The King, the Squirrel and the Grass Snake — Season 1, Episode 2: Episode 2
Drama • 95 min • 1 season, 2 episodes • ★ 8.0/10
Episode synopsis
The second part depicts Fouquet’s gradual downfall. After the lavish celebration at Vaux — perceived by Louis XIV as a personal affront — the king decides to assert his authority with a decisive blow. Colbert intensifies his campaign, gathering evidence, forging alliances, and manipulating circumstances to ensure Fouquet’s condemnation. Arrested by d’Artagnan, Fouquet faces a political trial shaped by royal vengeance, state interests, and fierce power struggles. This episode portrays Louis XIV establishing himself as an absolute monarch, Colbert as a cold and calculating strategist, and Fouquet fighting to preserve his honor against a judicial machine already set against him.
About The King, the Squirrel and the Grass Snake
"The king, the squirrel and the grass snake" is a two‑part French historical drama set in 17th‑century Paris, following the intense rivalry between Nicolas Fouquet, the brilliant and flamboyant Superintendent of Finances, and Jean‑Baptiste Colbert, the calculating administrator determined to bring him down. As Fouquet rises in power, wealth, and prestige—building the magnificent château of Vaux‑le‑Vicomte and securing Mazarin’s favor—his influence begins to alarm the young Louis XIV. Colbert seizes the opportunity to undermine his rival, weaving a political trap that will reshape the future of the kingdom. Through court intrigues, shifting alliances, and the growing authority of the Sun King, the film portrays the fall of a man who shone too brightly and the birth of absolute monarchy in France.