'The Regime': Max political series' Three Brothers myth explained
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Set against the background of a fictitious European country, HBO's ongoing series 'The Regime' immerses viewers in the nuances of politics.
Will Tracy produced the series, which released its first episode titled 'Victory Day' on March 3.
The narrative focuses on Chancellor Elena Vernham (Kate Winslet), who first appears to be an iron lady wielding absolute authority over the country, but as the story unfolds, cracks begin to form in her veneer.
To save herself, she enlists the assistance of a disgraced soldier named Herbert Zubak (Matthias Schoenaerts), whose influence only adds to her waning power.
In the second episode of the series, 'The Foundling,' the ministers in Elena's council fake Herbert's ancestry as being the direct descendant of their Foundling member in a bait to remove Herbert from the palace.
What is the true story behind 'The Foundlings?'
The Wielkopolska Chronicle from the early 14th century mentions a fable about three brothers: Lech, Czech, and Rus.
According to legend, three Slavic brothers established the three Slavic people: Poles, Czechs, and Eastern Slavs.
According to folklore, while on a hunting excursion, the brothers chased different prey and ended up traveling to several areas until settling there.
Lech settled in the northwest, Czechs in the west, and Rus' in the northeast.
Who is the fourth brother in 'The Regime'?
It was evident that the inclusion of the fourth brother in the dynamics was a deft manoeuvre to make the series look more genuine, given that it is set against the backdrop of a fictional nation.
As depicted in the episode, the unnamed fourth brother travels west and settles in a new homeland, creating a great national myth for the fictional country.
The fourth brother is seen as the Foundling of Elena's nation, therefore, he commands a lot of respect from the general populace.
Why was Herbert Zubak labeled as the descendent of 'The Foundling?'
With Herbert's growing influence over Elena, it was clear that everyone in the palace, including Elena's French husband Nicholas Vernham (Guillaume Gallienne), was dissatisfied but lacked the guts to approach her about it.
Thus, Nicholas directs ministers Mr. Laskin (Danny Webb), Mr. Singer (Henry Goodman), and Victor Schiff (David Bamber) to devise a strategy that will hasten Herbert's rise but also hasten his fall from Elena's favor.
Working on their wits, the three ministers favored a fiction about Herbert being the direct descendant of their country's first settler and Elena was unsurprisingly convinced of it.
What happens to Herbert Zubak?
Elena initially applauded the revelation that Herbert was the straight descendant of the Foundling, but as Nicholas anticipated, Herbert's rising power made Elena uneasy and exhausted.
Furthermore, his villainy and wrath contributed to his downfall, prompting Elena to get him arrested in the fourth episode of the miniseries, relegating the throne to her path to absolute power.
'The Regime' Episode 4 will premiere on HBO and Max on March 24, 9 pm EST.
