With its second season, The Empress brings back its grand scale and throws us back into the chaos of Empress Elisabeth’s life and reign. The first episode, called “An Heir to the Throne,” quickly brings up the political drama, personal struggles, and heartbreaks that have become a part of Elisabeth’s journey. The story starts in 1856, a few years after the first season, with hints of both hope and tragedy.
A Growing Empire, A Growing Family
At the start of the episode, Vienna is busy getting ready to host important people from across the empire. People are interested in Empress Elisabeth (Devrim Lingnau), who is now pregnant with her second child. Sophie Fienchen, her first child, brings a rare touch of innocence and joy to the heavy duties of being a princess. There is a lot of hope in the palace because people think this child might be the male heir that the Habsburgs want so badly. As smart as ever, Archduchess Sophie is very worried because she thinks that the empire will become weaker because of Napoleon’s son.
Even though she is pregnant, Elisabeth continues to break court rules in the way she always does. She plans a diplomatic reception for foreign delegates to help mend fences between the country and its representatives. To Archduchess Sophie’s dismay, her ability to charm these important people by speaking to them in their own languages shows that she wants to be more than just a leader. They fight over Elisabeth’s parenting style, and Sophie takes control of the young Sophie Fienchen because she feels threatened.
A Shocking Gift and a Moment of Defiance
In the middle of the fancy reception, bad things happen when Adolfo, from the delegation from Lombardy Venetia, gives Elisabeth a cow’s tongue as a clear message to get rid of Habsburg rule. As he tries to run away, palace guards shoot him down, making his dramatic plea for help get worse very quickly. Franz tells Elisabeth not to go to Adolfo’s side, but she does anyway, showing how caring but impulsive she is.
After what happened, Franz calls an emergency meeting of his advisors. While the general wants to show military strength in Lombardy and Veneto, other people are warning of rising unrest in all Italian-speaking areas. Under the direction of its ambitious prime minister, the kingdom of Piedmont wants to bring these areas together to fight Austrian rule. Archduchess Sophie (Melika Foroutan) doesn’t agree with Franz’s idea to ask Napoleon for help— she thinks the French emperor is not worthy. But Franz’s determination shows that he is feeling more and more pressure as threats from inside and outside his empire grow.
The Exile of Maximilian and Elisabeth’s Secret Investigations
At the same time, Franz’s younger brother Maximilian is stuck in exile. Isolated and hopeless, he is on the verge of destroying himself because of his ambition and mistakes from the past. He is only broken up by a letter from Franz (Philip Froissant)—which suggests that they might be able to get back together or adds another twist to their already tense relationship.
Back at court, Elisabeth tells Leontine—a close friend, to look into Adolfo’s intentions. Leontine asks Alexander, her secret lover, for help but their relationship is still complicated by the fact that she is hiding who she is. Leontine is torn between her duty to the empress and her own wants, and Alexander’s marriage proposal makes things even worse.
A Perilous Birth
As things get worse in the palace, Elisabeth gives birth earlier than planned. Her contractions interrupt a heated argument with Franz about how moral Adolfo’s death was, showing that their relationship is getting more and more tense. As Elisabeth’s work gets more dangerous, the mood changes to panic. Even though the midwives and doctors do everything they can—Elisabeth has serious problems and the scene builds to a climax with her unconscious on the birthing bed.
Even though they are happy about having a new life, they are let down when they find out it’s another girl. The fact that Franz and Archduchess Sophie look so upset shows how much pressure there is on Elisabeth to have a son. The episode ends with the empress still unconscious, leaving her fate and the future of the family uncertain.
The Exile’s Letter
At the end, we see Maximilian again, who has received Franz’s letter. It’s not clear what it means, but the gesture itself suggests that their tense relationship might change. With his own mistakes still fresh in his mind, Maximilian now has a chance to get back into politics, or it could be a painful reminder of what he has lost.
The Empress S02E01 “An Heir to the Throne” sets the stage for a very intense season by combining personal drama with—the Habsburg Empire’s unstable government. The episode shows that the journey ahead will be rough— as Elisabeth fights for her freedom in a world that wants her to obey and Franz struggles to keep his empire together. People are hooked right away by the stark contrast between hope and heartbreak, grandeur, and tragedy.
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