In the first episode of Franklin, we saw that the American polymath was trying to get all the help that he could. He encountered a lot of roadblocks, and he realized that his journey was not going to be that easy. Franklin found some solid allies, but still, the French King was not ready to back the American forces. So let’s find out what happened in the second episode and if Franklin was able to convince the French government to help his cause.Â
Spoiler Alert
What happened between Franklin and Anne?
Franklin and Anne were getting close to each other, and they found comfort in each other’s company. Anne asked Franklin if he was married or not, and very diplomatically, he told him that his wife, Deborah, passed away a few years ago and that she was a faithful help. Franklin somewhere suggested that he was not that close to his wife. Franklin and Anne were talking to each other when Monsieur Brillon, Anne’s husband, walked in on them, and he very bluntly asked Franklin if he was trying to get intimate with his wife. Once again, Franklin replied in his own fashion and told him that he wouldn’t do that with anybody else’s wife, and that too in their home. Anne narrated to Franklin the story about her marriage and how she felt that she was stuck with him. She told her that her father married her to Brillon without even asking her, and after she came to live with him, she realized that he was not the kind of man she would want to spend her life with. Anne was also very possessive of Franklin, and we saw her taking Franklin away with her when he was talking to a bunch of ladies at a party. Cunegonde was also getting quite close to Temple, and it was evident by looking into the latter’s eyes how attracted he was to her. It felt like, with Franklin’s arrival, Anne had something to look forward to. Her life was very mundane, but now she had reasons to be excited and have fun. It would be interesting to see where their relationship goes from here and if something actually happens between them or not.
Why was Chaumont skeptical about smuggling goods?
Minister Vergennes knew that Chaumont and Beaumarchais were together providing guns and ammunition, and he was just trying to gather evidence against them. Vergennes was sailing on two boats, where on one end, he had ordered Lenoir to find whatever evidence he could get, and probably deep down, he wanted the American forces to get all the help that they could. It was pretty evident in the previous episode of Franklin that Vergennes wanted to convince the King to help the Americans in their war against the English forces, but the King very bluntly told him that he didn’t want to interfere in their matter. The King felt that it would be better if both forces destroyed each other, and he stood on the sidelines and took advantage of the situation whenever the time arrived. But Vergennes knew that his plan was going to backfire, and staying neutral was not an option at all. Things got even more complicated when the dead body of one of the workers was found in the Le Havre River, and the authorities learned about it. Chaumont was skeptical about the entire deal, and at times, he felt like backing out altogether and saving himself. But Beaumarchais told him that he would earn a huge amount of money if the Americans won the war. Even Franklin came and told Chaumont that the American Congress would be ready to pay him whatever amount he quoted. Franklin didn’t have any such conversation with Congress, and he was just bluffing, but he knew that he would have to say such things to help the cause of his nation.
Did Lafayette get to go to the US?
Lafayette wanted to join the American forces and fight the war alongside them. He was in talks with Temple because he wanted him to ask his grandfather for a permit to go to America. Franklin told Temple that it was not possible to do that since there were a lot of complications. But Lafayette was persistent, and he was in no mood to give up. Temple was an intelligent boy, and this secret mission in France made him realize a lot of things about himself. He didn’t know what he wanted to do in his life, but he was very sure about one thing: he would only do the work that he was passionate about. Franklin respected his grandson way too much. In him, he saw the son he never had. In the previous episode, we realized how disappointed Franklin was with his son and how he didn’t want any kind of association with him. Temple gave all sorts of logical arguments, but in the end, he made his grandfather get the permit for Lafayette. Lafayette knew the kind of risk he was taking, but he was not ready to back out, and he had made it his mission in life to defeat the English forces.
What did Mr. William offer Franklin?
Lord Stormont met with Vergennes, and he had already learned about the illegal cargo that was being smuggled out of France. Stormont wanted to do something about it, and he asked Vergennes to take immediate action. At the end of the second episode, Franklin got to know that a man named Mr. William wanted to meet him and discuss something about the ongoing situation. The French government was keeping a close eye on Franklin, and they also learned about the meeting. Mr. William gave Franklin a lucrative offer, and he told him that the English government was ready to reach a deal and stop the war. William said that all the restrictive acts would be revoked, and the English government would only have a say in selective matters. Franklin didn’t accept the offer, as he realized that the fact that the English government was ready to negotiate meant that they knew they were going to lose. Meanwhile, somebody conducted a raid at Franklin’s house, and things got a bit heated up. Lenoir, who was present at the scene, said that he had nothing to do with it, but at that moment, Franklin did not believe his words. In the subsequent episode, it will be interesting to see what tactics Franklin resorts to and if the Americans actually defeat the English forces or not.
