Summary
Episode 8 is a solid ending to Season 1, but it does feel conclusive in some ways.
The whole point of the ending of The Decameron is that none of our characters deserved that villa anyway. Regardless of being a maid, a Padrona, or a man with associates, it all boiled down to selfishness. If Episode 8 proved anything, none of these characters had the military or combat experience to fight off anyone attempting to breach the luxury villa. They were all merely pathetic — only wealth, lineage, and acquaintances saved them from the plague, not anything to do with their courage or strength.
By the end of Season 1, after a few casualties and moments of clarity, our gang (who fled to the villa to hide from the plague) found themselves as outcasts after being forced out by a group of violent mercenaries. Regardless of where the story goes, it’s at least a wake-up call.
Here are some key moments from Episode 8 that I’ve broken down for you.
Tindaro foolishly finds the courage, leading to his death
(L to R) Douggie McMeekin as Tindaro and Amar Chadha-Patel as Dioneo in Episode 2 of ‘The Decameron’ (Credit – Netflix)
At the start of the series, I found Tindaro to be insufferable. He had no game with women and thought himself to be the highest of intellects. He’s the kind of wealthy person who lacks life experiences, and that’s his main insecurity.
But when the mercenaries breach the villa, he at least tries to fight them, which leads to being badly wounded. As he struggles, his blinded love for the maid Stratilia takes over, and he gives her his remaining riches. He also wants Jacopo, the maid’s son (and son of the deceased Viscont Leonardo), to recognize him as his father. The fact that he is audacious as he nears his death adds to the comedy.
When he eventually dies (after being impaled by a sword), I could at least say that Stratilia respected him. I respected him amidst his delusion.
Pampinea’s death was inevitable
(L to R) Zosia Mamet as Pampinea and Saoirse-Monica Jackson as Misia in ‘The Decameron’ (Credit – Netflix)
After all the games played by Pampinea, including trying to take ownership of the villa and pretending to be married to Viscount Leonardo, it’s no wonder she eventually finds her demise. And it had to be Misia, too, that killed her. It only made sense.
To be fair to her, she did try a redemption arc by trying to bargain with the mercenaries for the villa, but once they sniffed how weak they were in defense, it was too late. Not even the dowry, handed over by Licisca, was enough.
It seemed that Misia was ready to make amends with Pampinea, and they had a final time together to have a conversation when they let out their feelings, but you could tell Misia was struggling with her plan to betray her.
With the mercenaries taking over, Misia tells Pampinea to hide in a barrel. She locks the barrel down, sets it on fire, and walks away. Pampinea is burned to death, betrayed by a woman who would have done anything for her at one point.
But what about Misia and Filomena?
Before Pampinea’s death, it looked sure that Misia and Filomena’s romance was over. Filomena felt that Misia would never stop loving Pampinea, leading to an emotional conversation between the pair.
But Misia killing Pampinea changed things. There was a change of energy. It feels like Misia killing Filomena was also her way of letting go of her feelings and the woman’s control over her. It’s possible she realized it was not worth losing Filomena.
When Misia and Filomena reunite in Episode 8, it feels like they have an unspoken understanding. They may be together.
Filomena and Licisca find common ground
(L to R) Tessica Plummer as Filomena and Tanya Reynolds as Licisca in ‘The Decameron’ (Credit – Netflix)
These two characters did not have a good start. When Licisca betrayed Filomena at the beginning of the series and pretended to be her in the villa, I felt it was a point of no return. However, when Licisca learned that Filomena was her sister, something changed. All her life, she felt like she was wrongfully under the thumb of Filomena as a maid. But when the stakes heightened, a family member was worth fighting for.
When they need to escape the villa, Licisca realizes she cannot leave Filomena behind and decides to save her.
Once they escape the villa and into the wild, Licisca and Filomena find common ground. They had sibling love for each other all this time. They agree to both see their father to know if he’s dead (I mean, he will be. He had the plague).
Panfilo becomes a new man before his death
(L to R) Lou Gala as Neifile and Karan Gill as Panfilo in Episode 3 of ‘The Decameron’ (Credit – Netflix)
Like Tindaro, Panfilo became an entirely new character in the last episode. Seeing him manically take on the mercenaries almost felt like a mental breakdown. It all started when he killed the mercenaries’ leader, Eric, by stabbing him right through the eye.
My theory is this: it suddenly dawned on Panfilo that his best friend and wife, Neifile, is dead. It’s possible that he could not see much left in his life without his wife by his side. With the villa breached, he probably realized that his acquaintances were not unique or special enough to handle adversity. Panfilo kissing Licisca, who suddenly found attraction to his new side, was out of character (considering he’s gay), but what we were witnessing was a pure adrenaline rush. He was ready to die.
With the cellar on fire and smoke spreading around the villa, the remaining group decides to flee, knowing they no longer have a home. Panfilo thinks of a suicide plan, which involves him carrying a dead Neifile towards the mercenaries and shouting “pestilence!” to spook and distract them. And it works, but it costs Panfilo his life as he’s shot with multiple arrows.
While the mercenaries are distracted, Panfilo’s acquaintances escape the villa unscathed, away from the violence.
What about Season 2?
I’m unsure about a second season. Season 1 brought three pivotal character deaths in Panfilo, Pampinea, and Tindaro, but there was no substantial cliffhanger for the plot. The characters appear to be in exile but are delusional about their circumstances. Season 2 could focus on when their delusion wears off, and they realize they do not have a good standard of living.
It’s also highly possible that the mercenaries die from the fire in the villa or are struck down by the plague, meaning they get the lead characters their villa back.
However, the fact that they leave Season 1 feeling conclusive, with the potential to continue, feels intentional. If there is no second season, audiences need not complain that the story is unfinished.
We’d love to hear from our readers. What did you think of The Decameron Season 1, Episode 8? Did the ending warrant a Season 2, or is it over? Discuss below.
Read More: The Decameron Review
