Last week, we noted that we had finally gotten to see an episode with an edge. In “Dangerous Liaisons,” Episode 5, however, we found bits of it a little too blunt. That has been the problem of this show right from the beginning—a lack of consistent pacing. Yet it manages to be intriguing enough to keep us coming back for more. We liked what we saw this week, though there were bits that felt forced and unnecessary. We are talking about Pascal’s character development. But Camille manages to cause a lot of chaos, which is what we are here for. Let us go through the events of “Dangerous Liaisons,” Episode 5.
Spoilers Ahead
Camille’s Trip to Rambouillet
At the beginning of Episode 5 of “Dangerous Liaisons,” Camille makes her way to Rambouillet, to the Sevignys’ house, where the engagement is to be held. She is a surprise guest and wastes no time before she lays her cards in front of the Marquis. She tells him that she has been to the labyrinth, and if he wants her to keep the secret to herself, he must give her a sizable income for a house and the protection of the Merteuil name. The Marquis agrees and tells her that he will have a lawyer for her the next day. Meanwhile, in Paris, Valmont accompanies Jacqueline to an orphanage that triggers some of his earlier childhood memories, causing him to leave. As he gathers his thoughts, Jacqueline joins him. She tells him about Camille and how she had taken her in as a daughter, but Camille had set her sights on her husband. Valmont finally understands the true motivations behind Camille’s plans, and that puts him in jeopardy regarding his next move. He talks about it to Azolan and tells him that he is reconsidering his deception with Jacqueline because she is someone who “doesn’t deserve to be hurt.” Well, the Madonna–Mistress complex finally rears its ugly head. Did the other women that Pascal messed with deserve what happened to them just because they lacked a charitable streak? This is why men’s guilt feels so irrelevant because it is biased. He meets Jacqueline the next day and tells her how he witnessed his mother being murdered in the streets and was unable to do anything as a child. Jacqueline feels herself melting for him but leaves before she can act on her feelings.
Meanwhile, in Rambouillet, Camille runs into Ondine de Valmont, who tells her that if she helps her become the Marquess, she will guarantee the protection she needs. That night, when the entire house is merrymaking, Camille is asked to dance, which seems to trigger some memories for her. She was once dancing with Henri de Montrachet, Jacqueline’s husband, but looking at the context, we have a suspicion that maybe that led to some less-than-happy memories. She is told that Valmont has come to meet her. Camille is excited, but it dampens soon enough when he confronts her about Jacqueline. He believes that she is doing all that so that she can finally have Henri de Montrachet to herself. Camille looks heartbroken, and she tells Valmont that he knows nothing.
The next day, at the hunt, Camille understands that the Marquis has no intention of giving her what she wants, and even the Viscountess de Sevigny is intent on expelling her from her home. Camille must use her wits to confront this situation. Remembering what Ondine had told her, she looks through Valmont’s letters and finds the one written by the Vicomtesse. It talks about her infidelity and her illicit relationship with the Queen. Having found the ammunition she needs, she tells Ondine that in return for breaking the engagement, she must guarantee her everything she had promised. But Camille understands soon enough that Ondine cannot be trusted when she finds her snooping through her belongings. So, she decides to act alone. Back in Paris, Gabriel meets Henri de Montrachet, a famed surgeon who is also on a personal quest to find the soul within the human body. Now, in Gabriel’s twisted mind, is he after the soul of Camille, or has he figured out that the body was not hers after all? Another interesting thing that pops out of this interaction is that the dead body is named Ariadne. The name has a much greater significance than what Camille had discovered. This also means that the houses of Montrachet and Merteuil are connected in ways we cannot yet imagine. Henri tells his wife that they may move to Versailles soon enough, as he has been chosen to be the surgeon to the King. It is not official yet, but it will be soon enough. Jacqueline is happy about this, but her heart is torn as she has finally started understanding her feelings for Valmont, as evidenced by their meeting in his apartment. It remains to be seen what comes of that.
‘Dangerous Liaisons’ Episode 5: Ending Explained – Does Camille Break The Engagement Between Emilie And The Marquis?
Using the letter she found, Camille tells the Vicomtesse to break the engagement, citing that she suspects that the Marquis drove his wife to take her own life. Not having a choice, the Comtesse follows her instructions. But Camille is far from done. She tells the Marquis that she can still save his reputation. He must marry her, and in return, she will give him the letter that will let him have the upper hand in what’s about to go down. As the Vicomtesse announces to her guests that she has broken the engagement, the Marquis comes down with the letter and tells everyone that it is he who doesn’t want this relationship as the Sevigny name is corrupt. Camille is playing a dangerous game, but the one silver lining to come out of this is that Emilie might get to marry the man she wants. Just breaking off her engagement would still not have given her the freedom that she got from the utter ruin of her family name. Someone has rightly said that there is nothing as liberating as disrepute. As the Marquis is leaving the house, he finds Camille waiting for him in the chariot. Both of them will get married, and it is going to be a war going forward.
What To Expect From ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ Episode 6?
Camille has set out on a destructive path, one that is not just about securing her future but about destroying others. We also see Valmont developing some feelings. But what they are or can be remains to be seen. As for Gabriel, we came to know about his trouble with his hand. He could actually be an interesting character, and we would like to see him get more screen time. As for Henri de Montrachet, while we can guess what might have happened between him and Camille, we want to know more about his medical belief system. Plus, his history might indicate that even Jacqueline is not as innocent as she portrays herself. There is also some fresh hell to be expected if Camille and the Marquis are getting married. It’s time to wait a whole week to watch more of these dangerous liaisons unfold on the screen.
