. The Row is not abandoned and everyone is crowding around to look at the heads on display.

Rycroft Philostrate, still doing a policeman's job even though he is not police anymore, is investigating the scene with Constable Berwick. Sergeant Dombey arrives and its clear that the local police do not care about what happened, or are even particularly interested in who killed the two Black Ravens.

From the crowd, Kaine recognises Dombey as the policeman who killed Oona the previous night at Balefire Hall. He tries to attack him, but is stopped by Vignette Stonemoss. When it becomes clear that Philo's attempts at preserving the crime scene are less than appreciated by the police, he tells Vignette to remove the heads and give the two a proper funeral.

Runyan Millworthy arrives on the Row to talk with Philo. After the events of the previous night, Millworthy advises him to lay off the plan to expose himself as a challenger to Jonah Breakspear's birthright as the oldest son of Absalom Breakspear. He advises Philo he has a plan to partially open the Row that he thinks could work. Philo agrees to Millworthy's plan when Millworthy says that if his plan fails, Philo can go back to his own scheme.

Sophie Longerbane visits Carnival Row, bringing food and medicine. In the wake of the attack on the Chancellor, it has all of the hallmarks of a public relations stunt as she also brings reporters and photographers along to document the visit. Sophie visits the makeshift hospital where the sick faeries are being treated by Afissa and others.

Tourmaline confides in Philo about the dreams and visions she's been having about Aoife Tsigani after she was present for the death of the Haruspex. She hopes that Philo is undergoing the same thing because they were both present at her passing, but he isn't. However, Philo uses the information to begin connecting the murders of Dahlia and Bolero to the murder of Lieutenant Anders.

Millworthy meets with Major Mikulas Vir and they discuss the upcoming weapons deal between The Burgue and The Pact. As part of his plan to potentially open up the Row sooner, Millworthy advises Vir to press the Chancellor for the weapons and ask for the deal to be completed sooner than either side thought possible.

Philo meets with Boz Ghaidos, asking for his helping in getting a message to Constable Berwick so he can continue investigating the murders. Boz agrees, on the condition that Philo finds a new place for Darius Prowell to stay at since he is not comfortable having a Marrok on his premises.

At Balefire, Chancellor Breakspear summons Millworthy. As Millworthy had been seen at the funeral of the two Black Ravens on Carnival Row, Breakspear is wary of his advisor. Breakspear asks Millworthy directly if he had any knowledge of the Black Raven attack on him, which Millworthy truthly answers that he did not.

Members of Parliament debate Vir's request for the weapons. Sophie advocates for opening the Row to limited amounts of workers leaving and working in the undermanned factories to begin producing weapons and equipment. The Chancellor agrees since opening the Row partially would begin to ease tensions with the fae and also shipping the weapons to The Pact would help cement their alliance.

After the meeting, Nigel Winetrout approaches the Chancellor and tells him that Sophie is now the majority owner of the factories that will be directly benefitting from the weapons deal. However, Breakspear advices him to bring proof of that and not to baselessly slander the leader of the opposition party.

On Finistere Crossing, Ezra Spurnrose is visited by Leonid and Louisa Pembroke. They pass on the information that rumours about Imogen's disappearance are spreading among the lower orders and saying that she willing went with Agreus Astrayon and was not kidnapped. Ezra refutes the rumour but asks where it originated from and learns that Agreus' servant Fergus is the source.

Philo, Tourmaline and Constable Berwick investigate churches in The Burgue based on Tourmaline's visions of Dahlia and Bolero's deaths. Eventually they find the murder site and the rest of the victims' bodies. Philo is sure the killer is not human based on the location of the bodies. Tourmaline uses her burgeoning powers of haruspexy, uses the intestines of the victims to trigger a vision. She sees the Row in chaos as humans fight fae, and a glimpse of a flying creature that appears to be the killer.

Vignette and Kaine rally the Black Raven in the wake of the deaths of their leaders. Despite some resistance, since it was clear that Dahlia was not fond of Vignette, the pair rally the group to be a more active rebellion against The Burgue.

Tourmaline goes to The Apothecary in an attempt to figure out what the dead Haruspex wants with her, and what she is trying to tell her. At the ship, she discovers that Philo has stashed Darius in the abandoned shop.

Sophie and her faun servant Jenila discuss the situation on the Row. Sophie is genuinely distraught at the conditions. Jenila is more stoic and advises Sophie to remember why they are doing this; they are aiming for Sophie to ascend to the Chancellorship herself.

Ezra finds Fergus, hoping to get information from him on Imogen and Agreus' location. Fergus confirms he is in contact with Agreus since he is still maintaining his estate and handling his affairs in The Burgue and tells Ezra their last known location was Ragusa which he heard off a crew member of the *Swan* who had been freed by The New Dawn. Ezra goes to pay Fergus for his information, but kills him instead as a filthy critch-lover.

Philo goes looking for Vignette at the Black Ravens' headquarters. Initially Kaine tries to stop him, but eventually allows Philo inside. Philo tells the Black Ravens that Dahlia and Bolero's killer isn't human, but they want revenge. Sergeant Dombey killed Oona and is a perfect target. Philo points out that killing police would escalate things, but Vignette tells him that its finally time for him to pick a side.