Rasputin: The Mad Monk

In the Russian countryside, Rasputin tends to the innkeeper's ailing wife, earning the inn's trust. He also seduces the innkeeper's daughter, awakening dangerous appetites. The scene establishes his controversial power and the beginning of his influence over ordinary people.

A would-be killer confronts Rasputin and loses a hand in the struggle. Rasputin then tries to assault the innkeeper's daughter, provoking a violent backlash from the inn's patrons. He escapes the chaos and flees to his monastery, beginning a new chapter of his life.

Rasputin is brought before an Orthodox bishop to answer accusations of sexual immorality and violence. The innkeeper defends him, insisting there is something holy about him. Rasputin proclaims that his acts are sins worth forgiving and insists healing power flows from his hands, unruffled by the bishop's charges that his power comes from Satan.

Rasputin travels to Saint Petersburg and forces his way into Dr. Zargo's residence, kickstarting his campaign to win the Tsarina's favor. He aims to place a trusted ally close to the royal couple and begin steering court decisions. The encounter marks the pivot from rural chaos to imperial influence.

Rasputin manipulates Sonia, one of the Tsarina's ladies-in-waiting, to satisfy his sexual appetites and to reach the Tsarina. He puts the woman into a trance and instructs her to engineer an accident that would injure the czar's heir Alexei. The plan succeeds in drawing Rasputin deeper into court life.

Having gained a foothold in the court, Rasputin hypnotizes the Tsarina, convincing her to replace her court physician with Zargo. The substitution consolidates his influence over the royal family and deepens the intrigue surrounding the heir's care.

As Rasputin's wealth and control over the royal household grows, opposition forms among courtiers and quickly escalates. His methods, wealth, and interference threaten established power structures, prompting resistance from within the palace walls. The seeds of a confrontation are sown.

Sonia attempts to kill Rasputin in a desperate move to end his influence. Rasputin counters by placing Sonia in a trance and commanding her to harm herself, effectively silencing a potential rival. The act deepens the harm and shows his ruthless hold over the Tsarina's circle.

Sonia's brother Peter learns of his sister's death, furious at Rasputin's seduction and murder. He aligns with Ivan to bring about the monk's downfall, setting in motion a dangerous counterplot against Rasputin. The familial motive adds a personal vendetta to the political intrigue.

During an attempt to confront Rasputin, Peter is horribly scarred by acid thrown in his face, and he endures a lingering, painful death. The brutal attack heightens the rivalry and demonstrates the depths the conspirators are willing to go. The pain foreshadows the deadly confrontation to come.

Ivan manipulates a staged meeting with Vanessa to lure Rasputin. Zargo poisons the wine and chocolates, attempting to kill the monk with a slow-acting toxin. Rasputin drinks, begins to collapse, and a deadly struggle ensues.

The poison only weakens Rasputin temporarily, and a struggle ensues between the three men. Rasputin stabs Zargo and, after a brief clash, Zargo dies, gripping Rasputin's leg as he dies. The two collide, signaling the final act of Rasputin's downfall.

Ivan finally traps Rasputin in a deadly confrontation; Rasputin is thrown out of a window to his death. The fall seals the monk's fate and ends his campaign to control the Tsarina and the throne. The palace falls into stunned silence after the shock.