‘Reign’ Season 2 Preview: New Men, Power Struggles, Hauntings & More!

Two hot newcomers, even more complicated power struggles, drama for “Greith,” and a wedding are all on the way in “Reign” Season 2, premiering this Thursday night on The CW.

At a recent screening of the premiere for TV journalists, Executive Producer Laurie McCarthy and series star Adelaide Kane (Mary Queen of Scots) revealed quite a bit about what viewers can look forward to in the coming weeks.

In the Season 2 premiere, we’ll meet Louis Conde (Sean Teale) and Lord Stefan Narcisse (“Spartacus” and “The Seeker” alum Craig Parker). “Narcisse obviously is introduced as a villain,” Laurie said of Craig’s character, who Access Hollywood can exclusively reveal this first photo of (above).

PHOTOS: ‘Reign’: The Latest Pics From Season 2

Narcisse, the EP said, is a “very powerful Catholic noble.”

As for Conde, he doesn’t appear to be a villain, but will be related to one of the conflicts coming in Season 2. “He’s mentioned as a cousin of the King. … There were many cousins and he’s a cousin many times removed, but his brother is a Protestant leader in a region called Navarre, so they’re really gonna be kind of the face of the conflict that we’re gonna be playing and they’re both amazing actors,” Laurie said of Sean and Craig.

Francis rode his horse out of the castle on the way to find Lola and his child-on-the-way in the Season 1 finale, but when he returns to court at some point in Season 2, he and Mary will struggle with their new role as the rulers of France (now that King Henry is dead). “They have an idealistic vision of how they want to rule and it’s quite unrealistic. The way Henry and Catherine ruled was a mixture of sort of like bargaining and fear,” Adelaide said. “I think fear was a large part because King Henry was so volatile and… was seen as a very masculine, strong leader and you wouldn’t mess with him… because he’d split you down the middle in the throne room. But, Francis… he’s approaching things very differently and it’s gonna be seen as weakness, they’re going to be seen as being weak because they’re compassionate and whenever sovereignty sort of changes over… there’s always was a mad scramble… to see who could gain from the instability while rule was changing over.”

Francis actually killed his mad father at the end of Season 1 to try and stop some instability, and he won’t be able to just brush the feelings that go along with patricide, aside. “Francis will go into [ruling] with the best of intentions…but, you know, he’s carrying a secret from the previous season and that is that he murdered the previous King. And so that is gonna come back to haunt him,” Laurie said. “It’ll play a role just as we’re realizing how kind of intense the violence grows between the Protestants and the Catholics.”

The “Reign” EP said others will also have some troubles of their own with regards to hauntings. “We’re seeing some ghosts this season and I think it’s because people — they were really superstitious,” Laurie said. “It’s a castle full of guilty people. Even people who aren’t villains, I think, feel certain guilt for the way they live and… what they’re given and how they’re allowed to survive.”

Bash’s love of Mary put him into a precarious position with Francis in Season 1, but by the end of the show’s initial run, and long after each man said “I do” to their brides, they were able to bond again. Their closeness will pave the way for Bash to get some new powers. “He’s very closely aligned with his brother and he will eventually become the King’s deputy. He’ll become kind of the strongman for the King, which is a great position if the King is doing really well, but if the King is making mistakes and then you are going out and kind of… being the muscle for those mistakes, it can be very dangerous,” Laurie said.

PHOTOS: ‘Reign’ Season 2 Character Portraits

One of the romances that delighted fans in Season 1 was the one between former kitchen boy-turned-soldier Leith and Mary’s lady in waiting, Greer. She’s now engaged to Lord Castleroy, but that big twist at the end of Season 1, where Leith met the Lord’s pretty redheaded daughter, throws a wrench in the works. “Having him around disturbs her greatly,” Adelaide said of how Greer will feel.

Another thing to look forward to this season is a wedding. Laurie confirmed someone will walk down the aisle, but she stopped short of revealing who.

And, as we head into Season 2, the question of Queen Elizabeth still looms. “I don’t know,” Laurie said when asked if we’ll meet King Henry VIII’s daughter this season. But, from afar, Queen Elizabeth I, “will loom large.”

“Reign” returns Thursday at 9/8c on The CW.

Jolie Lash

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