MY LADY JANE Episode 5 Recap: I'm Gonna Change the World

The narrator prefaces My Lady Jane Season 1 Episode 5, “I’m Gonna Change the World,” by saying, “Once upon a time, there was a young king who was poisoned, assumed dead, but was, in fact, not.” Edward (Jordan Peters) wakes up in a bed surrounded by white-clad nuns.

One nun stands over him and calls his name. He recognizes her as the late Margaret Beaufort (Barbara Marten), his Granny. Resurrection is pretty much the running theme of this episode.

Jane lies on the ground in blue gown with gold brocade. — Photo Credit: Prime Video

My Lady Jane’s “I’m Gonna Change the World”

Granny informs him that they rescued him from Mary (Kate O’Flynn) and administered the antidote to the Tofana she’s been poisoning him with. She explains one of the nuns climbed up the turret, knocked him out, and carried him to the convent on her back.

When he insists on returning to the palace, she tells him to rest up first as everything at the palace is perfectly fine. Granny’s a liar.

Jane (Emily Bader) revives from being strangled by Mary and runs to the stables to check on Guildford (Edward Bluemel). Reassured by Rupert (Stewart Scudamore) that Guildford is safe as a horse in the South Meadow, she searches for the rest of the letters. They’re gone. Rupert confirms Princess Mary came and took everything.

At the palace, Frances (Anna Chancellor) knocks on Jane’s door, insisting they speak about Guildford. Of course, Jane’s not there.

An Ethian Offer

In a nearby Ethian camp, Archer (Michael Workeye) is considering an offer from the Scottish. Archer’s inclined to take it, but Susannah (Máiréad Tyers) observes that some think an alliance with Scotland is no different than living under the English monarchs.

A troop of Kingsland Guards ride into the encampment, slaughtering Ethians in the name of Queen Jane. A battle ensues.

Susannah fights an armored assailant with a sword. — Credit: Prime Video

Day Two as Queen

Jane tells Lord Dudley (Rob Brydon) everything about Mary and Seymour (Dominic Cooper) killing Edward and trying to kill her. He cautions her that she cannot confront Mary. Jane asks what Mary’s weakness is. Dudley says it’s that she’s a woman. Jane is offended, reminding him that she’s a woman as well. Dudley reassures her that since she has Guildford as a husband, people will feel safer with her. He has paperwork she can sign to name Guildford the king.

She resists the Dudley’s plan. He insists she needs the nobility on her side if she wants to beat Mary. There are rules, and naming Guildford her king will win her the support of the nobility.

Charles (Christian Patterson) knocks just then and informs Jane that Frances is looking for her. Jane tells him that she’s busy. He acknowledges that and tells her an Irish girl begged him to give Jane a feather.

Castilian Inbreeding

Mary rages, blaming the weakness in her thumbs for not killing Jane. Seymour comforts her. Changing tacks, Mary worries that Bess (Abbie Hern) is plotting something. She tells Seymour to watch Bess while she finds an ally to help her get the throne.

She finds Lord Norfolk (Will Keen), a would-be Queenmaker, in the rose garden. If she wants his army, she must promise to make him Lord Chancellor when she is queen. This would mean firing Seymour. Norfolk promises 5,000 men to fight for Mary. He offers her a rose and is slightly surprised when she takes a bite out of it.

Mummy Dearest

Frances is organizing the banquet when Charles comes to extend Jane’s regrets. Katherine (Isabella Brownson) offers a suggestion on where to set up the wine, which Frances appreciates. Margaret (Robyn Betteridge) runs wild in the room, throwing fruit and nailing Frances in the back with an apple. Frances turns and tells her she’s sending her to the Countess of Swinford to train to be a lady. Margaret is not keen on the plan.

Susannah is shown to Jane’s chambers. Jane is shocked by her wounds. Susannah demands to know if Jane orders the Kingsland Guards to attack the encampment. Jane denies it. She insists on seeing to Susannah’s cuts and bruises. They talk quietly about how terrible things have become. Jane realizes she can make changes as queen.

She enters the council chambers and announces the Kingsland Guards will be disbanded immediately. When Seymour tries to argue, she brooks no discussion and promises anyone flouting her orders will be hanged.

Dudley and Seymour follow her and advise her the order was rash. She insists the people have nothing to fear from the Ethians but flinches a bit when Mary arrives.

Mary wears a gold gown with red detail. She is flanked by two ladies in waiting dressed in black gowns with gold detail. — Photo Credit: Prime Video

Learning that Jane has disbanded the Kingsland Guard enrages Mary, who makes plans to attack Jane again. Seymour intervenes and leads Mary away.

Left alone with Dudley, Jane observes that Mary’s hatred of Ethians is intense. Dudley explains that Mary’s mother was set aside for Anne Boleyn, Bess’s mother, who turned out to be an Ethian. Jane realizes that hatred is Mary’s weakness.

A Plan Comes Together

In her room with Susannah, Jane seals a note to Archer. Susannah sees one of Guildford’s books about curing Ethianism. She tells Jane there is no cure because it’s not a curse.

Frances knocks on the door. Jane gets Susannah to a window and goes out in the hall to talk to her mother. Frances pulls Jane into a private room and tells her she knows Guildford is an Ethian. She assures Jane that she’ll arrange a divorce. Jane instructs her not to. Frances laughs when she realizes Jane has fallen in love with Guildford.

Jane goes out to the stable and finds Guildford in human form. She asks him to kiss her and suggests she might not want a divorce anymore. They kiss earnestly and finally make love.

Jane and Guildford kiss passionately. She wears a white shift. He is shirtless and helping remove her hosiery. — Photo credit: Prime Video

In the afterglow, she shares that she’s invited Archer’s Ethians to the coronation banquet. She hopes to trigger Mary into a public display of madness. If Mary attacks her in front of witnesses, Jane can try Mary for treason.

She asks if he married her to become king. He tells her that all he wants is a cure. Jane doesn’t tell him a cure doesn’t exist.

Edward’s in Danger. Again.

At the convent, the Ethian Jane, caught trying to steal the wedding gifts, wakes Edward and tells him he’s in danger. Edward doesn’t believe him despite being locked in his room, deciding to trust his instincts instead. The Ethian, Fitz (Joe Klocek), transforms and leaves. The nuns come in. Edward views them with caution.

Petunia (Tallulah Greive) urges Bess to pack faster. She’s taking the princess to Granny as well. Bess wants to warn Jane before they go. Petunia suggests she leave a note. Bess sneaks to Jane’s door and slips a note under it. Unfortunately, no one’s in the room.

Jane wakes up in the stable and finds Guildford, in horse form, asleep next to her. She realizes she loves him in all his forms and wishes he could see that.

Bess rushes to her carriage only to find Seymour in it. He has the note she slipped under Jane’s door and considers it a betrayal of Mary. He has his men take her to Ketteringham Hall under house arrest, leaving Petunia (in dog form) behind.

At the convent, Granny checks in on Edward and scolds him for not eating breakfast. He thanks her for the TLC but wants to return to the palace. She tells him it’s not time yet and asks if he felt scared when Mary was trying to kill him. When he admits he was, she estimates he’ll be tough. To demonstrate, she quickly transforms into a tortoise and back. She explains that he has Ethian blood through her. She wants to trigger his change so he can rule as the first Ethian king.

The Littlest Grey

Seymour finds Margaret play-fighting with a toy sword. He offers her a real sword (as any normal person would for a 10-year-old), and she joyfully accepts it.

Margaret wears a two-tone pink gown and swings a full-sized sword. — Photo Credit: Prime Video

They bond over their mutual hatred of their mothers, and when Margaret flips the sword high in the air, and it sticks in a tapestry, they both avert their eyes and move on.

Lord Dudley is designing Guildford’s crown. Stan (Henry Ashford) needs to confess something, but Frances arrives and demands a word with his father. Stan insists on staying. Frances tells Dudley she knows that Guildford is a horse and that Stan was the one who told her.

Stan swings a string of pearls as he gives a comehither look dressed in lavender brocade. — Photo Credit: Prime Video

Changing Winds

Seymour goes to see Mary to tell her about his day and finds Norfolk with her. Norfolk excuses himself. Once they’re alone, she informs Seymour Norfolk will be her Lord Chancellor, but they can still shag. Seymour insists he wants her to respect him. She breaks up with him, and he storms out.

Guildford finds Jane in her chambers, dressed and anointed ALL over for the coronation banquet. She’s wearing THE ruff.

He brings her earrings that belonged to his mother. As he helps her put them on, he tells her she’s given him hope. She wants to tell him the truth about the cure, but Dudley interrupts and insists they make their entrance.

Jane and Guildford enter the banquet showered in rose petals. They begin to mingle. Dudley introduces them to Norfolk and Scrope (Jason Forbes). Norfolk brings up the riots in Cheapside. Mary interjects and explains they’re rioting because of Jane. Jane bids her welcome politely. When Mary and Norfolk go to get a drink, Charles tells Jane her guests have arrived.

Springing the Trap

Dudley calls for attention, and Jane makes her speech, encouraging all people to live in peace together and calling for the end of Division Laws. As a sign of unity, she invites in the Ethian contingent, led by Archer. They enter and stand next to her. The nobility are gobsmacked.

Jane calls on Mary to toast the Ethian guests. Mary begins by insulting the Ethians, followed by calling Jane a mistake, and then nearly threatens violence but stops herself and howls instead, embarrassing everyone present with the nastiness of the scene.

Mary screams out loud while Norfolk, dressed in velvet looks on with the crowd — Photo Credit: Prime Video

Mary rushes out of the room. The party carries on. Jane thanks Archer for accepting her invitation. She invites him to stay for the week-long coronation events so they can win the nobility to their side.

Guildford approaches two Ethians and asks if they know of a cure for Ethianism. They laugh it off, saying being an Ethian is amazing. Both Jane and Frances notice the interaction.

Jane takes Guildford by the hand and leads him outside, where she tells him there is no cure for his condition. She pleads with him to accept who he is and stand by her while she helps England unite and heal. He’s angry and unwilling to hear her. He storms off.

Sweet William

Inside, Stan is talking to Katherine. She asks the name of the handsome man she made eye contact with before. Stan says he’s one of Norfolk’s men named William (Brandon Grace) but refuses to introduce them because he believes Love is dead now.

William walks over and compliments Katherine on her gown. She responds, “My sister dressed me,” and then stands there, mortified at what she said, as William walks away. Frances comes over and sends both girls off to bed.

One of the Ethian guests follows Guildford to the stable and tells him there is a cure, and he knows where to get it.

Man’s Best Friend

Jane returns to her room and sends her staff away. Suddenly, Petunia is there, and she tells Jane she can help gather evidence against Mary and Seymour.

In the morning, Margaret bursts into Seymour’s office, sword-fighting with her toy sword again. She lets slip that Jane’s too busy this morning. Seymour asks her for details. She tells him Jane’s gone to talk to the herbalist in the market who sold him the Tofana.

When Jane arrives with her guards to arrest Mary and Seymour based on the witness testimony, they find their room completely empty.

All eight episodes of My Lady Jane are streaming on Prime Video.

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Diana Keng

Diana lives in Vancouver, BC, Canada, where she invests her time and energy in teaching, writing, parenting, and indulging her love of all Trek and a myriad of other fandoms. She is a lifelong fan of smart sci-fi and fantasy media, an upstanding citizen of the United Federation of Planets, and a supporter of AFC Richmond 'til she dies. Her guilty pleasures include female-led procedurals, old-school sitcoms, and Bluey. She teaches, knits, and dreams big. You can also find her writing at The Televixen, Women at Warp, TV Fanatic, and TV Goodness.

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