PREVIEW: 'Still Star-Crossed' Season 1 Finale "Something Wicked This Way Comes"

As Verona burns and Benvolio’s execution nears, Rosaline searches for a way to save him while stopping Paris’ and Lady Capulet’s schemes. Get a sneak peek of this week’s Still Star-Crossed finale!

In “Nature Hath Framed Strange Fellows in Her Time” we watched as Rosaline and Benvolio fled Verona, chasing after Friar Lawrence, only to realize that the real danger is back in the city. Lady Capulet’s alliance with Paris has been uncovered and Rosaline realizes that her sister is in serious danger. On her way back to Livia (without Benvolio), Rosaline is intercepted and brought straight to Paris. Oh my…

“Hell is Empty and All the Devils Are Here” (Season 1, Episode 6) covers the same period of time, but focusses on what’s going on inside the city while Rosvolio/Ronvolio are gone. We literally rewind to the moment Lady Capulet sees Rosaline ride off with the Montague. She hides the letter Rosaline leaves behind and tells Livia that her sister has been kidnapped by Benvolio. Lord Capulet goes straight to Escalus and Isabella (back from her trip to Venice) with the news and everyone is scandalized, even Lord Montague, who is also present. Of course, the lords get into a major argument–Capulet spits on Montague’s offer to marry Rosaline himself, Montague demands the bride-price back, and Escalus shuts it all down. Finding Rosaline is the priority and he will shift all of guards to this mission.

Meanwhile, Paris starts to execute his own plans, first by returning to Mantua to reveal to his father that he is not dead. However, with Rosaline “kidnapped” he realizes an opportunity. If he’s able to get permission from Lord Capulet and Escalus, he can bring his own soldiers into the city under the guise of the search for Rosaline. This will also allow him to entrench himself further in Livia’s good graces. In any event, Paris promises to help Livia find her sister and they share a sweet kiss… all the while, Lady Capulet hides in the shadows, watching the exchange.

Courtesy of ABC/Jeronimo Alzarez

I RUE THE DAY I EVER STARTED SHIPPING COUNTLIVIA! *CRIES*

Paris officially arrives in Verona the next day, apologizes for missing Juliet’s funeral, and offers Lord Capulet assistance with finding Rosaline. Lady Capulet makes a big show of lamenting the fact that Paris can no longer be part of their family… of course, Livia (who is serving them lunch) makes eye-contact with Paris. Does he really mean to marry her???

Courtesy of ABC/Jeronimo Alzarez

Paris goes to Escalus with his offer, but Escalus declines, believing he can handle the search for Rosaline himself. Paris confides in Lady Capulet, who gives him the idea of creating even more insecurity in the city, so Escalus will have no choice but to accept Paris’ help. So, along with a hired hand, Paris goes to a church in the middle of the night and slaughter the people in attendance. It’s horrifying. And, as expected, Escalus feels so much guilt, he accepts Paris’ aid.

But what is Paris’ and Lady Capulet’s endgame? We eventually learn that Paris wants Verona for himself! He wants to depose Escalus, assume the position of Prince, and solidify his claim with a Capulet at his side…Livia! Lady Capulet aims to destroy the Montagues and, in the war to come, her House is more likely to be protected if a Prince Paris is on their side. And Lady Capulet wants both Benvolio and Rosaline dead for their role in Juliet’s marriage to Romeo.

Lord Capulet is still dealing with his own emotional burdens. When he finds out that Lord Montague has taken over the construction of his family cathedral, Capulet is livid. Is this the situation Juliet is warning him about? The idea that the Montagues would seize the Capulets’ crowning achievement like this… Lord Capulet can’t let it happen. And so he hires a man to go in to the cathedral and murder the Montague men working there and make it look like an accidental scaffolding collapse. Now no one will work there out of fear of a curse.

Lords Capulet and Montague face-off again on the Palace steps when Montague explicitly accuses Capulet of murdering his own architecht (which he did!). Their men get involved, trying to defend their lords and violence breaks out. Escalus chides them both… but Montague is still without workers. He decides to fabricate a miracle where the new statue of Virgin Mary cries blood. Surely there’s no curse, right?

Courtesy of ABC/Jeronimo Alzarez

But just when Montague believes he can continue with construction, Capulet literally burns it all down to the ground. War is coming…

With Paris outside of the city search for Rosaline, the hired hand (Orlino Ruspoli) who helped him kill those church-goers comes to Lady Capulet to demand payment. Instead of money, she promises him and his family new titles once Paris is Prince. Instead, Lady Capulet frames Orlino for the whole slaughter and for being the masked vigilante who’s been causing destruction in the city. When Orlino is captured, Escalus demands answers. But the only think Orlino will say is that Escalus’ time as prince is coming to an end. “The Fiend is an army; the Fiend is everywhere. The new Prince is coming!”

Escalus has had enough and decides to go searching for Rosaline himself. But Benvolio is also waiting outside the camp and attempting to save Rosaline too!

We return to Rosaline as she’s brought Paris. She’s adamant that she speak with Escalus, but you can tell Paris is trying to maipulate her. Even though she is clear that Benvolio never kidnapped her, Paris clearly wants Rosaline’s story to change and is willing to delay in order to make it happen. Paris actually threatens Livia. So when Escalus captures Benvolio outside of Paris’ camp and Rosaline is brought out, she is forced to say that Benvolio kidnapped her. Paris tells Escalus that Benvolio calls himself the new Prince of Verona, which Rosaline corroborates… UHOH.

In tonight’s season finale, “Something Wicked This Way Comes” (written by Heather Mitchell, directed by Clark Johnson), Rosaline tries to save Benvolio:

THEY SAY THE TRUTH ALWAYS COME OUT—When Rosaline returns to Verona and tries to prove Benvolio’s innocence, Paris decides to take matters into his own hands. Meanwhile, Lady Capulet’s relationship with Paris comes to a head, and a shocking discovery about Lord Montague’s past is revealed. (via ABC)

The images and episode trailer (below) show us that Rosaline is going to have a really hard time of it. And even more chaos will be unleashed in Verona. If you look closely at the trailer, around the 0:22/0:23 second mark, you’ll see that Paris makes his move on Livia, and my shipper heart is simultaneously flailing and wailing. *SIGH*

And things are even more tenuous because it seems that Still Star-Crossed won’t be back for a second season… however, we’ll talk about that more in my recap/review of “Something Wicked This Way Comes”.