Summary
The penultimate episode of The Regime is a surreal display of delusion, denial, and unchecked violence. This is probably the least comedic and most poignant installment of the limited series.
“All Ye Faithful” is The Regime’s very own Christmas special. Elena wants to spend the holiday with her “family,” comprised of Herbert and Oskar. Her actions against the Westgate protesters in Episode 4 led to the outbreak of a full-on civil war. But Elena chooses to ignore the situation and focus on her new relationship. When the rebels breach the Palace, the Chancellor is finally forced to face the music, yet it’s Agnes who pays the ultimate price in The Regime Episode 5.
Elena and Herbert Have A Weird Relationship Problem — And A Big Political One
Just when we thought Elena’s world couldn’t get any weirder, “All Ye Faithful” starts with her and Herbert in the middle of couple’s therapy. It’s been six months since the star-crossed lovers took their relationship to the next level, and one of their main issues is Herbert’s tendency to bite Elena during sex. But it’s ok. With the help of a therapist, she’s training that behavior out of him. As for the country, it’s in the middle of a Westgate uprising with the rebel forces a mere 23 kilometers (14 miles) away from the Palace.
It’s almost Christmas, and Elena has no intention of letting something small like the relentless sounds of bombs going off outside ruin the holiday for her and her happy family. To Agnes’s dismay, Elena treats poor Oskar as if he’s her and Herbert’s child, and the poor Palace manager has to take “family photos” of the three.
Despite Agnes’s best efforts to keep the Palace running, staff members are tired and terrified, and many had their homes blown up.
Civil War
Elena’s council is worried about the rebellion, with a few of them having abandoned their positions. New members of Elena’s council include a former minister of sport who was promoted to Defence Minister. While all the ministers are worried about the potential coup, our fearless leader is too in love to care.
According to the new and underqualified Defence Minister, the country is in the middle of a full-blown civil war, and the Westgate Resistance Army is winning. The rebels are closing in on the Palace. When Laskin suggests she flee the Palace, Elena vehemently refuses. Both Elena and Herbert oppose the idea of humanitarian aid for the people to help salvage her image.
Despite her refusal to betray Elena in the previous episode, Agnes has another offer to consider. The Americans can get her and Oskar passage to France after Christmas if she agrees to give them intelligence.
Elena Has (Dead) Daddy Issues
The Regime | Image via HBO
Still in denial, Elena is happy to continue ignoring the civil war while handling a more delicate matter. She and Herbert visit her daddy’s corpse to give him some heartbreaking news; from now on, Elena is her own woman and won’t be allowing her (dead and rotting) father to continue managing her life.
On Christmas Eve, the happy Chancellor’s family is watching Elena’s seasonal TV special and a televised message from Nicky, who’s officially in Switzerland recovering from gout. In reality, Nicky is recovering from an attempt to end his life after his wife’s betrayal.
Herbert leaves Elena speechless when he shows her his gift: A portrait of her he drew all by himself (it looks like something put together by a five-year-old). Elena’s present to her Butcher is a lot more appropriate. She bought him an artsy gun, apparently one of the finest in the world.
Santa Baby and Psychotic Episodes
Meanwhile, Mr. Singer and Mr. Schiff are drowning their sorrows and contemplating the end of Elena’s regime in a nearby bar. The Chancellor’s TV special includes a hilarious segment of Elena singing Santa Baby. Upon seeing that wondrous display of Elena’s delusion, the ministers drunkenly start considering the possibility of making her step down on the grounds of a psychiatric episode.
Oskar spent the days leading up to Christmas naming and growing attached to the traditional Christmas carp. When it finally dawns on him that Elena will kill the fish and eat it, he sneaks it out of the palace to save its life. Seeing her son upset seems to be the final straw for Agnes, who promises the boy they’re heading for France the following day.
As the intoxicated Singer, Schiff, and their new Defence Minister are planning their mini-coup, the real rebels have taken over the country’s TV broadcast to play The Barber of Seville on all channels. At the Palace, Herbert is concerned by the new development (he’s probably not big on opera), but Elena is still happily living in denial.
To say the situation’s dire would be an understatement. After broadcasting a bit of light musical entertainment, the Westgate Army announced on live TV that Elena’s regime had ended and promised to bring her to justice for her crimes. They also cut off the phone lines and circled the Palace walls. Fleeing is no longer an option.
Chaos Engulfs The Palace
Naturally, Elena comes up with one brilliant plan that might save her life and keep her in power. She decides to announce her resignation as Chancellor and allow Herbert to succeed her. After all, who better to run the country than a bonafide descendent of the Foundling?
The Chancellor sits at her desk and starts giving a speech that’s seemingly being live-streamed online to announce her resignation. Unfortunately, she can’t bring herself to utter the words and keeps stalling. Before she can formally step down, her security staff burst in, telling her that the Westgate Army breached the Palace. Elena is ushered away as the palace is engulfed in chaos. The rebels take over and even throw Elena’s dead father out of the balcony.
Elena and Herbert just about reach the roof, where an escape helicopter is waiting. However, the once loyal ministers fly off without them and leave their former leader behind.
The Regime Episode 5 ends with Agnes’s death and Elena’s Escape — Without Oskar
A terrified Oskar is cowering under a chair in Elena’s room while poor Agnes tries to navigate her way through the violent crowd and rescue him. But, in what’s possibly the show’s most heartbreaking moment, she’s shot and killed by a stray bullet. RIP Agnes, you tried your best.
Meanwhile, Elena and Herbert manage to escape the palace underneath the tunnels. When Herbert remembers they left Oskar behind, the cowardly Elena doesn’t waste a thought before telling her lover to leave the child behind. The whole “co-parenting” thing only applies to the good times.
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