Two months have passed since the plan to reduce Zubak’s (Matthias Schoenaerts) influence over Elena (Kate Winslet) backfired. Instead of turning Elena against Zubak, he has grown more powerful within the palace walls.
While Elena happily follows Zubak’s nutrition and health suggestions, the rest of her cabinet conspires to resolve this issue with Elena's husband Nicky (Guillaume Gallienne) as their eyes and ears.
In The Regime episode 3, "The Heroes' Banquet," Elena celebrates her dead father’s birthday. It reveals her deep insecurities regarding this relationship, leading to her most dangerous political move yet. Zubak, meanwhile, goes from Elena's favorite to falling from grace.
Land reform proposal
Soil is now on the breakfast menu, much to Nicky's displeasure, as Zubak's folk remedies remain. Elena also puts Zubak in charge of the cabinet meeting so she can organize her father's birthday celebration. At the meeting, Zubak's land reform announcement is met with hostility as the wealthy elite will be forced to transfer their land to the working class.
Elena seems on board with the idea, but Nicky reminds his wife she cannot simultaneously be king and Robin Hood. If she implements this change, it will severely impact the country's and their own financial security.
During an intelligence briefing, Laskin (Danny Webb) tries a different tactic to provoke a reaction by noting there is no international chatter about Elena or their country. Laskin casually brings up recent American interest in the neighboring Faban Corridor, planting seeds to help return to business as usual.
Dead dad birthday celebration
As part of pre-birthday planning, Elena ventures to her father's mausoleum and ends up having a one-sided argument with the corpse about land reform. Elena is still out of sorts during her workout, and Zubak hurts Elena's wrist when she questions the plan. Zubak asks what she is hiding and the extent of corruption spills out.
They have billions in assets and slush funds in Belize, the state bank and the holding company. "Thousands, thousands of f***ing strings of money purloined from local businesses, farms, pension funds," Elena admits.
Zubak invites people from the countryside to the big birthday bash because he thinks it will be an excellent opportunity for Elena to apologize for all the money she has stolen from them. It's not surprising when Elena deflects and delivers a standard toast. Zubak is cut off in the middle of his speech by everyone singing Happy Birthday, and Elena has found a line that her counsel can cross.
Dreams have played a significant role in policymaking, but this is the first time we see one of Elena's. It's a nightmare in which her father throws insult after insult at her. He calls her "a comic figure, bereft of vision, easily ruled," including letting Zubak control her. After calling her pathetic, he tells his daughter "to be bold."
Military aggression
At the next cabinet meeting, Elena brushes aside land reform in favor or another slice of territory. Laskin's briefing worked too well, as Elena proposes taking back the Faban Corridor. The chancellor spins this invasion plan as an "expression of peace and love."
Making Zubak the official Faban Freedom Captain gets him out of the palace, which the cabinet has been clamoring for. Unfortunately, international news covers this story as bearing the "hallmarks of an occupation" and reports Faban leadership was forced at gunpoint to approve the annexation. Everything about this act is illegal, and there will be consequences.
Elena seems buoyed by this action and claims it's above board at a press conference. She also brushes off the negative impact on the financial markets.
A banquet fit for returning heroes
When Zubak returns to the palace, Elena is nonplussed by the artifact he has taken from the Faban Corridor for her. Zubak is also distressed that Elena's meals are no longer country-inspired delicacies. The worst moment comes when the chancellor says land reform is getting pushed until next year at the earliest for budget reasons.
Despite being in no mood to celebrate, Zubak is left with an audacious-looking uniform, and Agnes (Andrea Riseborough) has to convince him to wear it. Agnes also tends to the self-inflicted wounds on Zubak's back, coaxing him to the Heroes' banquet.
At the party, Agnes is concerned about her son Oskar (Louie Mynett), as his epilepsy medication has run out. Her fears come true when Oskar has a seizure during the entertainment.
Before this, the standup comic pokes fun at Nicky, but his jokes about Zubak hit close to the bone. Elena, thinking the whole thing is hilarious, winds Zubak up, but he is also angry to see wealthy businessman Emil Bartos (Stanley Townsend) back in the inner circle.
After the celebration Zubak wants to know why Elena is meeting with Bartos about China. She reveals they are working on a trade deal. Zubak mentions this is not part of their dream and Elena drops the bombshell that she doesn't dream (though we know this isn’t true). "Your dreams comes from the mind of a child," she snaps. Elena also calls him a "big baby ox man" and thinks he dreams about sleeping with her.
Zubak grabs Elena by the throat and raises his fist. He doesn't hit Elena, but in his cloud of rage he finds Bartos and beats him to a pulp; it's unclear whether Bartos survives.
The following morning, Agnes tells Elena about Oskar’s seizure and Elena immediately agrees Oskar should take medication. However, Agnes' joy is short-lived as Elena is unhappy Agnes did not tell her about this sooner. Elena behaves like she is Oskar's co-parent and insists Oskar will stay with her for the foreseeable future.
Elena is calm over breakfast, reading news about her party, causing international outrage. While it is far from business as usual, she has taken steps to rid the palace of Zubak. Elena watches him being taken away on security footage, but will prison be enough to contain Zubak?
The Regime airs new episodes Sundays on HBO and streaming on Max. It premieres in the UK on April 8, with all episodes on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
