: Upon arriving at the extravagant residence for Franz's birthday, Elisabeth and her family find their luggage missing, forcing them to meet the imposing Archduchess Sophie while dressed in somber black mourning attire.
: Elisabeth wanders the grounds and finds an injured bird, leading to a flirty, fairy-tale-like first meeting with Franz, who is tending to his horse away from his royal duties.
In the second episode of Netflix's (The Empress), titled " The Arrival " (A Chegada), the fairy-tale romance between Elisabeth and Franz quickly gives way to the suffocating reality of imperial life in Vienna. Plot Breakdown
: While the young couple finds solace in each other, Franz's brother Maximilian immediately takes a liking to Elisabeth’s bluntness, setting the stage for future tension. Outside the palace, the threat of war between Russia and France looms over Franz’s reign.
: Despite the expectation that Franz would propose to her sister Helene, he follows his heart and asks for Elisabeth's hand. This choice leaves Helene devastated and their mother, Ludovika, in shock.