The Great's Brilliance Lies in Peter's Demise

Editor's note: The below contains major spoilers for The Great Season 3.

The Big Picture

Catherine's ascent to power and fulfillment of her potential were made possible by Peter's crucial and brilliant demise. Elle Fanning mesmerizes viewers with her exceptional portrayal of Catherine, beautifully capturing her sorrow and eventual unraveling.

Peter's demise acts as a transformative force, propelling Catherine to greater accomplishments and paving the way for an awe-inspiring fourth season of The Great. In a mere 10 episodes, The Great has surpassed all expectations, embracing a faster pace, heightened intensity, and increased complexity. This acclaimed Hulu series has achieved unprecedented heights in its third season while also delivering the most heart-wrenching twist of destiny through the long-awaited demise of Peter III. Although some anticipated this event, the abrupt manner in which the character's exit unfolded left many viewers emotionally devastated, for both historical accuracy and logical reasons.

Despite the departure of Peter, portrayed by the exceptional Nicholas Hoult, and the subsequent absence of delightful salts and delicious quails in subsequent episodes, the character's definitive exit from the series is what truly elevated this latest season. It is rare for the demise of a main character to enhance a show, but with Tony McNamara at the helm, the inconceivable truly becomes advantageous. Here's the reason why Peter's demise was the wisest choice for The Great, and not merely because it allowed Elle Fanning, the brilliant actress behind Catherine herself, to deliver a career-defining performance.

The Great

A woman of royal status residing in rural Russia in the 18th century finds herself confronted with a difficult decision: sacrificing her own happiness or prioritizing the future of Russia as she enters into a marriage with an Emperor. Starring Elle Fanning, Nicholas Hoult, Phoebe Fox, and Sacha Dhawan, this captivating story encompasses elements of biography, comedy, and drama across three compelling seasons. Scheduled release date: May 15, 2020.

How Does Nicholas Hoult's Peter Die?

The start of the third season sees Peter and Catherine grappling with the aftermath of Catherine's unsuccessful and remorseful attempt to assassinate her husband at the end of Season 2. However, instead of targeting Peter, she mistakenly attacks Pugachev (played by Hoult), a lookalike who had been hired for the purpose. In the opening episode of The Great Season 3, we witness a shaken couple attending therapy sessions in an effort to overcome the mistakes, grievances, and tumultuous experiences of the past two seasons, and start afresh. Recognizing her deep love for Peter, Catherine finds the inspiration to turn the page and continue her mission of modernizing Russia while fostering loyalty amongst the court. However, achieving this becomes challenging as her pursuit of equality for the serfs, merchants, and nobles leads to more tension than peace. Additionally, Peter and Catherine find themselves at odds when it comes to deciding whether their son Paul should be ordained as the next Emperor. As Peter starts to worry that his inferior status compared to Catherine, and his failure to leave behind a substantial legacy, could negatively impact Paul's upbringing.

Eventually, Peter comes to a decision, prompted by the persistent persuasion of Sweden's former King Hugo (Freddie Fox), to secretly acquire Russia's army and conquer the Scandinavian nation. Accompanied by Hugo and Velementov (Douglas Hodge), the trusted military leader formerly serving Catherine, they advance towards Sweden. Meanwhile, Catherine and Peter's closest friend, Grigor (Gwilym Lee), set out to find them and reason with Peter. Standing atop a frozen lake, Catherine implores her husband to return home and resolve their differences, but Peter remains resolute in his mission. With a heartfelt declaration of everlasting love for his wife and son, Peter remounts his horse and begins crossing the icy expanse. However, just as he has a sudden change of heart and attempts to turn back, the ice gives way, plunging Peter and his steed into the frigid depths. In a single, tragic instant, Peter III is lost.

What Does This Mean for Elle Fanning's Catherine Moving Forward?

Image via Hulu

It is a commonly accepted and expected norm in screenwriting to avoid killing off beloved main characters simply for the purpose of shock. Usually, in a successful series like The Great, the decision to eliminate a central character would be seen as a misstep. However, the choice to conclude Peter's story here is both ingenious and heart-wrenching, adding depth and complexity to the season's narrative. This decision's impact can be attributed to one crucial fact: Catherine was always destined to rule alone. In historical context, Catherine's successful coup against her husband led to Peter III's six-month imprisonment and eventual demise. Upon his incarceration, Catherine assumed sole leadership of Russia, earning the title of "The Great."

In terms of accuracy, the show veered away from the actual events and created a fictional world where Catherine secures her sole sovereignty and Peter remains alive. While this provided entertainment and advanced the storyline in the previous two seasons, its charm was beginning to fade. Despite our fondness for Peter, his presence consistently hindered Catherine from reaching her full potential. Both politically and emotionally, Peter's influence on the Empress caused significant failures in her efforts to implement her plans for Russia, much to the frustration of her supporters, especially Orlo (Sacha Dhawan). The first two seasons revolved around Catherine's journey towards establishing her own empire and ruling without the restrictions imposed by the unfit Peter or anyone else. Although their love story blossomed, allowing Peter to persist and wreak havoc would have derailed the show from its true purpose: narrating the (occasionally true) story of a formidable female leader.

Fanning's Performance as Catherine in 'The Great' Season 3 is Career-Defining

Image via Hulu

Peter's demise marked a significant turning point for the show. It also served as the catalyst for Fanning to showcase a poignant, artistic, and unfiltered portrayal of grief and madness. Following Peter's tragic accident on the ice, Catherine, overwhelmed by the traumatic events of the past two seasons, spirals into a state of mental distress. She becomes convinced that her perception is distorted, believing that she and Grigor had merely imagined the accident and that Peter had actually ridden to Sweden across the lake. Confusing Grigor, Catherine returns to the palace and enacts this fantasy in court, hosting an extravagant celebration, making impulsive decisions such as legalizing divorce, and visibly unraveling in front of her friends and advisors.

Fanning's performance in the latter part of the season is truly career-defining. Catherine, now beaten down, heartbroken, and above all, disappointed, had always charged through life with hope and a sense of destiny, determined to reform Russia and carve out her place in history. However, the death of her beloved husband was the final blow. Under the pressure of her friends and court, Catherine is compelled to admit, both to herself and others, that Peter is dead and that it is time to confront reality. Fanning's portrayal of Catherine's steep descent into madness not only artistically portrays the weight of grief, power, and a crumbling nation but also takes the character to uncharted territories. While Catherine has experienced loss before – her first love, her mother, her childhood, and countless failed attempts at reform – this ultimate loss allows her to undergo a symbolic death and rebirth. Pushed beyond her limits, what follows in the second half of the season becomes the catalyst for the show to usher in a new era.

As we mourn the loss of one of television's most amusing and unnerving leading characters, we can find solace in the fact that The Great delivers a complicated, thrilling, and hilarious third chapter in Catherine's life. Death often becomes the driving force for change, and as Season 3 concludes with Catherine regaining the favor of the Russian people and cutting her hair, both audiences and fans can hold onto hope for an epic fourth season.

All three seasons of The Great are available to stream now on Hulu.

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