Catherine (Ellen Fanning) is far from that dreamy, petulant, and even innocent teenager with the dream that she will transform Russia into a modern and democratic country. For those who follow The Great from the beginning, it is a delight to follow the evolution of the story and the performance of the cast. And the fourth episode of the third season made the quality of the series even clearer, even with all its ‘freedoms’ to tell an occasionally true story.

Catherine is the definition of clueless, in every way. Her arrogance of superiority over what she considers the bestiality of national culture is still impressive. She understands that in order to move forward, Russia has to change, and radically, but this attitude isolates her from everything and everyone. Those who want change think it’s too slow, and those who want to maintain tradition, too fast. Peter (Nicholas Hoult) is changing at the pace the country would change, in small moments, but unfortunately the couple (who only in fiction love each other deviously) don’t stand a chance. It’s a little bitter to know what lies ahead, that no one actually celebrates that within all the impossibilities, the two are finding balance. And the future of the season, which will end with a big twist, is outlined in this episode. In a single stroke, by very little and by ignoring Peter’s great argument, Catherine got the two worst enemies she could have.

Of course, it all starts with yet another crazy ritual, in which Peter needs to shoot a deer without hurting baby Paul, who will be tied to the animal. Another tradition, that Archie (Adam Godley) is most excited about is Paul’s ordination, but Catherine stops the preparations fearing that her son will become like his father. This also upsets Elizabeth (Belinda Bromilow) because they know that if Paul is not legitimized in the eyes of God, the Russian throne will cease to be hereditary. It does not help that it is this tradition that has guaranteed Catherine power and that, by canceling it, she risks the legitimacy of her own government. No one can make the empress understand the size of the mistake she is making on a whim.

And it is precisely through Marial (Phoebe Fox) that the downfall is planted. She comments to Archie that Pugachev (Nicholas Hoult) survived the stabbing and that he is living among the servants, yet knowing he impersonates Peter perfectly which leads him to initiate a dangerous plan.

In a touching moment, we see that Catherine has a more personal reason for avoiding Paul’s ordination: the people could get rid of her and make him ruler. He is in a delicate conflict that displeases the perceptive and dangerous Elizabeth.

The turnaround initiated by Archie promises dramatic moments for the Empress, who unfortunately does not have Mariel as her best adviser. And worse, Catherine herself had recognized that she needed Elizabeth and Archie to stay in power and change Russia. She lost both of them and was never more alone. The future doesn’t look promising for her…

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