It’s been two years since the first season of The Empress premiered on Netflix with six exciting episodes. Finally, Season 2 is about to premiere. The Empress was created by Katharina Eyssen, and follows the 16-year-old Empress Elisabeth “Sisi” Von Wittelsbach (Devrim Lingnau). Elisabeth falls in love with Emperor Franz Joseph of Austria (Philip Froissant) and marries him. This is complicated by the fact the emperor’s original bride was Elisabeth’s sister, Helene (Elisa Schlott).
So far, this series has all the tell-tale signs of a good historical romantic drama. The politics of the time come into play, and tensions about the class divide, along with Elisabeth’s unorthodox ways, create some of the first season’s most exciting moments. Elisabeth becomes empress and has to deal with her inhibitions. Her instincts conflict directly with the social expectations placed on her. On top of that, the series tackles Austria’s increasingly complicated political state. The first season of The Empress explores how a young woman impacted the history of the world and follows her rocky navigation of the Austrian court.
The Problem With Elisabeth’s Free Spirit in ‘The Empress’ Season 1
One of the earliest established traits of Elisabeth’s character is her free-spirited way of being. In a world of uptight aristocrats who never dare stray from the rules of the royal elite, Elisabeth dares to challenge those expectations. The very first episode establishes this character trait by showcasing the numerous marriage proposals she rejected. Elisabeth has a strong desire to marry for love rather than for practicality. However, she is in a politically influential family, so her mother strongly discourages this behavior and has trouble accepting her decisions. Elisabeth becomes known for her impropriety by other elites.
Franz’s mother, Sophia (Melika Foroutan), prefers him to marry Elisabeth’s sister, Helene. However, Franz and Elisabeth end up falling in love, and the choice affects the relationship between Elisabeth and Helene. Franz waits until the day he is supposed to choose Helene as his bride to make the decision. While it was decided early on that Franz and Helene would be a more intelligent match, Franz’s heart had other plans. Sophia often protests Elisabeth’s improper behavior, which is exhibited when she decides to interact with commoners. She’s more likely to follow her instincts rather than do what the court tells her to do. Elisabeth doesn’t let the perceptions of others impact her philosophy or choices. However, Elisabeth and Franz’s marriage is just the start of the drama.
The Netflix Drama Tackles Rising Political Complications and the War Between France and Russia
The war between France and Russia is central to the plot of the first season of The Empress. Unfortunately, this is not a prosperous time for the people of Austria. Most commoners are facing starvation, and some have even died from it. While the series isn’t afraid to tackle love and social expectations, the political aspects of the show do not take a back seat in this series. Austria is caught between two nations, and Franz wants to remain neutral in the conflict. In fact, Franz does everything he can to avoid war. Since the people of Austria were already starving and economically injured, the ruler knew that any involvement in the war would only cause more suffering for his people. The Austrian crops have been facing troubles because of the cold climate, causing a food shortage.
Franz is often portrayed as a compassionate monarch who wishes for prosperity for his people; he even requests to negotiate with both warring parties. While he often chooses against war, the Austrian ruler also has shown a keen instinct and prepares for the worst. Franz ensures his troops will attack if the Russian troops bring violence to the Austrian border. However, this is a last resort for Franz. At one point in the show, he even invites Alexander Nikolayevich (Vladimir Korneev), Grand Duke of Russia to discuss de-escalating the war.
The Court Brings Problems in ‘The Empress’ Season 1
The aggression between the ruling class and the public is at the heart of the discourse in The Empress. The rising levels of poverty have caused disenchantment and hatred of the elite among the common folk. As poverty skyrockets, the rumblings of an uprising against the emperor increase. This is brought to light when two revolutionaries named Leontine (Almila Bagriacik) and Egon (Merlin Rose) infiltrate the court. However, Elisabeth prevents Egon from hurting Franz, thanks to Egon’s growing affection towards Elisabeth.
The court and all the problems that come with it are a prevalent theme throughout The Empress. While Sophia’s dislike for Elisabeth and her rebellious behavior is an obvious conflict, another predominant issue comes from family ties. Franz’s brother Maximilian (Johannes Nussbaum) is deceitful and constantly scheming. Maximilian wants nothing more than the throne and would do anything to get it from his brother. Franz’s brother wants to stage a mutiny against Franz because he believes his brother’s weakness makes him unfit to rule such a large and complicated empire. Maximilian’s true intentions shine during Franz’s meeting with Alexander Nikolayevich, the Grand Duke of Russia. He does his best to manipulate his brother’s diplomatic advances. Since the court is such a prominent part of the series, it’s only fitting it’s the primary reason Elisabeth decides to leave.Elisabeth is overwhelmed, and the first season ends with as much drama as the beginning of the series. Elisabeth storms out of court thanks to the overbearing political complications and walks into a distressed crowd of commoners as if she’s one of them. Surprisingly, her pregnancy is revealed at the very end of the season.
The Empress doesn’t shy away from the political complexities of the historical period it’s based in and also tackles Elisabeth’s personal journey as a free-spirited woman trapped in a suffocating political climate. The second season of The Empress is sure to be as exciting and romantic as the first season while simultaneously chronicling the history of Austria and Empress Elisabeth “Sisi” Von Wittelsbach’s journey as ruler.
