‘Reign’ Series Finale Preview: How Will Season 4 Episode 16 End? [Spoilers]

How do you say goodbye to a show that has been there for you during your good days and the bad? It is impossible. Sadly, that is exactly what fans of The CW’s Reign will have to do on Friday, June 16, when the Reign series finale airs.

Reign‘s wild four-year run will culminate in a series finale that many fans are probably as excited to witness, as they are apprehensive. That nervousness stems from where exactly Reign will leave its leading lady, Mary, Queen of Scots, when it concludes. Throughout Reign Season 4, Mary (Adelaide Kane) has fought enemies from within and outside her palace to preserve her power and her life.

As Reign approaches its series finale, Mary is not in the best shape to take down her enemies. Reign Season 4 Episode 15 included Mary’s dramatic delivery of King James and a cliffhanger ending as the baby’s father Lord Darnley (Will Kemp) absconded with the infant in the midst of a psychotic episode.

Reign series finale synopsis

Behold the final episode synopsis for Reign. Unfortunately, there is no insight on what will happen with Catherine (Megan Follows) or any of the characters from French court. Per The CW’s press site, this is the official synopsis for the last episode of Reign.

“Mary (Adelaide Kane) makes a decision that will change the course of history — forever shaping the fate of her nation, her crown, and her newborn son. Mary’s perilous move for her survival causes the stunning realization that perhaps she is not the only one who may not survive. Meanwhile, Elizabeth (Rachel Skarsten) steadies herself for war and will become the instigator in Mary’s demise while later realizing she and Mary might be more similar than either thought.”

Warning: Spoilers pertaining to Reign and its historical context lie ahead.

What do spoilers say about how Mary’s story will end on Reign?

History dictates that Mary’s story does not end well. Will Reign go that far in her story? What of Darnley’s death and Mary’s marriage to Bothwell? Will Reign be able to fit all of it in before the finale?

In real life, a great deal happened before Mary’s death and Reign is in a rush against time to cover the big points. Could Reign end Mary’s on-screen journey on a hopeful note before revealing her fate via an ending scroll card? It would be a way to marry a somewhat happy ending with a sad one.

Spoilers: Will Reign feature a grave ending?

Behind-the-scenes photos posted on social media by the Reign cast hint that Reign will depict Mary’s execution. Reign actress Adelaide Kane posted a picture on her personal Instagram account that showed her and fellow Reign actress Rachel Skarsten in-character on the Reign set. Ominously sitting between them in the photo is an execution block. You can see the photo here.

Spoilers: Is Mary really going to die in the Reign finale?

While the picture indicates Mary’s execution on Reign is a done deal, the photo may not reveal what it appears to. The Reign cast could be filming a dream sequence of Mary having a nightmare of what her fate will be.

It would explain why Mary does not appear to have aged for the scene. In real life, Mary, Queen of Scots, was 44 years old when she was executed.

What about the Reign characters besides the three queens?

While Reign fans obviously care about the monarchs at the center of its story, Reign‘s other characters have also endeared themselves to the hearts of viewers. What will become of Catherine’s daughter Claude (Rose Williams)? Will she and Narcisse’s son remain married?

In the penultimate episode of Reign, it was revealed that Claude’s former fiancee Leith was engaged to another woman. Following some sage advice from her mother, Claude appeared to be reconsidering her stance on her patient and kind husband. Claude and Luc’s romance has been an unexpected delight during Reign‘s final season, and fans are undoubtedly curious to see if they end up together.

Back in Scotland, fans will have to wait and see if Greer (Celina Sinden) and Mary’s brother James (Dan Jeannotte) continue their romance. The pair’s growing relationship came to an abrupt halt when Mary was forced to banish James from court a few episodes ago.

Will Narcisse get away with his revenge against Elizabeth?

While Narcisse’s revenge plot has been successful so far, Elizabeth could become wise to his schemes in the Reign finale. Will Narcisse (Craig Parker) end up on the block himself? Will Elizabeth avenge Gideon before Reign ends?

Tune in and watch the Reign finale to find out. The series finale of Reign airs this Friday, June 16, at 9 p.m. EST on The CW.

[Featured Image by Ben Mark Holzberg/The CW]