Catherine’s (Elle Fanning) dream of ruling Russia alone was suggested by Marial (Phoebe Fox), still in the pilot of The Great. Marial’s motivation was not inspired by the empress’s progressive ideas. No, it was pure revenge.

Marial is not a character that has existed in the Russian Court, so she has all the poetic freedom to circulate among the “true” names with greater flexibility than the rest. Her story is curious because she doesn’t fit even among the Nobles and even less the servants because she is of noble lineage, but she was “demoted” to servant after her father angered Peter (Nicholas Hoult). Hence her grudge and desire to destroy the Emperor, whom she is virtually the only one immune to her charms.

So while she cares for Catherine, Marial has used her to her advantage: without Peter, she would regain her title and prestige, which she does. What Marial didn’t count on was that eventually the imperial couple would understand each other and fall in love. Even protected by her closeness to Catherine, she still wants to destroy Peter and the conflict that arises between the friends pushes her away too. To make matters worse, Marial also resents Peter’s closest couple, Georgina (Charity Wakefield) and Grigor Dymov (Gwilym Lee) because she was in love with Grigor. There are many twists and turns, but Marial never forgave Peter and barely tolerated him, always taking chances with cross answers.

In the brief moment in which Marial had a disagreement with Catherine, for omitting important information, she ends up causing one of the worst problems for her “friend”. She bonds with Purgachev (Nicholas Hoult), mentions him to Archie (Adam Godley) and now they’re all at the mercy of the revolt he leads against Catherine. What now, Marial?

Marial rushes to “help” Catherine, but, once again, her hatred for the nobility (of which she is a part) is greater and she misses the best opportunity to end the conflict. And here is my problem with Marial: she is a fake, worse or equal to Georgina.

At no time does Marial make a decision and influence Catherine that is not for her sole benefit. Always triangulating with the nasty and dangerous Archie more than the “friend”, Marial is perhaps Catherine’s greatest enemy, one that she doesn’t see and keeps close. Isolated, needy and insecure, she falls for her so-called friend’s seemingly frank conversation, but always gets it wrong. The very revelation of the way her mother was killed (sleeping Peter, but at her insistence, not his), was done out of spite and cruelty more than loyalty. Marial can’t control herself.

Catherine is not a sympathetic character, but her isolation is touching. Peter had adulation, yes, but Grigor had never failed him, but Catherine? Who does she have? Leo was executed. She herself accidentally killed Orlov (who, like Marial, had no mercy for the Tsar) and Velemontov, besides being an alcoholic, is terminal and barely counting. Knowing that only Marial is a “friend” is heartbreaking.

Georgina was trying too hard to appear to have changed, as we know she also wants revenge on Catherine and those who destroyed Peter’s reign. Not out of love for Peter, but because she was wronged. Which doesn’t put Marial at any advantage. And the two dispute Grigor even more than Catherine.

Today I see Marial as a manipulative narcissist. Her prey is easy, needy, and fickle. A classic fake. A foe. I wanted to see her punished, or at least isolated in Siberia. Would Catherine and Grigor ever wake up to see the true Marial?

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