The men were killed in a fight outside the tavern, and the tavern’s owner is now trying to figure out what to do with the bodies.
Hugo Llor, his mother Antonina, and his sister Arsenda found their father dead on the sand. ..
Sir Arnau Estanyol (from the series Cathedral of the Sea) speaks with his son Bernat. He and his wife Mar prepare to send the lad off to study in Alexandria. While Bernat boards his boat, Arnau draws Hugo to his side.
Hugo’s mother is packing up their things when he returns home. With his father gone, they can’t afford their house.
Arnau has found a job as a maid at the convent and Arsenda is working as a glovemaker and Hugo will be separated from them and given work at the shipyard.
The King’s council is concerned about the King’s health and whether he will be able to continue ruling. There is talk of potential war if Prince Juan becomes the new King.
The council of the kingdom of Arnor must show loyalty to their king or they will be punished. Others think this will hurt them, and if they don’t support Prince Juan now he may punish them when he becomes king. The queen leaves her husband behind to go and meet her supporters. Soon after, the king dies.
Hugo rushes home to find his mother being treated poorly by her employers. Hugo decides to leave in order to help her.
Hugo goes to the convent to meet his sister secretly. Arsenda speaks to him on the roof, and she doesn’t enjoy her life there but she will become a nun if God calls her to do so. ..
They worry about what will happen now that the king is dead. Arnau has flashbacks to his life as a child. The Puig family mistreated him, particularly a girl named Margarida. They fear for their safety and the safety of their loved ones.
The Puiges have been close to Prince Juan for many years. When news arrives of the king’s death, Genís Puig, Count of Navarcles, leads other nobles in a toast to the prince-turned-king. Margarida walks in at the tail end of the toast. She is now blind and walks with a cane.
Juan’s army rushes the castle where Queen Sibila has taken refuge. The battle ends with Genís forcing Sibila to surrender. The new king appoints Genís as the royal knight of his armies.
Mar wants to leave Barcelona because the Puig family wants revenge against Arnau. (Heirs to the Land does a poor job at shedding light on Arnau’s former involvement with them. If you watched Cathedral of the Sea, you’ll know that Arnau and Margarida are cousins. Arnau escaped and later caused her family’s financial ruin.)
Arnau insists on staying despite the risk of being executed. The king has summoned the council, and Arnau must go, though they are likely to execute him. He tells Mar to stay in the cathedral and pray to the Virgin Mary. ..
Hugo attends the gathering, and Margarida is the first traitor to be executed. Hugo calls for Arnau, which makes Margarida perk up. Hugo makes his way to Arnua, whose gaze is transfixed on Margarida. He tells Hugo to find his wife and tell her to run, for the Puiges are here. Another man tells Hugo to stay; he will find Mar. ..
Margarida then screams Arnaus’ name, yelling that he caused her family’s ruin and the death of her parents and her brother. She calls for him to be seized.
Genís condemns Arnau to death by decapitation. Hugo calls Margarida a wretched swine, for which he is seized and beaten.
Mar arrives just as guards put Arnau’s head on the chopping block. She looks into his eyes and mouths, “I love you,” right before they decapitate him.
Roger rushes to tell Margarida the good news that he has been accepted into a prestigious university, but when he gets there, he finds her unconscious and realizes she has passed away. Genís notices and rushes over to check on her, and when he sees she is deceased, breaks down in tears. ..
Hugo wakes up in a bed. His boss tells him he was lucky for not suffering a worse fate.
The king exiles Mar. Genís and orders all the Estanyol possessions to be burned.
Bernat arrives in Constantinople and looks at the shoreline. He remarks, “I wish my father could see me.”
The Episode Review
Heirs to the Land is a gorgeously shot Spanish period drama following in the vein of its prequel series, Cathedral of the Sea. Both shows are based on novels by Ildefonso Falcones, titled La catedral del mar and Los herederos de la tierra. While the former chronicles the hardships and victories of Arnau Estanyol, this sequel takes a turn to focus on the humble beginnings of Hugo Llor.
The premier episode immediately unfolds some intense political conflict. The characters are not as fleshed out as one would hope, but the religious setting, shifting political dynamic, and social unrest all work together to create a compelling background for the ensuing drama. ..
The other downside is that the showrunners seem to be trying too hard. The first few episodes feel like they’re trying too hard to be something that isn’t there. It feels like they’re trying to be something that isn’t really there, and it makes the show less interesting.
The other downside to the show is the way it portrays women. Although this is just the first episode, I am already wary that the show will relegate women to the sidelines and simply use them as fodder for Hugo’s growth.
Heirs to the Land is a Barcelona-set period drama that piques my interest. I would recommend watching this episode if you are interested in the series.
