‘Turn: Washington’s Spies’ recap: Benedict Arnold flirts with treason

Fans of AMC’s Revolutionary War drama “Turn: Washington’s Spies” likely know the destinies of two Patriot generals without consulting Wikipedia.

George Washington (Ian Kahn) will lead the Continental Army to victory over British forces and later serve as America’s first president.

And Benedict Arnold (Owain Yeoman), consumed with rage at perceived mistreatment by the Continental Congress and his comrades in arms, will become one of the most notorious traitors in U.S. history.

When Episode 303 (“Benediction”) begins, Arnold is in good spirits. As Philadelphia’s military governor, he occupies Penn Mansion and eagerly awaits marriage to Peggy Shippen (Ksenia Solo).

This beautiful socialite only feigns affection for Arnold, however. Peggy’s true love is Major John Andre (JJ Feild), Britain’s spymaster.

“The spoils of war,” observes Peggy’s father, Edward Shippen (Mark Rolston), while touring Arnold’s restored residence. “She’s quite the prize.”

“I want nothing but the best for my exoneration,” Arnold boasts, referring to a military court’s dismissal of “baseless charges” leveled by Joseph Reed (Alex Miller) of Pennsylvania’s Supreme Executive Council.

Reed accused Arnold of stealing property that should have been sold at auction to support the army.

Arnold is also buoyed by the homecoming of Major Edward “Neddy” Burd (Richard Gallagher), the beau of Peggy’s older sister Betsy (Bethany Lind). Peggy claims she can’t marry Arnold until Betsy is betrothed. Now it seems that impediment will disappear.

“I’ve always fancied a Christmas wedding,” Betsy gushes.

“You expect Grandfather to travel through ice and snow?” asks Peggy, scheming to delay her nuptials with Arnold. “Spring is a grand time for a wedding. Perhaps even summer.”

But Betsy, fearing this might be her last chance at happiness, wants to marry as soon as possible.

When Arnold makes a toast “to young love renewed and to honor restored,” he’s interrupted by jarring news. Congress rejected the court’s decision, meaning the charges against him still stand.

“I’m back to where I started,” Arnold rants, blaming Washington for a lack of loyalty. Moreover, Arnold still holds a grudge for being assigned a desk job away from the battlefield.

This is Peggy’s opportunity to start transforming her fiance into a traitor.

She tells him about Andre, an “acquaintance” who supposedly believes England should make peace with the colonies. If Peggy encounters any Patriot with a similar mindset, she could write Andre and let him know.

“I listened politely but never expected to take him up on his offer,” Peggy says. “Until now!”

In other developments, Captain John Graves Simcoe (Samuel Roukin) and his Queen’s Rangers set out to destroy Washington’s Culper Spy Ring on Long Island.

Lying in ambush are Caleb Brewster (Daniel Henshall) and his rebels, aided by mercenary Robert Rogers (Angus Macfadyen).

Simcoe prevails in the ensuing firefight and captures Rogers.

“You’re Culper,” Simcoe exclaims, incorrectly concluding that Rogers leads the spy ring. “A mercenary through and through, playing both sides against one another. A true American!”

Rogers gets away, however, by igniting an explosive.

Anna Strong (Heather Lind), meanwhile, agrees to marry British Major Edmund Hewlett (Burn Gorman) if they relocate to Europe. This would protect Hewlett from being targeted by Patriot spy Abraham Woodhull (Jamie Bell).

Hewlett initially agrees to move, then abruptly changes his mind and refuses to leave New York.

Finally, Washington orders Major Ben Tallmadge (Seth Numrich) to murder the camp’s treasonous chaplain (Ric Reitz). After Tallmadge accomplishes his mission he’s nabbed by a British agent (Adam J. Harrington).

“I won’t talk,” Tallmadge insists. “You might as well kill me now!”

Tallmadge eventually escapes on horseback, sustaining a gunshot wound in the process. But he lives to fight another day.