POLDARK: The Battle for Ross Poldark {Recap}

Poldark ended the season by finally – perhaps? – answering the question that has been central to the show since last season: to whom does Ross’ heart belong?

Since Ross (Aidan Turner) slept with Elizabeth (Heida Reed) and Demelza (Eleanor Tomlinson) figured it out, Cornwall has been a tense place for the three of them. With Elizabeth now married to George Warleggan (Jack Farthing), there appears to be no way Ross can win. George points that out well enough, but by the end of the episode, I don’t know if that’s true.

Sure, George has Elizabeth, the family home, and more money than Ross knows what to do with, but George is rather alone. He has no friends – or no one who would come to his aid – and Ross does.

Because if nothing else, Demelza being shot at by one of George’s goons spurs most of the villages to come and defend her honor.

Poldark, Season 2
MASTERPIECE on PBS
Episode Nine
Sunday, November 27th at 9pm ET on PBS
The wars tempt Ross and Dwight. An enraged mob threatens George and Elizabeth. Caroline and Dwight have a fateful reunion. Ross and Demelza confront their demons.
Courtesy of Mammoth Screen/BBC and MASTERPIECE

Ross probably doesn’t deserve to have Demelza by the end, though he may not. Sure, she goes home with him after the confrontation with George, but she has no desire to be second best to Elizabeth. For all that Demelza is so strong-willed and knows her mind, she also doesn’t allow for herself to listen and truly understand someone else. Ross had apologized repeatedly and she wants to dig her head in the sand and pretend as if she’s been wronged again and again (not that she’s not been wronged, but it felt as if at the end she wanted to lord Ross’ infidelity over him) and not see that Ross came back and has not run off with Elizabeth.

Poldark, Season 2
MASTERPIECE on PBS
Episode Nine
Sunday, November 27th at 9pm ET on PBS
The wars tempt Ross and Dwight. An enraged mob threatens George and Elizabeth. Caroline and Dwight have a fateful reunion. Ross and Demelza confront their demons.
Shown from left to right: Eleanor Tomlinson as Demelza and Aidan Turner as Ross Poldark
Courtesy of Mammoth Screen/BBC and MASTERPIECE

But of course, Ross doesn’t know that Elizabeth’s new child might not be George’s at all. That will make for some very interesting drama in the next season of Poldark.