Summary
Catherine’s breakdown continues in “Fun,” as she orders everyone to tell jokes and dance, distracting herself from Peter’s death and the painful truth. Her grief is perfectly conveyed once again, with Elle Fanning delivering a genuinely gripping performance. It’s another entertaining installment with a powerful finale.
The previous installment may have included the most shocking twist from the series to date, as Peter (Nicholas Hoult) died, drowning in an icy lake.
Catherine (Elle Fanning) and Grigor (Gwilym Lee) witnessed the former Emperor’s death and returned to the palace with decidedly different styles of grief.
In “Fun,” Catherine continues to suppress her grief while Grigor is imprisoned in his own room so that Georgina (Charity Wakefield) can finally instigate her elaborate plan.
The Great Season 3 Episode 7 Recap
After the last episode’s final shot, Catherine and Georgina carry on their endless badminton game, both sweating profusely. Catherine comments on how fun this game is and how fun Georgina is.
Maybe they could make their political ideas more fun in court as well. Georgina suggests a festival to liven things up.
Grigor wakes from his slumber, unsure if he is still dreaming. He’s still struggling to come to terms with Peter’s death. Georgina decides to sedate the man and lock him in his room. She has a plan to put into action, and she can’t have Grigor messing it up.
How does Catherine distract herself from her grief?
After an intense badminton game, Catherine has a bath. Her room reminds her of Peter though, so she asks to be transported to another. Catherine and the tub are carried through the palace halls, only adding to her manic disposition. As she goes, Catherine orders her people to tell her jokes along the way. Clearly, Catherine is trying desperately to distract herself from Peter’s death.
Elizabeth and Archie arrive to discuss plans for how to deal with Pugachev. They instantly notice Catherine’s unhinged mentality but soldier on regardless.
Archie wants to negotiate with Pugachev. Petrov enters, stating that they have found the lookalike, and he wants to kill the traitor. Catherine must make a decision.
Why does Marial choose not to kill Pugachev?
Pugachev is busy rallying the peasants, creating further chaos. Marial tracks him down and enters the rally with a loaded gun. She needs Pugachev dead, but his speech inspires her instead. She realizes that she cannot kill him. What he is saying is right. Maxim decides to finish off the job himself, although he only wounds the lookalike with a shot to the shoulder.
After the bathtub incident, Elizabeth is concerned about Catherine’s mental state. She checks up on the Empress, who confesses, she imagined Peter dead.
Elizabeth can relate to this. She always worried about Peter the Great during battles and did likewise. Elizabeth feels cold throughout this installment, implying that she can sense Peter’s death in some mystical way.
How does Catherine react to the play?
Catherine throws her fun lunch, which involves more jokes and games. Afterward, Georgina convinces Katya to perform her satirical play. The play is a comedy about Catherine’s reign. It is, of course, very disrespectful, poking fun at Catherine’s choices. This hurts Catherine deeply, but she feels unable to act out. She orders everyone to dance until they vomit instead.
Next, Georgina continues her scheming. She tells her servant Petra to spread the news of Peter’s death. Georgina aids in this task, informing Tatyana and Arkady. They also spread the rumor. Georgina then meets with Catherine.
Georgina wants Catherine to kill Katya, but the Empress can’t do this either. Instead, she sends her to Siberia as a veiled punishment.
Archie greets Catherine next, urging her to sign the negotiation deal with Pugachev. Catherine is happy to sign it. She asks Archie if he believes in visions, still reeling from Peter’s death, unsure if she dreamed it all up.
Maxim bursts in to inform Catherine that he has killed Pugachev. The boy didn’t stick around to see if Pugachev was dead, though. Catherine jumps on this statement, convincing herself that Pugachev is dead, not Peter.
She looks visibly relieved, tricking herself into thinking Peter is alive.
The Great Season 3 Episode 7 Ending Explained
The episode ends with Catherine making an announcement. She tells her people that Peter is not dead. It is Pugachev that has been killed. The Empress is then offered a new dessert, which the chef has made with Peter’s help. This triggers painful flashbacks of Peter’s last words to Catherine before his death.
Catherine breaks down, crying in front of everyone. Then Grigor enters the room, screaming that Peter is dead. It’s a manic ending that perfectly encapsulates both Catherine and Grigor’s painful grief.
What did you think of The Great Season 3 Episode 7? Comment below.
