The Death Of Wolsey is the 10th overall episode and the finale of Season 1 of The Tudors. With Thomas Wolsey gone, King Henry VIII finds a way to responsibly rule his own kingdom before he loses his privileges to other laws that are plan to be set in motion.
Synopsis[]
The episode starts with King Henry thinking about Anne Boleyn, before addressing his council about the matters at hand. When it was over Thomas Howard told Charles Brandon that Thomas Wolsey is still alive and was not charged with treason, but dismissed from his posts and warned him that he must be stopped for good for if he were to regain power, he would seek vengeance on those who tried to dismiss him. Charles told him that Wolsey was not a threat and that he should ignore it. Thomas More informed Thomas Cromwell that he would be more strict on heretics Since Wolsey was being too “soft“ on them, he further keeps his word by burning Simon Fish at the stake.
Henry reads a paragraph out loud to Anne from a book in which she promised she would show to him. He vows that he will work day and night to resolve things which includes his annulment to Catherine of Aragon. Thomas Cromwell informs Henry that the matter he faces isn’t a legal one, but a theological one as he suggests for Henry to have theologians in colleges and universities pass verdict upon the matter. While the verdict was pending, Henry receives a letter from the Pope in Rome that he is ordered to remove Anne from court and continue his marriage to Catherine without the authorization to remarry. This brings Wolsey back to his post as well.
However, Thomas Cromwell learns from one of Wolsey’s private physicians that Wolsey turned to the Emperor and the Pope, and had conspired with Catherine to be restored to power. Once Henry found out about it, he had Wolsey arrested for High Treason. As Wolsey sits In prison he addresses God about his sins all while elsewhere they put on a play mocking Wolsey about his sins and his downfall leading him on his path to Hell. After Wolsey was done, he took a knife and slit his own throat committing suicide. Cromwell informs Henry of his suicide, which Henry was stricken to hear and orders everyone else leave while he finishes up his game. More become aware of Henry’s new knowledge of being king.
Lastly, Henry and Anne ride to the forest to make love but Anne at the last second, thinking about what her father told her, tells Henry to stop leaving both of them frustrated.