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The third season finale of The Tudors was truly top notch.  While the second season finale is definitely my favorite thus far - this was a very close second place.  The episode covered the downfall of Cromwell and the King's marriage to Anne of Cleeves, as well as the introduction to the woman that will become the King's fifth wife - Katherine Howard.

We open to find that the King is eager to end yet another marriage - this one to Anne of Cleeves.  He believes he has found an out - thanks to the fact that she may still be committed to the previous man she was set to marry.  During discussion with Brandon about his very unhappy marriage - I loved the following exchange:

"Who needs Cleeves?" - King Henry

"Cromwell" - Charles Brandon

Truer words were never spoken.  Cromwell pushed this marriage for his own purposes, even knowing that if it didn't work out for whatever reason - it may lead to his downfall.  He tried to stress that there was no way out of the marriage (further adding to his losing favor with the King).  He was desperate to keep the King in this marriage at all costs.

Anne attempts to set up Princess Mary with her cousin Duke Phillip.  While it's not mentioned in the show - I was wondering if this was a set-up.  Although they truly seemed smitten with each other, I had to wonder if Anne was doing this in an attempt to stay in the King's good graces.  If Mary fell in love with her relative - wouldn't the King be less likely to get rid of her - either metaphorically or physically?  Even though Mary does fall quite hard for the Duke, she learns that the King has sent him back home.  Mary brushes it off and pretends not to care when speaking with Anne - but it's obvious she is crushed.  It's a shame that they didn't work out - I found them to be quite sweet together.  And it was nice to finally see Mary in a relationship.

Now that Brandon knows the King is going to end his marriage to Anne - he's on a mission to find him a new mistress.  Of course the man to take on the task of finding a mistress for the King is the ever creepy Sir Francis Bryan.  He heads out to another brothel - but this one is stranger than the others we've seen him in.  The women are incredibly young.  But he stumbles across one he thinks the King will fancy - 17-year-old Katherine Howard.

Katherine is brought to court and unlike Anne of Cleeves, she is appropriately trained on how to deal with the King.  That said - her brothel background means that she's already well suited to handle him.  She reminds me a great deal of a young Anne Boleyn (who historically was her first cousin).  She's very silly and young - in a lot of the scenes it's overwhelming just how young she is - the giggles especially.  Was I the only one who was sick of the Katherine Howard giggles by the end of the episode?  But she does remind me of how powerful Anne was with her sexuality - she knew how to use that to manipulate the King.  What Katherine lacks, however, is the brains that Anne had.  We'll see if Katherine proves to be as powerful a match for the King that Anne was.  Although that drew the King in at the beginning with Anne, her unrelenting behavior and standing up to him were what was her downfall (along with not giving him a son).

The scene with the ring was rather amusing.  Katherine is incredibly naughty and manipulative and it was quite funny how baffled he looked.  He still seemed a bit concerned about not being able to consummate the relationship, but he need not worry.  He had no problem starting a relationship with Katherine.

On to Cromwell.  Early in the episode, the King has a discussion with Cromwell and informs him that despite what everyone is saying about him - the King still trusts him.  As soon as those words came out of his mouth - they were the kiss of death for Cromwell.  The King has proven before that when he says that - it's all over.  Just ask Wolsey, Moore and Ask.  It does give Cromwell temporary relief, however.  He believes what the King is telling him.  Even though he should know better.

Brandon continues his relentless effort to have Cromwell removed.  He informs the King that France is willing to stop their war against England on one condition - that Cromwell is no longer in power.  I had to wonder - did France really say that?  Or did Brandon just throw that out there hoping the King would believe him and not question it? 

Cromwell is arrested for treason in front of the entire Council.  They scream at him - calling him a traitor.  Unlike the men before him (Wolsey and Moore) - he does not go quietly.  He denies that he's a traitor and drags his feet as he is taken away.  Anyone catch the smug looks on Seymour and Brandon's faces?  Their day had finally arrived.  I find it interesting that Brandon is so easily eager to get rid of people he doesn't like but struggles so much with being a warrior and having to kill people.  Seems to me you're either okay with it or you're not.  But I guess with Brandon it's not all black/white.  There's a lot of grey in there.

While in the Tower, Cromwell is ordered to write a letter confirming that the King never consummated his relationship with Anne of Cleeves, thus making way for the end of their marriage.  The director did an amazing job with this scene - showing the incredibly silly Katherine Howard giggling as she read Cromwell's letter to the King while naked.  They had a few good laughs, until the King read the last line.  Cromwell begging for his mercy.  As we've also learned over these three seasons - even though Henry struggles with his choices to execute people he cares about - he does it anyway.  He's always right, don't you know?

But I thought the scene was very well done.  Henry is finally back where he likes to be - in bed with a beautiful woman.  Even though that terrible Cromwell tried to keep him with a woman who was "ugly", he showed him. 

Cromwell doesn't appear to have a trial - at least in TV land.  He's convicted of treason and sentenced to death.  Again, creepy Bryan steps in and takes the executioner out to get rip roaring drunk.  As soon as I saw them doing that - I knew why.  Most executions are swift with one swing of the axe.  By getting the guy totally drunk, their hope is he would have struggles chopping off the head of Cromwell - making it considerably more painful.

Cromwell is taken to be executed - and the crowd is back.  You may recall I was previously baffled why no one was at the execution of Ask.  Cromwell does the normal speech (love the King, love God, etc.) and puts his head on the wood stump.  He begs the executioner to make sure it's one swift swing of the axe - but unfortunately that doesn't happen.  The guy goes after Cromwell's neck about six times before a guard comes in and finishes off the job.  Everyone in the crowd looked thoroughly disgusted - as was I.  Especially with Bryan - what a jerk.  Can't they throw him up there? 

The season finale ends with a very silly Katherine Howard swinging around on a wooden swing.  Her silliness and giggles are so very annoying.  Even the King looks a little bothered by her.  I don't get the sense he's in love with her or even smitten with her.  I think she helps him feel young again.  She's serving a purpose and nothing more.  At least with Anne Boleyn - there was passion.  They were passionate about each other in the beginning.  But even Anne served a purpose - or she was hoping to.  To give him the son he wanted.  Whoops.

I have to take a moment to write about how fantastic James Frain has been during his two year run on the show.  I've been a fan of James since seeing him in the movie "Where the Heart Is" with Natalie Portman several years ago.  He brought a subtle strength to the role of Cromwell and I thought his scenes in the finale were superb.  He wasn't as in your face as Wolsey was in relation to the King.  Everything he did was relatively under the radar.  But his portrayal of Cromwell almost made you feel sympathetic for him.  Especially in the finale - I felt bad that he was in the position he was.  Even though he brought this on himself with his actions.  If he had stepped back from what he wanted (the reformation) and realized there were possibly other ways to go about that - he may well have lived.  His downfall was not thinking before he acted.  And the last straw was Anne of Cleeves.  He thought if he could make that work - it would save his life.  But his deception was his undoing.  The King was furious and there was no coming back from that. 

But kudos to James for his amazing job in the finale and all two years on the show.  He'll be missed next year.  And I also have to give kudos to those playing Sir Francis Bryan and Katherine Howard.  You definitely make it easy to dislike them both.  :) 

It'll be interesting to see how the last season kicks off next year.  We know Joss will be back as Anne of Cleeves and Katherine Howard will become Henry's fifth wife.  There's a great deal that goes down with Katherine, so I think it'll be a great last season.  It's a shame we have to wait so long to enjoy it though!  :)  

Until next season!  The Tudors will return in spring 2010 for its final season.   

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