The Empress – Season 1 Episode 5 “The Shoes” Recap & Review

The Shoes

In an episode that flashes back to episode 5, The Empress shows us what Ava was able to do to become Leontine in the past. This is exactly what Egon was saying during their conversation in the episode prior to the one.

Presently, Elisabeth once again showcases her distinct personality, doing a sleight of hand around guards and countesses to pen poems placed in the shade of a tree. Leontine comes along with her and it appears that the two have come to love and respect each other. They have a connection over bird calling and Leontine is able to divert her soldier’s attention in order to befriend Elisabeth.

Theo awakes Franz to get him ready for an early departure. He motivates his soldiers to fight to defend the borders of Austria. This is a truly winning heartfelt, sincere, and inspirational speech. He asks the people to ensure peace within their territory but to not avoid fighting if the Russians provide aggression. At the Palace, Esterhazy informs the guests of essential rules that the Empress must be following when she meets with people. This is the day that she travels into the city to boost their hopes and to show them she is concerned. Sophie as well as Esterhazy are very harsh with her, but Leontine offers her help.

Von Bach reports disturbing news to Franz. Sina ended the agreement due to the fact that the Emperor has sent large troops across the border. Sina is furious at the Emperor. Elisabeth, as well as Franz, discuss the changes in the empire, as well as their lives as individuals. Their love and bond with each other are all that give the two a boost and optimism. In addition, Max and Charlotte sleep in bed together for the night. Max is practicing the speech he is planning to give his people as the new Emperor. At the cabinet meeting, Franz decides that the army will stand by and not fight. Even though Sophie is supportive at the moment, however, she sings a completely distinct tune when she is in front of Franz.

Elisabeth is in the city together with Esterhazy and Ludwig-Viktor. He provides her with directions on how she can meet Ludwig-Viktor and Esterhazy. In spite of the demands of Esterhazy Elisabeth enters an abandoned foundry to observe the savage working conditions. She comes across Hedi the girl we briefly met at the beginning of the show. When the empress realizes she doesn’t have shoes, she offers her shoes. Kempen is able to carry the Empress with her arms, following the instructions of Esterhazy, which angers the public by giving the impression of being a bit cocky. Ludwig gets injured during the ballyhoo incident which is the result.

Amalia is still at Leontine’s desk and finds the dress covered in blood. When Leontine is getting ready to go into her chambers, von Bach approaches her. They take a walk and Bach requests that she see paintings together. To succeed max requires three things: the support of the army as well as the support of the Catholic Church, and more importantly, the support of Sophie. Sophie is the one who holds the crucial element of his strategy. This could be a challenge he’ll be forced to tackle “forcefully”.

Countess Louise is introduced to Franz and tells him about his wedding with von Sina. She is irritated when Franz attempts a toast to Louise the love of Sina. Franz insists on convincing Sina to reconsider his decision. She accepts her plea after some savage strategies. Elisabeth is furious at Esterhazy for destroying her gesture. Sophie and Franz sit in their respective chambers. Elisabeth gives a detailed account of the foundry, and Franz confronts her on the subject. He demands that she keep an eminent distance from the people in full awareness of the resentment they create by doing so.
Sophie is warned by Sophie Esterhazy of the dangers of fire in the event that Elisabeth is pregnant again. Max attends the church, and the Archbishop is delighted to welcome him back following the loss of his beloved. Max proposes his coup to the Archbishop, but she doesn’t respond. He questions her intentions. Leontine warns Elsa who is one of those conspirators at the royal palace to cut the scheme off since Amalia is aware of her identity. She says they’ll keep going with the plan regardless. Elisabeth isn’t sleeping and goes downstairs to find the same max that was there from a night out at the local bar.

He is willing to take her to Prague via a tunnel that is hidden to escape this messy royal situation. Elisabeth is visiting Leontine while she’s packing her bags to leave. They ponder their place at the palace. Hedi is about to dance in her shoes, but she gruelingly looks on as she realizes the guards murdered his brother during the violence that broke out outside the foundry. Their desire for the revolution is strengthened.

The Episode Review

The episode in question witnessed Elisabeth fall a little due to her lack of experience in court and her impulsiveness. Based on the information we have about the empress, and from what we’ve seen so to date, Elisabeth definitely had room to be shocking. We can tell she is concerned and perhaps takes the matter a bit too seriously. However, taking off her shoes and handing them over to her was more of a gimmick than any other thing.

The Empress has made a lapse in some areas by taking artistic freedom to check the historical truth. It’s all fine but straying too far from the straight and narrow isn’t acceptable. The plot’s lapses occurred, though only for a brief moment on this show.

If this is the way Amalia is proceeding isn’t the ideal scenario for her? She’s close to having Leontine exiled from court, and possibly even hanged but the game can turn completely 180 degrees within a split second. One thing that is evident in the Empress is the continuous need to put up an uproar with the system. It is a show that attempts to reveal the viewpoint of discontented youth who were ahead of their time.

The episode was a continuation of the same in the shape of the revolution getting its ultimate force. Although we aren’t sure what will happen this episode is a great demonstration of characteristics. Franz’s situation has been terribly affected as the Emperor keeps with no answers or allies. The political aspects of his reign reached their highest point in episode 4, and he savagely tortured the ruler brutally in episode 5. It’s not unusual to see historical dramas make use of the spirit of the times, however, The Empress does it in a manner that is respectful.