Borgia 1x03 Full: Updated

Cesare watches his father, realizing that he is the enforcer of this glory, the one who does the dirty work, while his brother Juan (who is largely absent or ineffectual in this episode) gets the glory of being a Duke. The seeds of Cesare’s deep resentment toward his brother and his lust for power are firmly planted.

Meanwhile, Cesare, Rodrigo's ambitious and cunning son, is determined to eliminate the Pope's enemies and secure his family's grip on power. He sets his sights on Cardinal Orsini, a longtime foe of the Borgias, and begins to plot his downfall.

Lucrezia, on the other hand, is faced with a different kind of challenge. Her marriage to Giovanni Sforza is unhappy, and she finds solace in her affair with Alfonso of Aragon. However, their relationship is complicated by the fact that Alfonso is already engaged to someone else, and Lucrezia's family will not approve of their union.

Borgia was a massive undertaking, often reported as one of the most expensive television productions in European history. While it did not receive the same mainstream awards attention as its Showtime counterpart, it has garnered a dedicated cult following for its unflinching, historically gritty approach.

What makes “The Assault” superior to many period dramas is its refusal to moralize. There is no scene where Rodrigo looks into a mirror and questions his soul. Instead, the show offers a grim, realistic portrait of power as a zero-sum game. When Rodrigo finally secures the votes needed (though the actual election is saved for episode four), there is no triumphant music. There is only the sound of coins clinking and the silence of a man who has sold his integrity one cardinal at a time. borgia 1x03 full

This revelation comes as a crushing blow as Cesare secretly visits his pregnant lover, Fiametta. She gives birth to his son, Giovanni, and initially, Cesare is overjoyed to learn he is a father. But the joy is short-lived. Confiding in his friend Alessandro Farnese (Diarmuid Noyes), Cesare reveals the truth about his father's vow and his divine obligation. Realizing that his son is a worldly tie that could threaten his family's holy ambitions, Cesare makes the devastating choice to abandon the newborn, offering the child as a sacrifice to God to ensure his father's success.

The show's production values are, as always, impressive, with lavish costumes, sets, and cinematography transporting viewers to 15th-century Italy. The attention to historical detail is also noteworthy, with the show's creators consulting with historians to ensure accuracy in their portrayal of the Borgia family and their world.

Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere (Colm Feore), hiding in exile, turns to the fire-and-brimstone preacher Girolamo Savonarola. Della Rovere plants the seed that the Borgia Pope is a heretic and a pagan. This subplot is chilling because it sets up the religious warfare that will consume Rome for the rest of the season. Savonarola’s sermons about God’s wrath are juxtaposed with Rodrigo’s actual, desperate prayers, blurring the line between who is truly holy.

: Rodrigo offers safe haven in Rome to Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition—at a high price. Key Comparison at a Glance Borgia (Canal+) The Borgias (Showtime) Main Lead John Doman Jeremy Irons Episode 1x03 Focus The pre-conclave chaos Financing the early Papacy Tone Gritty, graphic, and dense Stylized, operatic, and sleek Lucrezia's Role Sent away for health/safety Used as a political pawn for marriage Cesare watches his father, realizing that he is

The episode splits into three narrative pillars:

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

As a high-quality historical drama, Borgia has moved between streaming platforms. As of the current licensing cycle, here is where you can watch :

The episode's central plot revolves around the arrival of (played by Elyes Gabel), a charming and refined royal from the Ottoman Empire. Djem is effectively a diplomatic hostage; his brother, the Sultan, pays the Pope a staggering 40,000 ducats annually just to keep him "safely" detained in Rome. He sets his sights on Cardinal Orsini, a

While the men play politics, Lucrezia (Isolda Dychauk) is treated as currency. Her brother Juan (Stanley Weber), the handsome but volatile Captain of the Papal Guard, returns to Rome. Lucrezia realizes that her father has no intention of letting her marry for love (a Spanish count). Instead, he has betrothed her to Giovanni Sforza—a man referred to as "an idiot" by his own cousin. This is the episode where Lucrezia’s innocence begins to curdle into the silent stoicism she is famous for.

Episode 3 opens with Rodrigo Borgia fully enveloped in his new role as the Vicar of Christ. The initial euphoria of winning the conclave has evaporated, replaced by the crushing weight of governance and the constant threat of assassination.

: The depiction of the cardinals' infighting captures the claustrophobic and corrupt nature of the Renaissance Vatican.

Rodrigo Borgia (Jeremy Irons) is cash-poor but influence-rich. The arrival of Djem presents a moral quandary that Rodrigo solves with terrifying pragmatism. The Sultan offers the Vatican a fortune to keep Djem "safe"—a euphemism for imprisonment. Rodrigo, ever the financial strategist, sees the Ottoman gold as the solution to his empty coffers.