The King is waiting for a visit from the Duke of Savoy but upon his arrival, an unknown assailant attempts to kill him. Aramis catches up to him and finds that it is Marsac, an old friend of his who used to be a Musketeer. Marsac tells Aramis that the Duke was responsible for a massacre of twenty Musketeers, of which only Marsac and Aramis were the survivors. D'Artagnan catches up to the two of them and Aramis fills him in.

They eventually reveal Marsac's return to the other Musketeers and have him set up at Constance's home. Aramis tells D'Artagnan that he feels guilty about allowing Marsac to feel such guilt over deserting the Musketeers. Constance discovers that Marsac is a would-be assassin and deserter and is angry at the Musketeers for bringing him into her home. Surprisingly, she allows Marsac to stay when he apologises and offers to leave but tells D'Artagnan that he must move out. Marsac brings the Musketeers to a place where he has a man held captive, after hearing him bragging in a bar about killing Musketeers. He claims he worked for the Duke of Savoy five years prior and slaughtered the Musketeers under the Duke's orders. He also claims the Captain Treville supplied information that led to the massacre. Porthos is highly skeptical of the information but the others are intrigued enough to seek evidence to support this claim.

Constance allows D'Artagnan to stay and he promises to never lie to her again. She says that they need the money but also admits that she'd miss him.

After a tremendous amount of investigation, the Musketeers grow more and more certain that Marsac is right about the the Duke of Savoy and that Captain Treville was indeed responsible. Aramis confront Treville but decides to turn him over to the proper authorities. Marsac would rather take justice into his own hands and against the wishes of Aramis, goes after him on his own. When Marsac reaches him, Aramis in not far behind to try to stop him. Marsac demands Treville explain why he would order the massacre of the Musketeers and he drops a bomb - it was done under the orders of the King. The King was trying to protect the Duchess who was acting as a spy in Savoy. Aramis demands Marsac lower his gun but Marsac refuses, shooting his guns so that Aramis will shoot him. As he dies in Aramis' arms, he says, "Better to die a Musketeer than live like a dog."

The treaty between Savoy and France is successfully put into place.

This is perhaps the best episode of The Musketeers yet. There's character development, more back story revealed, and with D'Artagnan agreeing to help train Constance to shoot and sword fight, the show gracefully addresses the fact that female characters have been largely underdeveloped and under-utilised. JJ Feild gives a powerful, moving performance and it's almost a shame that he was only on for just one episode. This was an excellent day to break the news that The Musketeers has been commissioned for a second series. It will be interesting to see how the rest of the Cardinal's arc plays out since Peter Capaldi will not be present for the second series, having been cast as the 12th Doctor on Doctor Who. Tune in two weeks from now for the next episode of The Musketeers, as they will be taking a week off as the BAFTAs air.

The Musketeers airs on Sundays on BBC One at 9PM.

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The Musketeers are tasked with bringing an explorer/criminal named Emilie Bonnaire back to Paris to be tried before the King. He is being followed by many enemies and is even attacked by his wife but they manage to get him in custody.

Bonnaire's wife helps him to escape but is short-lived, as the Musketeers had anticipated this move. They set off for Paris and Bonnaire attempts to charm them. Porthos reveals that his mother was a slave and he was on his own from the age of five. The Musketeers are attacked yet again by men who are after Bonnaire and Porthos is injured during the attack. The leader of these men is a man named Paul Meunier, Bonnaire's former business partner. Meunier is demanding his cargo be returned to him but the Musketeers inform him that though they will relay his grievances to the King, he has no choice but to let them continue with their journey. With Porthos being injured, the Musketeers are forced to sheek shelter to treat his wounds and Athos reveals that there is a place nearby - a luxurious home that he owns. While at the home, Athos has flashbacks to when he was married to Milady de Winter.

Bonnaire's wife, Maria, shows up appearing to be injured. This turns out to be a rouse, and she holds the group at gunpoint. Bonnaire climbs aboard her horse behind her and they ride off. They are ambushed in the forest and Maria is fatally shot. Bonnaire rides off while Aramis shoots Maria's murderer. D'Artagnan catches up to Bonnaire and brings him back while Aramis discovers that this group of men after Bonnaire were Spanish.

When the group returns to Athos' home, they find Porthos in a rage. The other Musketeers restrain him and his stitches are torn open in the struggle. Porthos has discovered documents revealing that Bonnaire had used a slave ship and transported slaves. The scene is emotionally potent as Porthos reveals the horrific stories he had heard about slave ships while Athos reminds him that they have a duty to bring Bonnaire to the King. Later, Bonnaire digs a grave to bury his wife. Another flashback is shown of Athos watching as Milady de Winter is seemingly put to death - obviously it didn't take.

Athos tells D'Artagnan he must see someone in the village and to head off with the others to Paris. Athos visits the man who apparently put his wife to death, telling him "I never should have involved you in this," before heading back to the house, indulging in some drink, and angrily chucking a glass at his self-portrait. He passes out and awakens to find part of his home on fire. He then sees Milady de Winter carrying a flaming torch and is shocked by her still being alive. He asks how she is alive despite his having watched her hang and she snidely remarks that he didn't stay because he couldn't bear to watch his wife choke to death. He correctly deduces that Remy, the man Athos previously visited, helped her escape and she admits that she seduced him. After Athos left, Remy cut her down, revived her, and Milady de Winter pulls her choker down to reveal a nasty scar remaining from the hanging which she refers to as a token of Athos' love. Athos also deduces that she has killed Remy and she says that he wash half-dead already, having spent the last five years waiting for Athos to return and discover his crime. Athos is still distraught over her having murdered his brother when her discovered her criminal activities but she claims it was done to save their love. They briefly embrace and she holds a dagger to his throat, preparing to kill him before D'Artagnan is heard outside, shouting for Athos. Milady escapes and D'Artagnan runs inside the burning house, bringing Athos outside to safety. D'Artagnan questions Athos as to who the lady was that just rode off and Athos confesses that it was his wife, how he sentenced her to death, had to put duty before love, and is now still alive.

Milady visits Constance and questions her about D'Artagnan, aware of his being a lodger there and that Constance's husband is struggling with money problems. She all but threatens her and though she leaves, it is evident it won't be the last Constance will see of her. Athos asks D'Artagnan to keep quiet to the others about his wife and D'Artagnan agrees to do so. Constance tells D'Artagnan about Milady de Winter's visit and says that she is offering her husband work. She comments that her husband would not approve of his entertaining womyn in the house - clearly someone is jealous - and also states that Milady frightened her.

Bonnaire meets with the Cardinal, who is angry about Bonnaire's importing slaves to the new world to work on tobacco plantations, breaking the trade agreement between Paris and France. When Bonnaire exits the room, he informs Aramis and Porthos that he has struck a deal with the Cardinal to continue trading slaves for a new set of plantations in exchange for the Cardinal's considerable investment. Aramis and Porthos are less than pleased but have no choice but to let him leave. The Musketeers lament this unfortunate turn of events. Later, we see Bonnaire celebrating in a tavern and his former business partner, Paul Meunier is there and still angry about not receiving his cargo. Meunier prepares to have his many thugs present attack Bonnaire but the Musketeers intervene. Porthos angrily questions why they should help him and ends up in a small scuffle with Aramis. Athos tells Bonnaire that there is a ship in the harbour on which he may escape and to hurry off with D'Artagnan who will show him the way. Bonnaire boards the ship and D'Artagnan leaves him at the mercy of the captain - one of his enemies from Spain.

Back in the tavern, the Musketeers present Paul Meunier with a key to Bonnaire's warehouse containing compensation for their soured arrangement. They agree to keep this incident a secret. As far as the Cardinal is concerned, the Spanish kidnapped Bonnaire. Milady is seen spying on D'Artagnan and the Musketeers.

The Musketeers airs on Sundays at 9pm on BBC One.

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