Summary
The Great episode 10, “The Beaver’s Nose” is a frantic and entertaining end to the series, making it worth the wait for the viewers.
This recap of Hulu series The Great Season 1 episode 10, “The Beaver’s Nose” contains significant spoilers.
How does The Great episode 10, “The Beaver’s Nose” begin?
If you are aware of the story of Catherine the Great then you will just know that the final episode of this Hulu mini-series was always going to be momentous. The episode opens with Catherine burning the evidence that she is pregnant and she seems shell-shocked by her news. She wakes up from a dream — it’s her birthday and she wants Russia. She also tells Leo that she is pregnant and she believes it is his; Catherine thinks it is a sign — today is the day for the coup and she needs to get rid of Peter; she gets advice from Velementov and prepares him for the big day.
What does Leo give Catherine for her birthday?
Leo has given Catherine a ring embedded inside a peach and she loves it. Peter sees and is annoyed by it. She then gathers the coup group and confirms she is going to kill Peter “today”; Velementov will be organizing the military. The Great episode 10, “The Beaver’s Nose”, sees s*** about to go down.
How does Aunt Elizabeth find out about the coup?
Elizabeth wants to do the fertility test with Catherine and gives her loads of liquids so she can urinate. Catherine blags it, stating that no urine will come and tries to change the conversation; she asks Elizabeth how she felt when she killed Ivan. Catherine then can’t keep her urine in and gives it away that she is lying — Elizabeth calls her the beaver’s nose and implies that she’s going to kill Peter.
Catherine shows that she is pregnant and asks for her support — Elizabeth kisses her cheek and tells her not to kill him. I liked this scene because Marial saw all this — they have no choice but to go ahead with the coup. Meanwhile, Peter takes Leo out hunting and asks two of his men to shoot him but they only injure him which complicates things. His plan is to stash Leo until Catherine commits to him and only him.
It’s time to kill Peter, for Russia.
Marial dresses Catherine ready for the day and gives her a knife. Peter wishes her a happy birthday and gets her a gift that she genuinely likes to confuse matters — a famous writer from France. With the writer present, she needs to rethink of when she can kill her husband. Meanwhile, Marial catches Orlo trying to stab the Archbishop and takes the knife off him before locking them both in a room — they fight. Catherine and Peter sit with the famous writer and she asks him questions. Peter stands up and glowingly praises Catherine, highlighting her beautiful vision for Russia; he calls her beautiful and says happy birthday. She’s touched by his speech because it is genuine. When the famous writer has left she sneakily gets her knife out.
It’s time to kill Peter, for Russia, again.
The Great episode 10, “The Beaver’s Nose” sees Catherine struggling to find her mark. Peter reads out a fake letter from Leo that claims he has left the country. Catherine is furious and asks Peter if he killed Leo and then she finally tries killing him but he disarms her and asks her to calm down before locking Catherine in the quarters. Velementov starts his coup not realizing it has failed, Catherine is losing her mind trying to escape her quarters, and Orlo and the Archbishop continue fighting. The Archbishop realizes Catherine is leading the coup and asks Orlo if Elizabeth can be the next leader, not Catherine.
Marial breaks.
Marial is freaking out and tells the Archbishop that Peter isn’t dead. The Archbishop tells her to tell Peter that Catherine is leading the coup and she’ll be seen as a hero. Marial shows Peter Catherine’s plans and tells him that she’s also pregnant. The whole idea of telling Peter that Catherine is pregnant is so he does not kill her but when Marial gives Catherine the heads up, she’s understandably angry at Marial.
Catherine the Great verses Peter the Inadequate.
And the showdown we waited for since the start of The Great.
Peter grabs Catherine and puts a knife on her throat. She reminds him that she holds a baby for his bloodline and puts Peter’s hand on her belly and tells him to say hello. “You love me and you love Paul, you won’t kill us”. Catherine tells Peter that she does love him (kind of) but loves Russia more.
And then she offers him a deal — Catherine asks Peter to abdicate because she will be the better leader and lists the reasons why she’s proven it since her arrival — “Let me have it”. Peter admits he isn’t great at the job and Catherine says his line will be retained while drinking and f***ing and doing whatever he wants. As Peter looks to give up his leadership, he switches and asks Catherine to stop her people or his people will cut Leo’s head off. An emotionally strained Catherine sends Velementov a signal to stop. Catherine was fooled by Peter.
How does The Great episode 10, “The Beaver’s Nose” end?
Catherine tells the famous writer that she cannot lose Leo because he’s her great love and that Russia will be great also. The writer says if it was her destiny then it would have been. In a turning point to end this mini-series, Velementov tells Catherine that they cannot give up now — they need to finish it. Catherine has a decision to make — Leo or Russia…
Catherine meets Leo in the woods and kisses him over and over again and then looks at him longingly and Leo understands what’s about to happen — “I can change the world, I know it” and Leo agrees with her but is distraught that it has to end like this. She asks Leo to haunt her before walking off. She runs back in the palace and signals to Velementov to complete the coup — the satirical start of Catherine the Great’s reign.
The Great episode 10, “The Beaver’s Nose” is a frantic and entertaining end to the series, making it worth the wait for the viewers.
