Da Vinci's Demons S2E4 - "The Ends of the Earth" Recap

Lupo shows Lucrezia and her assassin how to enter the Vatican but tells her she should go in alone. She tells him about how her uncle always believed he would have had led a better life if he had been born first. He attempted to drown his brother as children and attempted to use a prepared alibi but his brother survived the attack.

It's been ten days on the boat and Leonardo is told that they have used up half their provisions due to the unforeseen addition of slaves to look after. He is then summoned below deck to see that the slaves are praying. They are afraid of sailing off the edge of the world and his inner circle want to kill them to prevent mutiny. Leonardo asks for a chance to teach them that the world is round. Meanwhile, Riario is shown to be growing closer to the woman he has begun having an affair with.

Lorenzo is shown to be travelling to the Vatican with Piero. Lupo brings Lucrezia down to meet her father. In a flashback we see her meeting him for the first time and not long after, his brother and Riario attacked to switch him out of the position. The Pope tells her that he rejected Leonardo's offer to be broken out because there is a bigger strategy in play and he asks her to have faith in it. Riario visits Nico and presents him with some drawing supplies. They chat and engage in a battle of words, with Riario trying to manipulate Nico to his side and Nico maintaining unwavering loyalty to Leonardo.

Leonardo attempts to instruct the slaves on the world being round and they remain somewhat skeptical. Leonardo says he can prove the legitimacy of his claim if they'll only wait four hours to see Venus in the manner he has predicted based on his studies of the stars. Riario attempts to discuss the Book of Leaves with Nico but they are interrupted by members of the crew who warn Riario that a storm is coming and they might crash.

Lorenzo and Piero set up camp for the night and discuss Leonardo. Lorenzo is amazed that Piero is not proud of any of Leonardo's many accomplishments. They are approached by preachers they had previously encountered that were selling pardons (remember that period of history that that was practiced?). They tell Lorenzo they know who he is and attempt to extort money from him. A fight breaks out and Lorenzo kills them. Following the victory, Piero admits some pride in Leonardo but that the situation is complicated because of his relationship with Leonardo's mother. Later, they are captured by border guards.

Lupo shows Lucrezia the Vatican library and a special sword in it. She wants to take it and Lupo objects to that plan. A guard shows up and after taking a moment to consider his dilemma, Lupo kills the guard and allows Lucrezia to leave with the sword.

Leonardo shows Adana to the deck and allows her to look through his scope. Venus is crescent-shaped as he promised but it is on the other side so she calls out to the slaves that Leonardo will lead them to their doom and a fight breaks out. Da Vinci's side is able to regain control and his men want to throw the slaves overboard. Leonardo orders them to put the slaves back in chains, leading to an argument between him and Zoroaster. Zoroaster reminds him the stars don't move as quick as he does. This leads Leonardo to have a revelation that Venus doesn't orbit Earth but it and the Earth orbits the sun. Still riding the high of this discovery, Leonardo decides to re-free the slaves. But when he and Zoroaster go below deck, they find that all the slaves except Adana have killed themselves. They release her from her chains but then she holds Zoroaster at knifepoint, begging them to kill her. They get the knife from her and she begins crying.

Lucrezia reunites with her assassin, sword in hand, and prepare to leave for Constantinople. In another flashback, we see Riario promising her and her younger sister a stay of execution. However, her uncle snaps her younger sister's neck. Lucrezia and her father are horrified. Riario apologises to Lucrezia but she responds by sitting in his face. He tells her if she breathes a word of this to her adopted family, they will be killed.

Riario's boat has been caught in the storm. It's unclear who on board survives. Leonardo speaks with Zoroaster, saying they need to protect Adana from herself.

Da Vinci's Demons airs on Saturdays on Starz at 9PM.